Southern Village Neighbors please note two meetings this week that will likely have an important role in shaping development in and around our neighborhood for some years to come. A link to the two meetings’ agendas are posted in the announcement below. There will be 4 areas discussed: a) west of 15-501 (includes Market St), b) east of Obey Creek, c) between Obey Creek and 15-501 and d) area from just south of Southern Village to the Chatham county line (near where the new Walmart will be). There will be an hour at each meeting for participants to circulate amongst discussion stations of these 4 areas to provide input.
In addition to the committee below, there were about 20 participants at the initial meeting, and most were from surrounding neighborhoods. Smaller and more rural neighborhoods may have different views about development than residents of a larger neighborhood like Southern Village. These meetings may be our one opportunity to provide input into the 15-501 South 2020 plan.
From the Chapel Hill 2020 website:
Chapel Hill 2020 15-501 South Meetings Doubleheader
Meetings are scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, and Thursday, April 19, at 101 Market St. in Southern Village for the 15-501 South Corridor Discussion Group that was assembled to identify broad brush recommendations, similar in scope to those in Draft 2 of the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive plan, the new comprehensive plan that will become a guide to managing change and a collective vision for the community’s future.
See the 15-501 South Discussion Group Meeting Agenda (http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=13350). The work and conclusions of the discussion group will be reported back to the Chapel Hill 2020 process and stakeholders.
The area to be studied includes and surrounds the Southern Village commercial core, the park-and-ride lot, the 15-501 entrance to Chapel Hill and the Obey Creek property. The group will use an interactive format to develop their land use recommendation for the Chapel Hill 2020 process. They will consider existing conditions, opportunities for change, the goals of the Chapel Hill 2020 process, and the community’s interests.
Former Mayor Kevin Foy is chairing the discussion group and serves as an impartial moderator. A consultant, Urban Collage, is providing professional support, the data and background information that citizens have said they need to strive for consensus on a land use recommendation for this corridor.
Meetings:
– Wednesday, April 18, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Southern Village, 103 Market St.
– Thursday, April 19, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Southern Village, 103 Market St.
Members:
Kevin Foy – chair
2 Planning Board members: Kimberly Brewer and John Ager
1 Bicycle and Pedestrian Board member- Rainer Dammers
1 Transportation Board member- Whit Rummel
2 Southern Area Residents – Susan Duke and Jeremy Purbirck
2 Southern Area business or land owners or land owners representative: Lori Eichol and Ben Perry
1 Southern Area ETJ resident: John Schmidt
Charge:
The charge of this work group is to attend three meetings to develop a land use recommendation for the Southern 15/501 area of the Chapel Hill 2020 Future Focus work sessions. The work group will work with the Future Focus consultant to devise a land use recommendation to be presented to the Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan stakeholders. The work group will receive public comment at each meeting. The work group will make a recommendation to the 2020 Co-Chairs and participants before April 24, 2012. This process will be a model for civil discourse on a topic of community-wide importance.