Candidate: Gene Pease
Address: 208 Glandon Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Contact information: gpease7@aol.com, www.genepease.com
1. We talk a lot about growth and where it should occur. Clearly the Town Council can influence the rate of growth through its planning and zoning powers, granted by the NC Legislature.
What are your goals and objectives for growth? Building on a question asked at the Visioning Task Force focus groups, how much growth can Chapel Hill support and still maintain our values, the things that people like about living in Chapel Hill? How would you determine growth rates that are "sustainable"?
In 2008, approximately 80% of the Town's tax base was residential; 20% was commercial. In communities our size the mix should be 65%/35% for a sustainable financial mix. Chapel Hill homeowners just received their "revenue neutral" property tax bills, which resulted in major tax increases. Next years estimated Chapel Hill taxes are forecasted to increase over 7%. We must increase the commercial tax base for better balance, and to lessen the tax burden on homeowners. Seniors on fixed incomes are having to leave the community due to the increasing tax burden. Increasing our commercial tax base would boost property tax revenues and keep sales tax dollars here at home. Office/retail uses at Carolina North and University Square present excellent opportunities and I support constructive town-gown relations to achieve this goal.
I see no evidence that the community wishes to discuss lowering the quality of our services. So Chapel Hill must grow its revenue, at a minimum at the cost of inflation, to continue to support our current levels of service.
2. New development occurs on vacant land, or developers buy properties to redevelop for a completely different purpose. Examples of the latter are East 54 and Greenbridge, and proposed projects such as Rams Plaza, University Mall and University Square. Development of any type can bring desired amenities for the Town but can also cause undesirable consequences, such as a changed Town character, environmental damage, the loss of affordable housing, increased traffic, and the migration of small scale retail from present locations.
Given that development and change are inevitable, please suggest ideas about how each of the unwanted consequences could be addressed in future development proposals.
I believe our present development process, although could be streamlined, presents ample commissions and boards, public and Council input to mitigate the issues that are critical for our future: environmental, traffic, and economic. The town's affordable housing policy has created important housing stock in Chapel Hill. However, I see two problems. There is no source of revenue for longer-term maintenance costs at Scarlette Drive, Rosemary Place, etc. I believe it is also unrealistic to insist that every project include affordable housing units. In pricey condo developments, buyers of the affordable units can't afford the condo dues. I would propose that the town revisit its payment in lieu policy, and make payment in lieu a reasonable alternative to providing units in some locations.
3. Chapel Hill prides itself on an open public process with fair, consistent rules and development review process. Citizen Advisory Boards ensure that citizens are involved in decisions that affect them. A Concept Plan process helps guide developers toward a concept desired by the Town.
Please comment on whether the Town's process is working as it should, and offer specific ways it could be improved. Is the process achieving the results we want?
In the development review and approval process, predictability is very important. Unfortunately the current process has not had much predictably. Predictability is important to citizens, elected officials and developers. I support creating criteria for desirable development projects, establish the appropriate development guidelines or zoning requirements for those areas, and then expediting the approval process for projects that meet the Council's established objectives. Chapel Hill is a community with very little raw land left. Most of our future development will be redevelopment. I support establishing specific criteria for certain town board and commission membership that better reflect the mission and responsibilities of that board or commission. For example, the members of the Community Design Commission and Planning Board should comprise members from fields such as architecture and planning. Currently, many persons appointed to these boards have little, or none, experience in the mission of the board, making the meetings inefficient and the process inefficient, which results in approvals taking longer than necessary.
4. For the last few years the Council has embraced a policy of encouraging higher densities along major transit corridors through zoning changes based on certain assumptions about transit and population estimates, e.g. a planned hotel on MLK near I-40, and the 54 East project already built at the proposed transit hub. Do you support the policy of putting density on major transit corridors and why? What changes, if any, would you want to make in the policy?
Chapel Hill's population will reach 81,000 in 2035. Land is scarce. The best way to provide new housing and commercial space is through mixed-use projects along our transit corridors. This environmentally friendly approach allows people to take transit to work and to walk to stores and restaurants. Excellent design and appropriate scale is critically important so the mixed-use developments compliment the surrounding the neighborhoods, rather than overwhelm them.
5. Chapel Hill and UNC signed a Development Agreement in June 2009. NRG worked with the Town of Chapel Hill and UNC to ensure that interests of Chapel Hill neighborhoods were taken into consideration, particularly in transportation planning. Our recommendations and neighborhood concerns are found at http://www.nrg-nc.net
When the review of the Development Agreement comes up, name three issues that you will consider to determine whether or not the Agreement is a success, and discuss in general terms what you will be looking for as measures of success.
Section 4.16 of the Development Agreement calls for both parties to conduct an assessment of the Agreement, within 3 years of the effective date. When the review of the Development Agreement comes up, name three issues that you will consider to determine whether or not the Agreement is a success, and discuss in general terms what you will be looking for as measures of success. The first measure of a success in three years will be if a Fiscal Impact Analysis can be agreed upon by both parties. The financing of Carolina North for infrastructure and services is supposed to be revenue/cost neutral to the town, with no additional financial burden placed upon the taxpayers. The current Fiscal Equity Plan drafted by the consultants had many, many underlining assumptions that members of the Carrboro Alderman and the Chapel Hill Council, and some of us citizens did not believe. Without agreeing on the underlining assumptions as to growth, tax implications, and costs, there is no way to believe the financial implications to the town that the consultants forecasted.
The second issue that I would expect to make progress on in the next three years is the establishment of the transportation targets and improvements that are identified in the Agreement, but have no definitive dates for resolution. The sooner these targets can be agreed upon, the sooner the neighborhoods will understand the traffic mitigation measures that may need to be done (traffic calming, etc.) to protect the surrounding neighborhoods. The third area that needs work in the next three years is the plan and schedule for the bicycle, pedestrian and greenways improvements, and the connectivity to the main campus.
6. Public participation cuts across all aspects of Town Government. During the Carolina North planning process, many neighbors emphasized the importance of improving public participation. See attached NRG recommendations report. What is your view of public participation in Town Council decisions, and your ideas for updating Town strategies to reflect current]day technologies and media?
I believe generally the current process provides for adequate public input through the numerous boards and commissions, public hearings, communications via email, phone and in]person with town Council, information on the town website, and the accessibility of town staff and management. I believe the town must continue to make investments in technology to facilitate these communications, but frankly, if one wants to participate in town discussions it is pretty easy to get involved..