NRG Petition to Chapel Hill Town Council on Aydan Court Rezoning

Oct 20, 2008

Good evening Mayor Foy and Town Council members:

I am speaking tonight on behalf of Neighborhoods for Responsible Growth, or NRG.

NRG is a grass-roots group of citizens who have come together to advocate for sustainable development that promotes and maintains the quality of life in our community. As our name indicates, we understand that communities must grow to survive, but also believe that when it is not done responsibly, growth can also harm a community. Growing responsibly means giving due consideration to all aspects of sustainability: the environment, the local economy, and social equity. It is impossible to achieve some of these goals by sacrificing the others.

For that reason, NRG urges the Council to reject the rezoning application and SUP before you for the Aydan Court Development.

This high density development is proposed for an environmentally sensitive area, and lies directly adjacent to the Little Creek Waterfowl Impoundment with minimal buffers. The tract is in a watershed to Jordan Lake and has low lying wetland areas which will discharge close to the Lake.  The area is also designated as a State Significant Natural Heritage Area.  This application does not adequately address these constraints, nor do we believe that is possible with a development of this intensity.

Several years ago, as part of the new Land Use Management Ordinance, the Council adopted stricter guidelines for allowable disturbance of steep slopes. This forward-looking regulation was designed in part to reduce and halt the silting of Jordan Lake, much of which was being driven by intensive development in the Jordan Lake watershed.

The development before you flies in the face of these standards. It proposes a zone allowing denser development adjacent to a sensitive area. It calls for exemptions to the steep slopes regulations, and indeed will result in disturbance to all of the steep slopes on the area of the lot located behind the initial cut-through entryway. It places high-density residential development adjacent to an area used for hunting. 

While we may have good intentions, our ability to predict and manage runoff from construction and developments is still uncertain. What is certain is that this development will have a negative impact on the sensitive area in which it is located.

We would like to point out that Chapel Hill’s most recent Land Use Plan designates this area as parks and open space. It is currently zoned R-1 for low-density residential. We believe these assessments were and still are correct, and reflect the will of the larger community concerning environmental protection. The environmental sensitivity of this area should preclude the type of intensive development being proposed here. 

We urge the Council to reject the rezoning and Special Use Permit for the Aydan Court development.

Thank you.

Presented at Council Business Meeting, Oct 20, 2008