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Greene Tract - Community Engagement, Master Plan, and Next Steps
PURPOSE: To receive reports from the consultant teams and staff on the Greene Tract community engagement effort, resultant Master Plan, and next steps towards development of the Greene Tract, and to consider approval of a Resolution.
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Department
DEPARTMENT: Planning
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Contact
CONTACT INFORMATION: Marty Roupe, Development Review Administrator, mroupe@carrboronc.gov, 919-918-7333; Duncan Dodson, Planner, ddodson@carrboronc.gov, 919-918-7340; Trish McGuire, Planning Director, pmcguire@carrboronc.gov, 919-918-7327
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Council Direction
COUNCIL DIRECTION:
_X__ Race/Equity ____ Climate ____ Comprehensive Plan __X__Other
Council Direction Statement
Pocket questions have been completed and are attached (Attachment C).
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Information
INFORMATION: In late 2023, Orange County contracted with Gensler (<https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6854139&GUID=A4E21E4D-ED10-4769-9F5E-08AEEC60055C&Options=&Search=&FullText=1>) to provide community engagement services for a Greene Tract Master Plan. In early 2024, the County contracted with Thomas & Hutton (<https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6431795&GUID=CE4790D3-EDA5-4C12-97B4-FFE2822945E9&Options=&Search=>) to provide design services for a Greene Tract Master Plan. These contracts were entered into with the support of the joint property owners, the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, which have paid 43% and 14%, respectively, of the contract costs. The two consultant teams and staffs of the three local governments have been working together with the community throughout 2024 to create a Master Plan for development of the Greene Tract.
A website is maintained that contains additional history and information on the Greene Tract: <https://www.orangecountync.gov/3070/Greene-Tract>. The 2024 Master Plan effort included the following activities, which are available for viewing at the link immediately above:
• Three (3) well attended community workshops
• April 14, June 9, and September 22, 2024
• Monthly Engagement Team meetings. (The Engagement Team includes residents of the Rogers-Eubanks community.)
• Monthly Newsletters
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Community Engagement Insights Report
The Master Plan contained in Attachment B is the result of the 2024 community engagement efforts to produce a Master Plan created and supported by the community, with the goal of eventually developing affordable housing and other appropriate uses on the property. The Master Plan contains the following features:
• Housing
o Detached Residential (Single-family and 2-family): 100 - 150 units, 750 - 2,000 square feet per unit
o Attached Residential (Townhomes): 95 - 160 units, 750 - 2,000 square feet per unit
o Multi-family Residential (Apartments/Condominiums) and Parking Areas: 270 - 360 units, 500 - 2,000 square feet per unit in 3 - 4 story buildings
• Non-Residential / Civic / Commercial
o 10,000 - 25,000 square feet per building, 1 - 2 story buildings
• Street Network and Connections to Existing Roadways
• Pedestrian (Sidewalk / Trail / Greenway) Network and Connections to Surrounding Area
• Parking Area for Trailhead
o Parks and Open Space, including Orchard Areas and Community Garden Areas
• Stormwater Facilities
The Gensler and Thomas & Hutton consultant teams will present summaries of their work at three meetings of the local governments:
• October 1, 2024 - Orange County BOCC
• October 9, 2024 - Chapel Hill Town Council
• October 15, 2024 - Carrboro Town Council
With a community-supported Master Plan near completion, the need to conduct a financial feasibility analysis of the Master Plan was identified. To this end, Orange County, with the support of the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, entered into a contract (Agenda - 09-05-2024; 6-a - Professional Services Contract with Development Finance Initiative (UNC School of Government) for Pre-Development Services for the Greene Tract and Approval of Budget Amendment #1-A - Laserfiche WebLink (orange.nc.us) <http://server3.co.orange.nc.us:8088/WebLink/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=73186&page=1&cr=1> with the Development Finance Initiative (DFI) at the UNC School of Government in September 2024. DFI will conduct several iterations of the financial feasibility analysis, at varying levels of affordability, so that informed decisions can be made by the property owners (the three local governments) regarding development of the property. The contract with Thomas & Hutton was also amended (Agenda - 09-05-2024; 8-j - Amendment to the Professional Services Contract with Thomas & Hutton for the Greene Tract Master Plan and Approval of Budget Amendment #1-C - Laserfiche WebLink (orange.nc.us) <http://server3.co.orange.nc.us:8088/WebLink/0/doc/73196/Page1.aspx> and extended to provide any necessary modifications to the Master Plan that result from the financial feasibility analysis. DFI will also eventually market the project to private sector developers (both non-profit and for-profit) who would construct the Master Plan.
Additionally, the “entitlement process” (zoning approval) with the Town of Chapel Hill will begin shortly. The zoning approval process will be achieved via a “Development Agreement.” Annexation of the property into the Chapel Hill town limits will also occur. The timeline in Attachment B includes 2024 and upcoming work.
Resolution The Resolution supporting the Master Plan (Attachment A) is to be adopted by the three local governments at the respective meeting dates listed above (Note that Orange County and Chapel Hill have now both approved the resolution). Attachment C is the Town’s “Pocket Questions,” which have been included in the agenda items for all three governing boards.
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Fiscal and Staff Impact
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal and no extraordinary impact with receiving the contract deliverables from the Community Engagement and Master Plan consultants.
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Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION: A recommendation approving the Master Plan is provided for the Town Council’s use (Attachment A).
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