TITLE: Title
Update on Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan Process and Request to Set a Public Hearing
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is to provide the Town Council with an update on the comprehensive planning process and an opportunity to set a public hearing for review of the draft plan on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Patricia McGuire, Planning Director, 919-918-7327; pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org
INFORMATION: Carrboro Connects, the Town’s Comprehensive Planning process underway since June 2020, continues to move forward with plan development and community engagement. Since the last report on June 22nd, draft plan elements have been reviewed by task force members and staff and planning has been underway for a community open house and task force meeting in conjunction with this update.
A preliminary draft plan that incorporates the substantive chapters, maps, and illustrations is ready for community consideration, starting with a presentation this evening, a Community Open House at the Town Commons on Wednesday, September 22nd and a virtual Task Force meeting, via Zoom videoconference, on Thursday, September 23rd. Information about the Open House and the plan will be available for review after 5PM on Friday, September 17, 2021at <https://www.carrboroconnects.org/prelim-draft-plan>.
The Community Open House begins at 7:00 PM following the Farmer’s Market closing time. Project consultants and staff will be on hand to discuss with attendees the purpose, process, engagement, and products prepared to date. Feedback on recreation, parks, and cultural services and projects that have been identified as needs and/or wants is being sought.
The preliminary draft will be distributed to advisory boards for review at their October meetings to incorporate any input in this final step of developing the public hearing draft. A Town Council worksession on this preliminary draft is scheduled for October 5th.
The November 16th public hearing date is anticipated to provide ample time for subsequent referral to advisory boards for recommendations and continuation of the hearing to receive input. It is currently anticipated that the Town Council may be ready to adopt the plan in the spring of 2022. Per North Carolina State Law, 2019-111, Section 2.9(c), action on a plan that accords with North Carolina General Statutes 160D 501 is needed before July 1, 2022 in order for the Town to continue to exercise its zoning authority.
A power point presentation on the work to date and the schedule for next steps is attached (Attachment B). Scott Goldstein of Teska Associates, Inc. will attend the meeting on Tuesday to walk through the presentation.
The Town Council established the Comprehensive Plan Task Force on June 23, 2020 to allow residents and businesses owners to participate in guiding and informing the process of comprehensive plan development. Seven Task Force meetings and three community meetings were scheduled at the outset. The Task Force will consider the preliminary draft plan at the last meeting currently scheduled next Thursday September 23rd. An additional meeting in late October or early November would allow the Task Force to provide a consensus recommendation prior to the public hearing scheduled for November 16th. A resolution (Attachment C) recognizing and appreciating the work of the Task Force members and requesting their participation in up to two additional meetings has been prepared for the Council’s consideration.
An interactive project website with full functionality for accessing project information and engagement opportunities is available at CarrboroConnects.org <https://www.carrboroconnects.org/>. Other background information on the project is available at <http://www.townofcarrboro.org/2389/Town-of-Carrboro-Comprehensive-Plan>.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: None noted with the Town Council receiving this report.
RECOMMENDATION:r The staff recommends that the Town Council receive the information on the process and adopt the resolution setting a public hearing for Tuesday, November 16th (Attachment A) and the resolution approving next steps for the Comprehensive Plan Task Force (Attachment C).