TITLE: Title
A Public Hearing for Consideration of a Minor Modification to the Perry Place Special Use Permit-A Project at 800 and 802 Merritt Mill Road
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is for Town Council to hold a public hearing for consideration of a Minor Modification to the Special Use Permit-A for Perry Place at 800 and 802 Merritt Mill Road. The modification would allow NCDOT to complete right of way improvements within the Merritt Mill Road corridor.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning Department
CONTACT INFORMATION: Marty Roupe, Development Review Administrator, 919-918-7333 or mroupe@carrboronc.gov <mailto:mroupe@carrboronc.gov>
INFORMATION: On March 27, 2018, the Town Council approved a Special Use Permit-A for CASA, a nonprofit organization that builds or renovates apartments to increase the availability of affordable housing, to build a 48 unit affordable housing project at 800 and 802 Merritt Mill Road (Town of Carrboro - File #: 17-444 (legistar.com) <https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3460204&GUID=6DE55CFF-7A5F-4212-B5BC-61D8E0C2827C&Options=ID|Text|Attachments|Other|&Search=Merritt>. Half of the units will be located in Chapel Hill and half will be located in Carrboro and the Town of Chapel Hill followed a similar schedule of approval in 2018.
Construction of the project is well underway and completion is expected in early 2023. Coordination between CASA and both towns continues as the project moves toward completion. Both towns included a requirement for CASA to modify its property frontage along Merritt Mill Road by moving the curb and sidewalk back to add a bike lane.
As is occurring with other streets locally that are scheduled for resurfacing, staff recently engaged with NCDOT about modifying the pavement markings on Merritt Mill. The street currently has a three-lane cross section and both towns are interested in adjusting this cross section to include bicycle lanes. NCDOT indicated an operational analysis would be needed and the work would need to proceed quickly to coincide with the resurfacing schedule. Consultant, staff, and volunteer efforts to accomplish this analysis are underway, with consultant fees being shared by both jurisdictions.
Rather than have CASA do work that may potentially be modified by NCDOT soon thereafter, the towns began a discussion with CASA about applying for a permit modification to allow NCDOT to make the improvements instead of CASA. A letter from CASA regarding this modification is attached (Attachment B) in which CASA also notes this change will result in cost savings for the project. A plan sheet showing the originally approved design and a plan sheet showing the revised scope of work along Merritt Mill Road are included as Attachment C.
The terms of Chapel Hill’s ordinance and permit for the project require a public hearing. While a public hearing is not required in Carrboro, Carrboro Town Council is holding a public hearing as well on the Minor Modification request for consistency between the two jurisdictions regarding how the request is being considered.
A resolution approving the Minor Modification is included as Attachment A for Council to consider adopting. Chapel Hill will open their public hearing for the matter on October 19, 2022. Final action by way of a vote on the matter is anticipated to take place in Chapel Hill on November 16. With that in mind, town staff is recommending that Council choose to continue the public hearing to its November 15 meeting to make a decision at approximately the same time as Chapel Hill. Continuing the hearing will also allow town staff representatives an opportunity to gain more clarity from NCDOT about the final design details for the corridor.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: The applicant is paying the applicable permitting fees associated with the hearing. The applicant has applied for fee waiver, which would be paid through the town’s Affordable Housing Special Revenue Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:r Town staff recommends that the Town Council open the public hearing on the request and continue the hearing to the November 15 meeting for a decision at that time.