August 2007

I would like everyone to know that there will be a community open house on Tuesday, August 28th, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Library. We will present a draft of the Northern Area Task Force report for your feedback and comment.

This was an amazing accomplishment, considering the small amount of time that we had to work. Those of you who were on the Horace Williams Citizens Committee will appreciate what I am talking about because we HWCC members worked hard for 2 years in order to produce our report. Because of the time limit imposed by the moratorium, the Northern Area Task Force and Town staff only had time to meet 7 times over 3 months and participate in 2 workshops with planning consultants.

Our charge was to prepare recommendations for the Council for the implementation of transit oriented development. We have recommendations and guidelines for over 350 acres of land along Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Northwest Chapel Hill. Not only are we the gateway entrance from the north, we will be the northern neighbor to Carolina North.

Please come and weigh in on plans for our future.

Finances are not my specialty, but I think a transfer tax is an OK way to raise money from the thing that costs us: growth. I think it would also make sense to have a higher rate or additional impact fees for new development, though.

The Orange County commissioners decided Tuesday that more discussion is needed before voting on whether to put a transfer tax question on the ballot in the upcoming election.

"I think we're all trying to get up to speed on what the legislature did," Chairman Moses Carey Jr. said.

In the last legislative session, the General Assembly voted to allow counties the option of adding a quarter-cent sales tax increase or a 0.4 percent tax on land transfers. Either way, local voters would have to approve the additional tax in a referendum.

*Yet Another Carolina North Meeting. Actually two!

The next in UNC's series of informational sessions about their Carolina North plans is tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile community group NRG will hold a forum on the same topic on Wednesday. Details below:

The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in Room 2603 of the School of Government's Knapp-Sanders Building. Parking is available in the N.C. 54 visitor's lot and the Rams Head deck. Chapel Hill Transit service is available via the RU, G, S and V routes. See http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.asp?NID=399 for timetables of these routes.

Jack Evans, executive director of Carolina North, and other university representatives will present an overview of potential infrastructure scenarios on the UNC-owned property. They will also seek community feedback on topics such as water, sewer and energy options for the site.

[...]

Folks may remember Jacquie Gist's line in the 2005 campaign to the effect that "lawns grass makes us stupid." Well OWASA is trying to do something about it by sponsoring Sustainable Lawn Care Workshops:

To help our customers learn more about effective and sustainable lawn care principles and practices, OWASA is sponsoring three public workshops in September. Come learn about the “myths and mistakes” of lawn care, as well as the proper and sustainable methods of fertilization, reseeding, weed control, scheduling and watering. Mr. Mark Danieley, Horticulture Extension Agent, NCSU Cooperative Extension Service, Orange County will lead the workshops.

Choose the date and time most convenient for you:

• Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 10:00-11:30 am
• Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 7:00-8:30 pm
• Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 2:00-3:30 pm
**ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE, BUT PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED**
*SPACE IS LIMITED *

TO REGISTER PLEASE CALL:

Orange County Cooperative Extension Service at
245-2050 or 968-4501 or 967- 9251, ext. 2050