Government
Ruby's recent post about the problems with the Town's communication strategy regarding the new Downtown Development Framework got me to think about the ways in which our town's government does not use social media to communicate with constituents. I'll have more to say about this hopefully in a future blog post, but this one item jumped out at me:
When I first learned about the proposed framework for downtown, I was amazed to see such big, new ideas being proposed by the consultant hired by the Town of Chapel Hill and the Downtown Partnership. This proposal presents an opportunity for Chapel Hill to do something visionary and to once again have a thriving urban center that is the envy of other communities. But.
The only way that this Big Idea will evolve into a Good Idea is if Chapel Hill can make this vision our own. Not only that, but I also think this plan might have trouble being approved in Chapel Hill without generating significant community investment in its approach. Or, as I said in June:
Come to a public meeting to learn about the next step in the Town's radical/visionary new plans for downtown. I highly recommend checking out the presentation made by the consultants back in June. Link below, and blog coverage here.
The future of downtown Chapel Hill will be discussed during the presentation of the draft Downtown Development Framework and Action Plan to Town advisory boards and commissions on beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, in the Council Chamber of Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The presentation will be made by Dan Douglas of Kling Stubbins, and questions will follow the presentation.
The Town of Chapel Hill created a master plan for downtown, the Downtown Small Area Plan, in 2000. The Town Council initiated a new Downtown Master Plan as one of its goals for 2009. In November 2009, the Town, in conjunction with the Downtown Partnership, issued an RFP, and Kling-Stubbins of Raleigh was selected to complete the Downtown Development Action Plan and Framework.
A planning team held two meetings in April 2010 for interested parties to share their opinions on development in downtown Chapel Hill. A first draft of findings was presented to the public during a planning charette on June 10. The June 10 presentation is available online: www.townofchapelhill.org/modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6806
For more information, contact Dwight Bassett, Economic Development Officer for the Town of Chapel Hill, at 919-969-5010 or dbassett@townofchapelhill.org.
Date:
Thursday, September 16, 2010 - 1:00pm
Location:
Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Every fall, 15,000 visitors flock to downtown Chapel Hill to experience Festifall, Orange County’s premier outdoor arts festival. The annual event always provides crowds an excellent opportunity to see and buy arts and crafts from a select group of regional artisans, and to witness some of the finest dance groups and bands around. But this year, event-goers will be able to engage with the arts with all their senses.
New attractions will give folks a chance to create individual and community works of art, sample fare from many of downtown’s nationally acclaimed restaurants, and experience the Kid’s Canvas, a family-friendly zone sure to please children of all ages.
Date:
Sunday, October 3, 2010 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Location:
West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill
Carolina North Public Information Meeting
A public information meeting will be held at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29, to receive comments and feedback on the UNC-Chapel Hill 2010 Carolina North Annual Report to the Town of Chapel Hill. The meeting will be held in the Council Chamber of Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Carolina North is envisioned as a mixed-use academic campus on university-owned property along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, two miles north of the main campus. University and Town representatives signed a development agreement a year ago that covers the first 20 years of development on the site.
The report to be presented on Sept. 29 describes the activity on the Carolina North site in the past fiscal year (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010). Most of those activities relate to the recreational uses that residents make of the Carolina North Forest. Read the report online: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7540
The report is a requirement of the Carolina North Development Agreement, containing updates on various topics, including housing, parking, land use, greenways and construction activities. The Campus-to-Campus Connector Report, a one-time requirement of the Development Agreement, is included in Attachment VI of the report. While there has been a delay in construction at Carolina North, the report is part of the structure established by the Development Agreement for providing continued town-gown communication.
Town Manager Roger Stancil will review the report and the public input before reporting to the Town Council on his review of the development agreement and its requirements.
Send comments about the annual report or other issues related to Carolina North at any time to carolinanorth@townofchapelhill.org or write Town of Chapel Hill Planning Department, Carolina North, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
The 2010 Annual Report and other information can be found on the Town's website:
Carolina North Main Page - http://www.townofchapelhill.org/carolinanorth schedule of various activities and main news items, including the Annual Report
Public Participation - http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=1355 detailed description of various communication and participation efforts in the past year
Campus to Campus - http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=1356 background materials, public comments and community emails about the project
Minor Modifications - http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=1453 description of the process and modification materials
FAQs - http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=1352 answers many of the frequent questions about the Carolina North project and the agreement
Date:
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 - 1:15pm
Location:
Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
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