Adopted Central West Small Area Plan now available!

Hot off the web! The adopted Central West Small Area Plan is now available online! Visit www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest to download the Small Area Plan.

On Nov. 26, 2013, the Town Council adopted the Central West Small Area Plan that was developed by the Central West Steering Committee. The committee worked with community members and residents from December 2012 to November 2013 to develop the small area plan.

The Central West Focus Area is located near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Estes Drive and extends from Carrboro to the west, Franklin Street to the east, Homestead Road to the north, and Maple Drive to the south. For a map, please visit the Central West Small Area Plan webpage.

The Central West Focus Area was identified as a “future focus area” during the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive planning process due to the known development pressures in the area. The plan provides a vision for future land use, transportation, environmental, and streetscape decisions.

For more information about the Central West Focus Area process and to download the small area plan, visit www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

For questions, contact Megan Wooley, housing and neighborhood services planner, at compplan@townofchapellhill.org or 919-969-5059.

Thank you to the Steering Committee and to all who participated in this planning effort. We appreciate the time, energy, and creativity that you dedicated to this process!

Draft Central West Small Area Plan to be Considered by Council on Nov. 26

On Tuesday, November 26th, the Town Council will be reviewing the draft Central West Small Area Plan and will be considering possible adoption of the draft Small Area Plan. If adopted, the Central West Small Area Plan would become a component of the Chapel Hill 2020 comprehensive plan.

During the November 7th Steering Committee meeting, the Central West Steering Committee reviewed the comments received about the draft Small Area Plan. For items that required additional discussion and decisions, the Steering Committee decided how to incorporate these items into the draft Small Area Plan.

At the end of the November 7th meeting, the Steering Committee endorsed the draft Central West Small Area Plan with the proposed revisions. The Steering Committee requested that the draft Small Area Plan be forwarded to the Council for their consideration.

To view the draft Central West Small Area Plan and proposed revisions, see below:

• Draft Central West Small Area Plan (Dated October 11, 2013)
• Proposed Revisions and Amendments to the draft Small Area Plan (Approved by the Steering Committee on November 7th)

The Council meeting will begin at 6:00pm and will be held at the Southern Human Services Complex, 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill.

For more information about the Central West process, visit www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

Central West Steering Committee Develops Draft Recommendations

The Central West Steering Committee was charged by the Town Council to develop a Small Area Plan for the Central West Focus Area. The Steering Committee has been meeting since December of 2012, to address this charge.

The Steering Committee has developed a draft concept plan which provides information about the uses and heights in the Central West Focus Area. The Steering Committee has also developed draft recommendations about the bicycle and pedestrian amenities in the area.

These draft recommendations are being reviewed by the Planning Board during the Planning Board meeting on October 1st. For more information about the meeting, please click here.

For a copy of the draft recommendations, please click here.

The following is the draft concept plan:

Please click on the image above to see a larger version.

The following are the bicycle and pedestrian recommendations:

Please click on the image above to see a larger version.

Please click on the image above to see a larger version.

For more information about the Central West Focus Area process, please visit: http://www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

Central West Steering Committee Meeting Summary – August 7, 2013

For more information about the August 7th Central West Steering Comittee meeting, please see below!

Central West Focus Area
August 7, 2013 Steering Committee Meeting
Co-Chair Summary

By: Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, Co-Chairs, Central West Steering Committee

The Central West Steering Committee met on August 7 at the Chapel Hill Public Library from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Copies of all meeting materials can be found at www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest All formal agreements of the Committee reflect the affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of the members present.

Agenda Items

1. Opening Remarks: Megan Wooley began by noting that Trish D’Arconte, from the town Stormwater Management office, would not attend the evening’s meeting as expected because of illness, but that she would be rescheduled at a later date. Julie McClintock requested that Chris Jensen, the Town stormwater engineer, also be invited and Megan said she would contact him.

Julie McClintock requested that the time scheduled for Trish be used instead for a status update on the work plan.  After discussion, it was decided that the extra time would be used for our land use discussions and that a work plan update would be scheduled for a later meeting.

Megan noted that the September community event had been rescheduled to September 3 because of the Jewish holidays (this date has since been changed to September 10) and gave an update for plans for the area walking tour on August 25.

2. Community Participation: Several individuals from the community than shared comments/opinions with the Committee.

3. Land Planning Charrette: The Committee resumed discussion of land use issues in the area along the Estes corridor (areas A—F) and agreed on the following:

– Parcels B and C should      have a mix of uses, including: incubator (create relationship with      Carolina North), significant residential along northern section,      non-residential uses along Estes (intensities that are lower than Parcel      A), and institutional uses (such as a parks and recreation center). An      alternative scenario for this area should also be tested that would call      for residential uses only on these parcels.

– Consider a road connecting Somerset and the proposed road running along the south part of the YMCA property to MLK and have it tested for transportation impacts.

– For area E, to apply environmental language from earlier discussions of areas G and H, and test two options: one that is residential, and one that is primarily residential with institutional/office uses along Estes Drive frontage.

– Area J should be residential.

– Because of meeting time constraints, the group was not able to make specific building height recommendations for areas A–F.  It was agreed that we would test on the range of heights suggested by a majority of committee members in the July 1st “homework” activity, with area C changed from 2-4 stories, with any decision that the Committee has already made to supersede the July 1st activity heights.

– The group decided to test continuation of the area A retail strip south of MLK onto D and F. For testing purposes, we would assume that D would be a synthesis of uses and heights for areas A and B, and that F would assume an expansion of its current institutional use. A low-end use for Parcel D — institutional with a small area of retail — would also be tested.

4. Community Comment: The meeting concluded with comments from five community members.

Thanks to everyone who attended for your continued hard work and interest in the Central West process.

 

The next Central West Steering Committee meeting will be held tonight, Thursday, August 29th from 6:00-9:00pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive.

Central West: Principles and Objectives

During the August 19th Central West Steering Committee meeting, the Steering Committee finalized their list of principles and objectives for the Central West Focus Area. These principles and objectives will help to guide the development of the small area plan for the Central West Focus Area and will guide future development in the area.

For a list of the approved principles and objectives, please click here.

Central West Focus Area Principles

PRINCIPLE 1: Create a Strong Sense of Place

The Central West Focus Area plan will promote the creation of a vibrant sense of place, respecting its character as a comfortable, tree‐lined residential community, home to important Chapel Hill institutions, and a major gateway to Carolina North.

PRINCIPLE 2: Ensure Community Compatibility

Development will provide a graceful transition between the existing residential and institutional uses and the new uses evolving around the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd./Estes Drive intersection near the Carolina North campus.

PRINCIPLE 3: Create Social Connections

Development should create places that foster a strong sense of community and allow people to meet, both formally and informally.

PRINCIPLE 4: Improve Physical Connections

Multiple means of moving within and through the planning area should be incorporated into new development; explore improving physical connections between the impact area and the Town as whole.

PRINCIPLE 5: Minimize Vehicular Traffic Impacts                                                                                                               

Recognize the limited capacity of the existing road network and favor developments that minimize negative impacts on vehicular traffic and quality of life in the area.

PRINCIPLE 6:  Enhance the Pedestrian/Bicycle Experience

Build a high quality bicycle, pedestrian, and greenway system that ensures safe, comfortable, and convenient access to school, residences, and other destinations for those of all ages and abilities.

PRINCIPLE 7: Improve the Transit System

Encourage uses and densities that will support improvements in transit service such as increased frequency, duration, and access.

PRINCIPLE 8: Encourage a Diverse Mix of Uses

Create a new mix of land uses that encourages walkable destinations.

PRINCIPLE 9: A Diverse Population

The area shall serve a broad socio-demographic range of Chapel Hill residents, students, workers, and visitors.

PRINCIPLE 10: Respect Existing Neighborhoods

Development patterns will respect the integrity of the well-established neighborhoods and enhance their character and quality of life.

PRINCIPLE 11: Employ Environmentally Sound Practices

Development will emphasize environmentally conscious design, maintenance, and operation of buildings and sites.

PRINCIPLE 12: Feature, Repair, and Enhance Natural Resources

Development will protect and relate to the area’s significant and character-contributing natural features.

PRINCIPLE 13: Consider Economic Impacts in Development Decisions

As part of the planning process, consider the fiscal impact and economic viability of proposed development in the area.

For more information about the Central West Focus Area process, visit www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

Central West Focus Area – Schedule for August to November 2013

During the Central West Steering Committee meeting on Monday, August 19th, the Steering Committee reviewed the work plan for the Central West Focus Area process. This work plan sets the dates and tasks for the meetings from August to November 2013.

For the schedule for the upcoming Steering Committee and Advisory Board meetings, please see below.

For a copy of the work plan, including dates and tasks, please click here.

– Thursday, August 29th – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm in Meeting Room B at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive
– Tuesday, September 3rd – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm in Meeting Room A at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive
– Tuesday, September 10th – COMMUNITY EVENT – Time and location TBD – This will provide the community with an opportunity to offer feedback about the plan More information coming soon.
– Wednesday, September 11th – Greenways Commission Meeting– 7:00pm at the Chapel Hill Library – The Greenways Commission will review the draft Central West Focus Area concept and provide comments.
– Thursday, September 19th – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm, Location TBD
– Tuesday, September 24th – Steering Committee Meeting – 4:30-6:30pm, Location TBD
– Tuesday, September 24th – Bicycle and Pedestrian Board Meeting– 7:00pm in the 3rd Floor Planning Department Conference Room, Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. – The Bicycle and Pedestrian Board will review the draft Central West Focus Area concept and provide comments.
– Thursday, September 26th – Transportation Board Meeting– 7:00pm in the Human Resources Training Room, Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. – The Transportation Board will review the draft Central West Focus Area concept and provide comments.
– Tuesday, October 1st – Planning Board Meeting– 7:00pm in the Public Works Building 1, Training Room 131, 6850 Millhouse Road – The Planning Board will review the draft Central West Focus Area concept and provide comments.
– Thursday, October 3rd – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm, Location TBD
– Tuesday, October 8th – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm, Location TBD
– Monday, October 21st – Council Public Hearing– 7:00pm in the Southern Human Services Center Complex, 2501 Homestead Road – This will provide the community with an opportunity to offer feedback about the plan.
– Thursday, November 7th – Steering Committee Meeting – 6:00-9:00pm, Location TBD
– Monday, November 25th – Town Council Meeting– 7:00pm in the Southern Human Services Center Complex, 2501 Homestead Road – The Town Council will consider possible adoption of the Central West Focus Area small area plan.

For more information about the Central West Focus Area process, visit http://www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

Central West Steering Committee Meeting Summary – July 30, 2013

For more information about the July 30th Central West Steering Committee meeting, please see below!

Central West Focus Area
July 30, 2013 Steering Committee Meeting
Co-Chair Summary

By: Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, Co-Chairs, Central West Steering Committee

The Central West Steering Committee met on July 30 at the Chapel Hill Public Library from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Copies of all meeting materials can be found at www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest  All formal agreements of the Committee reflect the affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of the members present.

Agenda Items

1. Opening Remarks: Megan Wooley began by sharing the goals for the meeting. She noted that Mary Jane Nirdlinger, the Town’s Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, would be filling in to help run the meeting during Loryn Clark’s absence.  She also noted that there would be a special topic presentation given on Monday, August 12th from 7:00–8:30 PM at the Chapel Hill Public Library that might be of interest to Committee members.  The topic is “Design for a Changing World: The New Practicality of Placemaking,” given by Victor Dover from Dover, Kohl & Partners.

Megan also noted that she and David Bonk met with the Pastor and some parishioners from Amity Church on July 29th to discuss their vision for their property. They envision that the property will remain as a church for the next fifteen to twenty years, but they are open to considering some retail development, such as a coffee shop, on the site.

Julie McClintock requested that a discussion of the status of the work plan be placed on a future agenda.  After some discussion, it was decided that Megan will e-mail copies of the plan to Committee members, who can review it to see if they feel a discussion on updating it is warranted.

1. Community Participation: Several individuals from the community then shared comments/opinions with the Committee.

2. Transportation Charrette: The Committee resumed discussion of transportation issues in the area from its previous meeting (July 22^nd), focusing on bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Estes Dr. (from Franklin St. to Carrboro).  The Committee agreed unanimously on the following:

 

• Option 3 from the document titled Estes Drive Bicycle & Pedestrian Access: Alternative Roadway Sections from Carrboro to Franklin Street was preferred
• Prioritize the off-road multiuse path along Estes to the schools if funds will not allow all improvements to be done at the same time
• Give special consideration to the Caswell, Elliot, Estes area and how people move through that area
• Consider installing turning lanes along Estes to keep traffic moving (just where needed for access – such as in front of the Library)
• Estes Road should have landscaping, character
• On street bike lanes should be specially considered for safety
• Important to improve the visibility of crosswalks – safe crosswalks should be supported

4. Land Planning Charrette: The Committee then began a discussion of land uses in the area North of Estes Dr. (Areas A, B, and C) and agreed unanimously on the following:

• For Parcel A: Area along MLK for mixed-use with a strong retail presence; potentially having mixed-use, strong retail presence on the corner, turning onto Estes
• Have buffers/good transitions to the existing neighborhoods in A, B, and C
• There could be a variety of building setbacks
• Inclusion of green space and/or a plaza (space for public use), likely in proximity to the retail area
• Plan for uses that give an active street front along MLK and Estes No “dead zones” – no parking lots visible from the street.  Other specifics about parking will be addressed at a later time.
• Building height will diminish as it approaches the neighborhoods
• Access along MLK needs to be thoughtfully considered and planned
• Parcel A and B: Could have a gradient – retail to the west and residential and/or civic to the east
• Promote a coherent design relationship between new development on the east side of MLK and the future Carolina North campus.
• The corner of MLK and Estes should look like someplace to which one can walk

5. Community Comment: The meeting concluded with comments from two community members.

Thanks to everyone who attended for your continued hard work and interest in the Central West process.

 

The next Central West Steering Committee meeting will be held on Monday, August 19th from 6:00-9:00pm at the Chapel Hill Library, 100 Library Drive.

Central West Steering Committee Meeting Summary – July 22, 2013

For more information about the July 22nd Central West Steering Committee meeting, please see below!

Central West Focus Area
July 22, 2013 Steering Committee Meeting
Co-Chair Summary

By: Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, Co-Chairs, Central West Steering Committee

The Central West Steering Committee met on July 22 at the Chapel Hill Public Library from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Copies of all meeting materials can be found at http://www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest
All formal agreements of the Committee reflect the affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of the members present.

Agenda Items

1. Opening Remarks: Megan Wooley began by sharing the goals for the meeting. She noted that Matt Sullivan from the Chapel Hill Police Department would be filling in for Loryn Clark, who was not able to attend the meeting.

Julie McClintock moved that the discussion of Principle 13 be shifted earlier in the agenda to follow Todd LoFrese’s presentation, so that the committee would be certain of having time to discuss it. The motion failed by a vote of 4 to 8.

Firoz Mistry moved that the committee permanently extend its second public comment period to 10 minutes. This measure was passed by general agreement.

2. Community Participation: Megan Wooley began by saying she had a request from community member Erin Langston to have Megan to read her comments to the group, since Erin was unable to attend. The committee discussed this request and decided by general agreement that it could not be accommodated, citing concerns about setting a precedent that might lead to having multiple such requests at a single meeting. It was noted that Megan forwards all written communications to the committee and that this practice allows people who cannot attend to express their thoughts directly to the committee members.

Several individuals from the community than shared comments/opinions with the group.

3. Comments from Todd LoFrese: The assistant superintendent for support services with Chapel Hill–Carrboro City Schools spoke about the school board’s safety goals, plans that will soon be proposed for upcoming capital projects that will improve traffic circulation and student safety, and the statistics for how Estes and Phillips students go to school. A question and answer session with the committee followed.

4. Transportation Overview: David Bonk, the Chapel Hill long range and transportation planning manager, gave a presentation on the existing transportation conditions in the Central West area, showed three possible road profiles for Estes Drive that would incorporate improved bike/ped facilities, and led the group through a sample exercise that showed how a trip generation analysis was conducted. He shared data from a rough estimate of trip generation from two of Rhodeside and Harwell’s June 4 concept plans—one at lower density with more residential (option 1 less 25%) and one at a higher density with more commercial (option 3). He noted that it was not possible to draw definitive conclusions from these initial estimates. Specific land use plans—along with possible internal circulation solutions—will be needed before the impacts on Estes Drive and MLK Boulevard can be ascertained.

Brian Litchfield, Chapel Hill Transit’s interim director, gave a short presentation about the planned transit alternatives analysis that will be conducted along the route that stretches from the Eubanks park and ride south along MLK and then through town to the Southern Village park and ride.

A question and answer period followed the transportation and transit presentations. The group decided by general agreement to extend the Q/A period to take up the time allotted for agenda item 5, Transportation Discussion, and that decisions on bike/ped facilities and road profiles scheduled for that time would be deferred to the committee’s next meeting.

5. Principle 13: The text for the proposed new principle 13 that had been developed by the Principles and Objectives Subcommittee was presented for discussion. The committee debated at some length whether “assess” was the correct word or if “consider” would be preferable. They voted unanimously to accept number 13 in principle, with the understanding that final wordsmithing would be conducted at a later date—most likely on August 27, when all principles and objectives will be reviewed.

6. Community Comment: The meeting concluded with comments from several community members.

Thanks to everyone who attended for your continued hard work and interest in the Central West process.

The next Central West Steering Committee meeting will be on today, Tuesday, July 30th from 6:00-9:00pm in Meeting Room B at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive.

Central West Steering Committee Meeting Summary – July 9, 2013

For an overview of the July 9th Central West Steering Committee meeting, please see below!

Central West Focus Area
July 9, 2013, Steering Committee Meeting
Co-Chair Summary

By: Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, Co-Chairs, Central West Steering Committee

The Central West Steering Committee met on July 9th at the Chapel Hill Public Library from 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Copies of all meeting materials can be found at http://www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

All formal agreements of the Committee reflect the affirmative vote of at least 2/3 of the members present.

Agenda Items

1. Megan Wooley opened by sharing the goals for the meeting, with a particular emphasis on the committee’s making specific recommendations/decisions on issues such as land use and building height for selected CWFA sub-areas.

2. Acting on a motion made by Jared Simmons, the committee agreed to permanently extend the public comment period at the beginning of each meeting to 10 minutes. The 5-minute comment period at the end remains unaffected.

3. Acting on a request by Julie McClintock, a subcommittee consisting of Mickey Jo Sorrell, Sarah McIntee, and Lucy Carol Davis will work with Town staff to arrange a walking tour of the southern part of the planning area.

4. Community Participation: Several individuals from the community shared comments/opinions with the Committee.

5. The Committee agreed to move Whit Rummel’s presentation of his concept plan for sub-areas A–C prior to the discussion of land uses so that it could inform those discussions. He shared his ideas, which he titled the “Crossroads Center” and which comprise the property he owns, as well as property owned by Kathryn Butler.

6. The Committee agreed to modify its agenda by skipping discussion of the second part of the homework activity from our 7/1 meeting and moving directly to the discussion of specific sub-areas to allow more time for in-depth discussion of land use and other issues.

7. The following recommendations were made by the Committee after discussions of each sub-area (Note: the correspondence between letter designations and the actual location/geography is shown on the map from the committee’s homework activity; see http://www.townofchapelhill.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=19509.)

- Area H and the eastern portion of Area G should be used for multifamily residential purposes.
- Vehicular access to Area G will be from MLK Blvd., running south of the YMCA property.
- The small piece of Area H south of the RCD and adjacent to areas I and J will be for office/institutional uses.
- The western part of G will have a single structure with the potential for a mix of uses and well-hidden or underground/underbuilding parking at a scale/configuration that makes the structure economically and environmentally sustainable.
- Area I will have a mix of uses that will be developed as multi-story buildings on the street (the required setbacks, if any, were not decided); the buildings will be at least two stories. The development should be both economically and environmentally sustainable. Access to areas I and J will be on existing roads.
- The Committee recognized the environmental sensitivity of much of the land in areas G and H and recommended that building in the area follow best practices and strive for small footprints, allowing more height as a trade-off; therefore, the Committee recommends that areas G and H should incorporate best green practices and have environmental/green themes.

8. David Bonk presented an overview of the content and organization of the upcoming meeting (July 22nd) on Transportation. A discussion with David followed, and the Committee made suggestions about what information would be useful for their decision making. The Committee agreed on the proposed content for the meeting, which will include material on current and future traffic in the area (using a range of possible development scenarios), possible means of traffic mitigation, and bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and safety.

The Committee also requested that Todd LoFrese, assistant superintendent for support services with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools, be invited to attend this meeting to provide information about Estes and Phillips schools and student safety issues.

9. Megan Wooley presented a proposed means by which the Committee will accept and address community input. Key elements were:

Community members can:
– Post comments on the Design Chapel Hill 2020 blog,
– Email Megan at compplan@townofchapelhill.org, who will forward the information to the Committee, and
– Request Megan to post the information on the Community Input web page. Megan noted that all new material will be posted each Friday.

Committee members can request that time be allocated on Committee agendas to discuss selected submissions, subject to committee approval.

The Committee approved this approach.

10. Community Comment: The meeting concluded with comments from several community members.

The next Central West Steering Committee meeting will be on Tuesday, July 30th from 6:00-9:00pm, in Meeting Room B, at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive.

Central West Steering Committee Meeting Summary – July 1, 2013

Interested in the Central West Focus Area process? Then check out these meeting summary notes from the July 1st Central West Steering Committee meeting!

The next Steering Committee meeting will be tonight, Tuesday, July 9th from 6:00-9:00pm, in Meeting Room B at the Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive. The meeting summary notes from this meeting will also be posted on this blog.

Central West Focus Area July 1, 2013 Steering Committee Meeting
Co-Chair Meeting Summary

By: Michael Parker and Amy Ryan, Co-Chairs, Central West Steering Committee

The Central West Steering Committee met on July 1 at the Siena Hotel from 6:00 – 9:15 PM. Copies of all meeting materials can be found at http://www.townofchapelhill.org/centralwest

Agenda Items

1. Remarks from Mayor Kleinschmidt: Following up on the co-chairs’ report to Council on June 24, the Mayor noted that Council reviewed the committee’s work to date positively and appreciates their hard work and willingness to tackle the difficult issues involved in reconciling stakeholder interests in the CW area. He encouraged the committee to complete its work in time for Council to vote on the final plan at its last meeting of 2013 but did comment that he felt that the Council might consider an extension to the timeline if specific tasks remain to be accomplished at that date and the committee proposes a timely plan for their completion.

2. Community Participation: Several individuals from the community shared comments/opinions with the Committee.

3. Council Liaison: The group welcomed Councilman Jim Ward as the newly appointed Council liaison to the committee.

4. Summary of Council Presentation and Comments: The co-chairs summarized the comments they received at the Council meeting from both Council members and the public. One issue that had been raised at the Council presentation – whether the group should consider using a facilitator – was brought to the table for discussion. The vote to request a facilitator failed (8 for and 8 against, one abstaining; the vote failed as it did not receive the required two-thirds majority of the 17 members present).

5. Discussion of Work Plan for Milestone 3: The co-chairs presented the plan for the final phase of the committee’s work, concluding in November 2013. The meeting dates were approved unanimously with the exception of July 18 and August 13; the August meeting has been rescheduled to August 7; Megan will take a Doodle poll for the best date to reschedule the July meeting.

The committee also unanimously approved the Milestone 3 work plan as presented, with the understanding that the question of how many plans to move to the testing phase is still undecided.

6. Review of Homework Assignment and Discussion of Planning Areas: Using the information generated from the committee’s homework assignment (to outline their visions for uses, density, heights, and other considerations in the ten different sectors of the CW planning area), the group had a lengthy discussion to identify the areas of consensus and disagreement in sectors A–C (the other sectors will be discussed at the 7/9 meeting). Loryn Clark acted as facilitator.

At the end of the session, the group evaluated the discussion format. The committee agreed that Loryn’s facilitation had been very helpful and decided to involve her in subsequent meetings. A request was made to have the planning principles displayed during the next discussion and to explore working with a designer at subsequent sessions to support the committee’s decision making.

7. Community Comment: The meeting concluded with comments from several community members.

Thanks to everyone who attended the meeting and to the committee for their continued hard work.