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Close the Legislative Hearing and Consider Adopting the Connected Roads Plan as an Amendment to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Chapel Hill 2020.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Britany Waddell, Planning Director |
Planning |
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Bergen Watterson, Transportation Planning Manager |
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Josh Mayo, Transportation Planner |
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Overview: In November 2022, the Town contracted with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. to draft a Connected Roads Plan and provide policy recommendations. Town staff and Stantec staff worked over the last 7 months to draft a plan, collect feedback, and respond to concerns. The final plan includes 34 proposed roadway connections and 12 proposed bicycle and pedestrian connections. The final Connected Roads Plan document describes the benefits of a connected roadway network, outlines the outreach process and key takeaways, details the screening and evaluation process undertaken to develop the final list of proposed connections, and provides policy considerations for inclusion in the upcoming Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) rewrite.
Since the legislative hearing was opened on May 10, 2023 staff received significant input from the Town’s stormwater division and omitted several proposed roadways and altered several proposed alignments to avoid stream crossings, Resource Conservation District (RCD) incursions, and wildlife habitat impacts.
The final online survey was also closed, which received 11 comments from 5 respondents.
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Recommendation(s): |
That the Council close the legislative hearing and adopt the Connected Roads Plan as an amendment to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Chapel Hill 2020.
Key Issues:
• The Connected Roads Plan primarily targets the Town’s Focus Areas and development opportunity sites.
• The Plan will be used by developers as a guide for infrastructure improvements and to set expectations for existing residents.
• The proposed road connections are not expected to be constructed by the Town, but rather by developers as part of the development process.
• The proposed bicycle and pedestrian connections have been added to the Everywhere to Everywhere Greenways Map and may be constructed by the Town if funding becomes available.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: The $55,000 contract for the Connected Roads Plan was funded with federal funding through the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO), including a 20% ($11,000) local match. There are not funds identified for road construction or bike-ped connections.
Where is this item in its process?
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Attachments: |
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• Resolution |
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• Draft Staff Presentation |
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• Connected Roads Evaluation Table |
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• Connected Roads Map |
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• Connected Roads Plan Document |
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• Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board Recommendation |
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• Planning Commission Recommendation |
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CONNECTED ROADS PLAN AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CHAPEL HILL 2020 (2023-06-14/R-11)
WHEREAS, the Town Council desires to update Chapel Hill’s long range plans to address the transportation impacts of new development and to prepare for the upcoming Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) rewrite; and
WHEREAS, the Town has adopted the Mobility and Connectivity Plan as the guiding document for bicycle and pedestrian travel; and
WHEREAS, the Town does not currently have a roadway plan or an adopted method of dictating street connectivity with new developments; and
WHEREAS, road connectivity, where feasible, is considered a planning best practice; and
WHEREAS, the benefits of increased connectivity are reduced congestion, decreased carbon emissions, improved emergency response times, shorter trips, and increased alternative transportation use; and
WHEREAS, the Connected Roads Plan provides clear expectations for the development community and existing residents regarding new road connections; and
WHEREAS, the proposed bicycle-pedestrian connections have been adopted into the Everywhere to Everywhere Greenways plan and will be constructed as funding becomes available.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council hereby adopts the Connected Roads Plan as an amendment to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Chapel Hill 2020, as described in the June 14, 2023 meeting materials, incorporating the plan’s recommendations, as appropriate.
This, the 14th day of June, 2023.
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
PRESENTER: Josh Mayo, Transportation Planner I
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council adopt the Connected Roads Plan as an amendment to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Chapel Hill 2020.