Town Council

Meeting Minutes - Final

February 25, 2026, 6:00 PM

RM 110 | Council Chamber

WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!

We’re glad you’re here. Want to know more about the meeting logistics,

see https://www.chapelhillnc.gov/Welcome-to-a-Council-meeting

ROLL CALL

Present:

9 - Mayor Jessica Anderson, Mayor pro tem Camille

Berry, Council Member Wesley McMahon, Council

Member Melissa McCullough, Council Member Paris

Miller-Foushee, Council Member Theodore Nollert,

Council Member Louie Rivers, Council Member Amy

Ryan, and Council Member Elizabeth Sharp

OTHER ATTENDEES

Town Manager Theodore Voorhees, Deputy Town Manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger, Deputy Town

Manager Loryn Clark, Town Attorney Nicholas Yates, Assistant Town Attorney James Baker,

Communications and Engagement Director Susan Brown, Language Access Coordinator Katlyn

Robalino, Planning Director Britany Waddell, Zoning Administrator Corey Liles, Long-Range Planning

Manager Tas Lagoo, Senior Planner Katherine Shor, Economic Development Director David Putnam,

Police Officer Gabe Shin, Police Captain Shane Osborne, Fire Marshal Heather Robinson, Town Clerk

Brittney Hunt, and Deputy Town Clerk Amy Harvey.

OPENING

Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Proclamation: Black History Month

Council proclaimed February 2026 as Black History Month in the Town of

Chapel Hill. Council Member Rivers invited members of the Chapel Hill

Black Community, with special recognition for members of Scouting

America Troop 835, to the podium for the proclamation and group photo.

The proclamation highlighted the contributions and resilience of Black

Americans in Chapel Hill and beyond.

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS

1.01 Mayor Anderson

Mayor Anderson announced the upcoming People’s Academy on March 3,

Black History Movie Night at Hargraves Center on February 27, ongoing

early voting for the March 3 primary, and the next Council meeting on

March 4, 2026.

1.02 Council Member Miller-Foushee

Council Member Miller-Foushee extended Ramadan greetings and reflected

on the importance of religious diversity and tolerance.

Council Member Miller-Foushee honored the recent passing of Andre

Boynton, a dedicated Hargraves Center employee who served the Town for

30 years, by reading a commemorative letter.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

The Public Comment Period allows the public to address Council on items

not on the printed agenda. To speak, please sign in at the Clerk’s desk

with your name and email. When called, step to the podium, adjust the

microphone, and state your name for the record. Comments are limited

to 3 minutes (or 2 minutes if more than 14 speakers). Large groups are

asked to select a spokesperson. Council does not act or deliberate on

items raised during this time.

Mayor Anderson opened the floor for public comments on non-agenda items,

announced the availability of Spanish interpretation, and explained the time

limits for speakers. She also acknowledged requests for a Fourth Amendment

resolution, noting that Council has not reached consensus due to concerns

about potential risks to community members.

Several community members - including Ashley Trudeau, Trisha Lester, Mel Soto,

Julie Welch, Abby Parcell, Kristen Weigle, Brittany Bryant, Corina Rojas, Maria T

Palmer, Cristobal Palmer, Erik Valera, Duncan McLean, and Lib Hutchby - urged

Council to adopt a Fourth Amendment workplace resolution addressing federal

immigration enforcement and its impact on local families, and called for Chapel

Hill to align with neighboring communities on these protections.

Jen Costanza raised concerns about elementary school closures and encouraged

Council engagement with the school board.

CONSENT

All items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine, to be enacted by

one motion without discussion. Council member(s) may request

discussion of an item. If such motion passes, then the item is removed

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 2

from consent and considered separately.

Amend the Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council

Member Ryan, that the Council amend the consent agenda to remove the

February 26th Chamber Meeting from the Council meeting calendar. The

motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Approval of the Consent Agenda

A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council

Member Nollert, that the Council approve the amended Consent Agenda.

The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Miscellaneous Budget Ordinance Amendment

This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted.

Town Code Section 14-68 Amendment

This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted.

2026 Council Meeting Schedule Amendment

This item was approved as amended.

January 7, 9, 10, and 21, 2026 Meeting Minutes

This item was approved.

DISCUSSION

6. Conditional Zoning for 860 Weaver Dairy Road

Long-Range Planning Manager Tas Lagoo introduced applicant, Ernie

Brown. Mr. Brown summarized the proposed 45-acre mixed-use

development, which includes multifamily apartments, townhomes, and a

future commercial area. He highlighted the project’s alignment with the

Town’s Complete Community goals, affordable housing commitments (10%

of multifamily and 15% of townhomes as affordable units), and greenway

expansion. Mr. Brown also addressed stormwater management, noting the

design meets the 100-year storm event standard and that a downstream

impact analysis found no negative effects on neighboring properties.

Mr. Lagoo summarized project updates, noting that the downstream

impact analysis showed no negative effects on nearby properties. He

explained that the tree survey informed a commitment to protect trees

along the eastern property line and that the conditional zoning ordinance

was updated to allow flexibility in relocating the Weaver Dairy Road

entrance. Mr. Lagoo added that the project aligns with Complete

Community goals by planning strategically for future growth, expanding

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 3

greenway connections, supporting sustainable design, and enhancing the

public realm.

Council members asked questions about stormwater impacts, tree

protection, traffic congestion, and the density of the proposed

development. Staff and the applicant responded by outlining adjustments

to grading plans and buffer plantings, and reiterating the project’s

compliance with Town standards.

Several community members shared comments regarding the proposed

development including: Linda Ide, Bruce Runberg, Ursula Wuerth, Brian

Grimwood, Mike Gillom, Al Howlett, Lois Howlett, William Thomas,

Christine Berndt, Bob Berndt, Hank Elkins, Anna Williamson, Martin

Johnson.

Speakers expressed a range of concerns related to stormwater impacts,

neighborhood compatibility, density, traffic, tree protection, and the

overall scale of the project. Many urged the Council to consider the

cumulative effects on adjacent neighborhoods and to ensure that

environmental and infrastructure issues were fully addressed before

approval.

Council members thanked speakers for sharing their perspectives and

acknowledged the concerns raised. Council members discussed the need

to balance housing goals with environmental and infrastructure

considerations and emphasized the importance of ensuring that

downstream stormwater effects, grading, and buffers are adequately

addressed. Several members expressed appreciation for the applicant’s

revisions and the additional information provided, while noting the

continued need for careful oversight as the project moves forward.

A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council

Member Ryan, that the Council closed the public hearing. The

motion carried by a unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Council Member Ryan, seconded by Council

Member Nollert, that the Council adopted R-2. The motion carried

by the following vote:

Aye:

8 - Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Berry, Council

Member McMahon, Council Member McCullough,

Council Member Miller-Foushee, Council Member

Nollert, Council Member Rivers, and Council Member

Ryan

Nay:

1 - Council Member Sharp

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 4

A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council

Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council enacted O-6 as amended

to allow the developer flexibility to move some of the town home

density to the middle section. The motion carried by the following

vote:

Aye:

8 - Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Berry, Council

Member McMahon, Council Member McCullough,

Council Member Miller-Foushee, Council Member

Nollert, Council Member Rivers, and Council Member

Ryan

Nay:

1 - Council Member Sharp

Conditional Zoning for 1165 Weaver Dairy Road

Legislative Hearing opened at 9:03 p.m.

Senior Planner Katherine Shor introduced the applicant, Wendi Ramsden,

and provided context for the conditional zoning request.

Ms. Ramsden presented the proposal, offering an overview of the project

location and the district-specific plan. She described the key components

of the development, including a one-story daycare facility and a cluster of

4-12 townhomes designed as infill near an existing commercial area. Ms.

Ramsden explained site constraints related to utility easements, which

affect building placement and pedestrian connectivity, and noted that the

applicant is requesting modifications to buffer requirements. She

highlighted the project’s walkability, proximity to transit, and alignment

with the Comprehensive Plan and Complete Community goals.

Ms. Shor provided the staff summary of the proposal. She reiterated the

project’s alignment with Complete Community priorities, including

consistency with the Future Land Use Map, infill redevelopment on a

high-frequency transit corridor, a mix of residential and commercial uses,

strategic use of a constrained site, and activation of the streetscape

through buffer reductions paired with canopy and understory trees. She

also described shared parking and internal pedestrian connections, and

noted that the proposal has minimal impact on natural features. Ms. Shor

reviewed the Planning Commission’s evaluation and presented staff’s

recommendation.

Council members asked questions regarding unit sizes and affordable

housing considerations, the demand for preschool services in this area of

Town, whether the daycare building could support additional uses, and

how the proposal might serve seniors who live nearby.

A motion was made by Council Member McMahon, seconded by

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 5

Council Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council closed the

legislative hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Council Member Ryan, seconded by Council

Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council adopted R-3. The motion

carried by a unanimous vote.

A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council

Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council enacted O-7. The motion

carried by a unanimous vote.

CLOSED SESSION

A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council

Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council entered into closed session as

authorized by General Statute Sections 143-318.11(a)(4) and

143-318.11(a)(5). The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Council recessed into Closed Session at 9:23 p.m.

Council Member Nollert moved, and Council Member McCullough

seconded a motion to adjourn the Closed Session and Council

meeting.The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

ADJOURNMENT

Council adjourned the meeting at 9:49 p.m.

TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL

Printed on 4/1/2026

Page 6