GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
By Adam Powell
Correspondent
CHAPEL HILL – On the evening of August 19, the Chapel Hill Planning Commission undertook a significant task, considering three proposed residential projects that will likely shape the city’s future and come before the City Council in the months to come.
The projects reviewed by the Planning Commission included a conditional zoning application for 701 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a conditional zoning application for 860 Weaver Dairy Road, and a conditional zoning application for 115 Chapel Point Road.
At 701 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Landmark Properties, in collaboration with Durham-based engineering consultant Thomas & Hutton and Raleigh-based Cline Design Associates, is proposing a mixed-use development with 200 units and 10% affordable housing in a high-rise mixed-use building. The project includes 232 parking spaces (1.2 spaces per housing unit), a public plaza and a multi-use path along the property’s frontage with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
“Our project is located at 701 MLK Junior Boulevard, at the corner of East Longview and Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard,” said Bryan Boyles, Development Manager of Landmark Properties. “It’s a two-parcel assemblage, slightly under two acres. It’s within sub-area C of the South MLK focus area in the future land use map. So these properties have already been earmarked for multi-family development long term.”
“Their proposed development is a multi-family residential and ground-floor retail project. It would involve up to 200 units in a nine-story structure with about 1,000 square feet of retail space,” explained Katherine Shor, Senior Planner for the Town of Chapel Hill. “10% of those dwelling units will be income-restricted, affordable housing, and the ordinance commits the developer to provide a public outdoor plaza and a multi-use path.”
Concerns were raised about stormwater management, tree preservation, and the impact on local ecosystems. The site scored low on the Town of Chapel Hill’s natural features viewer due to its ephemeral streams. Landmark Properties committed itself to meeting green standards and addressing community feedback, which highlighted several key issues related to the proposed development.
Public speakers emphasized the need for the applicant to address the transitional area’s designation on the future land use plan map, suggesting more neighborhood collaboration. They also pointed out the lack of architectural elevations for townhomes and potential traffic issues in this congested part of Chapel Hill. The Planning Commission emphasized the need for detailed stormwater plans and careful consideration of environmental impacts at the 701 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard site as the plan moves ahead.
Chapel Hill Planning Department member Josh Mayo came before the Planning Commission to detail the conditional zoning request for 860 Weaver Dairy Road – a proposed mixed-use development that would include up to 700 combined rental multi-family units and for-sale townhomes.
“This project would be rezoned to mixed use village conditional zoning, with the ability to build multifamily townhomes and standalone commercial up to 575 multifamily units and up to 135 townhomes, with 15% of the townhomes and 10% of the multifamily being affordable,” Mayo explained.
A comprehensive Traffic Impact Analysis of the site revealed numerous traffic improvements that will be necessary for this project. These include signal timing improvements at key intersections, the construction of a sidewalk, and an enhanced pedestrian crossing. These changes aim to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety in the area.
At the site itself, the developer is requested to provide one ingress lane and two egress lanes at the full movement driveway, while also creating an exclusive westbound right-turn lane, intersection signals, multimodal and pedestrian accommodations at the site, including sidewalks, high-visibility painted crosswalks, pedestrian countdowns, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) approved curb ramps.
The project at 860 Weaver Dairy Road is adjacent to the Lakeview mobile home community, located at 1000 Weaver Dairy Rd. Chapel Hill’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM) declares this as a Sensitive Displacement Area. Most of the residents of Lakeview speak Spanish. A series of public community meetings were held in May, June, and August in an effort to help share information about the proposed project and gather feedback.
Residents in the Lakeview area expressed support for a greenway connection through the new development, while also voicing concerns about privacy, the need for a crosswalk linking Lakeview to a nearby shopping center, and worries that their property owner might raise rents or sell the property.
The proposed project is also adjacent to the Carol Woods Senior Living Community, located at 750 Weaver Dairy Road, as well as the Coventry community. Residents of both communities made their way to the Planning Commission on August 19 to express their concerns about the development.
Public speakers focused on tree canopy preservation, buffer width, and stormwater management, with some expressing distaste at plans to reduce the existing tree canopy around Carol Woods and Coventry. The commission recommended further analysis and potential adjustments to the buffer, parking ratios, and greenway width to address these issues on behalf of the public before the Town Council approves the project.
The Planning Commission also discussed the proposed development at 115 Chapel Point Road in Carraway Village. Thomas & Hutton, a Durham-based engineering firm, is working on behalf of owner Optimal Ventures LLC and developer NWR Development, LLC to construct 155 to 170 multi-family rental units – a combination of apartment buildings and townhouses – close to the I-40 freeway interchange. This is the third phase of expansion to Carraway Village.
The proposed development includes a greenway connector, three-story apartment buildings with 10% affordable units (half at 60% Area Median Income and half at 80% of Area Median Income), and a stormwater retention pond. The site will retain 23% impervious cover, with approximately 77% of the site left undeveloped to impervious surfaces such as building footprints, parking lots, and sidewalks. Parking ratios are nearly one space per unit, and the development will feature micro units, townhouses, and green spaces.
The Planning Commission praised the density and environmental considerations of Thomas & Hutton’s design for 115 Chapel Point Road, recommending council approval.
Adam Powell has been a correspondent for The Local Reporter since 2023. A 2001 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Powell has served as managing editor of multiple local publications, including the News of Orange County, the Mebane Enterprise, the Caswell Messenger, and the ACC Sports Journal. Powell has won more than 20 North Carolina Press Association Awards throughout his journalism career for Excellence in Education Reporting, Excellence in Sports Columns and Features, and Excellence in Video Production. He has also been recognized by the North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) for Excellence in Education Writing and for his newsletters representing Rockingham County Schools and the North Carolina Cyber Academy. The author of four books. Adam currently resides in Mebane with his wife Julie and children Colt and Jenna. This reporter can be reached at:Information@TheLocal Reporter.press
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