For a brief period of time in the 1960s, UNC ran an experimental youth prison near what is now the Mason Farm Biological Preserve. This morning I came across the ruins of an experimental youth prison UNC ran over by Mason Farm in the 60s. It was called CHYDARU. Here are a brief & editorial […]
Chapel Hill
Posted inChapel Hill
Does residential development now pay for itself in Chapel Hill?
One of the arguments CHALT frequently makes against dense infill multi-family housing is that “the cost of serving residential development (money going out) exceeds the amount coming in.” They repeatedly cite a 2012 study commissioned by Chapel Hill’s former town manager– Here’s a recent example from NextDoor: There’s just (several) problems with this. Let’s wade […]
Posted inBike and Walk
Bolin Creek Greenway Alternative Bike Map: “Not something I’d ever let my kids ride on”
For the past few weeks, an anti-greenway group in Carrboro and Chapel Hill has been sharing a map purportedly showing ‘alternative bike routes’ that could take the place of paving the Bolin Creek Greenway in Carrboro. The map looks like they threw imaginary bike lane spaghetti at a map of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Many […]
Posted inTransportation
A game-changing grant for Chapel Hill
A big win for transit: The FTA’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning got a great write-up today in Governing. Chapel Hill received funding to plan for TOD at 16 stations of the proposed 8.2-mile North-South BRT project. This is a game-changing grant that opens the doors to other federal grants. Okay, what is […]
Posted inChapel Hill
BREAKING: Police Chief Chris Blue Named Interim Town Manager for Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Police Chief and Executive Director of Community Safety Chris Blue has been named the new Interim Town Manager of Chapel Hill, effective January 1. The appointment was announced by Mayor Pam Hemminger the day after the town announced that Maurice Jones will leave the Town Manager position on December 31. Blue was set […]
Posted inChapel Hill
UNC and the Town Can Tackle Housing Together
Last Wednesday, I shared at the Chapel Hill Town Council meeting that having more affordable housing would benefit two groups at UNC Chapel Hill who are (or want to be) part of the town: staff, and graduate and professional students. It’s my job to speak on behalf of those 11,000 graduate and professional students. I […]