In the zone
Carolina North talks need to get off on right foot
By: Editorial Board
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Opinion
Stop the conspiracy theories now: Carolina North does exist.
The Chapel Hill Town Council voted Monday to allow Roger Stancil, the town manager, and Ralph Karpinos, the town attorney, to meet with the University about the development.
It's nice to hear that the town council is actually doing something concrete about Carolina North, especially since the University plans to break ground on the first building in 2009.
The aim of the meetings is to discuss zoning issues with the mixed-use satellite campus.
This is sure to be the first of many conversations between the town and the University about the development.
We've all heard that the first step is the hardest, so hopefully talks will remain civil and zoning restrictions for the development can quickly be finalized in a form that is acceptable to both the town and UNC. This is vital if the University wants to begin construction on schedule.
We hope that this meeting isn't a repeat of past ones on Carolina North, during which a lot was said but not much is done.
We're not asking that the town roll over or that the University stall plans, only that both sides will be willing to compromise as they've done in the past.
In addition to zoning, the town has a number of concerns that the University needs to pay heed to as it proceeds with the development.
Residents of Chapel Hill have voiced reservations about the satellite campus on the basis that it will tax already strained resources and destroy some existing trails.
In addition, there are concerns over the additional vehicle traffic that the development will bring to the area.
The University would be wise to not only listen to the concerns of the town but also work with Chapel Hill to come up with compromises before the campus is built and the concerns become full-fledged problems.
A half century is a long time for Chapel Hill and UNC to be working together on this project as it is constructed, so getting off on the right foot with these negotiations is vital.
If either side comes in and tries to dictate how the development will occur, it could potentially further delay the project, which has been in the planning stages since 1998.
Discussion is the first important step to work out how the town and the University can best address conflicts in the competing visions that each have for Carolina North.
We hope this will be the beginning of many fruitful conversations between the two parties.
The Chapel Hill Town Council voted Monday to allow Roger Stancil, the town manager, and Ralph Karpinos, the town attorney, to meet with the University about the development.
It's nice to hear that the town council is actually doing something concrete about Carolina North, especially since the University plans to break ground on the first building in 2009.
The aim of the meetings is to discuss zoning issues with the mixed-use satellite campus.
This is sure to be the first of many conversations between the town and the University about the development.
We've all heard that the first step is the hardest, so hopefully talks will remain civil and zoning restrictions for the development can quickly be finalized in a form that is acceptable to both the town and UNC. This is vital if the University wants to begin construction on schedule.
We hope that this meeting isn't a repeat of past ones on Carolina North, during which a lot was said but not much is done.
We're not asking that the town roll over or that the University stall plans, only that both sides will be willing to compromise as they've done in the past.
In addition to zoning, the town has a number of concerns that the University needs to pay heed to as it proceeds with the development.
Residents of Chapel Hill have voiced reservations about the satellite campus on the basis that it will tax already strained resources and destroy some existing trails.
In addition, there are concerns over the additional vehicle traffic that the development will bring to the area.
The University would be wise to not only listen to the concerns of the town but also work with Chapel Hill to come up with compromises before the campus is built and the concerns become full-fledged problems.
A half century is a long time for Chapel Hill and UNC to be working together on this project as it is constructed, so getting off on the right foot with these negotiations is vital.
If either side comes in and tries to dictate how the development will occur, it could potentially further delay the project, which has been in the planning stages since 1998.
Discussion is the first important step to work out how the town and the University can best address conflicts in the competing visions that each have for Carolina North.
We hope this will be the beginning of many fruitful conversations between the two parties.
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