The Chapel Hill Town Council met on September 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chamber Room 110. The meeting included announcements, a public comment petition, approval of a consent agenda, public hearings for three conditional zoning applications (860 Weaver Dairy Road, 115 Chapel Point Road, and 5640 Old Chapel Hill Road), and adoption of a resolution authorizing the town manager to enter into opioid settlement agreements. All votes were unanimous. The meeting recessed at 9:09 PM for closed session and adjourned at 10:47 PM.
All items were approved unanimously via a single motion (Council Member Berry motion, Council Member Miller-Foushee second) with amendments to Item 3 (grievance procedures) and the September 10 meeting minutes.
Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the September 24th meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council. We are very pleased to have you join us. Before we get underway, I want to share with everyone that in response to resident request, we have interpreters available tonight through item six for Spanish speaking residents who may wish to speak during the public comment period and or during the public hearing for 860 Weaver Dairy Road. For the audience, people wishing to listen in Spanish will have simultaneous translation available from our interpreters via the headsets. And for those wishing to speak, um, when you're at the podium, the interpreters will provide consecutive translation. This evening we have three items up for discussion. All our legislative hearings for conditional zoning applications. In order, we will consider proposals for 86 or 860 Weaver Dairy Road, uh 115 Chapel Hill Point Road, and 5640 Old Chapel Hill Road. Uh Council members immediately following tonight's business meeting uh we'll move into the first floor conference room for closed session. We do not have proclamations this evening, uh, but I do have a couple of quick announcements that I've been asked to share. Um first up, we'd like to take a moment to recognize employee appreciation month, uh, which officially begins next Wednesday and continues through October. Our town is supported by an incredible team of 750 full and part-time employees along with an additional 150 dedicated workers who help deliver programs year-round. Um together they provide exceptional service and ensure our community runs smoothly every single day. Uh, we're truly grateful to each and every one of them for their professionalism, commitment, and care. And we look forward to having employee representatives join us mid month for a show of thanks and recognition of the Cal Horton Award. Uh second, and keeping with the theme of appreciation, at our October 8th meeting, we will be honoring members of staff and the community have who have gone the extra mile or two or three to help those impacted by tropical storm Chantal. Um council members, the plan is to have people arrive in council chambers at 5 45 so that we have time to say thank you before the meeting starts. Uh then we'll have a proclamation and Jeannie and Chair will provide you all with additional details in advance. Um and last, a reminder from our sustainability team and the new New Hope Audubon Society. Uh, as fall migration begins, please remember to turn off unnecessary lights or close your blinds at night. Uh artificial light can disorient migrating birds, leading them off course and into danger. So each year, millions of birds die from collisions with buildings and other structures, often because they're drawn to or confused by bright nighttime lighting. Um by simply dimming our lights, we can help protect these vital travelers on their journey south for the winter. Uh council members, does anyone have something to share? Councilmember Barry. Thank you. I'd like to share that September is hunger action month. As one who relied on the services of our pantries, I want everyone to take a moment and think about how you can help your neighbors by providing them food. You can go to your local pantries. We have several of them that serve this community. Thank you. Okay. Uh next up, we invite members of the public to comment on items not on the printed agenda or to bring a petition forward. Uh, for members of the public in attendance and wishing to speak, please sign up with the town clerk at the table on the left side of the council chambers towards the front of the room. If you're here to speak on a specific item, there'll be a presentation on the item followed by council questions and then public comment. If there are individuals in the audience who wish to bring a formal petition tonight, our practice is to receive petitions and refer them to the mayor and manager. We don't, as a rule, take action on petitions at this time. To keep things running smoothly, Mayor Pro Tem Ryan will call two names. We ask that the first person come to the podium and that the second person be on deck down in the front so you can take your turn. This evening we are expecting a larger than normal number of speakers for item number six pertaining to 860 Weaver Dairy Road. So for that item, depending on the number of people who sign up to speak, uh we may need to limit people's time to two minutes so that more people can speak in the allotted time. For members of our Spanish speaking community, when you're at the podium, the interpreters will provide consecutive translation. Because that takes longer, we will offer extra time. Finally, I want to remind our audience that we want everyone to be heard and to feel comfortable when they're at the podium. So please reflect refrain from commenting or clapping. Okay, I just have one speaker for this part of the program. It's Christopher Esposito. Welcome. Thank you.