Good evening, everyone.

Welcome.

Welcome.

My assistant is here.

Welcome to the January 21st meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council.

This is Council's first regular meeting of this session, and we are glad to have you join us.

I am still confused that everyone is in different seats, but I will figure it out.

This evening we have two items on our agenda for discussion or action.

Up first, we will hold a public hearing regarding the 2025-26 community block grant funding program.

And second, we'll consider action on amendments to the town's land use management ordinance.

Along the way tonight, there are a couple of changes to our work that I want to note at the outset.

Earlier this week, we received a request from the developer to postpone next week's hearing on the proposed project at 860 Weaver Dairy Road.

With that postponement, only one discussion item would have remained on next week's agenda to make the best use of everyone's time and resources.

Scheduled for January 28th.

And there are a number of moving pieces.

So we will have to vote on consent as amended.

Others will be moved back to February.

And number four, we will also vote on consent to postpone the 860 Weaver Dairy item to the February 25th regular meeting.

And for anyone who may arrive or tune in later.

Council members, are there any questions on that?

Okay.

So to get us started this evening, we have a proclamation to announce for National Mentoring Month.

From our audience tonight, I'd like to invite Lori Clark.

Did I see Lori?

Oh, there you are.

I'm glad you're here.

Good evening, everyone.

So tonight it gives us pleasure to recognize National Mentoring Month and to promote the powerful role mentoring plays in strengthening individuals and communities of all ages.

Quality mentoring encourages healthy connections, as you can see, emotional well-being, and personal and professional growth.

Studies show that young people with mentors are more likely to succeed in school, avoid risky behaviors, and pursue college or career goals.

Here in Chapel Hill programs, such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Triangle, the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate Program, and Volunteers for Youth help build meaningful relationships that open doors, build confidence, and provide lasting support for youth and adults alike.

We are grateful to the leadership of these programs and to the volunteer mentors who show up consistently and make a real difference in the lives of others.

In recognition of their impact, the Chapel Hill Town Council proclaims January 2026 as National Mentoring Month and invites caring adults to get involved.

And may I see by a show of hands who is or has been a mentor in this room?

Awesome.

Awesome.

Thank you for what you do.

And those of you who haven't had that wonderful experience, go ahead and raise your hand to one of these groups or someone that you know, or in your own workplace.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Don't escape yet.

There's a picture.

Council, would you like to get up there for the picture?

Okay.

Councilmember Rivers said yes, so let's go.

So I'm gonna have you all step up.

Well, can you say oh, there you go.

There we go.

Looking good.

All right.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

Thank you all for making the time to come out tonight and to help us call attention to mentoring month and for all you do for the community every day.

Um okay, that brings us to announcements.

Um, I just have a few things to share.

Um, first, um, if you have been to any grocery store today, you are well aware that town and county staff are closely monitoring the weather for the upcoming weekend.

Um, we encourage residents to follow the forecast and take time now to prepare.

Um, to stay informed, please visit Chapel Hill NC.gov slash emergency.

We're a.gov now, we're very fancy.

Um, and you can sign up for town and county emergency alerts so you stay up to date.

Um, and of course, if winter weather occurs, please uh stay home and avoid being on the roads if possible.

Um, second, Chapel Hills People's Academy is scheduled for March 3rd, um, and registration is now open.

Um, the People's Academy provides an opportunity to learn about the work of the town, how we make decisions, and how you can be engaged.

Um, programming will be provided in both English and Spanish.

And the People's Academy always receives rave reviews from our residents as being informative, rewarding, and fun.

So please check out our website for more information and to sign up.

Um, third, as part of tonight's consent agenda, council will be approving the contract for our new town attorney, Nick Yates.

Uh, Mr.

Yates will begin his work with the town tomorrow.

And we are excited to welcome him as part of our team.

Um, last but not least, um, I have a personal announcement to share.

Um, next Tuesday, January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Um, I want to let the public know about a program taking place at the library that evening where the story of Abe Pisek will be shared.

Um Abe was a Holocaust survivor from Poland who lived in Raleigh during the final decades of his life.

Um the program will be led by Steve Goldberg, who is a high school history teacher who's taken a one-year leave from the classroom to travel and tell Abe's story.

Um so at a time when some are trying to erase or distort events of the Holocaust.

Programs like this remind us why it's so important to remember and ensure these stories are never forgotten.

So please attend if you are able.

Um, Council members, does anyone else have something to share?

Okay.

Next up, we invite members of the public to comment on items not on the printed agenda.

Uh, for members of the public in attendance wishing to speak, you can sign up with the town clerk on the left side of the chamber toward the front of the room.

If you're here to speak on a specific agenda item, there will be a presentation on the item, followed by council clarifying questions and then public comment.

Um to help keep things running smoothly, Mayor Puritemberi will call two names at a time.

Do we have anybody signed up?

Oh, exciting.

Okay.

Um the first person should come to the podium, and the second person is on deck.

So if you can come on down and sit in the front and be ready to go.

Um finally, public in comment is very important to us.

So I want to remind our audience that we want everyone to be heard and feel comfortable when they're at the podium, so please refrain from commenting or clapping.

All right.

First is Rose Bergwanoth and Tim Cruthers will be second.

Welcome.

Hi.

Hi, I'm Rose Bereguanis.

You may know me from a previous council meeting.

I'm nine years old, pretty little, but my words are big.

I'm here to talk about the Glenn Lennox development.

It may seem like you have better bigger things to deal with, and maybe you do.

For this for you, this development is most likely not that big of a problem.

But for us, this is one of the biggest problems we may ever face.

The developer Grubb knows he is wrong, and we need you to make him show that this is wrong.

This development would decrease the amount of trees and not only and not just in Lennox, but in all of Chapel Hill.

All people in Chapel Hill know this is wrong, but not all will help us.

Will you be the ones who do?

Or will we give our time and effort to see these trees turn into a grocery market, which we already have a lot of here in Chapel Hill.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We did.

Tim Cruthers.

Thank you, everybody.

Hi, I'm Tim Cruthers.

I'm a journalism professor at UNC and a Chapel Hill resident who lives on Oakwood Drive.

And I'm not here speaking just for myself.

I'm here speaking for my neighbors like Rose, and I'm here speaking for every citizen of our town because it is this kind of corporate power play.

If it can happen to us, it can happen to anybody in Chapel Hill.

In a meeting between our working group and Clay Grubb this summer, Grubb told us that he wants to build a 50,000 square foot grocery store on the site in Glen Lenox that closely borders Oakwood Drive.

Not because it makes sense for the neighborhood.

There are 14 supermarkets within four miles of the proposed site and six within two miles, including one across the street.

But he told us that he had to build the supermarket or risk going bankrupt.

Is that a good reason to allow him to ignore the spirit of our development agreement?

Think about it.

Are there any supermarkets in Chapel Hill located 30 yards from somebody's house?

No.

They are all in shopping districts and malls for a reason.

But in this case, Rose and her family are in danger of literally living in the shadow of a food lion.

How is that okay?

Please understand that my neighbors and I are not against progress.

We would welcome a smaller Weaver Street style grocery store in this space with outdoor tables under the current tree canopy, where the community could come together for a coffee or a glass of wine.

That was the clear intention of our development agreement, not a mega market and a new service road that would prompt a clear cut of all the mature neighborhood trees.

In that same meeting with Clay Grubb this summer, Grubb admitted to us, and I quote if you fight me on this, you'll probably win.

That proved to us that even he knows we're in the right.

But unfortunately, we can't afford a battalion of lawyers to present represent us in this dispute.

Instead, I think you know who we need to represent us.

All of you.

Representative McMahon, Representative Sharp, Representative Miller Fushi, Representative Ryan, Mayor Anderson, with all due respect, Representative Barry, Representative Noller, Representative McCullough, Representative Rivers.

You are our representatives.

We need you to represent us.

Even Clay Grubb knows he's doing something that isn't just and isn't right.

We all know it.

There is still time to stop this, to do what's right, but we really need your help.

A few months ago, I voted for many of you to represent me, to represent my neighbors like Rose, and to resent represent all the people of Chapel Hill.

Are you going to represent us?

Now is the time to stand up for what we all know is right.

Rose and I are here tonight to humbly ask you to please represent us.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Is that it?

That's it.

Okay.

Okay, council.

Um thank you for your comments.

Um and next up is our consent agenda.

Uh council members, before I call for a motion, I want to point out that we have three additions.

Um R2.1 adopts the town attorney's employment contract.

R2.2 continues the 860 Weaver Dairy Road Conditional Zoning Hearing.

Um, R 2.4 is the authorization of purchase for six rectangular rapid flashing beacons for MLK Junior Boulevard and ST Drive.

Very exciting.

Um, do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as amended?

I move amended consent.

Second.

Uh moved by Councilmember Ryan, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Barry.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Okay.

Up next is item number six.

Before beginning, I'll remind everyone that council will consider closing the public hearing and voting on this item this evening.

So I know Melissa Peters.

Oh, yes, hello.

So this is our public hearing for the 2025-26 community development block grant program amendments.

And Melissa Peters from our housing and community development department is here.

That is true.

So true.

I'm here too.

Well, then I don't have to introduce myself, which was part of my my spiel.

Well, good evening, Mayor and Council.

I am the funding programs coordinator for the newly named Housing and Community Development Department.

And tonight we are opening a public hearing and then closing and then holding considering a resolution on recommended amendments to the town's community development block grant or CDBG consolidated plan and annual action plan.

Yep.

So tonight we're opening the public hearing and we are also having the consideration of that resolution.

So for background, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, requires CDBG grantees to amend these plans when their funding plan changes.

HUD also requires the town to hold a public hearing when substantial admitments to the plan are being proposed.

The town's CDBG citizen participation plan includes the criteria for identifying these substantial admitments.

The current proposed amendment meets this criteria because the reallocation of funds would be more than 25% of the current year's funding award.

CDBG public hearings are open during council sessions.

So the town is classed as an entitlement community for CDBG, which means that we receive a funding amount every year that is determined by HUD.

All of the activities funded by this program must meet one of three national objectives that is benefiting low to moderate income households, aiding in the elimination of slum or blight areas, which is HUD language, or meeting an urgent need.

The town allocates all of our funding except for our administration funding to benefit low to moderate income or LMI households.

The objectives of this program are closely aligned with town priorities.

And the program is included in the town's affordable housing and community connections work plan that council approved.

CDBG funding is also included in the Affordable Housing Plan and Investment Strategy that council approved in 2023.

Programs that are frequently supported through this funding align closely with that plan's goals of expanding and preserving affordable housing and homeownership and affordable rental housing.

So the consolidated plan determines high-level town and county priorities for CDBG and for home funds for the next five years.

The current plan is for 2025 to 2029.

The town's annual action plan decides the specific activities that CDBG funding will support during the current 2025 to 26 program year.

We are recommending amendments to the current consolidated plan and the annual action plan, both which were approved by council on June 11th, 2025.

These are the current consolidated plan priority funding funding priorities, and they are all supported currently by uh currently funded CDBG activities.

Staff recommend changes to the CDBG funding plan regularly.

Typical reasons for these changes are one, the unspent funds from an activity remain after that activities agreement expires.

Two, a need is identified for neighborhood revitalization funding, which is a portion of CDBG funds not currently dedicated to a specific activity and that is held for future eligible projects.

Or three activities are moved to local funding.

This time around, we are recommended moving funding for all three of these reasons.

Some of this funding will be moved to current activities and some will be reserved for future activities.

So staff propose moving 253,229 dollars in CDBG funding from various years to 2025 to 26 program year activities and neighborhood revitalization funding.

A portion of the move is prior year unspent funding from a finished activity to activities that are currently funded using this year's grant award.

Most of this move is funding from this year to neighborhood revitalization funding.

And then the funding move to neighborhood revitalization funding will be incorporated into the 2026 to 2027 CDBG funding plan that you all will consider in April.

A 30-day public comment period for the CDBG plan amendments was opened on December 22nd, 2025, and will close tomorrow on January 22nd, 2026.

Today, January 21st is our required public hearing.

And then council will also vote and consider the resolution concerning the amended plan in a little bit today, actually.

So tonight we are asking council to open the public hearing to receive comments on the amended consolidated plan and the CDBG annual action plans, and then next to consider approving the consider the resolution.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Peters.

Um council clarifying questions?

Yep, Councilmember McCullough.

So the public comment period is for um if we receive any comments that are concerning funding, if they want us to change funding, then we would have to go back and reapprove.

But usually comments are more about they're usually questions, or we don't receive any comments.

So that is how.

And HUD HUD rules don't um prevent us from council approving before the public comment period is closed.

Councilmember Ryan.

Yeah, so I just I got a little confused on the spreadsheet.

Um could you explain that hope renovations is being moved to local funding?

Yes.

What would can you just explain that to me?

And if if that funding is coming from another source, where that's coming from.

And we is gonna come up.

Good evening, Emily Holt, Affordable Housing Manager.

Um, our affordable housing funding program has a little bit of money in it and enough to cover that.

And um at in that program that council approved about a year ago, the manager has um authorization to approve up to 100,000 in funding for a specific purpose.

Um switch shifting that to local funding allows us to use CDBG in a smarter way.

Yeah, great, thank you.

Okay, do we have members of the public wishing to speak?

Okay.

Council back to you.

Um, I believe we need a motion to close the public hearing.

So moved.

Moved by council member Ryan, seconded by councilmember McCullough.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Then I need um a motion to adopt R 2.3.

So moved.

Moved by Councilmember Ryan, seconded by Councilmember Nollert.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um, our final item for the evening um is our omnibus text amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance, and Taz Lagu is here to walk us through all right.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of council.

I'm Taz Lago with the planning department.

Um, here to present uh set of text amendments to the town code and the land use management ordinance.

Um just a quick background on uh kind of why we're here this evening.

Uh if like me, you sometimes find yourself asking, like, why are we here?

Um number of you asked us uh asked staff to expedite a package of text amendments um back in 2025.

Um, and we were able to bring forward again a set of text amendments that reflected a series of LUMO discussions, Luma related discussions up until that point.

Um those discussions culminated with um public hearings on October 22nd and November 19th, and a work session on January 7th.

Um because that November 19th meeting ended in a in a 4-4 tie on the omnibus package.

Um, your council procedures dictate that you reconsider the item at your next regularly scheduled meeting.

Um so that's why we're here tonight.

Um staff's recommendation um on the item before you this evening is to to close the public hearing, uh, adopt the resolution uh R3, reasonable and consistency, and adopt uh ordinance 01, uh approving the text amendments.

Uh just a brief reminder on the the substance of the package in front of you.

Um package contains a series of amendments to the town's development processes, which dictate how we make land use decisions, um, and a series of amendments regarding kind of the underlying development standards, the standards that dictate what new development in town would look like.

Um so with that, um I will kind of get out of your way, Susan.

I quick as soon as I can.

Um again, staff recommendation for you this evening is to close the public hearing and adopt resolution three um an 01.

Um and just a brief reminder on the substance of 01.

Um this is 01 as uh kind of originally proposed by town staff.

Um we understand that during the January 7th work session, uh there were a series of amendments to 01 that were kind of generally agreed upon by council, and those have been provided for you kind of a supplementary material.

Um, and just as a reminder, those amendments can be adopted either as a package or independently if you also move.

So can you give us um instructions?

I think this is for our attorney.

Um, Mr.

Baker, could you give us instructions on if um if the council member making the motion would like to make the motion with the amendments that are in the attachment, how what is the best way for them to do so?

Under our council procedure manual, the best way to do that is for someone to make a motion to adopt ordinance one.

Uh, they can state during making that motion that they intend to have it amended when that motion is seconded.

That body will enter discussion, and at that point, someone can move to amend to incorporate those changes.

Okay, council.

Clear?

Okay.

Um any council questions.

We've talked about it a lot.

We had a great work session.

Um clarifying questions on the content before you this evening.

Are there members of the public wishing to speak?

Yes.

Okay, no.

No.

No.

Okay.

Maybe now.

Um, okay.

Uh council, it's back to you.

I need a motion to close the hearing.

So moved.

Second.

Move by Mayor Pro Temberry, seconded by council member Miller Fushi.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Are we gonna have time for comments?

Um as soon as the motion is made and seconded, then we will have time for final comments or any additional conversation.

Um I need um someone to adopt R3, which is the resolution of consistency.

So moved.

Second.

Move by you guys are so polite.

Um moved by council member Ryan, seconded by count uh mayor pro temberry.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Okay, I would like to move a one as amended.

Is that or do we just move to be amended?

To be amended.

Okay, got it.

I move a one to be amended.

Move by council member Ryan, seconded by council member McCullough, maybe.

Um, all those in favor.

Oh, sorry.

Before we vote, sorry.

I literally just said it.

Any uh final discussion.

Councilmember Ryan.

Yeah, thank you.

Um, and just to be clear, the amendments are um all items that were discussed at our last work session.

So they've been they've been thoroughly vetted by the by the council.

So I just wanted to say quickly, um, so my goal in implementing any new LUMO changes is to realize our complete community vision for Chapel Hill.

So to broaden the variety of housing in town, especially infill units and missing middle housing, to connect that housing with businesses, schools, and parks in a way that lessen our dependence on cars, and to preserve and protect the green areas and streams that are essential to a healthy environment and a healthy people.

The majority of the changes proposed in the omnibus will get us closer to these goals, and I support their adoption.

However, I'm concerned by the decision to allow 5,000 square foot duplexes, the size of two generous single family homes in a market already incentivized to build housing that is bigger and often prohibitively prohibitively expensive for most people.

This change runs against the kind of smaller, more accessible housing I want to encourage.

So that objection noted, given that most of the omnibus does forward our complete community goals, I'll be supporting it with the amendments suggested at our last work session.

Thank you.

So move to um amend according to the staff provided amendments reflecting our discussion at the January 7th work session.

Second.

Is that acceptable?

Yes, yes.

You looked at the you were looking some kind of way.

I was thinking of precise language, and and so council member, uh the language circulated prior to this meeting with the three amendments.

Hand it over.

Um and you can just reference that piece of paper.

You don't have to read it, it's fine.

I referenced this piece of paper.

Perfect.

Second.

We're killing it tonight.

Um motion to amend by council member McCullough, seconded by council member Barry.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

All right.

So yeah, that's it.

We did a thing.

Yeah, look at us go.

Um we need the main motion, right?

Oh shoot.

You need we now we have to vote on you.

You were right.

You were right.

You should go ahead and make the motion.

The motion's on the table.

It's it's already on the table, so now we just vote.

Oh, right?

Yep.

Oh, okay.

Right?

Sorry, the motion has amended is on the table, and so you all may call the question and vote.

Council.

Aye.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, please say nay.

Motion is unanimous.

Now we're done.

Now we did a thing.

All right, council.

Great job.

This is a record.

Yes.

Thank you, staff.

Thank you, staff.

Um, okay, y'all.

Um, before I gavel us out, um, I would like to say congratulations to us.

Um, I really appreciate council's thoughtful discussions.

Um, I think we came to very reasonable amendments.

Um, and I'm really, really happy that we're moving forward with something that is offering additional options for people to live here who currently cannot live here.

Um, and also people who live here will have additional options of other things they can do with their properties.

So thank you very much.

We are counting just a reminder that we are not meeting next week.

Um, and hopefully uh that will not be because of weather, but who knows?

Um, so I believe that we don't see each other until February 11th.

And so please stay warm, stay safe, and great job.

And congratulations, Town of Chapel Hill.

Have a great evening.