OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chapel Hill Community Design Commission Meeting – May 26, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, May 26, 2026
BodyChapel Hill, North Carolina
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, May 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 45:59

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

I'm Heather Washburn, the chair of the community design commission.

0:04

I'm calling this meeting to order.

0:06

It's 5 32.

0:09

And I will start with roll call.

0:13

Patrick Brennan.

0:15

Present.

0:16

John Biggs.

0:19

Here.

0:21

Jim Farron.

0:23

Present.

0:25

Kim, we know was going to be out.

0:28

I am not seeing Kelsey Brinkley or Annie.

0:32

And again, I'm Heather Washburn and I am here.

0:37

Okay.

0:38

I would like to move on to the approval of agenda.

0:43

But I wanted to ask if uh my fellow fellow commissioners.

0:50

I was looking at our agenda, and I'd like to move Hillmont development up to the consent agenda.

0:57

Um if everybody else has approves of that.

1:03

If you don't approve, can you voice your opinion?

1:08

And then can I get a motion to move it to the consent agenda?

1:13

I make a motion to move the Hillmont development to the consent agenda.

1:19

Do I have a second?

1:20

Uh second.

1:22

Second from John.

1:24

Um, and then uh hey, there's Annie.

1:29

Annie, we were just voting, we're just getting ready to vote to move the Hill Um Hillmont development to the consent agenda.

1:40

It's just been seconded.

1:42

And if you approve, can you use your little hand sign?

1:47

Raise your hand in approval for your real hand.

1:51

I got one, two, three.

1:53

John, what say you?

1:56

Um I'm uh confirm.

2:00

Okay.

2:01

Sorry, I was trying to get trying to find the hand in here.

2:04

Oh, I see, and there it is.

2:06

No worries.

2:07

Um Annie seems to be having some issues with audio, but with four approvals, we can uh it passes.

2:17

So Hillmont Development will move to the consent agenda.

2:23

And um with not everybody here.

2:29

Um I'd like to add to next month's meeting a discussion.

2:37

Um for who will become the next chair and um uh co-chair.

2:46

Does anybody have an issue with that?

2:49

No.

2:50

I just wanted to formalize it.

2:55

I don't know.

2:56

Corey, do we need to have a um a vote on that so that we can get it on the agenda for next time or just add it then?

3:07

Um we're uh we're aware that next month would be a good time, so I I think we can accommodate that having on the agenda.

3:14

Um yeah, we'll just we'll just know it's on the June agenda for a discussion of officer appointments and uh potential for election of officers.

3:26

Okay.

3:27

All right, so um the only changes then that have been made is that we've moved Helmont up to the consent agenda.

3:35

Um can I get a motion for approval of our revised agenda?

3:39

I make a motion to approve the revised agenda.

3:42

Can I get a second?

3:45

I second that agenda.

3:47

Annie has seconded it.

3:49

It uh raise your hand if you approve.

3:54

All five are approved.

3:56

It carries.

3:57

Let's jump on to are there any announcements.

4:05

And um I'll I'll share that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning Regulations█████████████████████████████████████████████63%
Public Engagement███████████15%
Procedural█████7%
Parks and Recreation█████7%
Historic Preservation████6%
Arts And Culture█2%
Summary of Proceedings

Chapel Hill Community Design Commission Meeting – May 26, 2026

The Chapel Hill Community Design Commission met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 5:32 PM via virtual webinar. Chair Heather Washburn presided. The meeting included approval of the consent agenda and a detailed review of the West Rosemary Hotel elevation changes. Hillmont Development was moved to the consent agenda and approved.

Consent Calendar

  • Eastgate Shopping Center (26-0175): Approved. The proposal requested a modification to an existing Certificate of Appropriateness to add flood gates and raise the masonry foundation to mitigate flooding.
  • Hillmont Development (26-0177): Approved after being moved from New Business. The project had updated elevations for final plan review; no final action was required, but the commission provided feedback and approved.

Discussion Items

  • West Rosemary Hotel (26-0176): Dan Jewell (Thomas & Hutton) and Gail Wallace (Clarendon Properties) presented modified elevations for the hotel at Rosemary and Columbia Streets. Changes included eliminating one level of parking, adding guest rooms, and introducing a third brick color. Commissioners asked about brick color, materials, landscape, and design compatibility with the historic town hall. Commissioners John Biggs and Heather Washburn suggested adding a cornice or banding to improve human scale and tie the building to the historic context. The commission voted unanimously to approve the elevations with continued consideration of the comments made.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
  • West Rosemary Hotel: Approved (5-0) with a motion to approve and request the applicants to consider the commission’s comments on detailing and human-scale elements.
  • Announcements: New members Kelly Mills and Rachel Tushabi appointed by Town Council, terms starting July 1. Next meeting scheduled for June 23, 2026, which will include a discussion of officer elections.

Meeting Transcript

I'm Heather Washburn, the chair of the community design commission. I'm calling this meeting to order. It's 5 32. And I will start with roll call. Patrick Brennan. Present. John Biggs. Here. Jim Farron. Present. Kim, we know was going to be out. I am not seeing Kelsey Brinkley or Annie. And again, I'm Heather Washburn and I am here. Okay. I would like to move on to the approval of agenda. But I wanted to ask if uh my fellow fellow commissioners. I was looking at our agenda, and I'd like to move Hillmont development up to the consent agenda. Um if everybody else has approves of that. If you don't approve, can you voice your opinion? And then can I get a motion to move it to the consent agenda? I make a motion to move the Hillmont development to the consent agenda. Do I have a second? Uh second. Second from John. Um, and then uh hey, there's Annie. Annie, we were just voting, we're just getting ready to vote to move the Hill Um Hillmont development to the consent agenda. It's just been seconded. And if you approve, can you use your little hand sign? Raise your hand in approval for your real hand. I got one, two, three. John, what say you? Um I'm uh confirm. Okay. Sorry, I was trying to get trying to find the hand in here. Oh, I see, and there it is. No worries. Um Annie seems to be having some issues with audio, but with four approvals, we can uh it passes. So Hillmont Development will move to the consent agenda. And um with not everybody here. Um I'd like to add to next month's meeting a discussion. Um for who will become the next chair and um uh co-chair. Does anybody have an issue with that? No. I just wanted to formalize it. I don't know. Corey, do we need to have a um a vote on that so that we can get it on the agenda for next time or just add it then? Um we're uh we're aware that next month would be a good time, so I I think we can accommodate that having on the agenda. Um yeah, we'll just we'll just know it's on the June agenda for a discussion of officer appointments and uh potential for election of officers. Okay. All right, so um the only changes then that have been made is that we've moved Helmont up to the consent agenda.

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