The Town of Chapel Hill periodically assesses Town-owned properties to determine how they might be used differently to further the Town’s goals. In January 2017, Town Council established and appointed the Council Task Force on Strategic Uses of Town Properties (Town Properties Task Force) to develop a strategic framework and initial ideas for specific Town-owned sites. Council Member Michael Parker served as Task Force chair. On June 26, 2017, the Town Council accepted the Task Force's report, authorized the Town Manager to prepare a report describing how to implement specific recommendations, and dissolved the Task Force. 

See the Advisory Board page for information about Task Force membership.

Deliverables

June 26, 2017 Report to Town Council: Recommendations for Strategic Uses of Town-Owned Properties, including

• Guiding Principles for Evaluating Town-Owned Properties
• Priority Uses of Town-Owned Properties to Further Town Goals

Background

The Task Force’s work built upon and expanded a process that began in 2012 to evaluate Town-owned properties. Those prior efforts resulted in the Town re-deploying selected properties to advance Town goals as well as receiving proposals for uses of Town-owned properties. More information about those activities is available here.

Also in 2017, separate Council-appointed groups considered options for specific Town-owned properties. The Historic Town Hall Committee considered possible future uses of the Historic Town Hall building located at 100 W. Rosemary St. The American Legion Task Force began developing recommendations for the American Legion property that the Town acquired in March 2017.

The Task Force was charged with developing a strategic framework and initial ideas for specific Town-owned sites. This process included developing guiding principles for current and future uses of Town property and identifying options for use of Town property to further Town goals. Desired outcomes included achieving greater clarity in decision-making around use of Town properties and greater success in achieving Town goals.

The Task Force's work is more fully described in the report to Town Council.

Task Force Meetings

Monday, June 26, 2017, 7:00 p.m., Town Council Meeting, Council Chamber, Town Hall

• Video - Presentation to Town Council
• Agenda Item #19 (PDF)
• A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE REPORT OF THE COUNCIL TASK FORCE ON STRATEGIC USES OF TOWN PROPERTIES, AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO PREPARE A REPORT DESCRIBING HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE REPORT’S SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, AND DISSOLVE THE TASK FORCE (2017-06-26/R-14)(PDF)
• Staff Presentation (PDF)
• Council Question with Staff Response (PDF)
• Elaine Jerome Comments (PDF)

Friday, June 16, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room C

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Meeting Materials
  • Draft Report to Town Council, “Recommendations for Strategic Uses of Town-Owned Properties”

Thursday, June 8, 2017 - Public Input Session (Afternoon), 12 noon, Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room B    

• Town Calendar Notice
• News Release
• Meeting Materials
  • Presentation
• Summary of Public Comments

Thursday, June 8, 2017 - Public Input Session (Evening), 6 pm, Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room B:

• Town Calendar Notice
• News Release
• Meeting Materials
  • Presentation
• Summary of Public Comments

Friday, May 26, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room C

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Approved Summary Minutes
• Meeting Materials
  •  Draft "Town Properties Task Force - Preliminary Recommendations"

Thursday, May 4, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room C

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Approved Summary Minutes
  • Attachment: Draft “Town Properties Task Force – Preliminary Recommendations”
• Meeting Materials
  • Draft Town Properties Task Force Focus on Key Priority Properties

Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 9:00 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room A

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Approved Summary Minutes
  • Attachment: Review of Priority Properties Summary
• Meeting Materials        
  • Questionnaire - Potential Uses, Guiding Principles, Priority/Schedule
  • Potential Uses and Priorities of Properties
  • Property Fact Sheets (see Potential Priority Properties section of the Town Properties Task Force project web page)

Thursday, March 23, 2017, 8:30 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library - Meeting Room A

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Summary Minutes (Approved)
• Meeting Materials
  • Draft Guiding Principles

March 2, 2017, 8:30 a.m., Driving Tour, Departure from Chapel Hill Public Library, Upper Parking Lot

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Minutes (approved)
• Meeting Materials
  • Potential Priority Properties Comment Worksheet
  • Town Properties Task Force Work Plan and Meeting Schedule (revised February 23, 2017)
  • Map - Potential Priority Properties - Townwide, version February 27, 2017
  • Map - Potential Priority Properties - Downtown Areas, version February 27, 2017

February 10, 2017, 9 a.m., Chapel Hill Public Library, Meeting Room C

• Town Calendar Notice
• Agenda
• Action Notes (brief account of meeting actions)
• Minutes (approved)
• Meeting Materials
  • Town Council Agenda Materials, January 18, 2017: "Establish and Appoint a Task Force on Strategic Uses of Town Properties"
  • Recommendations from Real Property Asset Review Group, June 24, 2013
  • Presentation: "Kick-Off Meeting, February 10, 2017
  • Potential Priority Properties Map (Townwide) (updated March 23, 2017)
  • Potential Priority Properties Map (Downtown) (updated March 23, 2017)

For More Information

Carolyn Worsley, cworsley@townofchapelhill.org, and Bill Webster, bwebster@townofchapelhill.org, served as staff liaisons to the Town Properties Task Force.