Water and Sewer Management, Planning and Boundary Modification

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Water and Sewer for Southern Chapel Hill (WASMPBA) (2024)

Project Location

Water&SewerExpansion082823

 

Past Meetings
The What
The Why
Process
Why are we hearing about this?
Who will pay for this and when?
Glossary of Terms
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the proposal approved?

  • The Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Carrboro, Town of Hillsborough, Orange County and OWASA approved the amendment to the Water and Sewer Management, Planning and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA) in winter 2023/2024.
  • Chapel Hill Town Council decided to pursue the expansion and reviewed and approved the proposal at their November 15, 2023 council meeting.
  • The remaining Water and Sewer Management, Planning and Boundary Agreement (WASMPBA) governing bodies reviewed and approved the proposal at each of their individual board meetings in 2024.

Now that the proposal has been approved, what are the next steps?

  • The boundary is officially extended. A landowner’s request for service would determine next steps and that would be part of the Town’s normal development processes. Water and sewer line installation and activation costs and implementation are at the discretion of landowners.

Will development begin immediately now that all of the governing bodies have approved the expansion?

  • The Town of Chapel Hill does not have immediate plans to develop the Town-owned property in this area.
  • Other landowners in the area will have the ability to submit a conditional zoning request, if they are interested in developing their parcels in the area. The Town would review the requests to ensure that the development is aligned with the Town’s long-term goals for the area. Developers would be responsible for the water and sewer line installation and activation costs and implementation.

Will there be opportunities for the public to provide input about the Town’s development vision for this area?

  • Yes. There will be ongoing opportunities for public information sessions in the coming months and years for this area. The public can also provide public input at any time by emailing mayorandcouncil@townofchapelhill.org. Please also subscribe to TownNews to receive updates about all Town public information meetings for various Town topics, including WASMPBA.

What is the Town’s long-term vision for the area?

  • The Town of Chapel Hill does not have immediate plans to develop the Town-owned property in this area.
  • The Town is currently rewriting its Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO). This Town Council’s review of this ordinance is tentatively scheduled for fall 2024.
  • After the LUMO is reviewed and adopted, the Town will work to update our Comprehensive Plan, including our Small Area Plans, and Zoning Plans.
    • The Town of Chapel Hill’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2012 and has adopted several recent elements to the plan including the Future Land Use Map, Climate Action and Response Plan, Shaping our Future: a Transportation and Land Use Initiative, as well as the Complete Community Strategy. These elements illustrate the changing environment and the Town’s interests in meeting the needs and goals of the community.
    • The Town is also looking to update our Southern Small Area Plan that was adopted in 1992, over 30 years ago.
  • The Town would work to update some of the plans in the coming years to help inform our long-term plans for this area of Chapel Hill.
  • It is important to note that while the Town is working to update these plans and does not have immediate plans to develop in the area, the Town will still consider conditional zoning requests in the area that could contribute to short-term development in the area.

Options/Changes

  1. What's being proposed?
    • The proposal is to extend the boundary of the water and sewer service area to the Chatham County line.
    • No physical extension of water and sewer service is proposed at this time.
  2. What are my options?
    • You can keep things as they are - you don't have to make any change.
    • You could extend and connect water and sewer service.
    • If you choose to connect service, you'll have to pay for it.
  3. Does this change our zoning at all?
    • No, it does not. It does offer opportunity to connect to the water and sewer service.
  4. What changes will I see immediately?
    • We don't expect any immediate changes.
  5. Does the owner of a property have to pay to connect?
    • Yes, connection fees to water and sewer service are available from OWASA.

Stakeholders

  1. How does this new option impact…landowners?
    • Landowners will now have the option to access OWASA’s water main and sewer service, but connection is NOT mandatory.
  2. How does this new option impact…developers?
    • Developers will now have the option to access OWASA’s water main and sewer service as part of development projects.
  3. How does this new option impact…renters?
    • Landowners will now have the option to access OWASA’s water main and sewer service, but connection is NOT mandatory.