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Town of Chapel Hill · Town Council
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at 6:00 pm · RM 110 | Council Chamber

Regular meeting Environment and sustainabilityHousing and affordabilityZoning text amendmentContracts and procurementHealth and human servicesAppointments and personnelCivil rights and nondiscriminationElections and districtsFaith and cultural communitiesImmigration and enforcementParks and recreationPolice and public safetyPublic facilitiesRezoningStormwater and floodingSubdivision and site plansWater and sewer

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Received 5.Town Council Vacancy Application Review received and filed · This matter was received and filed.
  2. Approved 6.Modification to the Conditional Zoning for 146 Stancell Drive adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council adopt R-1. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  3. Approved [25-0522]Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Sharp, seconded by Council Member Searing, that the Council approve a motion to amend Module 1: Site Plan Review, Se…
  4. Approved 8.General Statute 143-318.11(5) approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Nollert, that the Council enter into Closed Session, per General Statute 143-318.11(…
  5. Approved [25-0523]General Statute 143-318.11(5) approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Searing, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council approved a motion to authorize the Manager to execute an…
  6. Approved 7.Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Nollert, that the Council adopt R-2. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Another 3 items passed on the consent agenda, which is a single motion covering routine business. See the list.

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Chapel Hill's Nov. 19 council meeting opens with proclamations for OWASA's Care to Share Day, Small Business Saturday, and Native American Heritage Month, followed by public comment. On consent, council enacts a franchise agreement letting PSNC Energy provide natural gas service in town, and separately discusses applications to fill a current council vacancy.

The bulk of the meeting covers land-use business: a public hearing on a conditional zoning modification for 146 Stancell Drive, and an extensive, multi-motion debate over a wide-ranging package of amendments to the town's Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code (covering site plan review, concept plan review, floor area and parking limits for two-family dwellings, and stormwater definitions). Council also enters closed session under General Statute 143-318.11(5), during which it authorizes extending the town's option to repurchase the Wallace Deck parking facility. Several council members and a resident add last-minute discussion items on ICE activity in the community, SNAP funding, tree protection, and a program encouraging residents to leave fallen leaves in place.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The council spent most of the meeting rewriting its Land Use Management Ordinance, then failed to adopt it. After debating amendments on concept plan review, duplex size, parking and stormwater rules, the final motion to adopt the omnibus text amendment as amended fell on a 4-4 tie: Council Members Berry, Miller-Foushee, Nollert and McCullough voted to adopt it; Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Ryan, and Council Members Searing and Sharp voted against. Two earlier amendments to the package passed 5-3, and five others failed on 4-4 ties, including one to cut duplex floor area from 5,000 to 3,600 square feet and one to reinstate a four-space parking cap.

Earlier, the council unanimously approved a modification to the Hillmont development's conditional zoning at 146 Stancell Drive, cutting its required affordable units from 43 to a minimum of 20 in exchange for a $1.15 million contribution to the town's Affordable Housing Fund, and enacted a franchise agreement with Public Service Company of North Carolina on its consent agenda. In closed session it voted unanimously to extend the town's option to repurchase the Wallace Deck at 150 E. Rosemary Street from Grubb Management LLC to December 31, 2025. The vacancy left by Karen Stegman's resignation will be filled when newly elected council members are sworn in December 3, rather than through an appointment.

How the votes went

On 146 Stancell Drive, the council adopted both the resolution and the ordinance as amended by unanimous 8-0 votes, and the consent agenda, including the PSNC franchise agreement, also passed unanimously. On the LUMO omnibus text amendment, the council first adopted Resolution A unanimously, then reserved Module 1's site plan review section unanimously. Four further amendments each failed 4-4 on the same lines — Mayor Anderson, Mayor pro tem Ryan, Council Member Searing and Council Member Sharp voting yes against Council Members Berry, Miller-Foushee, Nollert and McCullough voting no — covering concept plan review (two motions) and a motion to continue the floor-area section to the next meeting. A fifth failed 4-4 with Sharp voting no and McCullough voting yes: cutting duplex floor area from 5,000 to 3,600 square feet. A motion to drop a parking-cap change and take it up later passed 5-3, Berry, Miller-Foushee and Nollert opposed, and a motion to revise the stormwater definition passed 5-3, Ryan, Searing and Nollert opposed. The final motion to adopt the ordinance as amended failed 4-4: Berry, Miller-Foushee, Nollert and McCullough in favor, Anderson, Ryan, Searing and Sharp against. The omnibus text amendment did not pass at this meeting. The council also voted unanimously to enter closed session under General Statute 143-318.11(5), where it voted unanimously to extend the Wallace Deck repurchase option.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

12 members of the public spoke.

  1. Craig Nishimoto, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, raised concerns about tree protection ordinance violations and environmental damage tied to the Hillmont development.
  2. Marcus Neulander, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns about tree protection and the Hillmont development.
  3. Adi Nishimoto, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns.
  4. Walter Nugent, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns.
  5. Teddy Hess, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns.
  6. Ellis Cundiff, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns.
  7. Max Chen, of the Tiger Roots Green Collective, joined in raising the same concerns.
  8. Jennifer Layton described trees falling on her property and her neighbors' homes and asked for accountability and enforcement on tree protection.
  9. Bill Marcella criticized the town's decision to end leaf vacuum pickup without public input.
  10. John Rees, of the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition, supported the LUMO amendments, including ending the concept plan requirement, but urged the council to keep strong public engagement.
  11. Ian Scott, of the Chamber for Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro and the Home Builders Association, supported the amendments and urged keeping the 5,000-square-foot duplex cap.
  12. Erik Valera supported allowing manufactured home communities as a permitted use but urged pairing the change with protections against resident displacement.

Twelve people spoke: nine during the scheduled public comment period, mostly about tree protection near the Hillmont development and the end of leaf vacuum pickup, and three during the hearing on the LUMO omnibus text amendment.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Chapel Hill's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Jump to an item (30 on this agenda)
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
  2. ROLL CALL
  3. OPENING
  4. 1.Proclamation: OWASA Care to Share Day
  5. 2.Proclamation: Small Business Saturday
  6. 3.Proclamation: Native American Heritage Month
  7. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
  8. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  9. CONSENT
  10. 4.Franchise Agreement with Public Service Company of North Carolina, In…
  11. DISCUSSION
  12. 5.Town Council Vacancy Application Review
  13. ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(S)
  14. 6.Modification to the Conditional Zoning for 146 Stancell Drive
  15. LAND USE MANAGEMENT TEXT AMENDMENT(S)
  16. [25-0522]Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinan…
  17. CLOSED SESSION
  18. 8.General Statute 143-318.11(5)
  19. ADJOURNMENT
  20. [25-0524]0.01 Mayor Anderson Regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement Age…
  21. [25-0525]3.01 Mayor Anderson Regarding Support for those Impacted by Suspensio…
  22. [25-0526]3.02 Mayor Anderson Regarding Holiday Parade.
  23. [25-0527]3.03 Mayor Anderson Regarding Swearing-In of New Council Members.
  24. [25-0528]3.04 Council Member McCullough Regarding 'Leave Your Leaves'.
  25. [25-0529]3.05 Craig Nishimoto Regarding Tree Protection Ordinance and Tree Dam…
  26. [25-0530]3.06 Bill Marcella Regarding 'Leave Your Leaves'.
  27. OTHER ATTENDEES
  28. Approval of the Consent Agenda
  29. [25-0523]General Statute 143-318.11(5)
  30. 7.Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinan…

Agenda items (30)

Procedural · 9Discussion item · 9Proclamation or recognition · 3Consent agenda · 3Ordinance · 2Closed session · 2Public hearing · 1Contract or award · 1
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
    Procedural
    Standing welcome message with meeting logistics; not a council action.
  2. ROLL CALL
    Procedural
    All eight council members were present.
  3. OPENING
    Procedural
    Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.
  4. 1. Proclamation: OWASA Care to Share Day
    Proclamation or recognition Health and human servicesWater and sewer
    Council proclaimed November 20 as OWASA Care to Share Day, recognizing the utility's program that helps low-income households pay water bills, and presented it to OWASA's Brianna Carter.
  5. 2. Proclamation: Small Business Saturday
    Proclamation or recognition
    Council proclaimed November 29 as Small Business Saturday, urging residents to shop at Chapel Hill's small businesses.
  6. 3. Proclamation: Native American Heritage Month
    Proclamation or recognition Faith and cultural communities
    Council proclaimed November as Native American Heritage Month and presented the proclamation to Ms. Indian North Carolina Page Freeman.
  7. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
    Procedural
    Council members' standing announcement slot; see the individual items below.
  8. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    Procedural
    Public comment period on items not on the printed agenda.
  1. DISCUSSION
    Discussion item
    Discussion agenda heading.
  2. 5. Town Council Vacancy Application Review
    Discussion item Appointments and personnel
    Council noted that Karen Stegman's council vacancy will be filled automatically when newly elected members are sworn in December 3, rather than through an appointment process.
    received and filed · This matter was received and filed.
  3. ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(S)
    Procedural
    Zoning atlas amendments heading.
  4. 6. Modification to the Conditional Zoning for 146 Stancell Drive
    Public hearing Housing and affordabilityRezoning
    Council approved a modification to the Hillmont development's conditional zoning at 146 Stancell Drive, cutting its required affordable units from 43 to a minimum of 20 in exchange for a $1.15 million contribution to the town's Affordable Housing Fund. Applicant Adam Golden answered council questions; both the resolution and the ordinance as amended carried 8-0.
    adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Nollert, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council adopt R-1. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
    • 146 Stancell Dr · no matching parcel on file
  5. LAND USE MANAGEMENT TEXT AMENDMENT(S)
    Procedural Zoning text amendment
    Land use management text amendments heading.
  6. [25-0522] Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code
    Ordinance Housing and affordabilityStormwater and floodingSubdivision and site plansZoning text amendment
    As part of a wide-ranging rewrite of the town's Land Use Management Ordinance, council voted unanimously to reserve a site-plan-review procedure section. A later motion to adopt the full package as amended failed 4-4, so the omnibus amendment did not pass this meeting.
    approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Sharp, seconded by Council Member Searing, that the Council approve a motion to amend Module 1: Site Plan Review, Section 1. Appendix A, Article 4. Procedures, Section 4.7 to 'Reserved'. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  7. CLOSED SESSION
    Closed session
    Closed session heading.
  8. 8. General Statute 143-318.11(5)
    Closed session
    Council voted unanimously, 8-0, to enter closed session under General Statute 143-318.11(5).
    approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Nollert, that the Council enter into Closed Session, per General Statute 143-318.11(5). The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  9. ADJOURNMENT
    Procedural
    Adjournment heading; the meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
  10. [25-0524] 0.01 Mayor Anderson Regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents in the Community.
    Discussion item Civil rights and nondiscriminationImmigration and enforcementPolice and public safety
    Mayor Anderson read a joint statement from the mayors of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, the county sheriff and both towns' police chiefs on federal immigration enforcement activity in the Triangle. The statement said local police do not take part in federal immigration operations and denounced racial profiling.
  11. [25-0525] 3.01 Mayor Anderson Regarding Support for those Impacted by Suspension of SNAP Funds.
    Discussion item Health and human services
    Mayor Anderson announced a $54,000 allocation from Orange County commissioners for food distribution after SNAP benefit suspensions, with the next distribution November 26 at the Eubanks Park and Ride lot.
  12. [25-0526] 3.02 Mayor Anderson Regarding Holiday Parade.
    Discussion item Parks and recreation
    Mayor Anderson reminded residents of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade on December 6.
  13. [25-0527] 3.03 Mayor Anderson Regarding Swearing-In of New Council Members.
    Discussion item Elections and districts
    Mayor Anderson announced the town's Organizational Meeting, including the swearing-in of newly elected council members, for December 3.
  14. [25-0528] 3.04 Council Member McCullough Regarding 'Leave Your Leaves'.
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    Council Member McCullough encouraged residents to leave fallen leaves in place this fall to support pollinators and soil health.
  15. [25-0529] 3.05 Craig Nishimoto Regarding Tree Protection Ordinance and Tree Damage on Property Near Hillmont Development.
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    Craig Nishimoto and other members of the Tiger Roots Green Collective raised concerns about tree protection ordinance violations and damage near the Hillmont development; Jennifer Layton described trees falling on her and her neighbors' property.
  16. [25-0530] 3.06 Bill Marcella Regarding 'Leave Your Leaves'.
    Discussion item Environment and sustainability
    Bill Marcella criticized the town's decision to end leaf vacuum pickup without public input.
  17. OTHER ATTENDEES
    Procedural
    Lists town staff present at the meeting.
  18. [25-0523] General Statute 143-318.11(5)
    Contract or award Contracts and procurementPublic facilities
    Coming out of closed session, council voted unanimously to extend the town's option to repurchase the Wallace Deck at 150 E. Rosemary Street from Grubb Management LLC, now set to expire December 31, 2025.
    approved a motion · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Searing, seconded by Council Member Berry, that the Council approved a motion to authorize the Manager to execute an Extension Agreement of the Town of Chapel Hill's Option to Repurchase the Wallace Deck, addressed 150 E. Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (PIN 9788-37-9851), from Grubb Management LLC set to expire December 31, 2025. The motion carried by a …
    • 150 E Rosemary St · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9788-37-9851 · Franklin Office Chapel Hill LLC · assessed $8,178,500
  19. 7. Omnibus Text Amendment to the Chapel Hill Land Use Management Ordinance and Town Code
    Ordinance Housing and affordabilityZoning text amendment
    Council adopted Resolution A on the LUMO omnibus text amendment unanimously as a first step, but its later motion to adopt the ordinance as amended failed on a 4-4 tie, so the package did not pass at this meeting.
    adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Ryan, seconded by Council Member Nollert, that the Council adopt R-2. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

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