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Town of Chapel Hill · Town Council
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 6:00 pm · RM 110 | Council Chamber

Regular meeting Housing and affordabilityArts and public artBonds and debtBudget and appropriationsEconomic development incentivesElections and districtsGrants and outside fundingLand conversion and large developmentParks and recreation

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 5.February 25 and March 4, 2026 Meeting Minutes adopted · Pass · The minutes were approved.
  2. Approved 7.Town’s Public Housing Program Annual Plan, Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council adopted R-3. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  3. Received CLOSED SESSION (AS NEEDED) entered Into closed session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11 · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member Rivers, that the Coun…
  4. Approved 5.1Designate a Voting Delegate for the 2026-27 NCLM Board of Directors election adopted · Pass · This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted.

Another 4 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

This March 25 council meeting handled two proclamations, a light consent agenda, and two bigger discussion items. On consent, the council approved FY 2026 Arts and Culture Awards recipients, approved multifamily housing revenue bonds for Vitus to acquire and rehabilitate the Elliott Woods and Chase Park Apartments communities (preserving affordable units), approved February and March meeting minutes, and added a late item designating a voting delegate to the NC League of Municipalities board election.

On the discussion side, the council appropriated $3 million in FY 2025 General Fund excess fund balance under budget ordinance O-1, and approved the town's Public Housing Program Annual Plan and Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), which sets eligibility and occupancy rules for the town's public housing. The council then entered closed session under the state's economic-development exemption to discuss a prospective business matter referred to as "Project Periodic," and adjourned around 8:35 p.m.

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

Council opened by remembering Mae McLendon for her decades of community leadership, with a formal recognition to follow once family members can attend. It proclaimed National Library Week and marked EMPOWERment Day, presenting that proclamation to executive director Delores Bailey in honor of EMPOWERment, Inc.'s 30 years of affordable-housing and resident-advocacy work in town. During public comment, Jim Bulbrook and Jim Kitchen asked the council to end the Chapel Hill Country Club's long-standing exemption from the town noise ordinance for gas-powered equipment, and Salima Smith asked developer Vitus and the town for written guarantees on rent, hotel accommodations, timelines and mold remediation ahead of the Elliott Woods and Chase Park rehabilitation the council approved that night on the amended consent agenda.

On discussion items, the council voted 6-2 to enact a $3 million appropriation of FY 2025 excess fund balance, with Mayor Anderson and Council Member McMahon opposed and Council Member Ryan absent. The money covers Greene Tract planning obligations, FEMA grant management support, a leaf vacuum truck, downtown safety and wayfinding work, Fire Station 4 demolition, and Parking Fund debt service, and members said they wanted budget trade-offs explained earlier in the process next time. The council unanimously adopted the town's Public Housing Annual Plan and ACOP update, due to HUD by April 17, then voted unanimously to enter closed session to discuss "Project Periodic" before adjourning at 8:35 p.m.

How the votes went

The amended consent agenda, including the Elliott Woods and Chase Park bond issuance and the NCLM voting delegate designation, passed on a unanimous vote, as did the Public Housing Annual Plan and ACOP (R-3) and the motion to enter closed session. The FY 2025 excess fund balance appropriation (O-1) passed 6-2: Mayor pro tem Berry and Council Members McCullough, Miller-Foushee, Nollert, Rivers and Sharp voted yes; Mayor Anderson and Council Member McMahon voted no; Council Member Ryan was absent.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

3 members of the public spoke.

  1. Jim Bulbrook objected to the Chapel Hill Country Club's exemption from the town's noise ordinance for gas-powered equipment and asked the council to apply the standard rules to the golf course.
  2. Jim Kitchen raised the same objection to the Country Club's noise exemption and asked the council to revoke it.
  3. Salima Smith raised concerns about relocation communication from developer Vitus ahead of the Elliott Woods and Chase Park rehabilitation, and asked for written guarantees on rental rates, hotel accommodations, construction timelines and mold remediation.

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 (22 on this agenda)
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
  2. ROLL CALL
  3. OPENING
  4. 1.Proclamation: National Library Week
  5. 2.Proclamation: EMPOWERment Day
  6. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
  7. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  8. CONSENT
  9. 3.FY 2026 Arts and Culture Awards Program Recommendations
  10. 4.Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds Issuance for the Acquisition and Re…
  11. 5.February 25 and March 4, 2026 Meeting Minutes
  12. DISCUSSION
  13. 6.FY 2025 Excess Fund Balance Appropriation Proposal
  14. 7.Town’s Public Housing Program Annual Plan, Admissions and Continued O…
  15. CLOSED SESSION (AS NEEDED)
  16. ADJOURNMENT
  17. [26-0081]2.1 Mayor Jessica Anderson
  18. [26-0082]2.2 Mayor Pro Tem Berry
  19. 5.1Designate a Voting Delegate for the 2026-27 NCLM Board of Directors e…
  20. OTHER ATTENDEES
  21. 2.3Public Comment Attachment
  22. Approval of the Consent Agenda

Agenda items (22)

Procedural · 5Consent agenda · 4Other · 3Discussion item · 3Proclamation or recognition · 2Minutes approval · 1Budget action · 1Resolution · 1Closed session · 1Appointment · 1
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
    Other
  2. ROLL CALL
    Procedural
  3. OPENING
    Other
  4. 1. Proclamation: National Library Week
    Proclamation or recognition
    A proclamation recognizing National Library Week and the town's library system.
  5. 2. Proclamation: EMPOWERment Day
    Proclamation or recognition
    A proclamation recognizing EMPOWERment Day.
  6. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
    Procedural
  7. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    Procedural
  1. 5. February 25 and March 4, 2026 Meeting Minutes
    Minutes approval
    Routine approval of minutes from the February 25 and March 4, 2026 council meetings.
    adopted · Pass · The minutes were approved.
  2. DISCUSSION
    Discussion item
  3. 6. FY 2025 Excess Fund Balance Appropriation Proposal
    Budget action Budget and appropriations
    The council appropriated $3 million in FY 2025 General Fund excess fund balance via budget ordinance O-1.
    enacted · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Sharp, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee, that the Council enacted O-1. The motion carried by the following vote:
  4. 7. Town’s Public Housing Program Annual Plan, Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP)
    Resolution Housing and affordability
    The council adopted the town's Public Housing Program Annual Plan and Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), which sets eligibility, admissions, and occupancy rules for the town's public housing program.
    adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McCullough, that the Council adopted R-3. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  5. CLOSED SESSION (AS NEEDED)
    Closed session Economic development incentives
    Council entered closed session under the state-law exemption for prospective business location or expansion, to discuss a matter referred to internally as "Project Periodic."
    entered Into closed session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11 · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member Rivers, that the Council entered into Closed Session as authorized by General Statute Section 143 318.11(a)(4) to discuss “Project Periodic”. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Council recessed into Closed Session at 8:04 p.m. Council Member McMahon moved, and Mayor pro tem Berry seconded a motion to adjourn the Closed S…
  6. ADJOURNMENT
    Procedural
    The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
  7. [26-0081] 2.1 Mayor Jessica Anderson
    Discussion item Housing and affordabilityParks and recreation
    Mayor Anderson announced the fifth annual Creek Week, the March 27 groundbreaking for the 2200 Homestead Affordable Housing Community, and the April 6 opening of the Homestead Skate Park.
  8. [26-0082] 2.2 Mayor Pro Tem Berry
    Discussion item
    Mayor pro tem Berry congratulated UNC athletes competing in national tournaments, including the women's basketball team's advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
  9. 5.1 Designate a Voting Delegate for the 2026-27 NCLM Board of Directors election
    Appointment Elections and districts
    The council designated a voting delegate to represent Chapel Hill in the 2026-27 North Carolina League of Municipalities Board of Directors election.
    adopted · Pass · This resolution(s) and/or ordinance(s) was adopted and/or enacted.
  10. OTHER ATTENDEES
    Other
  11. 2.3 Public Comment Attachment
    Procedural
    Jim Bulbrook and Jim Kitchen asked the council to end the Chapel Hill Country Club's exemption from the town noise ordinance for gas-powered equipment. Salima Smith asked developer Vitus and the town for written guarantees on rent, hotel accommodations, timelines and mold remediation ahead of the Elliott Woods and Chase Park rehabilitation.
    received and filed · This matter was received and filed.

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