NC govwatch

← All meetings

Town Council

Town of Chapel Hill · Town Council
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at 6:00 pm · RM 110 | Council Chamber

Regular meeting Appointments and personnelHousing and affordabilityComprehensive planEconomic development incentivesRezoningBudget and appropriationsEnvironment and sustainabilityFaith and cultural communitiesGrants and outside fundingHistoric preservationTax rate and revaluation

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 6.2025 Closed Session Minutes approved · Pass · The Council approved the 2025 Closed Session minutes.
  2. Received 8.Open the Public Hearing on the FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Mayor pro tem Berry to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimo…
  3. Received 9.Climate Action Plan Update. received and filed · This matter was received and filed.
  4. Received 10.Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McMahon to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  5. Received 11.Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimo…
  6. 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 Ryan, that the Counci…
  7. Approved [26-0171]Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McMahon to adopt R-2 authorizing the Town Manager to sign the Project Stark Tower Incentive A…
  8. Approved [26-0172]Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member Nollert to adopt R-3, finding that the application for the modification is reasonab…

Another 5 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

The council opens a hearing on the FY 2026-27 recommended budget and plans to take up a budget ordinance on June 10. It also holds hearings on an incentive agreement for a project called Stark Tower and on a conditional zoning modification for 11 White Oak Drive. It considers appointments to two seats on the Community Design Commission.

Routine business includes proclamations for National Public Works Week, Affordable Housing Month, Historic Preservation Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, and Community Home Trust Day. It also includes the 2026-2027 HOME Investment Partnerships Program Annual Plan and a Climate Action Plan update.

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

Business Management Director Amy Oland presented the FY 2026-27 recommended budget, $169.7 million across all funds, a 3.4% increase over the current year with no property tax increase. She said Orange County has proposed phasing out the town's $621,323 annual library funding over two years, and staff are studying options such as non-resident library fees and reduced service hours. The council closed the hearing on a unanimous vote; a budget ordinance is expected June 10.

The council also closed a hearing on an incentive agreement for Project Stark Tower, expected to create 152 jobs at an average wage of $77,000, then unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the town manager to sign it. It closed a hearing on a conditional zoning modification for 11 White Oak Drive raising a 62-foot height limit on parts of the building's sloped roof by 4 to 7 feet. It found the application consistent with the comprehensive plan and enacted it, both by 8-1 votes with Mayor pro tem Berry dissenting. The council also appointed Kelly E. Mills and Racheal Tushabe to the Community Design Commission and entered closed session under General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) before adjourning at 9:25 p.m.

How the votes went

The council adopted its consent agenda, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program annual plan, and the Project Stark Tower incentive agreement by unanimous votes. For the 11 White Oak Drive conditional zoning modification, it found the application consistent with the comprehensive plan by an 8-1 vote, then enacted the modification by the same 8-1 vote; Mayor pro tem Berry cast the sole vote against both. It also voted unanimously to appoint Kelly E. Mills and Racheal Tushabe to the Community Design Commission and to enter closed session under General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6).

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

9 members of the public spoke.

  1. Jerry Marakatos, on the town's support for community media
  2. PJ Miller, a Community Home Trust homeowner, on affordable homeownership
  3. Bridgit Adamou, president of Community Home Trust's board of directors, on the organization's 35th anniversary
  4. Tom Jepsen, Chapel Hill Historical Society, on historic preservation funding
  5. Brieann Mendez, on affordable rental housing for seniors and residents on limited incomes
  6. Talib Madyun, on The People's Channel's media training
  7. Linda Fajardo, on Community Home Trust's role in her life as a single mother and educator
  8. Dennis Dowdy, on The People's Channel's youth programming and funding needs
  9. George Barrett, speaking for the Marion Cheek Jackson Center and the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition, on prioritizing affordable housing funding

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 (31 on this agenda)
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
  2. ROLL CALL
  3. OPENING
  4. 1.Proclamation: National Public Works Week
  5. 2.Proclamation: Affordable Housing Month
  6. 3.Proclamation: Historic Preservation Month
  7. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
  8. PUBLIC COMMENTS
  9. CONSENT
  10. 4.2026-2027 HOME Investment Partnerships Program Annual Plan.
  11. 5.Past Work Session Minutes
  12. 6.2025 Closed Session Minutes
  13. 7.April 29 and May 6, 2026 Meeting Minutes
  14. DISCUSSION
  15. 8.Open the Public Hearing on the FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget
  16. 9.Climate Action Plan Update.
  17. 10.Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement
  18. ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(S)
  19. 11.Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive
  20. APPOINTMENTS
  21. 12.Appointment(s) to the Community Design Commission
  22. CLOSED SESSION (AS NEEDED)
  23. ADJOURNMENT
  24. 1.01Proclamation: Asian-American and Pacific Islander Month
  25. 2.01Proclamation: Community Home Trust Day
  26. 3.01Mayor Jessica Anderson
  27. 3.02Council Member Wes McMahon
  28. OTHER ATTENDEES
  29. Approval of the Consent Agenda
  30. [26-0171]Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement
  31. [26-0172]Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive

Agenda items (31)

Other · 5Proclamation or recognition · 5Consent agenda · 5Procedural · 4Public hearing · 4Discussion item · 3Closed session · 2Appointment · 2Staff or committee report · 1
  1. WELCOME to a COUNCIL MEETING!
    Other
  2. ROLL CALL
    Procedural
  3. OPENING
    Other
  4. 1. Proclamation: National Public Works Week
    Proclamation or recognition
  5. 2. Proclamation: Affordable Housing Month
    Proclamation or recognition Housing and affordability
  6. 3. Proclamation: Historic Preservation Month
    Proclamation or recognition Historic preservation
  7. ANNOUNCEMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
    Procedural
  8. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    Procedural
  1. 6. 2025 Closed Session Minutes
    Closed session
    approved · Pass · The Council approved the 2025 Closed Session minutes.
  2. DISCUSSION
    Discussion item
  3. 8. Open the Public Hearing on the FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget
    Public hearing Budget and appropriationsTax rate and revaluation
    The council closed its public hearing on the FY 2026-27 recommended budget after taking resident comment.
    closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Mayor pro tem Berry to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  4. 9. Climate Action Plan Update.
    Staff or committee report Environment and sustainability
    Staff updated the council on the town's Climate Action Plan; the council received the update without taking further action.
    received and filed · This matter was received and filed.
  5. 10. Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement
    Public hearing Economic development incentives
    A public hearing on an economic development incentive agreement for a project referred to as "Project Stark Tower." The council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing the town manager to sign the agreement.
    closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McMahon to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  6. ZONING ATLAS AMENDMENT(S)
    Other
  7. 11. Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive
    Public hearing Comprehensive planRezoning
    A public hearing on a conditional zoning modification for 11 White Oak Drive. The council found the application consistent with the town's comprehensive plan and approved both the resolution and the zoning ordinance enacting the change.
    closed the public hearing · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member Miller-Foushee to close the public hearing. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
    • 11 White Oak Dr · no matching parcel on file
  8. APPOINTMENTS
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
  9. 12. Appointment(s) to the Community Design Commission
    Appointment Appointments and personnel
    The council appointed Kelly E. Mills and Racheal Tushabe to the Community Design Commission for terms running July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.
    appointed · The Council appointed Kelly E. Mills and Racheal Tushabe to the Community Design Commission for a term beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2029.
  10. CLOSED SESSION (AS NEEDED)
    Closed session Appointments and personnel
    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 Ryan, that the Council enter into Closed Session as authorized by General Statute Section 143-318.11(a)(6). The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  11. ADJOURNMENT
    Procedural
  12. 1.01 Proclamation: Asian-American and Pacific Islander Month
    Proclamation or recognition Faith and cultural communities
  13. 2.01 Proclamation: Community Home Trust Day
    Proclamation or recognition Housing and affordability
  14. 3.01 Mayor Jessica Anderson
    Discussion item
    Mayor Anderson announced Heat Awareness Week, the Orange County Memorial Day Celebration, and the next regular council meeting, set for June 10.
  15. 3.02 Council Member Wes McMahon
    Discussion item
    Council Member McMahon discussed recent Planning Commission highlights and aligning council priorities with staff work on the Land Use Management Ordinance.
  16. OTHER ATTENDEES
    Other
  17. [26-0171] Public Hearing: Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement
    Public hearing Economic development incentives
    adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Mayor pro tem Berry, seconded by Council Member McMahon to adopt R-2 authorizing the Town Manager to sign the Project Stark Tower Incentive Agreement. The motion carried by a unanimous vote.
  18. [26-0172] Conditional Zoning Modification Application for 11 White Oak Drive
    Other Comprehensive planRezoning
    The council found the modification consistent with the comprehensive plan and enacted it, both by 8-1 votes, with Mayor pro tem Berry dissenting and every other member in favor.
    adopted · Pass · A motion was made by Council Member Miller-Foushee, seconded by Council Member Nollert to adopt R-3, finding that the application for the modification is reasonable and consistent with the comprehensive plan. The motion carried by the following vote:
    • 11 White Oak Dr · no matching parcel on file

Other recent meetings of this board