Hillsborough
Waterstone Road Agreement Reached
The Stratford
Company, developer of a 337-acre mixed use development in Hillsborough
has reached an agreement with property owners to build a needed road
for the project. The town approved the Waterstone plan in 2004, but
Stratford’s request to alter road configuration from the original
master plan stopped progress on the development. With the developer’s
request rescinded, the project will go forward. Once Stratford receives
a permit from the state, road construction could begin as early as
July. Residential construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2007.
For
full story, click
here.
Rogers
Road Planning Started
Officials are starting the
process to develop a small-area plan for the Rogers Road Neighborhood.
The study area includes private property and parts of the “Greene
Tract” shared by Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County. Four
years ago local officials planned to preserve 86 acres of the Greene
Tract and designate18 acres for affordable housing efforts. Chapel
Hill is beginning the process by creating a committee comprised of
local residents and representatives from Chapel Hill, Carrboro and
Orange County to guide the plan. Once a full committee is established,
the goal is to have a small-area plan by spring of 2008. The study
area lies outside of Chapel Hill Town limits and will bring up questions
on extension of water and sewer lines, land use and transportation.
The study area does not include neighborhoods recently annexed by
Carrboro. For
full story, click
here.
Chapel
Hill-Carrboro City School Board Elects New Leaders
Jamezetta Bedford
will be the next Chairwoman of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School
Board and Pam Hemminger will be the next Vice-Chairwoman. The two
were elected unanimously at the December 7th board meeting. Jamezetta
served one year as Vice-Chairwoman and is replacing Lisa Stuckey.
School Board information can be found here
as well as a list of member contact information.
Moses
Carey, Jr. Elected Chair of Orange County Commissioners
The Orange County
Board of Commissioners voted to name Moses Carey, Jr. the new Chair
of the County Commissioners. Carey previously served as Chair from
1989 to 1996, 2000 and 2005. He replaces Commissioner Barry Jacobs
who will serve as Vice Chair. Additionally newly elected Mike Nelson
was sworn in at the December 4th meeting, replacing Stephen Halkiotis.
Slow-Growth
Chatham Commissioners Take Office
Three newly elected
Chatham County Commissioners favoring slower, planned growth took
office in December. Outgoing commissioners used their pro-growth majority
to push through many development projects at the end of their term.
Most notably at a July meeting, county commissioners held 11 separate
public hearings for new development proposals. In recent years commissioners
approved the construction of 7,000 new homes, mostly located in Northeast
Chatham just south of Chapel Hill. Additional divisive issues for
the commissioners included a deal to purchase water from Harnett County,
creation of a 4 year contract for the current county manager and a
proposal to give $3 million in incentives to ISP Minerals to open
a rock quarry in Siler City. The new slow-growth commissioners have
publicly stated that they are likely to slow the pace of future development
in Chatham County and will more strictly adhere to the county’s
land use plan adopted in 2001. For full story, click
here.
No
Expected Annexations for Chapel Hill in 2007
The Town Manager
and planning staff are making recommendations not to proceed with
any land annexations in 2007. The town has long range plans to acquire
land on its periphery to the extent of the urban services boundary
but has not placed a time table on the process. The town last annexed
Vineyard Square north of Homestead in June 2005. Long term the town
is exploring possible annexation in the Northwoods subdivision on
the north side of town, Dogwood Acres on the south side, along with
the Billabong Road neighborhood, a portion of Laurel Hills and the
Winter Drive area.
For full story, click
here.
Carrboro
Development Moratorium
The Carrboro
Board of Aldermen is looking for alternatives to a development moratorium.
Two months ago the Planning Board proposed a moratorium on all development
in the Northern Study Area of Carrboro. A moratorium would prevent
rezoning of properties and place a hold on accepting permit applications.
The stoppage was intended to give aldermen the opportunity to reassess
Carrboro’s growth and allow for selective denser development
in some areas. Alderman Alex Zaffron and Planning Board Chairman James
Carnahan proposed an alternative approach to the moratorium that would
involve the town’s advisory boards. Under the proposed plan
each advisory board and committee would suggest updates to the development
plan and send one representative to a joint meeting to craft a single
proposal. The aldermen did not vote on this measure but will revisit
it on January 9, 2007. For full story, click
here.
Estes
Drive Expedited Repair Rejected by the Department of Transportation
Attempts
for the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to make improvements of
Estes Drive Extension a priority for the state Department of Transportation
have not yet been successful. The Carrboro section of the road lacks
adequate shoulder space, and can be difficult for bikers, pedestrians
and drivers who share the road. Despite Estes Drive being a perennial
high-priority project for the town, major improvements are not scheduled
to be made until 2014.
From the Herald-Sun
Chatham Commissioners
Pass Land Transfer Tax
Chatham Commissioners voted unanimously to reinstate a 1 percent land
transfer tax for 2007. Commissioners said the measure would help pay
for cost of expanding service and infrastructure for Chatham County’s
expansive development. Road construction and funding shortfalls are
highlighted by the 60 percent of residents who travel outside the
county for work. Click
here to have full story emailed to you.
Schools
Chatham
Officials Look at Future High School Location
Chatham School Board members visited
the site for Chatham County’s next public high school. The site
sits about 4 miles from 15-501 on Jack Bennett Rd. The Board of Education
purchased the land in 2001 before Northern Chatham experienced a development
boom. The high school is scheduled to open in 2010 and would be the
county’s first new public high school built in 30 years. For
full story, click
here.
The
Triangle
Triangle
Housing Market Forecast
Speakers at the Triangle Housing Forecast
Conference sponsored by the HBAs of Raleigh-Wake, Orange, Durham and
Chatham Counties gave a relative good bill of health for the Triangle’s
housing market. Sales of new and existing homes are expected to cool
through the start of 2007, although projections show the Triangle
to be one of the healthiest markets in the country. Positive job growth
has kept a healthy stock of buyers coming to the Triangle. The area
has added 25,000 to 30,000 jobs annually for several previous years.
The National Association of Realtors is projecting sales of existing
homes will increase in the first quarter of 2007, snapping five consecutive
declining quarters. The Association also projects that national new-home
sales will not recover until 2007’s fourth quarter. Click
here to have full story emailed to you.
Additional coverage from News & Observer on December
12
3rd
Quarter Orange County Home Sales Figures
Between
July and September 2006 in Orange County:
- 462 homes were sold (down 7 percent from the 3rd quarter of 2005)
- 415 of the 462 total were existing homes
- Median price for existing home sale was $295,000 (5 percent higher
from the 3rd quarter of 2005)
- 47 new homes were sold in the 3rd quarter
- Median price for new home sale was $384,000 (2% or $7,500 higher
from 2005)
Source: Herald Sun, November 20
Federal
Though
National Jobless Claims Drop, North Carolina Sees Nations Biggest
Increase
The
national rate of jobless claims dropped to its lowest number in two
months. Seasonal hiring often boosts employment figures in the fourth
quarter. The Labor Department reported that 304,000 new jobless claims
were filed last week. The numbers show that the labor market is holding
up well despite an economic slowdown. Despite these numbers North
Carolina reported the highest increase of jobless claims in the country.
The 16,509 reported for the state reflect higher layoffs in construction,
furniture, and textile industries.
From the News & Observer
30
Year Mortgage Rate Lowest Since January
The
interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 6.11 percent
according to housing lender Freddie Mac. The interest rate is at its
lowest point since January 19th. Lowered rates reflect a cool down
in the national real estate market and are an effort to stem inflation
pressures. Rates on a 15 year fixed rate mortgage averaged 5.84 percent,
a drop from 5.87 percent from last week. The five-year adjustable
mortgage dropped to 5.92 percent, and the one-year adjustable rate
fell to 5.43 percent. For full story, click
here.
Links
Town of Chapel Hill
www.townofchapelhill.org
Town of Carrboro
www.townofcarrboro.org
Town of Hillsborough
www.ci.hillsborough.nc.us
Orange County
www.co.orange.nc.us
Chatham County
www.co.chatham.nc.us
TMLS Statistics
http://trianglemls.com/tmls-stats.html
