Tim Williams, who lives near the proposed expansion of the UNC campus known as Carolina North, urged the town council to demand specifics from UNC when crafting the development agreement that will shape the future of the 250 acre tract of land located between Estes Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Thursday's public information session at Town Hall was designed to garner feedback on a host of issues that town and university staff are debating, including ways to manage solid waste, where to locate greenways, and how to preserve historic and cultural features on the property.  Citizens were encouraged to share their thoughts by speaking publicly, or writing down suggestions on index cards, sticky notes, and via email.

Despite these outreach efforts, several attendees questioned the transparency of the planning process and expressed concern that the public was not invited to comment on topics such as energy efficiency, affordable housing, and land preservation. 

Environmental educator Mickey Jo Sorrell called for Chapel Hill and UNC staff to make information about Carolina North more accessible to the public.

Planners at UNC have pledged to make an online database of citizen comments available to the public. For more information go to http://cn.unc.edu/ or http://www.townofchapelhill.org/