A decision by the Town Council to delay review of rules governing high-density zoning led to a heated exchange between the mayor and the developer of the Ayden Court residential project.

Developer Carol Ann Zinn called the council's move outrageous and claimed the body rigged the process.

Moments before. the council had voted unanimously to reject broadening the application of a special high density zoning district. Without it, there is no zoning that could accommodate the density of housing proposed for the six-acre lot along Highway 54 East, meaning Zinn’s project was effectively dead in the water.

Zinn said that her staff had worked to meet all the design criteria put forth by the Council, a process that cost her $600,000 during a 2-year period. She argued that the pre-emptive vote on zoning denied her a fair chance to plead her case.

Mayor Kevin Foy took issue with Zinn’s characterization of the proceedings.

Council members stated that they were reluctant to vote on the zoning issue before the recently created Sustainable Community Visioning Task Force had a chance to discuss the matter. The task force… which is charged with examining issues related to growth and sustainability in Chapel Hill… has yet to meet.

Foy was adamant that no action would be taken before the task force has time to do its work.

With no zoning in place that would allow the proposed development, the council voted unanimously to reject the Ayden Court project. Zinn has vowed to develop the property to extent allowable under current zoning.