STUDIES

 

Downtown Chapel Hill is a great place to open a new business or to relocate your existing business. Click on the links below to learn more about the make-up of Downtown Chapel Hill and how CHDP and the Town of Chapel Hill are working to improve the business infrastructure.

Economics of Chapel Hill Presentation

 

Downtown Framework & Action Plan

The Town of Chapel Hill and Downtown Partnership are working together with the Raleigh based consultant Kling-Stubbins to help craft a Development Framework and Action Plan Document which will help guide the Town and the development community five to eight years into the future.

Kling-Stubbins has partnered with Stewart Engineering and Strategy 5 economic development consulting to assist with the Plan. The documents' primary thrust will be to identify strategic properties in downtown, suggest potential uses for the property and, with the approval of current or future owners, present a means to achieve the jointly developed plan for these strategic parcels. The desire to revisit past planning initiatives was an outcome of Town Council's Retreat in 2009. It is jointly funded from the Downtown Service District Tax.

More Information:  Town Council Memorandum on the Development Action Plan,  RFP for Consulting Services, Town Council Goals for Championing Downtown

Timeline:  Two public forums were held on Thursday, April 8, 2010 with property owners, businesses, residents and anyone interested in Downtown's future, to meet the consultants and share ideas and suggestions for Downtown Chapel Hill. To view the forum notification - click here. Minutes available by clicking on these links - Morning Session Minutes and Afternoon Session Minutes.

The Town and CHDP held a Public Design Charette on June 10, 2010 to gather feedback from the community on the first draft. To view the forum notification - click here. Consultant Dan Douglas presented the draft proposal - Downtown Development Framework Presentation - June 10, 2010 (Draft). After the public charette we continued to seek input from the community by contacting the Town Economic Development Officer and CHDP's Executive Director - click here.

Dan Douglas presented the plan to the Partnership Board of Directors in July, at the Friends of the Downtown meeting in July, at neighborhood meetings in August, and to Town Advisory Boards and UNC's graduate and undergraduate student governments in September.


Downtown Small Area Plan: In 2000, the Town of Chapel Hill adopted a Comprehensive Plan to manage the growth of the community, and a Downtown Small Area Plan that specifically outlines the goals and objectives for the downtown area.  Click on the weblinks below to learn more about the Downtown Small Area Plan.

Downtown Retail Analysis: In February of 2003, the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership commissioned the University Retail Group to evaluate the retail potential of Downtown Chapel Hill. With the hopes of improving both the retail experience of consumers and merchants and the vitality of Downtown Chapel Hill, the Group presented their findings in a detailed report. Click on the weblinks to read their findings.

In June 2009, The Town of Chapel Hill's Economic Development Officer Dwight Basset conducted and presented a Retail Market Analysis for the entire Town of Chapel Hill. Click on the links below to view that data and presentation

In 2007 the Downtown Partnership and the Town of Chapel Hill partnered to conduct a Parking Study for Downtown Chapel Hill. Below are relevant documents:

Downtown Parking Study Information

The Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership in partnership with the Town of Chapel Hill hired the parking consulting firm of Rich & Associates to conduct the study. The study includes a current assessment of parking, an analysis of parking supply and demand, as well as parking promotions, management, policies and maintenance. The study makes recommendations on how to improve parking in the downtown.

To view the amended parking resolution submitted 3-16-09, please click here.

To view the FINAL Parking Study, please click here.
 
To view the Parking Study Findings and Recommendations, please click here.

To view the Parking Study Recommendations, please click here.

The Downtown Partnership held a public forum on Thursday, October 30t, 2008. To view the comments from the forum - please click here.