What does Chapel Hill feel and smell like? The director of downtown partnership in Chapel Hill, Meg McGurk, says she’s found the answers.

“The work plan are those very specific actionable steps to get us to what we want downtown to look like, to feel like, to sound like, smell, taste like – it’s that whole experience.”

McGurk says the Downtown 2020 Work Plan answers these questions and more. It is a summary of the big ideas and priorities for downtown Chapel Hill that have emerged through on-going planning initiatives. The plan outlines projects that the committee hopes will create a more diverse and engaging downtown by the year 2020.

“This plan sets us up for success as we move forward into the coming years so that we do not lose that intense economic interest in downtown,” McGurk said.

The culmination of four years of research, the plan reflects input from local stakeholders including the Downtown Partnership, neighborhood groups, advocacy groups and Advisory Boards and Commissions.

Community member Scott Radway expressed his support of the project and the legacy it leaves for future community members.

“I think the biggest thing I see about this is that the focus is not about building and roads and light poles, although those are all important things,” Radway said. “It’s about creating a place fore the 21st century and the people who are going to follow us.”

But not everyone was in agreement with the work plan. Delores Bailey is the executive director for the nonprofit, Empowerment Inc. She spoke on behalf of the Northside community and said she worries the neighborhood’s input will be overlooked.

“As a community member, I know I’ve spent many hours sharing my thoughts, my experiences in working with the community and believing that changes in the community would be good. But it’s not all good. Things have not happened how we were told they would.”

She mentioned her dismay over the Rosemary Imagined plan that was intended to fix and rebuild areas bordering Rosemary Street and Northside. The plan has since morphed into the Downtown Imagined plan. Bailey said she wants the council to know that members of the Northside community are frustrated with the lack of improvements over the years, and are worried they will be overshadowed again in the Downtown 2020 plan.

“I’m here to express my disappointment in the process,” Bailey said. “Neighbors are invited to meet and share their ideas, but nothing happens from those meetings. Change is hard, especially when we expect things to change and they don’t.”

McGurk said the plan incorporates voices from business and property owners, as well as local residents. Projects included in the plan address parking needs, increased attention to special events and the arts, as well as a focus on pedestrian safety and lighting.

“It gives us the flexibility to be able to adapt to changing markets and interests but it is very actionable for us to move immediately on things to make downtown better – two very key components for economic development,” McGurk said.

Kirk Ross, a resident of Dogwood Acres, expressed his plans to create a public space in the downtown area. He highlighted Lot 2, the parking lot on the corner of Columbia and Rosemary Streets.

“It represents the last major opportunity for a significant public space downtown, a town commons if you will.”

Ross said because the lot is at the heart of downtown, it is an ideal public gathering space. After consulting with architects and landscapers, Ross said he hopes to create a town commons with additional commercial office space and improvements to traffic flow and parking.

“Please remember that we’re working on these items to create a significant public space for a heart of downtown that is open to all. In this case, I think foresight is 20/20,” Ross said.

The council voted to pass the Downtown 2020 plan which allows staff to begin prioritizing and organizing workers to draft specific projects for the town.

Ross’s town commons plan along with more detailed proposals from the Downtown 2020 plan, will be presented to the council in the fall.

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