CHAPEL HILL- The Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday reviewed a plan to build a new, 5,000 square foot free-standing ABC Store on Perkins Drive, on a 2.7 acre plot across from the Cruizers convenience store and the Chapel Hill North shopping complex.

But council member Gene Pease worried it’s likely to make a bad situation worse.

“Every time I’ve been in or out of this property, from either direction, it’s a hairy experience, and around rush hour it is just ridiculous,” said Pease. “I question a high traffic in-and-out use of this, quite frankly.”

In response, the applicant has offered to add a new left turn lane on Perkins Drive and to pay for a study six months after completion to evaluate the impact of the new traffic pattern.

Town Planner Kay Pearlstein said that study could lead to further restrictions on how cars enter and leave the site.

“We recommend a stipulation that would initially allow full access to both driveways, all turning movements, for six months and an evaluation at the end of that six month period of time,” said Pearlstein. “That study might put restrictions on that driveway, maybe limiting access to right-in, right-out.”

The Orange County ABC Board already operates a store at the Chapel Hill North shopping center, but ABC Board Manager Tony DuBois said the cost of leasing and repairing the current location could be better spent investing in a new, larger store.

No decisions were made at Monday’s public hearing. The project will return to the council for a vote on May 29. Council member Laurin Easthom asked staff to come back at that time with new ideas to solve the traffic tangle.

“My concern is the traffic safety and I think there could be a creative solution, potentially. I’d like to see it, if there is one,” said Easthom.

In other town business, the council voted unanimously to change the stormwater management rules for existing single-family homes.

Under a decade-old rule, projects that disturbed more than 5,000 square feet of land were required to build stormwater control systems, such as bio-retention ponds. Now, that threshold has been raised to 20,000 square feet and owners of about 150 homes can consider removing those ponds, if they can demonstrate that stormwater runoff is being effectively managed in other ways.

Town staffers say they’ll waive any permitting fees associated with reviewing the new designs.

Related Stories
‹
Stormwater and Street Lights: Chapel Hill Town Council March 20 Meeting Highlights
The Chapel Hill Town Council addressed a conditional zoning request, right-of-way closure, and LUMO text amendment on March 20.
New Traffic Calming Measures To Be Installed Around Wegmans
Earlier this week, the Chapel Hill Town Council authorized traffic calming improvements to be implemented around the new Wegmans under construction off 15-501. The main goal of these improvements is to alleviate traffic in the residential areas around the grocery store development. As part of the Wegmans Special Use Permit, approved by the Chapel Hill […]
Lincoln Center Redevelopment Approved by Chapel Hill Officials
Plans to redevelop the Lincoln Center have been under consideration by the Chapel Hill Town Council since 2015, but enough votes were garnered in a recent meeting to put those plans into action. Dr. Todd LoFrese, an assistant superintendent with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, appeared before council members on Monday to elaborate on projected enrollment […]
Town Council Holds Public Hearing On Stormwater Management Rules Changes
CHAPEL HILL – The Chapel Hill Town Council is looking for feedback Monday night on changes to the town’s stormwater management rules that could affect up to 150 homes. In response to resident complaints, the council voted last December to loosen the stormwater management controls for new single-family homes. Previously, any project that disturbed more than 5,000 […]
Top Stories of 2025: In Orange County, An Anticlimactic Election
The municipal election was always going to be one of the top stories of 2025 in Chapel Hill - though this year's race was unusually quiet.
Chapel Hill, Carrboro Town Councils Swear In New and Returning Members to Close 2025
The Chapel Hill and Carrboro town councils held their final meetings of the calendar year and swore in November's election winners.
Orange County Elected Officials Share Support of Local Families, Speak Out Against ICE Raids
Elected officials in Orange County affirmed their support of immigrant community members and criticism of federal efforts that recently brought U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents to North Carolina through a statement on Tuesday. As part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s policy goal to crack down on illegal immigration — and […]
EXCLUSIVE: Karen Stegman Announces Campaign for Orange County Commissioner Seat
Chapel Hill native and former town council member Karen Stegman plans to run for the Board of Orange County Commissioners in 2026.
Berry, Miller-Foushee Reelected to Chapel Hill Town Council; Newcomers Rivers, McMahon Earn Most Votes
With the early vote totals and nearly all of Chapel Hill's precincts reported on Tuesday night, the Chapel Hill Town Council election appears unofficially decided.
2025 Candidate Introductions: Chapel Hill Municipal Races
Five candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council are vying for four seats — two of which are open — while the mayor's election is unopposed.
›