American Legion Property on Chapel Hill Town Council Wednesday Work Session Agenda

One of the most controversial topics around Chapel Hill will be on the agenda for the Chapel Hill Town Council work session on Wednesday night.

Citizens have continued to voice their opinions regarding the potential development of the American Legion property along Legion Road after news of a potential sale and subsequent development of the land began circulating months ago.

The 36.2 acres of property owned by the American Legion Post No. 6 is one of the largest remaining pieces of undeveloped land in the Chapel Hill area.

Legion leadership agreed to a contract with Raleigh developer Woodfield Acquisitions to purchase all of the privately-owned acreage for $10 million.

The Chapel Hill Town Council then opted to forego its right of first refusal to purchase the property for $9 million in an early-November meeting just before the 60-day window to exercise that right expired.

The reason that has been given by town leadership in the months since that decision has been that the town simply did not and does not have $9 million to purchase the property.

But the potential development of this land to build approximately 600 apartments has drawn concern from many citizens.

Site plan for American Legion property. Photo via Memorandum of Understanding.

As part of the contract between Woodfield and the American Legion, the sale will only be final if Woodfield would receive approval from the Town Council to build no less than 400 units and related amenities.

That approval would require zoning changes to the land and the ultimate approval of town leadership.

A preliminary meeting was held in January by Woodfield. At that meeting, Mayor Pam Hemminger stressed, “Nothing is a done deal.”

That has not seemed to calm the concerns of citizens from nearby neighborhoods and surrounding parts of Chapel Hill.

In an e-mail from Hemminger to other members of the Town Council and town staff on Tuesday, Hemminger says that the council has received 99 e-mails related to the American Legion site as of Monday, March 14.

Hemminger attached a summary of information from those e-mails that detailed 90 percent of the e-mails opposed “luxury apartments.” Also, 75 percent voiced hope for park space – including expanding trails, adding bike paths, preserving green space and making room to accommodate the Chapel Hill Farmer’s Market – and 60 percent supported development of “non-luxury” apartments.

Another concern voiced by neighbors has been traffic, and 51 percent of those who sent e-mails opposed a potential connector road to the Colony Woods neighborhood.

Three petitions asking for the Town Council to rescind the Memorandum of Understanding with Woodfield were also submitted with a total of 91 signatures, according to Hemminger.

The agenda for Wednesday night’s work session includes one hour allotted for “a conversation with the Mayor and Council” regarding the American Legion property. That will be followed by a short public comment period, which does not typically take place at work sessions.

The meeting will be held at seven o’clock Wednesday night in Meeting Room B of the Chapel Hill Public Library.

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