The Chapel Hill Town Council addressed the future of the Blue Hill District during its final meeting of June. The area, which largely exists between East Franklin Street and Fordham Boulevard, received a new zoning amendment reclassifying what the town wants developed there.

The district houses retail like the Eastgate Crossing shopping center and Whole Foods Market, as well as a collection of apartment buildings. The council passed measures that emphasize the desire for more retail to developers.

Chapel Hill mayor Pam Hemminger said more commercial space was a priority for the town moving forward.

“We’re really looking to beef up commercial development there and to not backslide,” she said. “Currently, the spots that are left are almost all commercial at this point anyway, so we don’t want them to all turn into residential without any commercial components.”

Hemminger said she envisions any new development in the Blue Hill District to create additional office spaces. She said because the town has not built many offices in the last decade, it gives Chapel Hill an advantage as surrounding areas continue to be leased out.

“We have more to offer now as far as spaces and opportunities to build spaces where this is ample parking, transit lines and walkable solutions,” Hemminger said. “I know there’s a great need [for those developments].”

The zoning amendment passed with a vote of 8-1 and went into effect immediately.

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