Ever get the feeling that the rules don’t apply to the rich and powerful and elite?
Rest assured that’s not the case here in Chapel Hill — not, at least, when it comes to zoning ordinances.
That’s the challenge currently facing UNC’s famed secret society, the legendary Order of Gimghoul.
The Order is planning to build a 1,200-square-foot addition onto the back of their century-old, forest-shrouded stone castle, which rests on the southern edge of Battle Park. They want to add handicap-accessible bathrooms and other accessibility features, including ramps; the plan also includes a new outside terrace.
But thanks to a quirk in the town’s zoning rules, they can’t legally proceed — not unless they get explicit approval from the Chapel Hill Town Council.
That’s because the castle is located on property that’s zoned “Residential-1,” which is officially designated for single-family housing. Since the castle isn’t being used for that purpose, it’s not in compliance with the town’s zoning code.
In fact, it’s been out of compliance for decades. According to the Gimghoul Corporation, the Order sold about 35 acres of adjacent land to finance the castle’s construction. That land eventually became the historic Gimghoul neighborhood, and the whole area was eventually zoned as single-family residential — castle included.
And according to Chapel Hill’s land use management ordinance, a building cannot be “enlarged, extended, or moved” unless it’s being used in accordance with its zone. (That’s to prevent, for instance, someone from buying a house on a quiet residential street and converting it into a hot jazz cabaret — but it also has unintended consequences, like this one.)
So in order to proceed with the renovation, the Order of Gimghoul is having to get the property rezoned — a process that requires approval from multiple town boards as well as the Town Council itself.
Visit this link to download the rezoning application and other materials.
The project has already gotten approval from the town’s Historic District Commission, Planning Commission, Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board, and Transportation and Connectivity Advisory Board. (Unanimous approval on all counts, in case you’re wondering.) Now all that remains is the Town Council, which is set to take up the issue at its meeting this week.
“They [just] want to add some bathroom facilities,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger last week on 97.9 The Hill. “I feel badly that they have to go through the whole process just for that.”
How long is that process? Among other things, the Order’s 83-page rezoning application includes details about bicycle parking (they want to add a four-bicycle rack), an analysis of the project’s impact on traffic and stormwater runoff (minimal), and details on the number of trees that will have to be removed for the expansion (“a few”).
The Town Council will discuss the rezoning proposal when it meets virtually on Wednesday, May 18; members of the public will also have a chance to weigh in. Council members will likely not make a decision this week, though: the current plan is to continue the hearing to June 15 for a final vote.
In the meantime, Chapel Hillians can enjoy some little-known facts about Gimghoul Castle, courtesy of the Order’s rezoning application:
- Online sources (including Wikipedia) generally date the castle’s construction to 1922 or 1924, but according to the Gimghoul Corporation, the building was actually completed in 1926. (So much for Wikipedia!)
- “For at least seventy years,” the castle has had a live-in caretaker, who resides in an accessory apartment on site.
- And while entry inside the castle is generally restricted to members of the Order, you might get in if you’re lucky enough to live on Gimghoul Road. Residents of the Gimghoul neighborhood are able to use the castle for a neighborhood meeting once a year.
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The featured image is a blueprint from the Gimghoul Corporation’s rezoning application. The existing building is in brown; the proposed addition is in darker blue, with the proposed exterior terrace in lighter blue.
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The article and Mayor apologize to the Society for having to go through what everyone else goes through. The rezoning is moving at lightning speed. For the rest of us, any rezoning would take much longer. How is all this not special treatment? The headline is very misleading, and insulting to the intelligence of those of us who read CHAPELBORO.