This week, the Town of Chapel Hill announced that Colleen R. Willger will serve as the town’s next Planning Director.

According to the town, Willger was selected from a national pool of applicants and will begin her work on November 16.

Chapel Hill Town Manager Maurice Jones said Willger will bring a wide variety of experiences to the position.

“She is committed to promoting and protecting vibrant neighborhoods while enhancing economic vitality in commercial and mixed-use districts,” Jones Said. “I’m confident Colleen, and the strong team in our Planning Department, will advance the goals of our Town Council and our residents by creating a thriving community for all who reside here.”

Colleen R. Willger, AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners)

Prior to this position, Willger served as the Acting Deputy Director for Community Planning and Design for the District of Columbia’s Office of Planning. There she played a key role in advising District Government leadership through response, recovery, and reopening planning in the long-term visioning plan called ReOpen DC. She also serves as the Associate Director for Neighborhood Planning in D.C.

Most recently, Willger’s focus has been on developing small area, corridor and neighborhood plans that reflect the policies and actions outlined by the District’s Comprehensive Plan – all with the goal of advancing equity, economic vitality, and community vibrancy in diverse neighborhoods.

“I am honored to lead a talented team and ready to work with the community and Town leadership toward achieving Chapel Hill’s collective vision,” said Willger.

Willger began her career in urban planning in 2006 with the City of Alexandria, VA, after receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University’s College of Design.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill: Budget Updates, LUMO, Upcoming Events
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, May 28, discussing town news and events. She gave updates on the town budget, including the timeline for the budget's likely passage. She also talked about the town's long on going rewrite of the Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO), which will become a council focus going into the summer. She also previewed some upcoming events, the reopening of a town swimming facility, and more.
NCDOT to Begin Resurfacing Highway 86 June 1; Overnight Delays Expected
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin resurfacing a part of North Carolina Highway 86 in Chapel Hill Monday, June 1. The work will take place between the intersections with Estes Drive and Franklin Street, through the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/South Columbia Street corridor. In a release, the Town of Chapel […]
Garbage Collection, Local Transit and More: How Memorial Day Will Impact Local Services
The observation of Memorial Day Monday, May 25 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Memorial Day is an official town holiday. Most town and other administrative offices will be closed. Residential trash will not be collected on Monday, with the make-up day […]
Climate Thursday: Town of Chapel Hill's Mike Miller, John Richardson, and Kanen Lawson
Town of Chapel Hill Fire Inspector Mike Miller, Community Sustainability Manager John Richardson, and Community Safety Public Information Officer Kanen Lawson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, May 21. They discussed Heat Awareness Week, highlighting actions that individuals can take to prepare for the heat, as well as systems the town government has in place to help mitigate the effects of extreme heat, and more.
Chapel Hill: Budget Updates, Climate Action Plan, 150 Jobs Downtown
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, May 21, discussing town news and events. She gave an update on the town budget after a public hearing earlier in the week. She also discussed updates to the town's climate action plan, and incentives package for Blue Sky Robotics to bring 150 jobs to their headquarters downtown. She also talked about the upcoming Memorial Day holiday and more.
Blue Sky Robotics Expanding Chapel Hill Headquarters, Moving to Rosemary Street
Blue Sky Robotics, which has been headquartered in downtown Chapel Hill since its founding in 2023, will be moving to the Innovate Carolina Junction building at 136 East Rosemary Street. The company is currently located in the Hill Commercial Building on 142 East Franklin Street. In a presentation to the Chapel Hill Town Council Wednesday […]
Chapel Hill Man Wins $100,000 Powerball Prize
Robert Goss of Chapel Hill won $100,000 off a $3 lottery ticket last week, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced Wednesday. Goss bought his ticket online and matched all five numbers in that day’s Powerball draw to win $50,000, which was later doubled to $100,000. Goss collected his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh Wednesday. […]
Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for 'Campus and Downtown'
The Carolina Performing Arts festival, called “All. Together. Now.”, is set to debut Feb. 18-21, 2027 and take place every year.
Crumbl Cookies Closes Chapel Hill Location After 3 Years In Business
The store, located in Suite 150 at 133 West Franklin St., first opened its doors in February of 2023. It was open for just over three years.
House Fire Closes Part of Chapel Hill Road; 8 People Displaced
An alert shared by the Town of Chapel Hill at 5:28 p.m. said Erwin Road from River Birch Lane to Sage Road is closed because of a house fire.
›