Date: Wed, 21 May 2014 07:26:09 -0400
From: Gene Galin
Subject: Chatham Park cleared last likely hurdle before its potential approval
*Residents present final comments before Chatham Park vote in Pittsboro*
By Andrew Kenney
Read the entire story at
http://www.newsobserver.com/
PITTSBORO — With dueling choruses of critics and supporters, the Chatham Park project on Tuesday cleared the last likely hurdle before its potential approval. More than 70 people signed up to speak at the podium of Pittsboro’s old courthouse for a final public debate about Preston Development Co.’s master plan for a city-size development wrapping around eastern Pittsboro.
The speakers, largely consisting of residents of Pittsboro and surrounding areas, tended to argue past each other. Critics often dove into the rules and nitty-gritty of the plan, while many supporters argued for the project’s broad economic promise.
Philip Culpepper, a representative for the developer, questioned his critics’ intentions. “That’s their only goal, is to kill Chatham Park,” he said in an interview. “They will cover it up with â study, affordable housing, local contractors, every condition they can think to do.”
Culpepper said the company will look into affordable housing and has in previous projects donated land to groups such as Habitat for Humanity. However, he rebuffed the suggestion of a policy requiring certain units be built for people with lower incomes.
“There’s not a townwide (affordable housing) policy. There’s not a townwide ordinance,” he said. “We believe we should be treated the same way as the rest of the town, not to put the finger on us because … they think there are wealthy people behind it.”