News From Lydia

Back from Ohio

I returned from Ohio late last night (Saturday, November 3).  I am pleased to report that my dad is recovering miraculously well from two emergency brain surgeries this week. Although he is still in critical condition, he is expected to leave the ICU in Riverside Hospital in Columbus, Ohio on Monday or Tuesday.   He will be transferred to a rehabilitation unit and a full recovery now seems possible.

Lavelle in Ohio for Family Emergency

Lydia Lavelle traveled Monday (October 29) to be with her father, William Lavelle, who suddenly became critically ill Sunday night at his home in Athens, Ohio. He initially stabilized after undergoing brain surgery Monday morning but needed subsequent emergency surgery on Tuesday. He remains in critical condition on the neurological critical care unit at Riverside Hospital in Columbus. For more information please contact Alicia Stemper at astemper@nc.rr.com.

Thanks Senator Kinnaird!

I would like to thank NC Senator Ellie Kinnaird (and former Carrboro mayor) for her support of my bid for a seat on the Carrboro Board of Alderman. Please read about the meet-n-greet she held yesterday at her home.

My Political Hero

Several people have asked me to publish the text of the opening statement I made at the Orange County Democratic Party forum at Lake Hogan Farms last Thursday, October 11.  As it talks about one of my favorite people and my number one political hero, I am happy to do so:  Click HERE

Orange Democratic Party Held Forum on Thursday

We had a candidate's forum arranged by the Carrboro precinct chairs of the Orange County Democratic Party held on Thursday, October 11, 2007.  The audience turnout was the best for a forum yet this campaign year.  The forum was held in the clubhouse at Lake Hogan Farms, where many of the candidates (including myself) will vote this year for the first time in a Carrboro race.  Kirk Ross of The Carrboro Citizen was the moderator.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this forum possible!

More Planning Board News from October 4th

I wanted to post further about our Planning Board meeting last Thursday, October 4, 2007.  One of the major discussions we had about Carolina Commons (being developed by UNC-CH for their employees) was its proxmity to Lake Hogan Farms, and the effect it would have on that neighborhood. 

Residents of LHF were present and expressed concerns about high density so close to the back yards of LHF neighbors, and increased traffic coming through their neighborhoods.  After much discussion and deliberation, the Planning Board voted (to the best of my memory) to make the following site plan recommendations to Carolina Commons:  1.  That the higher density be moved to the southern end of the site, nearer the proposed transit corridor that will most likely have a UNC bus route to pick up employees working at the University; 2.  That Type A screening be provided in order to minimize the effect on nearby homes; 3.  That a third connector road leading to Homestead Road be identified for the development, to provide more options for traffic; and 4.  That the developer be asked to include a playground on the site.

Planning Board Meeting regarding Carolina Commons on Thursday, October 4th

Our Planning Board meeting on Thursday, October 4, 2007 lasted until after 11:00 p.m.  We had a great deal to discuss, including the UNC Carolina Commons site plan that had been presented to us several meetings earlier.  For those that are not aware of this plan, it is directly south of another proposed development, Colleton Crossing, which came before the Planning Board earlier this year. 

First, a bit of history:  The Colleton Crossing site currently has no access road at all.  The site plan that the developer presented to the Planning Board shows a proposed access road at the end of Reynard Road in Fox Meadow. The Planning Board, while tentatively approving the project, unanimously approved conveying two serious concerns to the developer about the project.  One was accessibility to the site, as the only way to reach this property would be to drive 1.1 miles from Rogers Road on Tallyho Trail through Fox Meadow to get to the Reynard Road connection (this is on the west side of the property).  Tallyho Trail is a narrow, windy street with no sidewalks.  The other issue was that the proposed road crossed through environmentally sensitive flood plains and stream buffers.  It was noted that a creek would have to be properly bridged for this development to be accessed in this manner.

Additionally, the Carrboro planning staff required the Colleton Crossing developer to show a second road connection going south so that when the neighboring property (Carolina Commons) to the south was developed, there would be another access point to nearly landlocked Colleton Crossing.

Now, the Carolina Commons plan:  Earlier, UNC proposed two site plans to the Planning Board, one showing a connection to the north to the Colleton Crossing site and one without a connection.  This connection would come into the Carolina Commons property from the north and connect to the east with Claymore Road in the Highlands (.3 miles from Rogers Road).  It should be noted that this connection would impact environmentally sensitive areas just as the connection from Reynard Road would into Colleton Crossing.  However, allowing this second connection would provide two access routes to the Colleton Crossing site for traffic, and would provide two access points for emergency equipment.  The Planning Board also discussed the possibility of investigating replacing the Claymore Road connection with one through the existing Camden neighborhood, slightly south of Claymore Road.  Ultimately, the Planning Board put forward comments that suggested the definitive need for a second connection.  This was a nearly unanimous vote.

Discussing the particulars of these site plans is difficult.  The landowners of the Colleton Crossing and Carolina Commons properties have the right to develop these properties, and it is up to governing officials to balance safety and accessibility for prospective homeowners on these properties while making certain that our environment is protected.

I was pleased to hear that on the same night we voted that a second connection was needed, the Environmental Advisory Board also voted in favor of this connection, recognizing that these two site plans have to be considered in context with each other. It should be noted that the EAB first recommended exhausting two other possible connections (not the Reynard Road connection), both of which face legal challenges. 

[On Oct. 15, 2007, I revised this posting to more accurately reference creek tributaries.]  

[On Oct. 7, 2007, I revised this last sentence slightly to more accurately reflect the EAB’s vote.]

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