gchildress@heraldsun.com; 419-6645
CHAPEL HILL -- The Chapel Hill Town Council on Monday decided against making a decision on new shelter guidelines until after completion of the process for a special use permit for the proposed Inter-Faith Council's Community House.
In a 6-2 vote, the council agreed that the proposed guidelines required more tweaking and that the town's current special use permit process was stringent enough to ensure a good shelter project.
The council's decision to delay action on the shelter guidelines came over the objection of neighbors who have complained that the site at 1315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. is not suited for the shelter because of its proximity to parks and schools and an abundance of such facilities already located in the vicinity.
"I think to defer the shelter guidelines until after a decision is made on the IFC's SUP makes a mockery of the process for the shelter guidelines," said Tim Coynesmith. "It overlooks an opportunity and devalues the time, thought and effort people have been putting into this for nine months."
Had the council acted to approve the guidelines created by the town's Planning Board, the proposed shelter would have been held to a higher standard as it relates to being located near other such services.
The council will open a public hearing Monday to hear the IFC's request for a special use permit.
Town Manager Roger Stancil told the council that it was becoming difficult to separate the guidelines from the special use permit.
"The fact that we have both of them coming together at the same time complicates your consideration of both of them," Stancil said.
Before the council vote, Chris Moran, executive director of the IFC, said the IFC plans to incorporate many of the guidelines into the shelter project.
"We support the recommendations that have been brought forward and whether you approve them or not, we'll probably use many of them," Moran said.
