Citizen Will

Category: Downtown

  • Tracey Coleman on Rogers Road: Most Popular Video To Date

    At 1460 hits, this video is by and far the most popular one I’ve posted on youTube. No surprise to me as Tracey did an incredibly eloquent presentation on the flawed Solid Waste Advisory Board’s search for a new trash transfer site.

  • Election 2007: League Of Women Voters Forum

    A big thank you to the local chapter of the League of Women Voters for an excellent forum this evening. Vicki Boyer, who occasionally posts on OrangePolitics kept the show moving along with a variety of audience questions. Unlike the Sierra Club forum, the environmental and social justice issues surrounding our neighbors out on Rogers […]

  • Visions of Avalon

    Last night there was an unfortunate and possibly gang-related incident at Rosemary Street’s Visions nightclub. At approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning officers responded to a report of gun shots at Visions Night Club located at 136 E. Rosemary Street. Multiple shots were reportedly fired from a handgun by an unidentified black male suspect after a […]

  • Hail to Our New Chief: Brian Curran Takes the Helm

    [UPDATE:] Not 15 minutes went by before I got the chance to congratulate Chief Curran in person. He was making his rounds through the Northside neighborhood (I noticed him rolling around Town before – he doesn’t seem to be much of a desk jockey). [ORIGINAL] I’ve had an opportunity to meet Brian in a few […]

  • Election 2007: Sierra Club Interview

    X-Posted from Will Raymond for Town Council 2007: The local Orange-Chatham Sierra Club participates in the local election process two ways: endorsing candidates and sponsoring a forum. Last Sunday, Chairman Bernadette Pelissier, Political Chair Loren Hintz and member Matthew Scheer interviewed me on behalf of the Sierra Club to determine if I qualified for an […]

  • Election 2007: The Chamber’s Yes, No and Unsure Questionnaire

    X-Posted from my 2007 Campaign web site. Even though the Chamber made it clear that extended replies where not welcomed in the 2007 questionnaire ( Election 2007: The Chamber’s Yes, No, Unsure – Again!), I took the opportunity to answer each of their questions beyond the constraints of “yes, no, unsure”. The questions are broad, […]

  • Carrot or Stick: House Approves Chapel Hill’s Energy Reduction Incentives

    Via Council member Mark Kleinschmidt’s ‘blog, it appears we’re well on the way to Chapel Hill getting a carrot to entice developers to adhere to better environmental standards. The new law : “Sec. 5.19. Ordinances permitting density bonuses and other land‑use development incentives for development projects agreeing to meet energy conservation carbon reduction standards. For […]

  • Hazardous Consequences: Mystery of the Vault Contest

    [CLARIFICATION] Everyone gets two (2) guesses – their “real” guess and an outlandish assessment (please, keep it clean. Yes, skeletons are welcomed). [UPDATE:] Over on SqueezeThePulp former (and soon to be?) Carrboro Board of Alderman candidate, Orange County Democrat Women President, local businessperson and activist Katrina Ryan has offered a delicious La Rez meal for […]

  • Hazardous Consequences: A Report, a Rushed Decision, a Regrettable Day for Chapel Hill

    The Chapel Hill News’ ‘blog OrangeChat first alerted me to the Town’s completion of the Lot #5 negotiations with RAM Development (more to come in the N&O). The Town’s April 3rd news release celebrates what I believe will eventually be seen to be a rushed decision foisting a counter-productive, fiscally irresponsible obligation to construct expensive […]

  • Hazardous Consequences: No Official Word, Yet, On Lot #5’s Hazardous Waste Issue

    [UPDATE] As of April 3rd, the Town has provided part of what I asked for in the following petition, the environmental report [PDF]. In the Town’s announcement of a conclusion to negotiations, the figure of $232,000 for a remediation was thrown out. This figure, of which I haven’t found a full justification, would supposedly include […]

  • Lot #5’s Silver Lining

    View of Bank of America building viewed from west Rosemary Street. At least I won’t have to see that anymore… Local resident and business-owner not happy with the size and cost of the Lot #5 development but pleased what’s commonly considered the ugliest building downtown, the Bank of America plaza, will be blocked from view.

  • A Matter of Process: Greenbridge and Council’s Devolving Standard of Public Review

    I haven’t been reticent in my criticism of the process Council used recently to manage the approvals for Greenbridge, the environmental uber-project and possible end of the traditional Northside neighborhood. Adopting a new zone, TC-3, developed and refined during the months bridging Thanksgiving to Christmas, within the context of Greenbridge’s approval ill-served our citizens. Claims, […]

  • Raleigh’s Carlton Place: A Downtown Affordable Housing Commitment Worth Emulating

    I’ve followed the ins-and-outs of Raleigh’s Carlton Place before the Wallace Deck/Lot #5 developments took flight. 64 of the 80 units – ranging in size from 800 to 1200 sq./ft. – are priced so those making %60 of Wake County’s median income can afford one. Market rates aren’t too shabby either (market/affordable): 1 BR/1 BA […]

  • Lot #5 Development: “…up through the ground come a bubbling crude…”

    Well, not quite “black gold” or “Texas tea” but it appears that more “refined trouble” is brewing under Lot #5 (MAP). Chapel Hill’s taxpayers will have to wait for next week’s official lab confirmation but, as of today (Mar. 20th, 2007), initial field tests of some of the nearly 30 core samples show “interesting” signs […]

  • Lot #5 Development: Two Pictures 1,000 Words Apart

    Looks like this will be the last Spring I watch these trees bloom… and the last year I’ll see Chapel Hill’s Downtown signature church steeple from the second floor roost of where I work. Cline Associates Concept Plan Drawing for Lot #5 Corner of Church St. and Frankin St., Chapel Hill, NC – Mar. 18th, […]