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Town OKs new type of zoning on Center Street

Posted on May 29, 2008 by Staff

by Kirk Ross
Staff Writer

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a new type of zoning and shortly afterward approved the first property to receive it in a meeting Tuesday night at Town Hall.

The town’s new conditional zoning rules were approved after a discussion about how the new rules would affect mainly downtown areas. Conditional zoning extends the town’s ability to limit uses for a property beyond what a typical conditional-use permit would.

The rules were drafted specifically to solve a quandary about a proposed zoning change at 102 Center St. The owners of the property, Center Street Preservation, wanted to expand the commercial uses of the property, which was zoned residential.

Despite assurances by the owners that they would maintain the integrity of the small, residential street, in recent discussions several board members have said they were uncomfortable granting the property a business zoning because a future owner of the building could then expand its commercial use even more.

To resolve the issue, town planners drafted new conditional zoning rules that create a mechanism for reaching agreement on types of uses. On Tuesday, the board of aldermen agreed to allow conditional zoning, but only for properties applying for B-2 zoning, which is focused in the transitional areas between residential and commercial regions of downtown.

Under the rules adopted for the Center Street property, it can only be used for an office serving clients on premises; an office attracting little or no client traffic; a bed and breakfast; a home-occupation business; or a residence. At Tuesday’s hearing, the board and the property owners also agreed to language that would prevent them from destroying or removing the mill house on the lot.

Board member Joal Hall Broun also urged that the town look into allowing conditional zoning for other types of zones, saying the added flexibility would be helpful.

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