FAQs

We haven’t done a comprehensive update of our LUMO (Land Use Management Ordinances) in over twenty years. We’ve made some updates over the years, but we are overdue for a new ordinance that meets our current and future goals. Also, our current development process is often unclear and inequitable. We’ve taken some small steps to improve the process, and the LUMO update will be a bigger step toward a more clear and equitable development process.  

Council goals, staff-led work, and the interests of community members are all guiding the LUMO update. In recent years, based on input from the community, we’ve created and adopted strategic plans about transportation, affordable housing, climate action, and more. We need to update our LUMO to implement these plans. Check out the Comprehensive Plan to learn more about what LUMO would implement. 

The LUMO update is a much broader effort than the Housing Choices proposal. The 2023 Housing Choices proposal involved making targeted changes to the LUMO to increase opportunities for missing middle housing. In contrast, the LUMO update is a comprehensive review and revision of the Town’s land use rules. It will make them better reflect the goals and objectives of our long-term plans, which include increasing opportunities for missing middle housing. 

We’ve incorporated public input in several ways: through in-person events, public meetings, and online engagement. Community members also have opportunities to share their input with Council, which can factor into its decision-making.  

Rezoning is a separate process and will likely happen after Council adopts the proposed LUMO. Rezoning won’t look the same throughout town. Some areas may be recategorized rather than rezoned, while other areas could be rezoned.  Some areas of town may need new zoning districts, while other areas may see zoning districts combine. Major changes may be expected in the “Focus Areas,” identified in the Town’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM).  

Town planning staff, who are familiar with what makes our community unique, are guiding the work. The outside experts we hired enhance our work in a couple key ways: they bring technical experience in drafting codes for communities across the country and they are familiar with successful examples of ordinance changes in similar places. 

The Town cannot compel developers to build affordable housing units. We believe the proposed LUMO updates will encourage developers to include more affordable housing opportunities. 

Allowing more dense development is one way to advance the Town’s environmental sustainability goals. Generally, denser development helps people live closer to where they work, shop, and play, which can reduce carbon emissions by shortening commutes and making it easier to bus, bike, and walk within their community. Specifically, here in Chapel Hill, denser development allows us to grow while maintaining the “rural buffer” that limits growth just outside of our town limits.  

The updated LUMO will not prevent the development of large apartment complexes in Chapel Hill. It will allow for a range of housing types. Besides large apartment buildings, you’ll see the proposed LUMO allows for smaller apartment complexes and multi-family homes like cottage courts, quadplexes, and triplexes. 

We are updating the Town’s land use rules so that future development in all our neighborhoods can follow the guidance in our Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and Comprehensive Plan. There are six focus areas in the FLUM. Those are the areas where we expect the most change in the coming years. These changes could include allowing taller buildings, encouraging more mixed-use development, and promoting more walkable neighborhoods. Outside of these focus areas, we expect the proposed LUMO to allow incremental changes. These could include more opportunities for missing middle housing, a streamlined process for subdividing large lots, and support for some small-scale commercial development, like coffee shops or a corner store, in more parts of town. 

Yes, the LUMO update can encourage higher-density development near transit. For example, the proposed LUMO would allow increased density and a mix of uses along the future North-South Bus Rapid Transit (NSBRT) route. This would foster more walkable neighborhoods, encourage greater transit ridership, and reduce dependence on cars.  

Yes. The proposed LUMO will require that most new development include stormwater control measures that are designed to accommodate a 100-year storm. Because of the cost and space constraints associated with such robust stormwater controls, the proposed LUMO will include limited exemptions for smaller missing-middle homes and some small-scale commercial development. 

The proposed LUMO will be shared online and at Town Council meetings after Town staff and the consultant finish it. We expect a draft in 2025.