By Mark Pavao
Pittsboro, NC – Dear Pittsboro and Chatham County Community,
On November 26, 2018, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners (BOC) met in a public meeting with NCDOT and representatives from Chatham Park Investors to review plans for an North Chatham Park Way.
At that meeting, there was extensive discussion about the proposed road, including review of an alignment map (see map below) that showed the road running along the property boundary between the North Woods neighborhood and land owned by Chatham Park Investors. That alignment map was consistent with the alignment depicted and approved by the Pittsboro BOC in the 2011 Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Following discussion, Pittsboro BOC voted to approve proceeding with the next stage of development work for the road now known as North Chatham Park Way.
In the three years since that meeting in November 2018, NCDOT and Chatham Park have evaluated six or seven options for the road, all of which ran through the North Woods neighborhood. They evaluated no alignment options for the road east of the North Woods property line, on land owned by Chatham Park Investors.
NCDOT‘s proposed alignment is clearly a bait and switch. NCDOT and Chatham Park presented a non-controversial alignment in 2018 and now we see that NCDOT is pushing Pittsboro to accept this bait and switch alignment that will destroy North Woods. Instead, NCDOT should do the right thing, take a pause, and evaluate an option that could save the North Woods neighborhood.
Building a road through North Woods and destroying the neighborhood that has been part of the Pittsboro / Chatham County community for 40 years should be the option of last resort. Please urge the Pittsboro Commissioners to stand firm and insist on evaluation of an option that could save North Woods and also work for the broader Pittsboro community. For more information, visit savenorthwoodsneighborhood.com.
The entire community is welcome to attend the live discussion that will determine the future of North Woods at next week’s Pittsboro BOC meeting on Monday, November 22 at 7 PM via the zoom link.
Thank you for your support.
Mark Pavao and the North Woods neighborhood