Carrboro Day is Sunday, May 1
Our annual Carrboro Day event will be returning in person this year! The event is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Town Commons, 301 W. Main St.
Carrboro Day is an annual event that is traditionally held at Town Commons on the first Sunday in May. This event is about meeting your neighbors, learning about aspects of the Town’s history, connecting with the Town and learning about Town services, and taking a day to celebrate Carrboro!
https://www.carrboronc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2125
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Carrboro Town Council
Meeting agendas and updates are issued from the Town Clerk’s Office. To receive these by email or text, sign up for Carrboro Town News at carrboronc.gov/signup
Civic involvement is a valued tradition in our community. Reach the Town Council with your ideas, views, and questions at Council@carrboronc.gov
Coming Up
The Town Council will meet next at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, to consider an agenda posted that will be posted at https://carrboro.legistar.com
This in-person meeting will be held at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream at https://carrboro.legistar.com OR YouTube.com/CarrboroNC OR Cable TV 18 (in Carrboro).
To submit a comment on this agenda, please contact publiccomment@carrboronc.gov to reach the Town Clerk.
Past Meeting
The Carrboro Town Council met Tuesday, April 26, and took the following actions on the agenda posted at https://bit.ly/3MrPz3L
- Set a public hearing for May 24 to consider The ArtsCenter Special Use Permit located at 400 Roberson St.
- Authorized the Town Manager to execute a contract for the traffic signal work and approved the revised project ordinance for the East Main Street restriping project.
- Approved a Minor Modification to the Conditional Use Permit for Royal Park Apartments to allow the construction of a new sidewalk and retaining wall.
- Approved a permit extension request for a previously issued Conditional Use Permit for Veridia AIS.
- Held a public hearing and approved a minor modification request to the Conditional Use Permit for Winmore Village Mixed Use (VMU) to allow conversion of Lot 179 to three single-family lots and assigned the community pool to serve as civic use for the VMU.
- Held a public hearing to consider a Special Use Permit application for a new commercial building at 201 North Greensboro St. and continued this public hearing until June 7.
- Received a presentation about the Downtown Parking Study.
- Authorized the Town Manager to sign a parking lease agreement with Fitch Lumber for temporary parking during the 203 Project construction.
About the Town Council
The Town Council is the legislative and policy-making body for Carrboro, consisting of the following: Mayor Damon Seils, Mayor Pro Tempore Susan Romaine, Council Member Barbara Foushee, Council Member Randee Haven-O’Donnell, Council Member Danny Nowell and Council Member Sammy Slade. More information is available at http://carrboronc.gov/248/Town-Council
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Save the Date: We’re breaking ground on a new library and cultural center!
CARRBORO, N.C. -- Everyone is invited as our community breaks ground on the Orange County Southern Branch Library and Cultural Center at 203 S. Greensboro St.
The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, May 5, on the current parking lot site across from Open Eye Café at 203 S. Greensboro St. The event will include remarks by local officials, a reading by the poet laureate of Carrboro, and a dance performance by Takiri Folclor Latino.
Parking will be available nearby at the future site of The ArtsCenter at 400 Roberson St.
The library will serve residents in or near southern Orange County. The facility will also provide a permanent home for the Orange County Skills Development Center; Carrboro Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Department; WCOM Radio, the Virtual Justice Center; and performance/multipurpose uses.
Learn more about the 203 Project at www.the203project.org
For more information about the groundbreaking event, please contact Libbie Hough, communications manager for the Orange County Public Library at lhough@orangecountync.gov; Catherine Lazorko, communication and engagement director for the Town of Carrboro, at clazorko@carrboronc.gov or Todd McGee, community relations director for Orange County at tmcgee@orangecountync.gov
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Carrboro launches new website shaped by user input
CARRBORO, N.C. – The Town of Carrboro has officially launched a revamped website www.carrboronc.gov in its continuing commitment to provide exceptional services and enhance transparency, communication and community engagement.
The site reflects the look and feel of the community while incorporating features designed to help residents, visitors and community partners quickly locate the information and services they need.
The new website is easy to navigate and presents information in a variety of formats. The site incorporates a translation feature allowing the Town to communicate with residents in languages other than English.
The site was designed using feedback from surveys of users, as well as from analytics of the most visited pages and requested services. Research on usability was led by the Town’s Communication and Engagement Department in collaboration with CivicPlus, the website designer; the Town Communications Team; the Information Technology Department; and the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
The website is a valuable information source for the community. Residents ranked the website as one of their top three sources for Town of Carrboro news and information in a communitywide survey conducted in November 2021. Also ranking highly as information sources are word of mouth and outdoor signage.
In a website survey issued by the Town in August 2021, about 88% of respondents said that finding what they need on the website is easy and 85% said the website is visually appealing. In open-ended comments, respondents asked for improvements in webpage loading time, search functionality, and access to Council meetings.
In collaboration with UNC-Chapel Hill Professor Laura Ruel’s User Experience Design and Usability (MEJO 581) class, student groups researched the Town of Carrboro website to gauge whether visitors and residents of Carrboro can easily navigate the homepage and respective links. In response to their findings, Town staff streamlined megamenus; minimized large image files and other content to reduce load times; and renamed some of the navigation headers.
The Town aims for continuous website improvement with more streamlining of content, continual review of analytics, and communications support of Town departments.
The website was developed in partnership with Civic Plus, a company that specializes in "building city and county e-government communication systems.” The town website was last redesigned in 2014.
To provide feedback or share any concerns about the website, please contact Communication and Engagement Director Catherine Lazorko at clazorko@carrboronc.gov or 919-918-7314.
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May is Bike Month
Take delight in every bike ride this May!
Mayor Damon Seils has proclaimed May to be Bike Month in Carrboro. And that’s not all!
“I encourage residents to add biking to their transportation routines; to become advocates for biking, bicycle infrastructure, and bicycle-friendly laws and policies; and to take delight in every bike ride, Mayor Seils said.
- Wednesday, May 4 is Bike to School Day
- May 16-22 is Bike to Work Week
- Friday, May 20 is Bike to Work Day
Biking is an easy way for people to reduce their carbon footprint and advance the Town’s climate action goals by avoiding the use of single-occupancy vehicles and reducing reliance on nonrenewable resources for transportation.
The Town of Carrboro will promote biking at several upcoming events:
- Ride with the Mayor at 8 a.m. May 10
- Bike on Bus event at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to noon May 10
- Bike Breakfast at the Libba Cotten Bikeway from 7 to 9 a.m. May 17
- Additional events are being organized with local partners, including the Town of Chapel Hill, the Carrboro Bicycle Coalition, the Orange County Commuter Options program, and UNC Transportation and Parking.
Did you know? In 2010, Carrboro became the first community in North Carolina to be designated a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.
Learn more by accessing the proclamation at https://www.carrboronc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11227/2022-Bike-Month-Bike-to-School-Day-Bike-to-Work-Week-and-Bike-to-Work-Day
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Drop off old or unused medicines
Carrboro Police is hosting an Operation Medicine Drop Event on April 30, 2022 from 10AM - 2PM at Harris Teeter, located at 310 N. Greensboro St. #OperationMedicineDrop provides safe and secure ways for people to get rid of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications -- preventing accidental poisonings and drug abuse while protecting our waters! Find a permanent drop box near you: https://ecs.page.link/LxaNc
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Kids Seedling Day
Come join the Carrboro Farmers' Market (CFM) for Kids Seedling Day on Saturday, April 30! Kids can start their gardens with a free seedling donated by CFM farmers with potting soil and growing tips from the event’s sponsor, Fifth Season Gardening Company in Carrboro.
From 8:30 a.m. until seedlings run out, kids can come by the market gazebo and pick a seedling of their choice, then plant it in a cup with potting soil provided by event sponsor Fifth Season Gardening Company. Kids can also decorate a label for their seedling, then write a thank-you card to the farmer that donated it. Fifth Season Gardening will also be raffling off a composter!
Kids Seedling Day is also supported by the CFM’s Big Beef Sponsor, Laser Image Printing & Marketing.
The Carrboro Farmers' Market is open Saturdays year-round (7 a.m. - 12 p.m. noon April to October and 9 a.m.-12 p.m. noon November to March) and Wednesdays seasonally (3-6 p.m. April to November) at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St.
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Stormwater-friendly car washing
Did you know that vehicle washing can contribute pollutants to our rivers and streams – depending on where your vehicle is cleaned? Dirty water from commercial car washes goes into the city’s sanitary system and is treated at the regional wastewater treatment plant. However, soap suds and water run-off from vehicle washing on driveways, parking lots and streets typically flows along the gutter and into a storm drain before it empties into a creek or river.
Soap is only one part of the discharge problem. Even if only water is used, there’s a mix of pollutants including oils, grease, heavy metals, particulates from vehicle exhaust emissions and brake linings and rust being washed down the drain. Adding soap to the mix may introduce phenols, dyes, acids and ammonia. And even more potentially harmful ingredients are found in spray-off tire cleaner.
Commercial Car Washes
There are some environmental advantages to washing a car at a drive-through or self-serve commercial car wash. Commercial car washes drain used water into the sanitary system instead of storm drains. This water is treated to remove pollution before it is discharged to our waterways. Plus, conveyor car washes can use substantially less water, depending on the equipment used. Advanced, computerized pumps and nozzles control water output, reducing the amount of water used by up to 60 percent compared to a home wash. Special pressure nozzles mix air in with the water to create pressure without volume. Some even recycle and reuse water on site.
Be Stormwater Smart at Home
If you plan to wash your vehicle at home, here are some earth-friendly tips. If you wash with more than water, choose soaps, cleaners or detergents labeled phosphate-free and biodegradable. Vegetable or citrus-based soaps are the safest products. Before you get started, sweep driveways to prevent leaves and trash from being carried to the storm drain. Control water volume by using a spray nozzle and if possible wash your car on lawn or gravel areas where runoff doesn’t flow to the street and on to our streams. If your wash area is paved and slopes toward the street, try rolling up a few towels to divert run-off to a landscape area. When you are done, discard dirty wash water onto your grass, flower bed or into the sink.
Visit online for more information on Stormwater Pollution Prevention during Car and Outdoor Washing. If you see suds or other pollutants in your local creek or stream please report using the Stormwater Hotline at 919-913-2999 or Stormwater@CarrboroNC.gov
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Earth Day Celebration in Carrboro
Thanks to everyone who joined in Carrboro's Earth Day Celebration on April 22. More than 40 tables featuring a multitude of actions we can take individually and collectively to heal the Earth from invasive plant species removal to composting and consuming less (thanks to the moderators behind the Facebook Group "Buy Nothing Project." Event co-sponsored by the Climate Reality Project and the Town of Carrboro.
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Save the Date: PRIDE Food Truck Rodeo and Dance Party
The towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill are collaborating on Pride Month to show LGBTQ+ Pride, and to affirm community values ensuring that all residents, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated with respect and dignity. Small Town Pride will promote equality and celebrate diversity and acceptance in the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill. It will involve the entire community, with local businesses, artists, volunteers and community partners. Watch for details to be announced soon!
The PRIDE Food Truck Rodeo and Dance Party is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 24. Food trucks, organizations, vendors and crafters wishing to participate with tables at the event can apply at:
https://www.carrboronc.gov/FormCenter/Communication-and-Engagement-Department-31/PRIDE-Events-at-Carrboro-Town-Commons-201
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