North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Chapel Hill town council will bring a bond referendum before voters on the November 2024 ballot, looking for support to fund several large construction projects.
“There is support for issuing a total of $50.5 million, which is the maximum amount the Town can issue without raising taxes,” Mayor Jess Anderson said in a statement following a special council work session Apr. 26. “The bond referendum will give voters the opportunity to show support for $44 million to be split across a number of categories. The remaining $6.5 million are needed more urgently for police, fire, and parking expenses.”
Council also unanimously agreed that $15 million would be allocated to rebuild the town’s two oldest fire stations.
In 2021, the Chapel Hill Fire Department (CHFD) conducted an assessment of CHFD’s facilities and fleet. At the time, it was determined that stations 1, 3, and 4 were outdated and in poor condition.
The new Fire Station #4 will be built on the existing training site and make room for affordable housing where to the current station sits.
CHFD and Orange County Emergency Services have entered into a partnership to co-locate services on-site and share in project costs to replace Fire Station #3.
Five council members want to allocate $20 million for affordable housing.