Chapel Hill approves 860 Weaver Dairy Road mixed-use development

15 August 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]

Chapel Hill Town Council approved a mixed-use development at 860 Weaver Dairy Road in an 8-1 vote on February 25, with only council member Elizabeth Sharp dissenting. The project will include 350 to 575 multifamily units and 100 to 135 townhomes, with 10 percent of multifamily units and 15 percent of townhomes designated as affordable housing. Council member Melissa McCullough stated the development addresses the town's housing needs, particularly for smaller households, while providing both market-rate and affordable options.

Sharp raised concerns about impacts on surrounding neighbors, including stormwater and traffic effects. Other residents expressed worries about landscape buffers, proximity to existing homes, and stormwater management. The town recently increased its stormwater requirement from a 25-year to a 100-year storm standard, requiring developments to withstand storms with a 1 percent annual occurrence probability. An analysis confirmed the Weaver Dairy Road project meets this requirement. Council member Theodore Nollert acknowledged that Tropical Storm Chantal, which brought 6 to 9 inches of rain to Chapel Hill in July, heightened community flooding concerns, but noted that preparing for such extreme events would make housing development infeasible.

The development aligns with Chapel Hill's Complete Community Strategy, which guides growth and development patterns. The project includes a new greenway connection that council members described as significant infrastructure the town could not otherwise afford to build. Council member Wes McMahon noted this greenway would connect the area in ways unavailable through municipal projects for an extended period. Construction may begin after permits are approved.

Residents can check their own town's development approval records and stormwater requirements by reviewing local planning documents and council meeting minutes.

Read the original reporting: The Daily Tar Heel.