By Chatham Journal staff
Pittsboro, NC – Pittsboro commissioners will consider advancing a new Town Hall project carrying an estimated total cost of $12.63 million, appropriating $38,000 for a Downtown Master Plan and parking study, and coordinating three major economic-development initiatives when the Pittsboro Town Board meets Monday, Sept. 14.
The packed agenda also includes public hearings on two property rezonings and new business regulations in the Downtown Overlay District, consideration of the Robeson Creek Master Plan, an annual report from Chatham Park and proposals addressing downtown parking, mobility and heavy-truck traffic.
The Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will meet at 6 p.m. at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center, 1192 U.S. 64 Business West. The meeting will also be streamed through the town’s YouTube channel.
While several items appear separately on the agenda, many are tied together by a central question: How should Pittsboro prepare its public facilities, downtown business district and economic-development programs for continued growth?
The evening’s most financially significant presentation concerns the proposed Town Hall at 204 J.A. Farrell Street. Commissioners will be asked to approve the project schedule, schematic-design renderings and building program. That action would allow the project to continue toward final design, financing and construction.
The board also will decide whether to use $38,000 from the town’s General Fund balance for a six-month Downtown Master Plan and parking study. That planning effort would be coordinated with a townwide Economic Development Strategic Plan and the proposed Scale Chatham entrepreneurial-development initiative.
Taken together, the proposals could shape Pittsboro’s municipal operations and downtown development for a decade or longer.
Town Hall estimate reaches $12.63 million
Town staff, HH Architecture and Edifice Construction have spent much of 2026 developing plans for a new municipal building on the J.A. Farrell Street property the town purchased in July 2025.
The project is in the schematic-design stage, during which the design team determines the building’s general layout, appearance, size and major functions.
A preliminary plan completed in May produced an estimated construction cost of about $12.9 million. Town staff and the project team subsequently looked for ways to reduce the building’s size and modify materials and site-design elements.
Following that work, Edifice produced a more detailed construction estimate of $10.9 million for the building and site improvements. Once furnishings, technology, demolition, security, contingencies and other expenses are included, the estimated total project cost stands at $12.63 million.
The estimated expenses include:
- $10.9 million for site work and building construction;
- $400,000 for furnishings;
- $200,000 for the Board of Commissioners’ room audiovisual system;
- $120,000 for information-technology cabling;
- $150,000 to demolish the existing building;
- $110,000 for security and door-access controls;
- $100,000 for permits and utility fees;
- $500,000 for the town’s contingency;
- $76,000 for preconstruction services; and
- $75,000 in miscellaneous costs.
The proposed Town Hall would contain approximately 18,144 square feet. It is designed to accommodate the town’s existing staffing needs while providing additional offices and space for future expansion.
One of the building’s central features would be a boardroom with seating for approximately 100 people and provisions for overflow audiences. An audiovisual consultant is designing an integrated system for public meetings.
The building plan also calls for automated operating systems and low-impact stormwater features. The site plan reserves areas for additional building space and parking if municipal needs grow.
“The New Town Hall project is currently in the design phase,” Project Engineer Ben Schmadeke wrote in a memorandum to commissioners. He said the architect and construction manager had worked with town employees “to develop the New Town Hall building program and site design.”
The town held a public drop-in session at the Community House on June 4 to gather feedback about the building’s design and architectural features.
Under the preliminary schedule, demolition of the existing structure would begin in November and take about two months. Design and permitting would continue into early 2027.
The construction manager would develop a guaranteed maximum price through a bidding process during spring 2027. The project then would require approval of its financing and construction contract, including review by the North Carolina Local Government Commission.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in July 2027 and last approximately 16 months. Furniture, fixtures and equipment would be installed during the final two months of 2028, placing the anticipated move-in near the end of that year.
Staff recommends that commissioners approve the schedule, building program and schematic renderings. The vote would advance the current design but would not represent final approval of the financing package or construction contract.
The project estimate and its underlying assumptions may receive close scrutiny as commissioners consider the town’s other capital and operational needs. The current estimate includes a $500,000 contingency, but final costs will depend on construction bids, interest rates, material prices and any design revisions made before work begins.
The complete Town Hall project memorandum and presentation are part of the board packet.
Three economic-development initiatives converge
The board also will consider a coordinated approach connecting the town’s Economic Development Strategic Plan, a Downtown Master Plan and parking study, and a potential partnership with the NC IDEA Foundation through Scale Chatham.
Although each initiative has a separate purpose, town officials propose running them in a coordinated manner so consultants, staff members and community participants can share research and avoid duplicating public-engagement work.
The Economic Development Strategic Plan is intended to establish a townwide framework covering at least five years. It would use economic and demographic research, interviews and public input to identify Pittsboro’s strengths, needs and opportunities.
Topics are expected to include business recruitment, retention and expansion; entrepreneurship and small-business development; workforce and talent development; target industries; employment opportunities; development sites; partnerships; and the town’s internal capacity to conduct economic-development work.
The final document would identify priorities, performance measures and an implementation structure for future town investments.
Pittsboro has executed an engagement agreement with Creative Economic Development Consulting for that work, according to the staff memorandum.
The Downtown Master Plan would have a longer horizon. It is intended to establish a vision and implementation program covering more than 10 years, with recommendations addressing redevelopment, infill construction, future land use, parking, transportation, streetscapes, public spaces and infrastructure.
Town officials also want the downtown plan to identify the agencies or organizations responsible for particular projects, potential funding sources and measures that could be used to track progress.
The third component is Scale Chatham, a potential partnership with NC IDEA that would seek to strengthen entrepreneurship across Pittsboro, Siler City and Chatham County.
NC IDEA has already invested approximately $200,000 in Pittsboro-based pilot programs, according to the town. Scale Chatham could expand that work through business accelerators, regional coordination, technology-focused economic development and additional assistance for entrepreneurs.
Town staff has been speaking with existing organizations, including the Central Carolina Community College Small Business Center and WEBB Squared, to determine how new programs could supplement services already available.
“Together, these efforts provide an opportunity to shape a stronger local economy as Pittsboro grows, strengthen Downtown as a distinctive and economically vibrant part of the community’s future, and build a stronger entrepreneurial and small business ecosystem,” Downtown Development Director Theresa Thompson and Town Manager Jonathan Franklin wrote in their joint memorandum.
Commissioners will be asked to authorize staff to develop proposed steering committees for the Economic Development Strategic Plan and Downtown Master Plan. The proposed committee structures would return to the board for consideration in October.
A second proposed motion would authorize the town manager to execute agreements facilitating Scale Chatham in cooperation with NC IDEA and surrounding communities.
The economic-development coordination memorandum provides additional details.
$38,000 requested for downtown planning
A separate budget amendment would take $38,000 from the General Fund balance and place it in the town’s contracted-services budget for the Downtown Master Plan and parking study.
The Pittsboro Downtown Advisory Board endorsed the expenditure on a 9-0 vote Aug. 11.
Benchmark Planning proposes completing the combined project in approximately six months. The process would begin with an assessment of downtown conditions, followed by public workshops and preparation of the final master plan.
During the first phase, consultants would review previous plans, studies and development regulations. They also would examine market information, infrastructure, utilities, transportation, parking, urban design, public spaces and potential development sites.
The consultants would conduct two days of listening sessions with business owners, property owners, elected officials, volunteer boards, town departments, community organizations and development-industry representatives.
The assessment would also revisit Pittsboro’s analysis of publicly owned downtown properties. That review could help determine whether municipal land should be retained for public use, redeveloped, used for parking or incorporated into a larger public-private project.
The second phase would include three public workshops. Participants would review the initial assessment, discuss redevelopment opportunities, consider maps and illustrations, and work toward agreement on a downtown vision and guiding principles.
The final phase would produce specific recommendations for redevelopment sites, streetscapes, public spaces, mobility, parking and development regulations.
The plan also would include an implementation strategy identifying short- and long-term projects, possible partnerships and funding sources.
Parking would be an important component. Benchmark proposes updating the inventory of public and private parking spaces, examining existing parking rules and agreements, estimating demand created by vacant buildings and possible development, and identifying places where parking could be expanded.
Options could include additional on-street parking, surface lots and potential parking-garage locations. The consultants also would examine how parking decisions interact with outdoor dining, sidewalks, landscaping, pedestrian access and other downtown goals.
Benchmark estimated that a stand-alone parking-study update would take approximately three months and cost $8,925. The broader Downtown Master Plan and parking assignment is priced at $38,000.
The board’s vote will determine whether that money is appropriated. The proposed budget amendment and Benchmark scope of work are available with the meeting materials.
Downtown work plan targets parking and truck traffic
Commissioners will also consider adding three parking, mobility and access projects to the town’s Downtown Annual Work Plan.
The projects would address public parking wayfinding, the potential need for a public parking structure and strategies to reduce heavy-truck traffic through downtown.
The Downtown Advisory Board recommended the changes unanimously following a June retreat at which parking, mobility and access emerged as priorities.
The updated work plan would allow town staff and advisory-board members to consider near-term improvements, including signs directing motorists to public parking. It also would establish a framework for studying longer-range parking-structure opportunities and possible sources of money.
Truck traffic has been a long-running concern because several state highways converge in central Pittsboro. Large trucks moving through the traffic circle and surrounding streets can contribute to noise, congestion and conflicts with pedestrians and smaller vehicles.
The proposed work-plan item does not identify a specific truck route or commit the town to building a parking deck. Instead, it authorizes further study and coordination with the broader Downtown Master Plan.
Chatham Park to deliver annual report
Representatives of Preston Development Company will present Chatham Park’s annual update.
Chuck Smith, the company’s vice president for planning and development, and Vanessa Jenkins, its executive vice president, are scheduled to appear before commissioners.
The agenda lists the report as a presentation rather than an action item, so commissioners are not scheduled to approve a specific Chatham Park request during that portion of the meeting.
The presentation allows board members to ask about residential and commercial construction, infrastructure, parks, transportation connections and the development’s broader effects on Pittsboro.
Because of Chatham Park’s size and long development horizon, its annual updates provide one of the town’s clearest snapshots of how quickly the community is growing and where new development is occurring.
Robeson Creek plan moves toward design
The board will consider approving the Robeson Creek Master Plan and directing the town to proceed with design.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recommended approval on a 4-0 vote. Town staff also supports the plan.
Approval would establish the master plan as the guiding framework for future improvements. Subsequent design, financing and construction decisions may require additional board votes.
For commissioners, the decision will involve balancing the community’s recreational and environmental goals with project costs, maintenance needs and the timing of other capital projects.
Intrepid Build rezoning reaches public hearing
Three land-use hearings are scheduled.
The first involves approximately 4.05 acres along U.S. 15-501 in conditional-zoning case PB-26-215, known as the Intrepid Build property.
The applicant seeks to change the site from RA-2 zoning to a conditional Community Mixed Use Center designation. Plans presented during the advisory review called for retaining the existing house and using it as an office.
Proposed conditions include prohibiting wedding and concert venues, turning off outdoor lighting by 10 p.m., limiting the property to one driveway and placing parking beside or behind the building.
The Planning Board recommended approval Aug. 17 by a 5-1 vote. Town planning staff also recommends approval.
Commissioners will receive public comments before deciding whether to adopt the conditional-zoning ordinance. Because this is conditional zoning, any approved site-specific restrictions would become part of the governing ordinance.
Hinton property seeks office designation
The second case, PB-26-370, concerns approximately 0.4 acres on East Salisbury Street.
The applicant seeks a change from R-10 residential zoning to conditional Office and Institutional zoning.
Potential uses listed for the property include offices, live-work arrangements, medical or dental offices, certain residential uses, a restaurant, yoga or fitness operations, galleries, a library and a bed-and-breakfast.
Conditions address parking location, driveway access, sidewalks and advance notice before demolition of the existing structure.
The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval with an additional condition described in the staff report. Town staff also recommends approval.
The hearing allows nearby residents and other interested parties to comment on traffic, compatibility, parking, building preservation and the range of uses that could be allowed.
Downtown rules would address tattoo studios and prohibited uses
The third hearing concerns a text amendment to Pittsboro’s Unified Development Ordinance for the Downtown Overlay District.
The proposal seeks to clarify which businesses are permitted downtown and how certain uses should be regulated.
During its July 20 review, the Planning Board discussed the distinction between indoor recreation businesses and electronic gaming operations. The proposal would continue to prohibit electronic gaming operations, flea markets, pawn shops and shooting galleries in the overlay district.
Tattoo parlors or studios could be allowed only on C-2-zoned properties in the outer sections of the district. Those businesses would be subject to separation, signage, visibility, access and operating requirements.
The Planning Board unanimously recommended approval. Town staff also supports the amendment, saying the changes would provide clearer standards and broaden opportunities for small businesses while protecting downtown’s historic character.
Advisory-board appointments depend on resolution
Commissioners will consider a resolution affecting the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and then make appointments to that body.
If the board does not adopt the resolution, commissioners would appoint one person to an extraterritorial-jurisdiction seat for a term ending June 30, 2028.
If the resolution passes, the board could appoint three members, each serving through June 2028.
The board will also consider a revised process for future amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance. Staff recommends adopting the proposed process.
Consent calendar includes staffing and budget changes
Ten matters are listed on the consent agenda and could be approved in a single vote without individual discussion.
They include minutes from the Aug. 10 meeting; requests involving a GIS project manager and a police detective/training coordinator; budget amendments for legal services, a property purchase, the Public Works building, and water and sewer grant funds; and an interlocal agreement with Chatham County for property-tax billing and collection.
The consent calendar also includes a memorandum of understanding with Chatham County for expansion of parking at Lewis Freeman Park and a resolution conveying personal property to the Liberty Police Department.
Any commissioner may request that an item be removed from the consent calendar for separate debate.
Public comment and closed session
The meeting will include town manager updates, reports from commissioners serving as liaisons to outside boards and a general public-comment period.
Residents who want to speak must register with the town clerk before the meeting. Speakers generally are limited to three minutes, and the board does not typically deliberate or take immediate action in response to comments about matters that are not on the agenda.
Commissioners also plan to meet in closed session with the town attorney concerning litigation identified as 7 Directions of Service et al. v. Town of Pittsboro et al.
North Carolina law allows a governing board to meet privately to preserve attorney-client privilege and give instructions concerning pending judicial proceedings.
The board’s complete Sept. 14 agenda and supporting materials are available on the town website.
By the end of the meeting, commissioners could have advanced two of Pittsboro’s most significant long-range efforts: a new municipal headquarters and a coordinated strategy for downtown growth and economic development.
The decisions will not complete either undertaking. The Town Hall still would require final design, financing and construction approvals, while the downtown initiatives would move into months of research, public engagement and additional board review.
But the Sept. 14 votes could determine the framework, consultants, spending and schedule that guide both efforts in the years ahead.