How women’s book circle sparked movement over future of Chatham County town
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Retiree-led book circle in Pittsboro evolved into Chatham Climate Action Network.
- CCAN opposes 5,000-acre SAP by Chatham Park, citing limited public oversight.
- Group advocates urban density, sustainability and inclusive town development.
On her morning walks, Vickie Atkinson, a retired civil servant living in Pittsboro, started a book circle with her best friend.
Among their first reads: the 448-page book “All We Can Save,” exploring solutions to today’s climate crisis. As they walked and talked, they reflected on their town and county’s mounting challenges. We need to do something, they thought.
“So, we started another circle of six women. Then another circle,” says the 72-year-old, who has lived in Chatham County for over a decade.
Eventually, Atkinson and her friends formed the Chatham Climate Action Network, or CCAN, a coalition of residents, business owners and activist groups focused on sustainable, climate-conscious development and affordable housing. As the county confronts explosive growth and farmlands give way to suburban sprawl, they worry about stronger storms, rising greenhouse gases, and the impact on infrastructure and public health. They want “real, multi-story urbanism,” which they say costs and pollutes less.
Now a year old, their network faces its biggest test: opposing a single 5,000-acre “small-area plan” proposed by Chatham Park’s developers for South Village. The undeveloped tract lies inside the larger 8,500-acre master-planned community on the east side of Pittsboro, roughly 30 miles west of Raleigh.
Small-area plans, known as SAPs, provide standards for factors like density, design aesthetics, infrastructure improvements and future development.
CCAN members, including Atkinson, call Chatham Park’s proposal a “power grab.” It’s twice the size of the park’s North Village plan and one of the largest SAPs ever considered in the U.S. they argue. It also effectively circumvents the process for “public input, flexibility and accountability,” and has the potential to shape Pittsboro’s future for generations.
“It’s a no-brainer. You don’t give blanket approval to the developer over what is supposed to play out over 20 to 25 years,” Atkinson said. “People are really upset and anxious.”
Those feelings are even more acute in the wake of Tropical Storm Chantal, which brought flash flooding to Pittsboro — another reminder of the town’s growing threats from climate change.
In June, the group started an online petition, urging the town’s Board of Commissioners to reject the park’s 129-page SAP proposal. They’ve collected over 1,000 signatures online and on paper. They say they’re fighting what’s been the status quo: multiple, phased SAPs that can be “adapted over time” in response to environmental, economic and population changes.
They presented the petition to the town’s planning board on July 21.
Meanwhile, Chatham Park’s developer, Cary-based Preston Development — co-founded by Tim Smith and Julian “Bubba” Rawl — is moving forward. They issued an email statement through Chatham Park Investors.
“This type of planning is essential to ensure best land-use practices,” they said. For roads, water, sewer and park infrastructure, “looking at larger areas is preferred to trying to plan small pockets of development. It also helps private utilities to plan for things such as electricity, gas, fiber for data and telecommunication.”
They received similar public scrutiny over plans for North Village, they said. But “it’s proven to be a great tool.”
Chatham Park’s South Village
Drive three miles east of Pittsboro’s downtown, and you’ll find Chatham Park. Work began in 2008 and will be completed over multiple phases. It’s divided into three small areas or “villages.” Each village has its own SAP with phases designed to “improve, preserve and regulate it.”
In October 2021, Pittsboro’s Board of Commissioners approved the park’s North Village plan, which covers 2,500 acres north of U.S. 64. Construction is underway. Vacant parcels are either under contract or in discussion with a purchaser, Chatham Park Investors said.
South Village sits west of the Haw River and south of U.S. 64 Business East. It’s completely planned and is awaiting several approvals. The third district has yet to be planned.
Preston Development is proposing to develop South Village in seven phases, spanning from 2028 to 2052. The plan covers a wide range of land uses, including residential, retail, research and development. It’s expected to bring over 15,000 housing units and more than nine million square feet of non-residential development.
According to the plan, Chatham Park and town representatives would meet annually to “review and discuss possible revisions.”
Jonathan Franklin, Pittsboro’s town manager, acknowledged the public pushback, but he also defended the current process. “All SAPs must follow a rigorous public process and align with the Chatham Park Master Plan,” he said. “Each phase of the development requires that developers come back to the board and engage in the public legislative process for approvals.”
A final showdown
The town’s Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the final proposal in September.
In the meantime, CCAN members are raising awareness. They’re meeting in living rooms, networking on social media, and setting up information tables at events across Chatham County.
They’re also providing input as the town launches its new climate action plan. They stick to their talking points: “build up, not out,” offer more mixed-income housing, conserve land, and preserve trees and green space for storm-water control.
“These are complicated problems; they can’t be solved easily,” said Maura Dillon, a CCAN member and county resident for over 25 years. “Rushing things through isn’t the answer. It’s certainly not serving the community or the local resources in Chatham County.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "How women’s book circle sparked movement over future of Chatham County town."
