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August Delegate Meeting
First Presbyterian Church
August 24, 2010
Attending the meeting were:
Delegates and Alternates
Cross Counties – Pat Carstensen
Downing Creek – Rebecca Board
Duke Park – Bill Anderson
Fairfield – Melissa Rooney
Lochaven Hills – Josie McNeil
Morehead Hill – Christina Fish
Northgate Park – Mike Shiflett
Old Farm – David Harris, Fred Foster, Jr.
Old North Durham – Peter Katz
Old West Durham – Brett Walters
Trinity Park – Kevin Davis (also representing Bull City Rising)
Tuscaloosa-Lakewood – Susan Sewell
Watts Hospital Hillandale – Tom Miller, Mike Woodard
Woodcroft – Scott Carter, Heidi Carter
Visitors
Lorisa Seibel – Durham Affordable Housing Coalition
Stan Bukowski
H. Fischer
Darius Little – Organizing Chadsford subdivision
Jim Wise – News and Observer
Ray Gronberg – The Herald Sun
Steve Medlin – Durham Planning Department
John Compton – Preservation Durham
April Johnson – Preservation Durham
Tom Miller opened the meeting. Delegates and visitors introduced themselves.
Planning and the UDO
Steve Medlin, Planning Director (contacts: 560-4137x28223 or
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), started with a brief history of planning in Durham. We were the first community in NC to have zoning in 1941. From 1941-2006 we were using the traditional “Euclidean” use-based form of zoning that tries to keep incompatible uses separated but doesn’t do well at recognizing different needs among suburban, urban and rural patterns. In 2004, recognizing that we had outgrown our zoning code and were patching patches, we began work on the UDO, which sets more precise and scientific standards, appropriate to different areas, and uses a hybrid form-based philosophy; the UDO was passed in 2006.
We are continuing to deal with unforeseen consequences. For example,
· In reducing the number of zoning district types, some sites lost protections, as we discovered with the Morreene Road warehouse. One adjustment has been to involve neighbors by adding cases where a special use permit is required when the district abuts residential properties.
· Some of the changes aren’t really policy questions; Planning is now working on Tech Change 6 to clean up language and to clearly define appropriate performance standards that were intended with the adoption of the intent statements for the individual zoning districts.
· The definition of “nightclub” isn’t that clear, so owners get permission for a restaurant and their business “evolves” and suddenly it is inappropriate for the neighborhood.
· The CN district is supposed to promote diverse neighborhood businesses, but we sometimes get regional-scale establishments.
There was quite a bit of discussion how to make it easier and more effective for neighborhoods to be involved in planning. Often neighbors don’t understand that whatever insight they bring, there’s no formal role for them at the site planning stage. Would it make sense to broaden the notification requirements or to have a lower threshold for having neighborhood meetings? Planning is working with IT on displaying what has been submitted as well as looking at other opportunities to make notice of new applications easier. It was suggested that the Planning Department might send a list of all zoning applications to the INC list-serve.
Housing Issues
There may be a year delay in the proposed rental development in Rolling Hills, because the developer didn’t get state tax credits, so the City has time to look for ways to finance this redevelopment. The City is moving forward with homeowner repairs in the Southside neighborhood. The following resolution passed on a voice vote, with no “nay’s” but at least one abstention.
Whereas historically the City and County have used federal HOME and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to house the homeless, feed the hungry, and improve the quality of neighborhoods, and
Whereas the InterNeighborhood Council of Durham (INC) supports continued funding for affordable housing and for community services needed by families, youth, disabled, homeless, and residents of working class neighborhoods, and
Whereas the INC believes in honoring plans developed by citizen committees, and
Whereas the City has proposed to redirect most of the federal HOME and CDBG funds to the redevelopment of Rolling Hills/Southside,
Therefore, the INC asks that before committing more funds to the Rolling Hills / Southside redevelopment, City Council and County Commissioners commit to continued funding of affordable housing and community services across Durham.
Billboards
City Council voted (7-0) to keep the current billboard ordinance. Board of County Commissioners will vote on September 13. Thanks to Kelly Jarrett and John Schelp for work on this issue. Fairway is said to be working on a “compromise.”
751 Assemblage Rezoning Report
There was a brief report on the BOCC vote. Tom now has a conflict so cannot speak on this issue.
Other business and neighborhood reports:
· We need to look at INC’s legislative agenda.
· Bill Anderson will be rounding up a committee to work on a proposal for an awards event.
· We voted to spend $100 to be in Durham CAN’s directory.
· We need a new treasurer.
· NAACP will be having a march on Washington for jobs, justice, education and generally healing the country on October 2.
· There’s a bunch of transportation issues out there: traffic calming as part of road resurfacing in Old North Durham, the East End Connector (which has moved up in the priorities for a change), the 54/40 corridor study, widening of Hillendale, and traffic patters to support bikes. We may want to invite Leta Huntsinger to come to a future meeting.
The meeting was adjourned.
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