Durham Planning Commission rejected a massive mixed-use redevelopment of Southpoint Mall on March 14, denying a rezoning that would have added 1,382 apartments, 300,000 square feet of office space, and 200 hotel rooms to the 132-acre property. The vote was 10-3, with commissioners citing zero affordable housing units on-site and vague promises to pursue unidentified off-site housing through unspecified funding. Commissioner Baker called the proposal "exclusionary" and said it felt like "segregation," while resident Matt Bankson criticized the applicant's development subsidiary, Ginkgo Residential, for evicting 393 families from three Durham complexes between February 2021 and February 2023. The applicant refused to continue the case to revise the plans, citing market uncertainty and a tight window to reach summer council approval.
Commissioners also approved three smaller zoning changes. They unanimously approved a 191-unit single-family development in the Harlowe Point area that included a previously unincorporated parcel owned by Lennar, though residents Denis T. Ron and Commissioner James Taylor voiced concerns about forced property sales and gentrification. Ron said the developer "stole my property" and destroyed road access, while Taylor warned the commission was "forcing the same thing y'all just got through talking about" at the Southpoint discussion—forcing existing residents to sell as their taxes tripled. Staff acknowledged limited authority but noted the city needs better support for homeowners facing development impacts.
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