>> GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO THE DURHAM PLANNING COMMISSION. THE MEMBERS OF THE DURHAM PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERERS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE EMPHASIZE THAT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON ANY ISSUE BEFORE US TONIGHT.
WHILE THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED IN-PERSON, IT'S ALSO ACCESSIBLE USING THE ZOOM VIRTUAL MEETING PLATFORM. FOR THOSE ATTENDING IN-PERSON, IF YOU PLAN TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT, PLEASE GO TO THE TABLE TO MY LEFT TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK. WHEN SPEAKING, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS CLEARLY WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM. AND PLEASE SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
IF YOU'RE ATTENDING THE MEETING VIRTUALLY, YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. YOU MAY ALSO CALL IN DURING THE MEETING TONIGHT BY DIALING 1-301-715-8592. IF YOU CALL IN DURING THE MEETING, YOU WILL NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE PARTICULAR PUBLIC HEARING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN STARTS. AFTER ALL PREREGISTERED SPEAKERS SHARE THEIR COMMENTS, I'LL ASK IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK. AT THAT POINT, YOU WILL NEED TO DIGITALLY RAISE YOUR HAND BY PRESSING *9 ON YOUR PHONE AND
WHEN RECOGNIZED, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS. THE APPLICANT HAS TOTAL OF TEN MINUTES FOR PRESENTATION. EACH SPEAKER AFTER THE APPLICANT HAS TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. COMMISSIONERS, AS A REMINDER, AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, YOU OBTAIN THE FLOOR BY BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU SHARE THIS TIME WITH YOUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. THE TIME TO MAKE ALL PUBLIC # STATEMENTS IS BEFORE MOTIONS ARE MADE. ONCE A MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR, FURTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THAT MOTION MUST COME AFTER A SECOND. ALL MOTIONS ARE STATED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, SO IF A MOTION FAILS OR TIES, THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR DENIAL. FINALLY, I ASK EVERYONE HERE TO AND ON THE ZOOM: COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, STAFF, AND PUBLIC TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL MANNER. IF SOMEONE FAILS TO ACT IN THAT MANNER, THE CHAIR WILL ASK THE OFFENDING PERSON OR PERSONS TO BE MUTED ON THE ZOOM OR LEAVE THE MEETING UNTIL SUCH TIME THEY REGAIN PERSONAL CONTROL.
IF DECORUM FAILS TO BE RESTORED, THE CHAIR WILL RECESS THE MEETING UNTIL A GENUINE COMMITMENT TO ACT RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS IS OBSERVED. THANK YOU. WE'LL TAKE A 15-MINUTE RECESS TO AWAIT THE AROORIVAL OF CHAIR CAMERON. THANK YOU.
>> CALLING THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE THE ROLL CALL. [ROLL CALL]. >> WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY
ADJUSTMENTS. WE'RE MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND CONSISTENCY STATEMENTS FROM APRIL 8, 2025. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >> MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND THE CONSISTENCY STATEMENTS FROM APRIL 8, 2025, BY VICE CHAIR CHAGARIS AND COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED?
THE AYES HAVE IT. MOVING ON TO FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, COMP PLAN AMENDMENTS: 1. A2500001 WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN. MAY WE HAVE STAFF REPORT, PLEASE? >> BEFORE I BEGIN, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT ALL PLANNING DEPARTMENT HEARING ITEMS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISED AND NOTICED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW, AND AFFIDAVITS OF ALL NOTICES ARE ON FILE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. HELLO MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS CARL KOLOSNA, SENIOR PLANNER AND PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN. TODAY, I'M PRESENTING THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN, ALONG WITH PROPOSED PLACE TYPE MAP AMENDMENTS FOR FIVE PARCELS IN WALLTOWN, WHICH IS CASE NUMBER A2500001. THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE, BUT RELATED ITEMS. SINCE THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL OCCURRENCE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I'M GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME EXPLAINING WHAT A SMALL AREA PLAN IS, INCLUDING A BRIEF PROJECT HISTORY.
THEN I'LL BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THE MAIN CONTENT OF THE PLAN. THE FULL PLAN DOCUMENT IS ATTACHMENT A IN YOUR PACKET. SO WHAT IS A SMALL AREA PLAN? ESSENTIALLY, SMALL AREA PLANS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, BUT WITH A SMALLER GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS.
IT IS A LAND USE PLAN. SMALL AREA PLANS ARE ADVISORY, AND NOT LEGALLY BINDING. THEY ARE NOT THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE OR ZONING DEVELOPMENT PLANS. THE SMALL AREA PLAN GIVES ADVICE
AND RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IT CANNOT REQUIRE ANYTHING, AND DOES NOT CHANGE WHAT IS LEGALLY ALLOWABLE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE STUDY AREA. THE PLANNING PROCESS INVOLVES EQUITABLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STAFF ANALYSIS WHICH HELPS IDENTIFY LAND USE PRIORITIES AND ISSUES IN THE STUDY AREA. THE PLAN ITSELF MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO GUIDE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS, SUCH AS A ZONING MAP CHANGE. THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES ACTIONS, WHICH ARE A LIST OF SPECIFIC STEPS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE TO ADDRESS LAND USE ISSUES.
THE STUDY AREA FOR THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN IS BOUNDED BY GREEN STREET ON THE SOUTH, BROAD STREET TO WEST, NORTH BUCHANAN BOULEVARD TO THE EAST, AND INTERSTATE 85 TO THE NORTH. THE BOUNDARY INCLUDES THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE IN THE NORTHEAST. IN 2023, THE CITY AND COUNTY ADOPTED A NEW COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN. AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE HEARD A LOT OF DESIRE FOR DETAILED NEIGHBORHOOD-LEVEL PLANNING THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE FOR A PLAN THAT LARGE. EARLY IN 2024, AT THE REQUEST OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BEGAN WORK TO DEVELOP SMALL AREA PLANS, AND WALLTOWN WAS THE FIRST AREA SELECTED. THE POTENTIAL FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE WAS A KEY REASON WHY WALLTOWN WAS PRIORITIZED.
A PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING WAS HELD IN LATE JUNE LAST YEAR. THAT MEETING FOCUSED ON THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE AND MORE GENERAL LAND USE DISCUSSION FOR WALLTOWN. BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK AND BUILDING ON GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY WORK AND ORGANIZING IN THE PRECEDING YEARS ABOUT THE MALL, STAFF RELEASED A FIRST DRAFT OF THE POLICY GUIDANCE FOR THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE CHAPTER IN AUGUST, 2024. WORK FOR THE REST OF 2024 MAINLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REVISIONS TO THE MALL POLICIES. WORK IN LATE 2024 AND EARLY 2025
FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING ACTIONS TO ADDRESS IDENTIFIED LAND USE ISSUES IN THE BROADER WALLTOWN COMMUNITY. A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THESE ENGAGEMENT PHASES IS INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX OF THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN. THIS SHOWS THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE, JUST UNDER 60 ACRES IN TOTAL. THE MALL OPENED IN 1960 AND FOR MANY YEARS WAS A MAIN REGIONAL MALL IN DURHAM, IN THE TYPICAL SUBURBAN MALL STYLE WITH SIGNIFICANT SURFACE PARKING.
BETWEEN 2017 AND 2019 THE ANCHOR STORES MACY'S AND SEARS BOTH CLOSED, AND THE MALL COMPLETELY CLOSED IN 2020. IN 2018 THE MALL WAS ACQUIRED BY A NEW OWNER. THE AREA IS DESIGNATED A TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AREA IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PLACE TYPE MAP, SHOWING A DESIRE FOR CONVERSION INTO A HIGH DENSITY, MIXED-USE, TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. THE TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AREA PLACE TYPE IS A KEY WAY OF WORKING TOWARD THE 15-MINUTE COMMUNITY CONCEPT FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHERE
RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO DAILY NEEDS WITHIN A 15-MINUTE NON-AUTOMOBILE TRIP. AFTER AN INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER, THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN IS ORGANIZED INTO TWO KEY CHAPTERS. AS THERE IS LIKELY TO BE SIGNIFICANT LAND USE CHANGE AT THE FORMER NORTHGATE MALL SITE, THE FIRST MAIN CHAPTER OF THE PLAN PROVIDES POLICY GUIDANCE INTENDED TO INFORM DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS, SUCH AS A ZONING MAP CHANGE. THIS CHAPTER IS ORGANIZED INTO SIX POLICY TOPICS, LISTED HERE.
EACH TOPIC INCLUDES SELECTED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICIES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE MALL SITE. IN PARTICULAR, THE 15-MINUTE COMMUNITY DESIGN TOPIC CARRIES OVER THE TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AREA PLACE TYPE DESCRIPTION TEXT FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. FOR EACH TOPIC, THE PLAN HAS NEW POLICIES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE MALL SITE. IN GENERAL, THE PLAN ENVISIONS A PHASED TRANSITION TO A GRID-PATTERN LAYOUT OF HIGH DENSITY AND MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT THAT INCORPORATES AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE RETAIL OPTIONS, PUBLIC SPACES,
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. ELEMENTS DESCRIBED IN THE POLICIES COULD BE ACHIEVED WITH VOLUNTARY TEXT AND DESIGN COMMITMENTS IN A ZONING MAP CHANGE PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE. I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH POLICY TOPIC BRIEFLY. THERE ARE FIVE POLICIES FOR THE 15-MINUTE COMMUNITY DESIGN SECTION.
THE SITE CURRENTLY HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UNUSED SURFACE PARKING. THE POLICIES CALL FOR CONVERSION OF PORTIONS OF THAT SURFACE PARKING INTO HIGH-DENSITY MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT THAT SHOULD INCLUDE HOUSING, RETAIL, HEALTHCARE SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH SUPPORTIVE OFFICE USES, GREEN SPACES, RECREATIONAL SPACES, AND COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES. THE NEXT POLICY CLARIFIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICY #170 WHICH DESCRIBES TWO SCALES OF TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AREAS - A SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD-SCALE TYPE THAT WOULD HAVE MORE SENSITIVE TRANSITION TO PROXIMAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AND A LARGER, REGIONAL-ORIENTED TYPE.
GIVEN THAT THE MALL SITE IS BOUNDED BY A MAJOR HIGHWAY, HEIGHTS AND INTENSITIES OF THE LARGER, REGIONAL-ORIENTED TYPE ARE APPROPRIATE. SPECIFICALLY, HEIGHTS OF BETWEEN 4 AND 6 STORIES ARE ENVISIONED. THE NEXT POLICY REITERATES THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCOURAGING AUTO-CENTRIC LAND USES WITHIN THE SITE TO ENSURE TRANSIT, BICYCLE, AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY AND SAFE INTERNAL CIRCULATION. THE FOURTH AND FIFTH POLICY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A GRID OR BLOCK PATTERN LAYOUT ON THE SITE, SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING LAYOUT THE WALLTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE DONE IN PHASES, GIVEN THE OVERWHELMINGLY SUBURBAN DESIGN OF THE CURRENT SITE. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO HOUSING UNITS ON THE MALL SITE. THE FIRST NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY PROVIDES ADDITIONAL DETAIL TO EXISTING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICY #46 WHICH CALLS FOR 20% OF HOUSING UNITS IN TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY AREAS TO BE AFFORDABLE AT 30-80% AMI, WITH
HALF OF THOSE BEING BETWEEN 30 AND 50% AMI. THE POLICY ADDITIONALLY RECOMMENDS A MINIMUM NUMBER OF TOTAL AFFORDABLE UNITS, 160, TO ACCOUNT FOR SCENARIOS WHERE VERY FEW -- OR EVEN NO -- MARKET RATE HOUSING UNITS ARE BUILT ON THE SITE. THE POLICY ALSO NOTES THAT PUBLIC INCENTIVES OR PARTNERSHIPS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOAL. THE SECOND POLICY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR DIFFERENT HOUSING UNIT TYPES.
THE TWO AFFORDABLE RETAIL POLICIES HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALLER SCALE RETAIL SPACES THAT WOULD PROVIDE SHOPPING AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW INCOME AND BIPOC RESIDENTS. A STRONG DESIRE EXPRESSED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THE PLAN IS FOR THE SITE TO INCORPORATE AN AFFORDABLE GROCERY OPTION. THE COMMUNITY-CENTERED SPACES POLICIES GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF DESIRABLE COMMUNITY AND CIVIC USES THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, INCLUDING ARTISTIC OR CULTURAL SPACES, AND SPECIFICALLY A
COMMUNITY-PROGRAMMABLE INDOOR SPACE, SUCH AS A HISTORY HUB. THE POLICIES ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE OPEN SPACE, AND DISCOURAGE PRIVATE OPEN SPACE. THE FIRST TRANSPORTATION AND CONNECTIVITY POLICY CALLS FOR A ROBUST INTERNAL PEDESTRIAN NETWORK WITH SAFE CROSSINGS AT INTERSECTIONS, WALKING PATHS, SIDEWALKS, AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OPEN SPACE AND AMENITIES. AS WALLTOWN PARK IS JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE MALL SITE, THE SECOND POLICY CALLS FOR PURSUING SAFE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE PARK AND REDESIGNED MALL SITE. ROADWAYS IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE SITE, ALONG GUESS ROAD, WEST CLUB BOULEVARD, AND NORTH GREGSON STREET SHOULD FACILITATE NON-AUTOMOBILE ACCESS WITH THINGS LIKE WIDER SIDEWALKS AND BICYCLE LANES. LASTLY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES IN GENERAL CALL FOR GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES THAT INCLUDE SOLAR PANELS, EV CHARGING STATIONS, ADAPTIVE RE-USE OF BUILDINGS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STORMWATER CONTROL, AND GREEN
BUILDING STANDARDS. EXISTING TREE CANOPY COVERAGE ON THE SITE IS VERY LOW AND APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE ROUGHLY 60 ACRE SITE IS IMPERVIOUS SURFACE. THE POLICIES CALL FOR INCREASING TREE CANOPY COVERAGE, USING NATIVE TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES, AND REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE ON THE SITE. A SEARS AUTOMOTIVE CENTER OPERATED FOR MANY YEARS AND MAY HAVE RELEASED CONTAMINATION INTO THE GROUND, WHICH SHOULD BE REMEDIATED ALONG WITH ANY OTHER CONTAMINATION ON THE SITE.
THE SECOND MAIN CHAPTER OF THE PLAN FOCUSES ON LAND USE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BROADER WALLTOWN COMMUNITY. THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN TAKE THE FORM OF ACTIONS, WHICH ARE A MENU OF SPECIFIC STEPS THAT COULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OUTSIDE OF THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS. THE PLAN HAS RECOMMENDATIONS ON PAPER STREETS, PUBLIC LAND, PRIVATE ALLEYS, PLACE TYPE MAP AND ZONING, TRANSPORTATION, AND HISTORIC RESOURCES. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS CHAPTER
RELATED TO PUBLIC STREETS AND PUBLIC LAND ALONG SPRUNT AVENUE. PAPER STREETS ARE STRIPS OF LAND THAT WERE DESIGNATED ON OFFICIAL MAPS TO BECOME STREETS, BUT WHICH WERE NOT ACTUALLY BUILT OUT AS STREETS. KNOWN AS PAPER STREETS BECAUSE THEY ONLY EXIST ON PAPER, THESE AREAS ARE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR OWNER OR PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE. THEY ARE NOT LEGALLY MAINTAINED BY THE CITY.
PAPER STREET A, AS IT'S CALLED IN THE PLAN, SHOWN HERE, HAD AROUND 500 POUNDS OF DUMPED TRASH AND DEBRIS REMOVED FROM IT SO FAR THIS YEAR. JUST TO THE NORTH OF PAPER STREET A, DENOTED WITH THE BLUE X'S, ARE THREE CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES. THESE THREE PROPERTIES, COMBINED WITH THE PAPER STREET, MAKE UP A LITTLE UNDER AN ACRE OF LAND. THIS PICTURE, TAKEN FROM SEDGEFIELD STREET, SHOWS PAPER STREET A AND PART OF ONE OF THE CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES.
THIS LAND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR SOMETHING LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GIVEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. THE STREAM RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN RECOMMENDS EXPLORING INNOVATIVE USE OF THIS LAND, INCLUDING
POTENTIALLY A POCKET PARK OR OTHER TYPE OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE. THE PLAN NOTES THE NEED FOR ONGOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THIS EFFORT. LASTLY, THE PLACE TYPE MAP CHANGES RECOMMENDED IN THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN ARE PRESENTED TODAY AS PLACE TYPE MAP AMENDMENT CASE NUMBER A2500001 AND ARE SHOWN HERE, AND ALSO AS ATTACHMENT C IN YOUR AGENDA. THE PROPERTY AT 1406 BROAD STREET, SHOWN IN RED WITH THE BLACK OUTLINE ON THE LEFT SIDE IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE AREA IN THE PLACE TYPE MAP.
THE TWO PROPERTIES AT 1402 AND 1400 CLARENDON, SHOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF BOTH IMAGES ARE CURRENTLY DESIGNATED ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL. NOTE THAT THOSE TWO PROPERTIES ON THE RIGHT ARE TWO OF THE THREE CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES NEXT TO THE SPRUNT AVENUE PAPER STREET. ALL THREE OF THESE PROPERTIES HAVE STREAMS RUNNING THROUGH THEM THAT WOULD MAKE EITHER SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT DIFFICULT.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDS CHANGING THESE PARCELS TO THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLACE TYPE, SHOWN AS GREEN IN THE RIGHT IMAGE. FINALLY, THE PROPERTIES AT 1305 AND A PORTION OF 1303 WEST CLUB BOULEVARD ARE CURRENTLY DESIGNATED ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL IN THE PLACE TYPE MAP. THESE PARCELS CONTAIN THE FORMER WALLTOWN GRADED SCHOOL. THE PLAN RECOMMENDS CHANGING THE PLACE TYPE MAP FOR THESE TWO PARCELS TO COMMUNITY INSTITUTION TO MATCH THEIR CURRENT AND HISTORIC CIVIC LAND USE.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION; STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, THE CHAR'S OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT IN THE ROOM? -- TO PRESENT? OR ARE THEY ON ZOO? IS IT THE APPLICANT? >> THIS IS A CITY-INITIATED ACTION SO THAT WAS THE -- >> SO NO APPLICANT. CALLING ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HAVE MEGAN WATTSON FIRST THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. COME UP TO THE -- STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THEN YOU YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. >> MEGAN WATTSON, I LIVE AT 1701 SPRUNT AVENUE IN DURHAM. JUST GOT TO GET THIS OPEN.
UM, MY NAME'S MEGAN, I'VE LIVED CLARENDON FOR 18 YEARS. AND I'VE WATCHED DURHAM CHANGE AND GROW WITH MOSTLY POSITIVE RESULTS. THIS IS A VERY BASIC RESPONSE TO THE PROPOSED IDEA OF A PARK AT THE SPRUNT AVENUE PAPER STREET SITE WHICH I MEAN TO INCLUDE THE WHOLE THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE AROUND THAT AS WELL.
UM, AS A TRANSPLANT FROM OUT OF STATE I'VE ENJOYED THE AMAZING LUSHNESS OF THE PIEDMONT AREA. S. DO NOT SUCCESS. WHERE I'M FROM CONSIDERS ITSELF TO BE TREE CITY YET PALES TO DURHAM.
MOST SPACES ARE MAN CURED. BY CONTRAST, DURHAM HAS AREAS SUCH AS THE 1402 SPRUNT AVENUE PAPER STREET THAT ARE WOOD IS I AND WILD LARGELY UNTOUCHED BY HUMANS. MANY PLACES LIKE THIS HAVE BE TORN DOWN AND COVERED OVR WITH WITH DEELOPMENT AS THE TRIANGLE AREA BECOMES MORE AD MORE POPULAR. MANY MANY NEIGHBORS COUNT BE LOT OF O THEM AND OUR DESIRE TO SEE THE PROPERTIES AT CLARENDON AND SPRUNT LEFT ALONE. I'M ASKING WE ALLOW SPRUBT AVENUE SITE TO CONTINUE TO EXIST AS A GREEN SPACE INSTEAD OF BEING TORN DOWN TO MAKE A PARK
OR ANY OTHER MANMADE STRUCTURE. I SPEAK FOR A COUPLE DOZEN PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON-SITE BY WHICH I MEAN WITHIN TWO BLOCKS, NOT OTHER PARTS OF WALLTOWN ALONG WITH THE OPPOSITION OF PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS PLAN THERE'S A CREEK THAT RUNS THROUGH ALL PIECES OF LAND -- ALL THREE PIECES OF LAND WHICH MEANS RIPARIAN RIGHTS. I AGREE THAT TRASH ACCUMULATES BUT IT'S COMPLEX. WHILE THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH DUMPING A LOT OF THE TRASH COMES FROM ONE PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO THE SPOT IS JUST NORTH OF THE 1400/1402.
>> THANK YOU. >> TRASH A LONG WITH WITH OTHER PROBLEMS -- IS THAT IT? I'M SORRY. I WAS TRYING TO GO AS FAST AS I COULD. >> NEXT IS AUDRY MITCHELL.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M AUDRY MITCHELL AND I'M A RESIDENT AT 904 KOR ROE NAH STREET. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANTED TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE SMALL AREA PLAN FOR WALLTOWN WAS ABOUT. I'VE GOTTEN SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IT, BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN TO ANY OF THE MEETINGS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON. I THINK UH WE TALKED ABOUT NORTHGATE BASICALLY AND WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE AT NORTHGATE AND WE DID A LOT OF O SURVEYING TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE THE TO HAVE IN THE MALL. SO I'M HEARING THINGS TONIGHT THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT OR HEARD ABOUT, SO I'M THINKING NOW MOST OF THE WALLTOWN PEOPLE I TALK TO DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THESE AREAS SO I CAN'T REALLY UH SPEAK TO THIS TO SAY HOW I FEEL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW
AND SOME OF THE THINGS AND I CAN AGREE WIH MS. WATTSON ABOUT THE PAPER STREET ON CLARENDON. I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THEM DO NOT WANT IT TO BE CHANGED ANY KIND OF WAY. MAYBE TO CUT THE BRUSH DOWN AND IT COULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF NATURE INVOLVEMENT IN IT AS WELL AS GREEN SPACE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT A PARK OR ANYTHING ELSE. I KNOW RESIDENTS IN THAT IN HOUSES OR ANYTHING IN THAT VICINITY BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW, UH, AND HOPEFULLY, WE, THE PEOPLE OF WALLTOWN, THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THIS THAT WAS SAID BY MR. CARL THAT WE CAN MEET WITH HIM AGAIN TO REALLY I BREAK DOWN EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANTED ESPECIALLY WALLTOWN SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT'S THE SCHOOL THAT WE WENT TO AND I WENT TO GROWING UP IN WALLTOWN, AND WEL WE WOULD LIKE TO
EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IT WAS THAT YOU SAID INSTITUTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO, I HAVE PEOPLE HERE AT WALLTOWN ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE INTERESTED IN TRYING TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PLANS WERE, SO IF CARL, YOU WOULD HAVE A MEETING WITH US TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE PLANS ARE EXACTLY -- >> THANK YOU MA'AM, YOU HAVE TO -- THE CITY CAN COME UP AFTER AVENUE OH EVERYONE'S DONE AND RESPOND. >> THANK UH YOU. >> NEXT IS BRANDON WILLIAMS. >> GOOD EVENING. BRANDON WILLIAMS, I'M A 12 YEAR RESIDENT OF WALLTOWN AND FOR THE LAST SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN PART OF THE CORE GROUP OF RESIDENCE DEBITS TRYING TO INFLUENCE UH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF NORTHGATE MALL. OUR VISION IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A DYNAMIC
COMMUNITY-ORIENTED SPACE MEANING THAT IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE RETAIL, COMMUNITY AND GREEN SPACE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ADDRESSING STORMWATER RUNOFF AND HEAT. I'D LIKE TO SAY WE'VE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL AND PLEASED WITH THE WORK OF THE PLANNING STAFF TO FACILITATE AND ENGAGE SMALL AREA PLANNING PROCESS. THIS PROCESS HAS ALLOWED US TO TAKE THE WORK WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND GIVE IT THAT OFFICIAL STAMP OF BEING OFFICIAL POLICY GUIDANCE FOR THE COUNCIL AS THY CONSIDER REZONING APPLICATIONS. STAFF HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE TO CHANGES ALONG THE WAY. THOUGHT TO EXPEDITE THE NORTHGATE CHAPTER WHEN WE THOUGHT A REZONING APPLICATION FROM THE DEVELOPER WAS IMUH INNOCENT AND ON THE LAND USE ASH SHOES THEY'VE DEMONSTRATED A TRUE SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP WORKING WITH THE LOVE YOUR BLACK AND PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TEAMS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO TAKE DICUSSIONS AROUND RELEVANT ISSUES AND PROPOSE FUNDABLE PROJECTS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO HIGH
LIGHT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP AND WANT TIME PROVE THE DELIVERABLE. WE THINK MORE VISIBLE ENHANCEMENT AROUND THE NORTHGATE MALL CHAPTER WOULD ALLOW FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND THE VISION FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT COULD BRING TO THE SITE. PICTURES ARE WORTH A THOUSAND WORD RS. ALSO HAVING A SECTION THAT OUTLINES IMPUTATION AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT FOR WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
SO PARTICULARLY AROUND FINANCING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE CHAP, EXPLORING TOOLS LIKE BONDS AND FINANCING AND PROVIDING CASE STUDIES ON PARTNERSHIPS THE CITY HAS DONE AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUCH AS WILLARD STREET APARTMENTS COULD BE A CONTEXT FOR HOW THIS WORK GETS DONE. THANK YOU UH. >> DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS NOT SIGNED UP THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, MA'AM, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
>> MY NAME IS MARK WETBELL, I'VE BEEN RAISED IN WALLTOWN ALL MY LIFE, 30-40 YEARS AND MY MAIN CONCERN HERE WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AS A PART TIME LIVE IN NEW YORK I KNOW AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS YOU COULD MAKE $180,000 THAT COULD BE THE MINIMUM SO WE NEED TO GET AN UNDERSTAND O OF THE AREA MEDIUM INCOME IS GOING TO BE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> THANK YOU.
THAT IS YOU WILL ALL SET BY SHOU BY HUD, SO YOU ALL KNOW. ANYONE ELE? ALL RIGHT ON THE ZOOM WE HAVE AMY CLASSER. >> HELLO.
AYELIED HERE FOR 20 YEARS. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> I LIVE AT 1322 CLARENDON STREET RIGHT NEXT TO THE PAPER
STREET A AND I WANTED TO SPEAK AGAINST DOING ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE. RIGHT NOW IT'S A DENSE THICKET OF VINES AND TREES THAT EFFECTIVELY KEEP OUT THE TRASH. I KNOW THEY CLEANED UP A LOT OF TRASH. I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE EVER COLLECTED TRASH FROM THERE BUT WE IN NEIGHBORHOOD SUBMITTED P PETITION WITH 20 NAMES AND WE WANT THIS SPACE TO BE LEFT ALONE TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THAT SPACE.
THERE ARE SIX PARKS WITHIN A MILE OF MY HOUSE AND THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT -- I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE PARK BUT THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT I WAS ANGRY THAT THE PARK WAS COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY SO [INDISCERNIBLE] TOXIC AND THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND A WHOLE BUNCH OF MONEY TO DEVELOP A NEW SPACE AND DESTROY THE HABITAT FOR SO MUCH WILDLIFE THAT LIVE THERE IS. THERE ARE BIRDS OWLS AND DOZENS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATURES. THEY MOWED A SMALL STRIP AND IT
THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE SPACE RIGHT NOW AND I WANT IT TO BE LEFT AS IT IS; IT'S AN AMAZING SPACE AND HOPE WE'LL NOT SPEND MONEY THAT'S UNES NECESSARY WHEN WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON WITH PARKS THAT ARE INACCESSIBLE RIGHT NOW THAT REALLY NEED THE FUNDING TO REMEDIATE THOSE THINGS IN OTHER PARKS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE ADRIENE SMZ COVASIC.
>> HI. I OWN AND LIVE IN A HOME LOCATED TWO DOWN FROM PAER STREET A THAT WAS IN QUESTION EARLIER IN THE MEETING. AND THE PARCEL 2-4 THAT ARE PUBLIC LOTS, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THIS OUR ENTIRE AREA HAS NOT BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BECAUSE THERE IS NO DESIGNATED OWNER. THE AREA UNFORTUNATELY HAS BECOME A DUMPING GROUND FOR TRASH AND ABANDONED VEHICLES
YOEFSH GROWN VEGETATION. I SENT A SEPARATE E-MAIL WITH IMAGES TO YOU ALL. IF P THIS LAND WERE TO BE DESIGNATED AS RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONSIDER BETTER USE FOR THIS LAND AND DETER FURTHER ILLEGAL DUMPING. THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS PROPOSED PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE CITY OF DURHAM LOVE YOUR BLOCK MINIGRANT PROGRAM.
I SUBMITTED ABAPPLICATION TO ALLOW UP TO A $5,000 GRANT IN ORDER TO CLEAN CAN UP TU THE AREA THAT BORDERS CLARENDON. REET SITE AS AZALEA GARDEN, E ERADICATING OVERGROWTH. NO ONE IS TRYING TO TEAR DOWN. CURRENTLY THE AREA IS COVERED WITH INVASIVE PLANTS THAT CHOKE OUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIVE PLANT SPECIES TO THRIVE.
THIS PREVENT THE CHANCE FOR DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM. IN FACT OVERGROWN INVASIVE SPECIES BROUGHT MOW SKI TOES. OUR HOPE TO S TO TRANSFORM THIS SITE TO BEAUTIFIED AREA WHICH SHOWS THE PRIDE WE HAVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IF THIS AREA REMAINS OVERGROWN THE AREA WILL CONTINUE TO ATTRACT TRASH.
THIS SENDS MESSAGE TO OTHERS VISITING OUR STREET THAT E WE DO NOT VALUE LAND IN O OUR COMMUNITY. WE STLU AS A WAY TO KNOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROPOSE PURPOSEFUL USE TO THIS PROPERTY. I'M ACQUIRE NEIGHBORS HAVE -- >> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP. NEXT WE HAVE DANIEL HAM.
GO AHEAD. >> HELLO. GOOD EVENING. DANIEL HAM, 1212 CLARENDON AND I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF REZONING THE CITY LOTS OF BROAD AND CLARENDON AS WELL AS PAPER STREET A.
PEOPLE DESERVE GREEN SPACE AND HOPE THIS CAN PREPARE FOR FUTURE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE POLLUTION AND SUPPORT WILDLIFE AND PROVIDE BEAUTY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE DONNA -- NO LAST NAME.
>> GOOD EVENING. DONNA, I LIVE ON CLUB BOULEVARD. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION IN THE SMALL AREA PLN REGARDS TO PAPER STREET THAT THE TRANSPORTATION WORK REALLY I CLOSE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE AS IT IS
TRANSIT FRIENDLY AREA, THE COMMUTE THROUGH THE PUBLIC DAUNTING WHEN YOU'RE WORK IN THE MALL BECAUSE OF INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE STREET AND SO I WOULD LIKE THE SEE MORE FOCUS BE DONE ON THE TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD ALLOW EVEN CARS AND NON-CARS IN THIS AREA. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? WOULD THE CITY REPRESENTATIVE LIKE TO COME BACK UP AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS THE CONCERNS O OF THE COMMUNITY?
THERE WERE WORKING WITH YOU MORE. THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT TRASH CLEANUP. CONCERNS ABOUT REZONING THINGS. UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE EVERYONE
STATE THEM AGAIN? HOPEFULLY UH NOT. >> NO. DEFINITELY NOT.
>> THANK YOU. >> SO THE FIRST THING LIKE I MENTIONED IN THE PLAN, WE HAVE AN OUTLINE OF THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT HAS GONE ON OVER THE LAST YEAR NOR PROCESS. WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE INVOLVED IN THAT AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REACH OUT WITH THEM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND GET UPDATED INFORMATION AS WE'RE HEADING INTO THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION PROCESS. REGARDING THE TRASH, LIE I SAID, I'M AWARE OF -- I'VE WORKED WITH THE OFFICE F OF PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION FOR THAT 1 SPECIFIC PAPER STREET THAT THERE WAS ONE CLEANUP DAY WHERE THEY PULLED OUT ALMOST 475 POUNDS OF TRASH FROM THAT PAPER STREET AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER CLEANUP JUST A COUPLE OF OF WEEKS LATER WHERE ADDITIONAL TRASH WAS FOUND THAT HAD JUST BEEN DUMPED IN THAT PERIOD. BASED ON THAT INFORMATION W KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TRASH DUMPING THERE. THE LAST QUESTION, SORRY, WAS ABOUT...
>> SO WORKING WIH YOU ALL MORE TO REFINE THE PLAN. >> YEP. >> ANY REZONING -- THIS IS NOT A REZONE PROGRESS SESZ, RIGHT. JUST BE CLEAR THIS IS JUST TO APPROVE SMALL AREA PLAN, CORRECT?
>> THIS IS TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST IS APPROVING SMALL AREA PLAN. SECOND IS PLACE-TYPE MAP AMENDMENT WHICH I BELIEVE WAS REFERENCED ASA REZONING. IT'S NOT A REZONING IT'S A CHANGE TO THE PLACE-TYPE MAP, BUT THAT IS TO DESIGNATE SPECIFICALLY THOSE THREE PARCELS THAT HAVE STREAMS THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH THEM AS THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLACE TYPE, AND I WILL SAY THE RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLACE TYPE AS THE NAME IMPLIES ALLOWS FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF BOTH RECREATIONAL AREA BUT ALSO A PRESERVED OPEN SPACE AREA WHERE THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENT AT ALL. SO STAFF FEEL THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PAN RELATED TO THOSE AREAS SORT OF ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBILITIES AND RANGE OF OPTIONS THAT COULD HAPPEN FOR THESE OPTIES THAT CALL FOR MORE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. >> SO THERE WOULD BE MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AFTER THIS IS APPROVED? >> YES. >> OKAY.
ANYBODY? GO AHEAD. SCHOOLS? >> I BELIEVE THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE SCHOOL BEING KEZ IG NATEDED A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION AS WELL. >> MM-HMM. SO THE CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY IS PART OF ONE PROPERTY AND THE ENTIRETY OF THE OTHER PROPERTY CONTAIN THE WALLTOWN GRADED SCHOOL, HISTORICAL SCHOOL AND THE PLACE TYPE DESIGNATION FOR THAT IS ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY PLANNING FOR IT TO BE HOUSING UNITS, BASICALLY, SO BASED OFF OF A LOT F OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE'VE GOTTEN, WE WANT TO ALIGN THE PLACE-TYPE MAP DESIGNATION WITH THAT HISTORICAL AND THE CURRENT LAND USE AS A SCHOOL SO THAT COMMUNITY INSTITUTION PLACE TYPE INCLUDES INSTITUTIONAL USES LIKE SCHOOLS AND OTHER CIVIC THINGS LIKE THAT SO BASICALLY UH MAKING A CHANGE IN THE PLAN TO GO FROM PLANNING FOR UNITS FOR
RESIDENTIAL UNITS TO KEEPING IT AS A SCHOOL. >> THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. >> COMMUNITY QUESTION.
>> WELL, A FOLLOW-UP ON THAT. >> WE HAVEN'T CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING. TRYING TO MAKE SURE -- >> I'LL ASK LATER. >> -- COMMUNITY QUESTION WE HEARD ANSWEREDED.
OKAY. I AM GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW, AND NOW WE'RE OPEN FOR COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS. GO AHEAD VICE CHAIR CHAGARIS. >> CONCERNING THE SCHOOLS, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR IT?
IF I CHANGES... THE MAP DESIGNATION. >> SO THE MAP DESIGNATION SINCE IT'S NOT THE ZONING REGULATIONS, IT IN ITSELF DOESN'T INHERENTLY CHANGE ANYTHING WITH WHAT IS DEVELOPABLE. WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE SCHOOL WHO ACQUIRED THE SCHOOL SOMETIME IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT SPECIFIC
IDEAS THERE ARE WITH THE PLAN RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE I SAID THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE'VE HEARD RESIDENTS SAY THEY WANT TO SEE THAT CONTINUE AS A SCHOOL AND CIVIC USE RATHER THAN BEING TORN DOWN AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS BEING BUILT ON IT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> ANYONE ELSE?
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER KOPEK. >> THANKING YOU. YOU WAS TRYING TO ANTICIPATE THE NEXT STEPS AND HOW SMALL AREA PLAN MIGHT BE USED. HOW CITY COUNCIL MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IN REZONING APPLICATION OR OTHER PROCESSES THAT MAY COME UP AND ALSO IN PARTICULAR IN RELATION TO THE WALLTOWN PORTIONS OF THE PLAN, UM, WHAT ARE TH WAYS THAT THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED? I MEAN THERE'S TALK OF REDESIGNATION AS RECREATION OPEN SPACE; DOES THAT GET FOLDED INTO WHAT KWHUNTY WANTS INTO A
BROADER PLAN? HOW WHAT ARE THE WAYS THESE THINGS MIGHT BE ACTION TAKEN ON THESE? >> I THINK IT'S REALLY EXCITED INTO TWO AREAS THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE CHAPTERS IN THE PLAN. FIRST IS THE NORTHGATE POLICIES FOR THE FORMER SITE ARE INTENDED TO BE USED TO INFORM ZONING MAP CHANGE APPLICATION WHICH WE'VE GOTTEN INDICATION IN THE PAST THAT WAS LIKELY SOME TIME HAPPENING SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE, SO YOU KNOW, POLICY GUIDANCE SIMILAR TO THE COMP PLAN POLICY GUIDANCE TO INFORM THAT ZONING MAP CHANGE. PART WALLTOWN PORTION OF IT IT LOOK SAME LAR TO THE IMPUTATION OF THE COMP PLAN SO THESE AKS THAT CAN THEN GET FOLDED INTO WORK PROGRAMS FOR SPECIFIC THEM OR FOLDED INTO BUDGET TO REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS T THE COMP PLAN HAS HUNDREDS O OF ACTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SORT OF PIECE-BY-PIECE BEING IMPLEMENTED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF WORK PROGRAMS AND IMPUTATION THROUGH
THOSE DEPARTMENTS OR FUDING FOR THEM AND THEN THOSE ARE TAKEN. SO ONE MAIN THING WE DID AFTER THE COMP PLAN WAS ADOPTED WAS PRIORITIZE THOSE ACTIONS AND STARTED TO UNDERSTAND WHICH DWARMENT DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE BEST SUITED TO UNDERTAKE THEM AND I THINK A VERY SIMILAR PROCESS WILL BE TAKEN FOR SMALL AREA PLAN WHERE ACTIONS WILL BE FOLD INTO THE LARGER BODY F OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR THE COMP PLAN AND WE ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE OTHER SMALL AREA PLANS COMING UP FOLDED INTO IN A SIMILAR WAY AS THE COMP PLAN. >> AND SO THERE WAS DOGS PRIORITIZE WALLTOWN AND NORTHGATE FOR SMALL AREA PLAN. DOES THAT LEAD TO PRY IN OF FUNDING OVER ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE COMP PLAN?
LIKE? HOW DOES THIS GET BROUGHT INTO REALITY ALL THIS WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS? >> I TINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK IT'S GOING NEED TO BE FIGURED OUT AS THIS IS THE FIRST SMALL AREA PLAN IN A LONG TIME
THAT'S COMING UP TO DATE AND THEN AS IT AND OTHER SMALL AREA PLANS ARE COMING ALONG IN THE PROCESS, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSION ABUT UH WHAT THAT MEANS THAT A SMALL AREA PLAN HA BEEN ADOPTED NOW AND HOW UH DOES THAT PRIORITIZE OR WEIGH AGAINST EXISTING COMP PLAN POLICIES. WE SEE IN WALLTOWN SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN TERMS OF LAND USE ASH ISSUES ARE ALSO PRESENT IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IN COMP PLAN TO SME DEGREE. I DON'T HAVE A GREAT ANSWER FOR YOU BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL NEED TO BE FIGURED O OUT. >> I'D LOVE MORE INFORMATION ON WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR SMALL AREA PLAN?
HOW MUCH OF THESE WE ANTICIPATE TAKING ON AS A COMMUNITY? AND I WOULD LOVE THAT AFTER THE MEETING. I DON'T NEED THAT NOW. >> SURE.
>> THANKS. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER GREGORY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THERE WAS CLEARLY A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT REGARDING PAPER
STREETS ISSUE AND I'M CURIOUS WITH THIS BEING MORE O OF A RECLASSIFICATION OF PLACE-TYPE MAP, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT CITY'S ABILITY TO MANAGE THOSE AREAS? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ISN'T ANY MANAGEMENT GOING ON RIGHT NOW? >> THE PLACE-TYPE MAP DESIGNATION, ITS, DOES NOT INHERENTLY UH CHANGE ANY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE. I THINK THE SMALL AREA A PLAN TWHOOZ RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE ACTIONS OF THE PLAN, BOTH IN THE PUBLIC SPACES SECTION AND ALSO ON PAPER STREET SECTION OF THE PLAN AND THOSE TALK ABOUT CREATING MULTIDEPARTMENTAL WORK GROUP SO EXPLORE INNOVATIVE USE OF THE LAND OR LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR THAT LAND. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF IF AND WHEN THIS PLAN IS ADOPTED THAT BECOMES AN IMPLEMENTATION ITEM THAT'S AN ACTION THAT'S ON THE LIST SOMEWHERE AND WHEN IT COMES TIME TO START IMPLEMENTING THAT IT'S FOLLOWING THE ACTION THE PLAN CALLS FOR. STARTING TO PUT THE WORK TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT THAT AND SEEING WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE
FUTURE. THE PLACE-TYPE MAP DESIGNATION DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OR CLASSIFICATION OF IT BUT THAT COULD BE AN IMPUTATION ITEM O THE ACTION O OF THE PLAN IN THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
NONE? ARE WE READY TO MOVE THIS FORWARD? ALL RIGHT. MAY I HAVE THE MOTION?
COMMISSIONER KOPEK, IT'S PROBABLY ON YOU BECAUSE CUT RIGHT' CUTRIGHT'S NOT HERE. >> A 2500001 WALLTOWN. >> SO IT'S ACTUALLY TWO ITEMS. THE L SMALL AREA PLAN ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE A CASE NUMBER, YOU CAN REFERENCE AS THE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN AND THEN THE SECOND -- YOU WOULD NEED A SECOND MOTION FOR THE PLACE-TYPE MAP A AMENDMENT.
SCOTT WHITEMAN FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. >> THANK YOU. AS RELATED TO 1.
A2500001 WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN. DATION. >> I WAS DOING THE FIRST ONE. >> I'M SO -- >> YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> SORRY. BUT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CASE NUMBER? SO THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE CASE NUMBER T SECOND ONE THAT HAS CASE NUMBER. OKAY.
>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER KOPEK AND SECOND BID COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS TO MOVE WALLTOWN SMALL AREA PLAN FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION. MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL VOTE? [ROLL CALL VOTE].
>> MOTION PASSES 11-0. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SECOND MOTION.
>> CHAIR, AS RELATES TO PLACE-TYPE MAP AMEND A 2500001, I MOVE WE SEND THIS CASE FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION. >> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER KOPEK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS TO MOVE A 2500001 PLACE-TYPE MAP AMEND FORWARD TO THE CITY COULD BE SILL WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION. MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE? [ROLL CALL VOTE].
>> MOTION PASSES 12-0. >> MOVING ON TO ZOING MAP CHANGES. THE FIRST CASE WE HAVE IS 1. Z2400031 4218 SOUTH ALSTON.
MAY WE HAVE THE STAFF REPORT, PLEASE? >> GOOD EVENING CHAIR CAMERON, VICE CHAIR CHAGARIS, AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS PEYTON BURGESS, AND I AM HERE TO PRESENT Z2400031 - 4218 SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. 83 ACRES LOCATED AT 4218 SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE TO REZONE FROM
408 TO ALLOW UP TO 200 APARTMENT UNITS. THE EXISTING ZONING IS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL URBAN-5(2) AND PARTLY OFFICE AND INSTITUTIONAL. THE AERIAL MAP SHOWS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE PROJECT. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED GENERAL INDUSTRIAL ON THE PLACE TYPE MAP. THE PROPOSED ZONING WAS DETERMINED INCONSISTENT WITH THE DESIGNATED PLACE TYPE, AND STAFF RECCOMENDS A NEW PLACE TYPE OF APARTMENT AND TOWNHOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE APPLICANT HAS INCLUDED GRAPHIC AND TEXT COMMITMENTS, INCLUDING: USES LIMITED TO MULTI-FAMILY APARTMENTS, MAXIMUM 200 UNITS, 40% OF UNITS WILL BE INCOME RESTRICTED AT 60% AMI FOR 20 YEARS, MAXIMUM 80% IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, MINIMUM OF 60% NATIVE TREES, MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT OF 80 FEET, EXCLUSIVE SOUTHBOUND RIGHT TURN LANE ON SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE AT BOTH SITE DRIVEWAYS,
EXCLUSIVE NORTHBOUND LEFT TURN LANE ON SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE AT BOTH SITE DRIVEWAYS, 10-FOOT WIDE CONCRETE SHARED PATH FOR THE FRONTAGE OF SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. THE GRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN ILLUSTRATES TWO SITE ACCESS POINTS ALONG SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE AND SHOWS THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER IN ADDITION TO THE APPROXIMATE LOCATIONS OF THE TREE PRESERVATION AREAS. THE APPLICANT HELD NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS ON SEPTEMBER 5TH AND MARCH 31ST. FOUR PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FIRST, AND TWO THE SECOND.
NO COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ON THE DURHAM REZONING EXPLORER IN RELATION TO THIS CASE. THE PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH 14 OF 20 APPLICABLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICIES, BUT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE PLACE TYPE MAP DESIGNATION OF GENERAL INDUSTRIAL. IF THE ZONING MAP CHANGE IS APPROVED, STAFF RECOMMENDS A NEW PLACE TYPE OF APARTMENT AND TOWNHOUSE NEIGHBORHOOD. STAFF AND THE APPLICANT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. A AT THIS TIM, THE CHAIR IS
OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. MAY WE HAVE THE APPLICANT PLEASE COME FORWARD TO PRESENT. >> GOOD WITH EVENING. DANIEL JEWELL, A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH THOMAS & HUTTON AND WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY OUR CLIENT TO ASSIST WITH THIS ZONING CHANGE REQUEST.
2510 MERIDIAN PARKWAY. JERRY MEANDERSON AND JORDAN RAYLANDER WHO IS THE CLIENT REPRESENTATIVE. WE THINK THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU IS EXTRAORDINARY IN THE AMOUNT OF ACCORDABLE HOUSING IT WILL PROVIDE. 40% OF THE UNITS WILL BE LEASED AT A RENTAL RATE THAT IS 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME ORLESS. THAT REPRESENTS UP TO 80 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIAL ADDITION TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PRIVATELY-INITIATED AFFORDABLE UNITS PROFFERED OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS. THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AS WE KNOW IS THE PLACE-TYPE MAP WHICH CURRENTLY CALLS FOR GENERAL INDUSTRIAL USE AT THIS LOCATION. WE THINK, THOUGH, THERE ARE SEVERAL COME O PELING REASONS WHY INDUSTRIAL IS REALLY NT THE BEST PLACE TYPE NOR STRETCH OF SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE PARCELS IN THIS AREA ARE SMALL.
ONE TO ONE-AND-A-HALF ACRES. OUR FIRM DESIGNS A GOOD BIT OF INDUSTRIAL SITES IN OUR BODY F OF WORK AND REALLY THE ONLY WAY THESE AND THE ADJOINING PARCELS WILL EVER BE DEVELOPED AS INDUSTRIAL IS IF THEY CAN BE ASSEMBLED INTO 5 AND 10-ACRE TRACTS AT A MINIMUM. THE FOUR PARCELS THAT ARE PART OF THIS ASSEMBLE LAJ THAT WE'RE ARE PROPOSING TO REZONE COMPRISE LESS THAN FIVE ACRES AND IT TOOK OUR CLIENT YEARS TO GET THESE PARCELS ALL UNDER CONTRACT AND PURCHASED ONE BY ONE.
ASSEMBLING LAND IS DIFFICULT. IT'S NOT EASY. SECONDLY, IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN STRAN DARD PLANNING PRACTICE FOR 100 YEARS TO ZONE LAND ADJACENT TO RAIL CORRIDORS FOR INDUSTRIAL. A PRACTICE THAT HAS ITS ROOTS FROM A DAY WHEN MOST LARGE DELIVERIES WERE MADE BY RAIL.
RIGHT UP TO THE PLACE OF BUSINESS. WE HAVE LOTS OF EXAMPLES OF HISTORIC EXAMPLES OF THAT IN DURHAM. THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE, THOUGH. IN FACT, WE KNOW THAT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAS BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH CX RAILWAY WHICH OWN THIS IS CORRIDOR FOR MANY YEARS ABOUT THE EVENT WALL ABANDONMENT OF THIS CORRIDOR ACTIVE AND BANKING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR AN EVENTUALLY FUTURE GREENWAY TRAIL OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR SO ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. THIRDLY, RELATIVE TO THAT, WE HEARD AT OUR TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS FROM NEARBY RESIDENTS THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRAFFIC
CHALLENGES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH TODAY IS FROM A CONSTANT STREAM OF 18 WHEEL TRUCKS FROM TWO FACILITIES, THE SOUTH EASTERN FREIGHT LINES AND FEDEX DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES WHICH ARE ABOUT QUARTER OS OF A SMILE SOUTH ON SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. THOSE TWO FACILITIES ONLY HAVE CONNECTIONS TO SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE WHICH MEANS THAT MANY OF THOSE TRUCKS ARE TRAVELING NORTH ON SOUTH ALSTON TO GET DOWNTOWN, TO GET TO OTHER LOCATIONS, AND TO TURN ON TO CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD TO GET OVER TO NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 55. SOUTH ALSTON IS NOT BUILT TO HANDLE LARGE TRUCKS, PARTICULARLY THE AMOUNT OF TRUCK TRAFFIC THEY'RE NOW GETTING FROM THOSE TWO HUGE FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES HAVING BEEN BUILT. MANY OF THOSE TRUCKS WHO TURN ON CARPENTER FLECH TORE GET ON 55, SOME ACTUALLY GET TRUCK ON THE RAILROAD CROSSING IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THERE IT'S A STEEP STRAIGHT
DOWN AND OVER AGAIN AND TRUCKS HAVE BACKED UP ALL THE WAY TO WE DON'T THINK ADDING ADDITIONAL TRUCK TRAFFIC FROM ANY NEW INDUSTRIAL USERS ALONG THIS STRETCH IS A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. RATHER, WE THINK WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE IS SOME OF OUR LARGEST HOUSING DEMANDSES IN DURHAM ARE IN AREAS ADJACENT TO RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, AND THIS SITE IS WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK. AND PART OF THOSE NEEDS ARE FIGURING OUT HOW UH TO MEET THE EVER-GROWING DEMAND AND SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH THIS PROPOSAL DOES TO AN EXTENT RARELY SEEN BY A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT GROUP. AND SO, WITH OUR COMMITTED PROFFERS TO LIMIT THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, LIMIT THE BUILDING HEIGHT, COMMIT TO THE USE OF MOSTLY NATIVE TREES, CONTRACT 10-FOOT SHARED PATH ALONG ALSTON
AVENUE, TURN LANES AT THE PROJECT DRIVEWAYS SO AS NOT T TO CAUSE ISSUES ON ALSTON AVENUE AND THE SUBSTANTIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROFFER, WE HOPE YOU CAN FIND IN FAVOR OF RECOMMENDING APPROVAL O OUR REQUEST TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS CONCLUDES THE APPLICANT'S PRESENTATION. WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. >> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE GREG JENKINS. >> GOOD EVENING. I LIVE AT 1814 EISENHOWER STREET. BEEN IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AL MY LIFE AND I AGREE WITH HIM; THE TRUCK TRAFFIC ALONG ALSO STON AVENUE IS TROUBLE BUT OTHER THINGS HE SAID ABOUT THE TRUCKS GETTING STUCK ON THE RAILROAD TRACT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOUR OR FIVE IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.
I OWN PROPERTY ALONG ALSTON AVENUE AND DOWN EISENHOWER STREET. WE OPPOSE THIS 100%. THIS HOUSING DEVELOPER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD I UNDERSTAND NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY, I BELIEVE THIS PROJECT WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST AND FOREMOST PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS SIMPLY TOO LARGE FOR OUR AREA.
WILL PUT A STRAIN ON OUR NSITY OVERBURDENED INFRASFRUK DHUR LEADING TO INCREASE TRAFFIC CONCESSION, NOISE POLLUTION AND STRAIN ON PUBLIC SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY UH CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE DESTROYING NATURAL HABITATS. FURTHERMORE THE TYPE OF HOUSING IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. LOW INCOME RESIDENTS LEAD TO INCREASE CRIME AND RATES AND
OTHER NEGATIVE SOCIAL EFFECTS. IT WOULD ALSO AL STER ES THE NICK OUR AREA REPLACING EXISTING GREENERY AND OPEN SPACES WITH A MONOLITHIC HIGH DENSITY HOUSING PROJECT. DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE ON PROPERTY VALUES IN SURROUNDING YEAR. THE INFLUX OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS COULD RESULT IN DECLINE IN PROPERTY VALUES MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CURRENT RESIDENTS TO SELL THEIR HOMES AND MOVE ELSEWHERE.
IN CONCLUSION, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WHILE I RECOGNIZE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING I BELIEVE THIS PROPERTY IS SIMPLY NOT THE RIGHT FIT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOU'RE ATTENTION THIS MATTER. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE NELS THE GALLERY THAT DID NOT SIGN UP THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. ANYONE ELSE IN THE GALLERY? ON THE ZOOM, WE HAVE JONATHAN MADRIN.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND GO AHEAD. YOU'RE UNMUTED. STATE NAME AND ADDRESS. >> JONATHAN MADDRIN, 4020 SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE.
I WAS NOT INVITED PUBLICLY UH FOR SOME REASON. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY. OUR PROP IS ITY IS 100 YEAR CENTURY FARM AND WE'VE SEEN CHANGES IN THE ZONING FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE [NO AUDIO] -- FEDEX TRUCKING AN SOUTH EASTERN TRUCKING. THERE'S NO CURRENT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN STOPS IN THE AREA, AND WE WITH THE NEED FOR HOUSING, WE DO HAVE RTP HUB NOW OPENING ON HIGHWAY 54, LESS THAN THREE MILES FROM THE AREA. I DO NOT -- I AM NOT IN FAVOR O OF SEEING THIS PROJECT MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK?
JIM ECKER. IS HE UNMUTED? DOES HE NEED TO UNMUTE HIMSELF? PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO JOYCE ODEM. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. MS.
ODEM. >> CAN YOU HAR ME? >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO AGREE WITH THE FORMER TWO SPEAKERS.
WE OWN PROPERTY AT 4209 SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. THE TRAFFIC IS DIFFICULT AT BEST IN THE MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS, AND THE FEDEX AND SOUTH EASTERN TRUCKS MAKE TRAVELING ON THAT ROAD VERY DIFFICULT. I ALSO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE ROAD AND THE TRAFFIC ON THAT ROAD AND THE WATER IN DURHAM, IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHERN DURHAM, THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH APARTMENTS AND RESIDENTS FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE THAT I AM AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT. IF YOU CAN TAKE AFEDEX AND SOUTH EASTERN, THAT MIGHT MKE IT DOABLE BUT I DON'T SEE HO YOU'RE BEGIN TO TO UNDO THOSE TWO INSTITUTION THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED AND ARE
WORKING. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MR.
EGER, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF? THERE YOU GO. >> YES. HI THIS IS DR.
JIM ECKER SOUTH ALSO AVEUE, IF HAND CRAFTED DENT RI OFFICE IS NEXT DOOR AND GETTING IN AND OUT OF OUR OFFICE IS CHALLENGING AT CERTAIN TIMES A DAY WHILE THE TRAFFIC SHOWS IS BASED ON WHAT COULD BE CURRENT ZONING CAPACITY OF 38 UNITS BUT CURRENTLY 12 UNITS SO IT'S PROBABLY UH CLOSER TO 775 ADDITIONAL TRIPS GETTING CLOSER TO LISTED ROADWAY CAPACITY FOR SOUTH ALSTON. W. ALEXANDER DRIVE? IT APPEARS IT WOULD MITIGATE CHALLENGES TO OUR CAPACITY. WHILE THERE IS A BIKE LANE AND SIDEWALK PROJECT WORKING BY NEXT
YEAR, IT'S MANY YEAR ACE GAYWAY AND IT'S NOT CLEAR IT WOULD INCLUDE NEW TURN LANES SO CLEAR THE COMMON MORNING AND EVEN GRID LOCK AT THE INTERSECTION. BOTH CORRECTIONS OF CARPENTER FLETCHER GET FULL. SOUTH ALSTON BACKS UP TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH ONLY RELIEVE BID THE TRAFFIC LIGHT CLANG AT HIGHWAY 55. ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT FIRE AND AMBULANCE SERVICE.
WITHOUT CHANGE OR REROUTING TRUCKING LINES O OR SOMETHING REDUCE TRAFFIC ADDITION O OF 800 TRIPS PER DAY MAKE THIS IS PROJECT DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON THE ZOOM THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE GALLERY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK?
DOES THE APPLICANT WANT TO COME UP AND ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS WITH REMAINING MINUTES? >> WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS. MOST OF THEM ATTENDED AT LEAST ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WE HEARD SIMILAR CONCERNS. TRAFFIC ALWAYS ONE OF THE ISSUE AND AS DURHAM GROWS, THERE WILL BE MORE TRAFFIC, UM, E WE CAN'T DISGUISE THE FACT THAT THERE WON'T BE.
FORTUNATELY, THOUGH, THERE IS A BUS ROUTE ON NC-55. THERE ARE BUS STOP TOS AT NC-55 AND CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD. THE CITY IS ACTUALLY DOING A BIKE AND PED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING SIDEWALKS ON CARPENTER FLETCHER UP TO SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE. WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CONNECT OUR SIDEWALK OR I SHOULD
SAY DR. ECKER'S SIDEWALK HE BUILT UP TO THE CORNER OF CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD, BUT CURRENTLY, WE'RE BARRED FROM DOING THAT BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THE CORNER OF THAT INTERSECTION HAS ACTUALLY SPREAD GRAVEL ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT A FENCE UP AT THE END OF THE SIDEWALK THAT DR. ECKER BUILT IN FRONT OF HIS PROPERTY, BUT IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION OF HOW TO BUILD A SIDEWALK UP TO CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE AVAILABLE TO GET TO THAT BUS ROUTE ON NC-55 AND A AT THE CORNER. ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN MENTIONED WILDLIFE AND PRISTINE OPEN SPACE THAT, SORT F OF THING. THESE ARE FOUR LOTS WITH FATHER -- FOUR HOUSES ON THEM. THERE NIECE IDENTIFIED STREAMS,
IT'S MOSTLY OPEN SPACE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MOWING FOR YEARS SO WE'VE WORKED ON MANY SITES AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE'VE BROUGHT MANY TO YOU THAT HAVE HAD ISSUE AREAS THAT WE NEEDED TO BE CAREFUL WITH WITH SOME ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT. THIS IS NOT ONE WITH OF THOSE SITES, SO I WILL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT AND AGAIN OUR TEAM IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR Q&A PERIOD. SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, THE CHAIR IS CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE ARE NOW OPEN FOR COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AND QUESTION. COMMISSIONER KOPEK. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, I THINK FIRST OF ALL IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO YOU KNOW FIRST OF ALL ACKNOWLEDGE CONCERNS RESIDENTS MAY HAVE. UM, I THINK THAT OPPORTUNITIES FROM FOR AFFORDABILITY ARE
REALLY CRITICAL TO LOOK FOR AND I THINK, UM, OUR RESIDENTS WHO FALL AT 60% AMI OR LOWER NO MATTER THE LEVEL I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE PARTS OF CAUTION MAKING ASSUMPTIONS THAT FINDING PLACES FOR THESE FOLKS TO LIVE WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO ISSUES WITH CRIME OR HARM PROPERTY VALUES. SOMEBODY MAKING 60% AM-I, IS ABOUT $50,000 A YEAR FOR SINGLE PERSON, MRE IF YOU'RE A FAMILY OF TWO, OR FOUR. THOSE ARE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, TEACHERS, AND OTHERS AND ONCE THEN AGAIN THERE ARE FOLKS THAT MAKE LESS THAN THAT AND I THINK UH THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT THERE'S THIS PERCENTAGE OF HOUSING AVAILABLE AT YOU KNOW
FOR 60% AMI. TYPICALLY WE LOOK AT 30 YEARS AS STANDARD. YOU PROBABLY FIGURED THAT WAS GOING TO COME UP SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE 20-YEAR BEING THE LIMIT THERE, AND THEN I'LL HAVE A COUPLE OTHER FOLLOW-UPS. >> SURE.
SO WE'VE SEEN PROJECTS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU THAT HAVE BOTH 20 AND 30-YEAR PERIODS OF AFFORDABILITY. OUR CLIENT ON THIS ONE, THE FINANCING, THE LENDERS HE HA BEEN TAKING TO, BECAUSE HAS SUCH A STRONG QUANTITY OF 60% AMI, I THINK THINK IS PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY TO HAVE 40%, THEY'RE TELLING IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO FINANCE IT FOR 30-YEAR TEM BUT THEY'RE HAPPY TO DO IT AT A 20-YEAR PERIOD OF AFFORDABILITY. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECT CAN BE FUNDED AND BUILT BECAUSE WE WITH THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THOSE UNITS.
>> AND THEN WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS PREVIOUSLY ABOUT TREES AND OPEN SPACE. >> MM-HMM. >> AND THERE'S THE, THE EXPECTATION OF ALLOW WANTSES FOR TREES AND OPEN SPACE BEYOND THE MINIMUMS IN THE UDO AND I THINK YOU'VE SAID BEFORE THAT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE APPLICATION JUST INCLUDES THE MINIMUM BUT THE EXPECTATION IS TO GO BEYOND THAT SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT PIECE OF IT? >> SURE.
WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE A LITTLE BIT O OF SITE PLANNING ON THIS TO SEE HOW MANY UNITS WE CAN GET. UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS ARE, OBVIOUSLY NON-EXISTENCE IN DURHAM. WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION JUST THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A WAY TO COMMIT TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 20% TREE COVERAGE AND ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE AND RIGHT NOW WE DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT AND GET THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO ON THIS PROJECT. APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. DURHAM ALREADY HAS A PRETTY ROBUST REQUIREMENT FOR BOTH OPEN
SPACE AND TREE COVERAGE REQUIREMENT. I KNOW IT'S A GOAL IN THE COMP PLAN TO, YOU KNOW, WE GET A POINT IF WE EXCEED THAT BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW CASES WE'VE BROUGHT FORWARD WHERE, UM, DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING FOR US TO DO THAT; BUT I UH APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. >> THANK YOU. >> MM-HMM.
>> ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER WOUK. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. UM, SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, UM, I SEE YOU'RE COMMITTING TO 60% OF NATIVES AND THIS IS ONLY A ALMOST FIVE-ACRE LOT. WHY IS THAT NUMBER SO LOW? >> IT'S MORE THAN ZERO. [LAUGHTER] >> MORE THAN ZERO BUT NOT 100. >> WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE. THE BUFFER REQUIREMENTS IN DURHAM REQUIRE A MIX OF LARGE TREES AND MEDIUM-SIZED TREES, MANY OF WHICH PREFERABLE THEY WOULD BE EVERGREEN TREES.
THERE ARE NOT MANY NATIVE EVERGREEN TREES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN COMMERCIAL NURSERY PRODUCTION. YOU'VE HEARD MY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BEFORE. UH, BUT KNOWING THAT'S AN ISSUE, UM, JEREMY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIT MORNING AND LOOKING AT THE -- IT THIS MORNING AND LOOKING AT THE PLANT SIZES, I THINK WE CAN RAISE OUR COMMITTED ELEMENT TO 80% O OF THE REQUIRED TREES WOULD BE NATIVE TREES. ALSO I'D LIKE T LET YOU KNOW, I'M HAVING COFFEE IN TWO WEEKS WITH A NATIVE PLANT MATERIAL GROWER TO SEE WHAT IT WILL TAKE FOR HIM AND INDUSTRY TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION SO WE CAN HAVE MRE NATIVE PLANTS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE PROJECTS. >> THAT'S AWESOME. OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WITH SCHOOLS, SO I SEE WE'RE ADDING STUDENTS AND ONE SCHOOL'S OVERCAPACITY AND ONE IS VERY NEAR XAS UH CAPACITY.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANY MITIGATION? >> I THINK IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT ON OUR PART BECAUSE WE HASN'T THOUGHT ABOUT SCHOOL NUMBERS -- BY THE WAY, PEERSON TOWN IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN DURHAM. I'M NOT SURPRISED IT'S AT CAPACITY OR OVERCAPACITY WHERE MANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE AND I'M SURE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE ADJUST MS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE STANDARD, UM, PROFFER TOWARD DUHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF $500 PER SCHOOL CHILD GENERATED BY A NEW DEVELOPMENT. IN THIS CASE, THE STAFF REPORT HAS 28 CHILDREN TIMES 500, THAT WOULD $14,000, SO WE'LL JUST -- WE WILL MAKE A COMMITTED ELEMENT TO MAKE A ONE-TIME PAYMENT TO DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF $15,000. I THINK THE NORMAL LANGUAGE IS PRIOR TO A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, BUT WE'LL WORK WITH
PEYTON AND GET THAT EXACT STANDARD LANGUAGE IN CASE AND WE'LL PRESENT THAT TO CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE GET THERE. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO CONFIRM, WE CAN WORK ON THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE BUT THAT WAS A PROFFER FOR UP TO 80% OR MINIMUM OF 80% NATIVE TREES AN THEN ALSO $15,000 TO DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >> YES.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
MR. GREGORY. >> SO BE BRIEF FOR THE APPLICANT OPINION CERTAINLY IMPRESS BID THE 40% AMI. DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE ANY NOTION AS TO WHETHER THOSE UNITS ARE GOING TO BE MIXED WITH THE MARKET RATE UNITS OR JUST LOOKING AT THE RENDERING OF THE PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT REALLY LAID OUT.
ANY DISCERNIBLE WAY, JUST CURIOUS TO HEAR. >> THEY WILL BE. IF WE FAIL TO WORK OUT THAT
DETAIL IN OUR COMMITMENT, WE'LL WORK WITH PEYTON TO DO THAT, BUT THE AFFORDABLE UNITS T 60% AMI UNITS WILL BE MIXED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS, AND INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM MARKET RATE UNITS. THANKS FOR ASKING THAT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER KOPEK.
W. ALEXANDER, I THINK, BUT I'M NOT SURE OF THE LAYOUT AND HOW THAT WOULD WORK BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT QUESTION GOT ADDRESSED. >> I THINK I UNDERSTOOD WHAT MR. EKER SAID CLEARLY BECAUSE OUR LAST NEIGHBORHOOD T MEETING WE SPENT QUITE A WHILE LOOKING AT MAPS IN DURHAM.
SO BOTH THE FEDEX AND SOUTHERN FREIGHT FACILITIES ARE RIGHT DOWN NEXT TO INTERSTATE 40. W. ALEXANDER. W.
ALEXANDER. THE PROPERTY ACTUALLY CONNECTS THERE AND THERE COULD BE ANOTHER DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD GO OVER TO FEDEX. W. ALEXANDER IN ADDITION TO THE ONE ON SOUTH ALSTON; I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE QUESTION. WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THERE THAT BUT LOOKING AT MAPS, IT'S PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. >> AND I CAME UP TO THE SITE ON SOUTH ALSTON, BUT DIDN'T CIRCLE BACK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE SO I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT'S POSSIBLE BUT ARE THERE OTHER OUTLETS NOR
PROPERTY TO OTHER ROADWAYS OR IS SOUTH ALSTON THE ONLY ONE POSSIBLE? >> THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY? >> YEAH. >> THE ONLY FRONTAGE WE HAVE IS ON SOUTH ALSTON.
WE BACK UP TO THE RAILROAD CORRIDORS, I MENTIONED, AND THERE ARE TWO INTERVENING PARCELS UP TO CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD. WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO GET UP TO OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS UP THERE FOR INTERESTED IN GIVING US ANY KIND OF EASEMENT OR ACCESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. GOOD QUESTION, THOUGH. >> AND I'M SOR UH RI, DAN, COULD YOU ADDRESS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON THIS SITE?
>> PARDON? >> DID YOU ADDRESS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON SOUTH ALSTON -- IS THERE -- >> PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS AT NC-55 AND THERE ARE BUS STOPS RIGHT AT CARPENTER FLETCHER ROAD -- I KNOW I DEPRIVE THERE EVERY MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET FOLKS OVER THERE. >> YOU'LL PUT SIDEWALKS IN
FRONT? >> YES. IF THERE WAS A LEGAL WAY TO BUILD A SIDEWALK A ACROSS THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AT THE CORNER OF CARPENTER FLETCHER AND SOUTH ALSTON WHICH RIGHT NOW IS GRAVEL PAVING RIHT UNTO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AN A FENCE BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK THAT CKER BUILT, WE'D BE HAPPY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT LAST FIT OF SIDEWALK HAPPEN. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
READY TO MOVE THIS CASE FORWARD? SORRY, VICE CHAIR. >> I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A CONCERN OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECHO COMMISSIONER KOPEK'S COMMENTS THAT 60% AMI IS FOR TEACHERS AND POLICEMAN AND FIREFIGHTERS AND THEY'RE VERY ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND I DON'T KNOW
THEY WOULD REALLY HAVE A DETRIMENTAL AFFECT O THE SAFETY OF YOUR COMMUNITY OR ON PROPERTY VALUES. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE A FAMILY OF FOUR WOULD BE ABOUT $63,000. ARE WE READY TO MOVE THIS CASE FORWARD? >> ALL RIGHT. CHAIR AS RELATES TO CASE Z2400031, 42189 SOUTH ALSTON AVENUE I MOVE THIS WE MOVE THIS CASE FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
>> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER KOPEK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS TO MOVE CASE Z 2400031, 4218 SOUTH ALSTON FORWARD WITH FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY UH COUNCIL. MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? [ROLL CALL VOTE].
>> MOTION PASSES 12-0. >> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE 2. Z2400041 - 303 US 70 WAREHOUSE.
MAY WE HAVE THE STAFF REPORT, PLEASE? >> GOOD EVENING CHAIR CAMERON, VICE CHAIR CHAGARIS, AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS PEYTON BURGESS, AND I AM HERE TO PRESENT Z2400041 303 US 70 WAREHOUSE. THE REQUEST IS FOR A GENERAL REZONING OF A CURRENTLY SPLIT ZONED PARCEL FROM RESIDENTIAL SUBURBAN-8 AND INDUSTRIAL LIGHT TO ALL INDUSTRIAL LIGHT LOCATED AT 303 US 70 SERVICE ROAD.
BECAUSE THIS IS A GENERAL REZONING, THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND IF APPROVED THE WHOLE SITE WILL HAVE THE ENTITLEMENTS OF THE INDUSTRIAL LIGHT DISTRICT. >> SORRY. CAN YOU AL MOVE OUT TO HAVE YOUR CONVERSATION?
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. >> I DO HAVE IT IN MIND. >> THE MAJORITY OF THE EXISTING ZONING IS CURRENTLY INDUSTRIAL LIGHT.
A SMALL PORTION IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE PARCEL IS CURRENTLY RESIDENTIAL SUBURBAN-8. THE PROPOSAL WOULD CHANGE THIS PORTION TO INDUSTRIAL LIGHT LIKE THE REST OF THE PARCEL. THE AERIAL MAP SHOWS THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE PROJECT. THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED GENERAL INDUSTRIAL ON THE PLACE TYPE MAP.
THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL LIGHT ZONING WAS DETERMINED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE DESIGNATED PLACE TYPE. TWO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WERE HELD ON FEBRUARY 5TH AND MARCH 24TH. NO ONE ATTENDED THE FIRST MEETING AND THREE PEOPLE ATTENDED THE SECOND. THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMMENTS RECEIVED ON DURHAM REZONING EXPLORER IN RELATION TO THIS CASE. THE PROPOSAL IS CONSISTENT WITH 8 OF 8 APPLICABLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN POLICIES. STAFF AND THE APPLICANT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE CHAIR IS OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT? >> KATIE HAMILTON HERE ON BEHALF OF GANDER DEVELOPMENT AND LOCATED A AT 2310 SOUTH MIAMI BOULEVARD. UM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO HEAR OUR ZONING AND THE HIGHWAY 70 WAREHOUSE SITE THAT COMES BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS FOCUSED ON MATCHING THE ZONING TO PROPERTY LINES TO ALLOW FOR A CLEANER ENTITLEMENT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD AN IT IS A GENERAL ZONING WITHOUT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN. WE PREVIOUSLY LEASED THIS SITE TO GAGADOS WHILE THEY WERE
CONSTRUCTED 885 AND NEW IT IS FINISHED WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE SITE BRINGS FOR US TO DEVELOP IT WITH A BUILDING THAT CAN HOUSE A MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY COMPANY. SO TO FACILITATE FUTURE USE WE'RE PROPOSING TO REZONE THIS TO MATCH THE REST OF THE SITE AND THIS GETTING RID OF AWKWARD ACUTE ANGLE OF ZONING THAT IS CURRENTLY PROTRUDING INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE, UM, AND GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO FORWARD WITH THE SITE PLAN, UM, WITHOUT HAVING OUR BUFFERS BE BASED ON A ZONING CHANGE THAT HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SITE, UM, AND ALSO WITH ALLOWING OUR STORMWATER CONTROL MEASURES TO UTILIZE THE ENTIRE SITE AS NEEDED. UM, AND THIS ZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH FUTURE LAND USE PLACE TYPE AND IT WO'T HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
NEIGHBORING DEVELOPED PROPERTIES AND BEING AS IT IS LIMITED IN SCOPE AND CONSISTENT WITH ALL LONG RANGE WE HOPE TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE ARE AVAILABLE. >> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE GALLERY THAT WOULD LIE TO SPEAK ON THIS FROM THE COMMUNITY UH?
IS THERE ANYONE ON THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE... HEARING NONE, CHAIR IS CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING. SIONER ANY?
VICE CHAIR SHAG RISZ. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAED WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT? >> SO WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER THAT'S COMING IN, UM, AND WHERE GAGADOS HAD THIR YARD THEY'LL BE PUTTING IN A NEW BUILDING AND THEY WORK WITH BLUE
CHIP COMPANIES TO BRING IN MORE, UM, MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLY COMPANIES, UM, AND SO THEY'RE THOUGHT IS THAT IT'LL BE SOMETHING SUPPORTING RTP WITH TRADE-SKILL JOBS AND APPROXIMATELY 110 EMPLOYEES BUT UH THEY HAVE NOT TLD US WHO WILL BE OCCUPYING THE BUILDING AT THIS TIME, OUR PARTNER'S BRINGING. >> I NOTICED THAT IT DOES PART OF THE PROPERTY THAT'S CURRENTLY IL DOES BACK UP TO SOME HOUSES AND IT WAS STATEDED THAT THEY'LL BE TREE PRESERVATION AREA OR CAN THAT -- AND WHERE THE CURRENT RETENTION POND IS, CAN THAT BE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A BUFFER BETWEEN WHATEVER GOES UP AND THE HOUSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY UH THERE? >> YES. THERE WOULD BE A 50-FOOT BUFFER REQUIRED BY THE UDO, I DO BELIEVE, UM, AND SO THAT WOULD
BE OUR BUFFERING WOULD BE ADJACENT TO THE WEDGEDALE AVENUE HOUSES THAT ARE THERE. >> TANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE WE READY TO MOVE THIS CASE FORWARD.
IF SO, MAY I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? S. 70 WAREHOUSE I MOVE WE MOVE THIS CASE FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION. >> SECOND.
S. 70 WAREHOUSE FORWARD WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE? [ROLL CALL VOTE].
>> MOTION PASSES 12-0. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE NEW UDO UPDATES. >> BO DOBRZENSKI, PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON THE UDO PROECT. GO AHEAD. SO THE, UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW AND SOME OF YOU MY BE NEW, SO CATCH UP. PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH CODE STUDIO OUR TECHNICAL CONSULTANT ON THE REWRITE OF OUR UDO.
SOME GOALS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO SIMPLIFY THE ORDINANCE, MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY. USE OF MORE CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS RATHER THAN REFERENCES THROUGHOUT THE CODE. WE WANT TO GIVE MORE HOUSING
TYPES, MORE INCENTIVES TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY RIGHT, AND HAVE A MIX OF HOUSING TYPES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. CURRENTLY, UNDER EXISTING CODE THAT'S A BIT DIFFICULT. WE'RE GOING TO PROMOTE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AS YOU ALL KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THESE PLACE TYPES SINCE OCTOBER 2023, SO WE WANT TO INCREASE DENSITY AND HAVE O ORDINANCE PROVISIONS THAT WORK TOWARDS THE 15-MINUTE COMMUNITY THAT CARL TALKED ABUT THIS EVENING. MORE REQUIREMENTS AS RELATES TO OPEN SPACE AN THEN I THINK THE BIG ONE IS THE REWRITE OF THE UD O O AND REZONING OF CITY AND COUNTY IN AN EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT THE COMP PLAN BY CHANGING REGULATIONS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST KEY TO DOING THAT AMONG ALL THE OTHER ACTION ITEMS. I JUST WANTED TO TALK A FEW KEY MILESTONES. INITIAL VISIT WITH CODE STUDIO
WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2023. TALKED WITH STAFF AN OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE PROJECT. GOT KICKOFF EVENT COUPLE MONTHS LATER. APPROACH REPORT SPRING AR OF LAST YEAR.
WE CONDUCTED ENGAGEMENT AROUND WHAT WAS CALLED MODULE ONE. THIS WAS NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. THIS ENGAGEMENT IS ONGOING. TALKING TO FOLKS LITERALLY DAILY IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK ABOU ABOUT THE DRAFT AS WELL AS CURRENT ITERATION OF THE PROPOSED ZONING MAP.
HIGH LIGHTED YOU'LL SEE MODULE TWO. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH KICKING OFF ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS SECOND PORTION, THIS MONTH. BIG PART OF WHY I'M HERE. GO AHEAD. THE, UH, SCHEDULE YOU SEE AS I DESCRIBED WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, SO DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT WILL APPLY JURISDICTION WIDE. IS REQUIREMENT FOR PARKING OR OPEN SPACE, PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, FENCES, LANDSCAPING, BUFFERING, ETC. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A PRETTY TECHNICAL INTENSE SDWOUMENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS. -- DOCUMENT.
I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROCESS. HOPEFULLY WE WILL -- OUR PLAN IS TO HAVE THE FULL DRAFT IN THE FALL. OBVIOUSLY, IN THE WINTER OF THIS YEAR OR SUBSEQUENT WINTER SO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ADOPTION PROCESS YOU ALL WILL BE A PART OF THAT. I WANT TO PLUG THE ENGAGEMENT, SO WE'VE GOT A VIRTUAL MEETING THURSDAY MAY UH 22nd ONLINE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HOPE FOLKS ATTEND. WE'LL PRESENT DURING THAT AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS. THERE'LL BE AN IN-PERSON MEETING FOLLOWING THURSDAY, MAY 29th.
THEN WE'LL HAVE A VIRTUAL Q&A SESSION WITH CODE STUDIO, THE CONSULTANT. PLANNING STAFF WILL PARTICIPATE AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO THOSE FORMAL EFFORTS, WE'VE GOT SOME OFFICE HOURS WHERE PLANNING STAFF HAS BEEN SETTING UP OFFICE AT PUBLIC LIBRARY, SO WE'LL BE EXPANDING THAT TO ADDITIONAL LIE UH PRAYER LOCATIONS, AND THESE HAVE BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH UDO BECAUSE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME AND IN SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH US FOR, UM, SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF TIME RATHER THAN TWO OR THREE MINUTES AT A TIME OR JUST TRADING E-MAIL. COM THEN ALSO
E-MAILING US [INDISCERNIBLE]. I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ALL WITH SCHEDULE OF THE PROJECT. I KNOW THERE WAS A COMMITTEE THAT HAD MET PREVIOUSLY AND CONTINUE AND WE CAN MEET AND GO OVER ACTUAL CONTENT IN THAT VENUE. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT STATUS OR -- >> NO.
I THINK WE'RE GOOD. THANK YO UH. >> THANK YOU ALL. >> THE ONLY COMMITTEE WE HAD APPOINTED IS UDO COMMITTEE AND COMMISSIONER CUTRIGHT IS NOT HERE SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS THERE.
ANY NEW BUSINESS? NONE. I WANT TO PUT A BUG IN FELLOW COMMISSIONERS' EAR THAT IN SEPTEMBER WE WILL HAVE OUR ELECTIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, OFFICIALLY, AND THE SEQUENCES CHAIR FOR CHAIR CITY-COUNTY IT ROTATES. A CITY APPOINTEE, VICE CHAIR
SHAG VIS A COUNTY APPOINTEE SO WE SHE BECOMES CHAIR WE'LL NEED A CITY APPOINTEE FAR VICE CHAIR. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, COMMISSIONERS PIONTAK, HUYNH, GREGORY, CZAJKOWSKI, BE THINKING ABOUT IT. ONE OF Y'ALL ARE IT. IF YOU BECOME CHAIR -- OH LORD.
BETWEEN YOU FOUR. ALL RIGHT. AND THE EXPECTATION IS AFTER YOU'RE VICE CHAIR THAT YOU MAKE CHAIR; YOU'LL HAVE THAT PRACTICE SO JUST LETTING YOU KNOW. ANY STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS? WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YO