Other Cases of Interest
These are cases that may not directly impact our area, but are worth following. They may raise familiar concerns, or they may have important implications for the whole City/County area. Others merely illustrate local politics.
Keep an eye on www.swdurham.org and we'll keep you informed.
Also see our Zoning Terms Glossary.
P04-36 Garrett Road / Centex
Request: R-20 to RM-12(D)
Location: 4130 Garrett Road (at 15-501 behind Oak Creek Shopping Center, near Toyota of Durham)
Map:
See Spatial Data Explorer map — part of this large parcel plus the smaller
parcels fronting on Garrett Road
- Staff Report recommends approval (as most Staff Reports do)
- Planning Commission heard comments, 1/11/05 (pp.10-11), and recommended deferral for the developer and residents to work together.
- Planning Commission vigorously denied with a 9-0 vote, 4/12/05 with pages and pages of negative comments. "Most of the suggestions made by the citizens to Centex were ignored, ‘watered down’ or categorically rejected." —Bob Jentsch
- On City Council's agenda for August 1 — expect fireworks!
PO4-2 Daniel Tract (Ephesus Church Rd & Pope Rd)
Request: RD, R-20 to PDR 2.0
Location: Northeast of the intersection of Ephesus Church Road and Pope Road.
VERY interesting case, with strong neighborhood opposition, a determined developer, and political maneuvering.
- Planning Commission recommended denial by 10-2 vote, 9/14/04 (see comments pp.10-11)
- Working with neighbors, applicant reduced the number of townhomes and increased minimum lot size, reducing the original request from PDR-3.81 to PDR-3.37. City Council hearing rescheduled from 11/1/04 to 1/3/05.
- At the City Council hearing 1/3/05 (page 17), the developer announced the removal of all townhomes from the plan. This change meant that second Planning Commission hearing was required before City Council could vote on it.
- Back before the Planning Commission 3/8/05 and approved 10-0 — Jackie Brown says that the developer apparently tried to build a loophole into the revised development plan, which would allow later construction of townhomes by preventing a valid Protest Petition. Plan WITHOUT the trick (and now a smaller acreage with 2.0 homes/acre) approved. See comments p.7.
- Approved 7-0 by City Council 4/18/05 (pp.20-22) Neighbors were still not entirely comfortable with it, but they did not have a Protest Petition this time. They remain concerned about the part of the tract that was withdrawn from this development plan.
- News & Observer 4/19/05: Development in Durham gets go-ahead: City Council rezones land for homes in South Durham
P03-38 NC 55 / Alexander
Request: RD (Rural), I-2 (Industrial) and NC (Neighborhood Commercial)
to Residential-Multifamily, General Commercial, and Office/Institutional [RM-8(D) and GC(D),OI-2(D); F/J-B]
Location: 40.37 acres on the southeast corner of NC 55 and TW Alexander Drive,
west of South Alston Avenue and the rail corridor.
Townhouses, offices, and shopping center, with lots of drive-throughs, right near the Sewage Treatment Plant. No one spoke in opposition, but the Planning Commissioners were horrified and unanimously recommended denial, 9/14/04 (be sure to read their comments starting on p.7 of the minutes).
City Council approved it unanimously on 11/15/04 (see p.46). Whaaaat?!
More cases...
A05-01 Page Road Townhomes
Request: Change from Industrial to Medium Density Residential
Location: Northeast side of the I-40/Page Road interchange
Approved 8-4, 2/8/05.
P04-69 Page Road Townhomes
Request: RD to PDR 7.9
Location: West side of page Road between I-40 and Comstock Road
Voted at 3/8/05 meeting. Commissioners concerned about mass grading and removal of specimen trees. Denied 7-4, 3/8/05.
P04-41 Ellis/NE Creek
Request: RD to RM-8(D), CT (D)
Location: Ellis Road at Northeast Creek Parkway.
Townhouses + Mini-storage: Planning Commission says no, that's not "mixed use" and denied it, 3/8/05. On City Council's agenda for 6/6/05 but minutes aren't posted yet (was on for 5/19 too).
PO4-35 Keystone East
Request: I-2(D) to PDR 8
Location: End of Keystone Park Drive and west of Southern Railroad
Staff Recommendation: Denial. (unusual!)
Denied 9-1, 3/8/05. On City Council's agenda for 6/6/05 but minutes aren't posted yet (was on for 5/19 too).
GM Smart (P03-50)
Request: R-20; F/J-B, MTC to O&I-2(D); F/J-B;MTC
Location: Bound by Rutgers Place to the north, Cleora Drive to the south, Farrington
Road to the east, and Crescent Drive to the west north of NC 54 and west of I-40.
Staff Recommendation: Denial. (unusual!)
Deferred from 2/8/05 to 3/8/05, when it was withdrawn.