INTER-NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
Making Better Neighborhoods
http://www.rtpnet.org/durhminc
Minutes of Meeting of February 22, 2000
Police Department Community Services Room
John Dagenhart |
Trinity Park |
Johnea D. Kelley |
Duke Park |
Cheryl Sweeney |
Northgate Park |
Norm Krause |
Hope Valley |
Harry Dawley |
Trinity Park |
Pat Carstensen |
Cross County |
Mike Shiflett |
Watts Hospital/Hillandale |
Aaryn Kay |
Earth Day |
Alison Fiori |
Earth Day |
Carrie Mowry |
Colony Park |
Karen Hassall |
Northgate Park |
Allison Cain |
Northgate Park |
Fred Mowry |
Colony Park |
Terri Loch |
Watts Hospital/Hillandale |
John Compton |
Duke Park |
Jennifer Albright |
TLNA/PAC # 3 |
Mary Kiesau |
Cross County |
Al Stone |
Duke Homestead |
John Dagenhart called the meeting to order at 7:00.
The minutes of the November meeting were approved unanimously.
The treasurer reported a balance of $773 in the INC bank account.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM): County Commissioner Ellen Reckhow discussed the history, status, and goals of the drive for TDM in Durham.
· We can't build enough roads to solve all our transportation problems. Vehicle miles are growing much faster than the population is.
· When the Fountaintops Office Complex (southwest Durham along US-54) applied for rezoning, it helped push the County Commissioners toward adopting TDM. The Commissioners asked the developer to scale the project down and also to adopt TDM measures.
· The Commissioners adopted a six-month moratorium on large developments in the US-54/I-40 corridor and tried to get some TDM measures in place before the moratorium expired. In June 1999 a "stakeholders group" was formed. Its members were government officials with representatives of large employers like Duke and UNC. The NC Department of Transportation assigned a staffer, Mary Clayton, to the group. The Stakeholders Group met during the six-month moratorium, framed a plan, and developed a strategy for selling it to the City Council and the County Commissioners.
· After the County Commissioners approve the TDM plan, they will go to City Council asking for a resolution permitting the County to enforce TDM inside the city boundary. Then, if all goes smoothly, the TDM plan will go into effect on July 1, 2000.
· Ellen remarked that after the TDM plan is approved, the big test will be whether Durham provides the resources it needs. Ottawa spends 50% of its budget on transit. Atlanta plans to raise the proportion of its spending on transit to 50% next year. Today Durham spends about 2% of its budget on transit.
· In answer to a question, Ellen said she thought that if transit services improve, people will start using them more.
Board of Directors Vacancy: John Dagenhart announced that Stan Hoffman has resigned as INC president and that John has succeeded him, as provided in the by-laws. This leaves a vacancy in the position of president elect/vice president.
Earth Day: Allison Fiori and Aaryn Kay summarized events leading up to the Durham Earth Day celebration on April 22, 11am to 5pm, in the old Durham Bulls athletic park. For details see their flier at http://www.rtpnet.org/durhminc/Earth_Day_Article.doc.
City/County Merger Task Force: Harry Dawley reported that on Feb. 21 the City Council agreed on the makeup of the task force - five members of City Council and three of the County Commissioners.
James Street rezoning: Jennifer Albright reported that about 100 residents of the James Street area attended the City Council meeting on February 29 at which the developer withdrew his rezoning application. The developer will be free to come back to City Council with the same plan after six months, or with a new plan at any time.
Neighborhood Summit: Two dates are open - October 7 and October 21. It was agreed to leave the choice of a date to John Dagenhart and Mike Shiflett.
INC Newsletter: Carrie Mowry will take over production of the INC newsletter.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30
AAS
3/28/00