Inter-Neighborhood Council, Durham, NC: Minutes 11/98

Minutes, Nov. 98

Minutes of INC Meeting on November 24, 1998.
Approved January 26, 1999.

Attendees

Opening

           Speakers

           Reports

           Business

           Announcements

Closing

Attendees

Members present: Colony Park—Fred Mowry
Cross Country—Pat Carstensen, Ed Harrison
Duke Homestead—Al Stone
Garrett Farms—Stanley Hoffman
Hope Valley—Norm Krause
Kenwood Acres—Kathy Wright Moore
Morehead Hill—Anne Guyton
Trinity Park—Harry Dawley, Frank Hyman
Tuscaloosa Lakewood —Phillip Porter
Guests: Pat Bocckino, Steve Bocckino, and Brian Eichler,
from Fern Valley neighborhood

Mike Waldroup, Patterson Place

Opening

Stanley Hoffman called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Treasurer Norm Krause reported a current balance of $1034 in the checking account and $3031 in the savings account. The minutes of the October meeting were approved without change.

Speakers

Steve Boccino, Pat Boccino, and Brian Eichler, Fern Valley neighborhood: Steve, Pat, and Brian took turns summarizing the likely consequences of the Southpoint development and the methods by which the proposal is being pushed forward

The development would violate the Triangle Township Plan of 1987, which is the small area plan for that section. It also runs against the 2020 Plan, which designates the area as suburban.

An example of how quickly the project is being pushed forward it that it is tentatively scheduled to be heard by City Council on Dec. 21.

The development will add some 32,000 trips per day on an already heavily congested I40, whose capacity is 70,000 but is already experiencing 86,000.

It will set off further commercial development in an area that today is suburban and rural. And it will draw business away from South Square, Northgate, and University Mall.

In particular, they argued, Southpoint is likely to cannibalize South Square and perhaps “make it go dark” by luring away its anchor tenants.

Anne Guyton cited a recent News and Observer article saying that we already have all the retail space we need; we’re just moving it around.

Ann pointed to the example of formerly flourishing North Hills Mall, which was virtually emptied when Crabtree Valley Mall was built.

The opponents of the mall have a Web site at: http://www.stopthesprawl.org/
Mike Waldroup, Patterson Place: Mike argued that the case against Southpoint-style development would be stronger if opponents proposed alternatives.

I-40, he said, is a one-way street that happens to reverse direction once a day. The jobs are east and the houses are west.

He outlined how a 360-acre section around I-40 and the proposed mall could be developed as an ad-hoc overlay zone with a mix of restaurants, child-care, entertainment, offices, and some shopping.

Such an area would attract people and keep some of them there for the day. It might not reduce the number of cars on the road, but it would shorten the miles they travel and turn I-40 into more of a two-way street.

Reports

County Commissioners: No reports.
City Council: No reports.

Business

No business.
Announcements

There will be no INC meeting in December. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Closing

The meeting was adjourned around 9:00.

© Copyright 1999 by the Inter-Neighborhood Council of Durham, NC, USA.

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