INTER-NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
http://www.rtpnet.org/durhminc
Minutes of Meeting of June 22, 1999
Police Department Community Services Room
Pat Bocckino |
27713 |
Fern Valley - CAUSE |
Steve Bocckino |
27713 |
Fern Valley - CAUSE |
John Dagenhart |
27701 |
Trinity Park |
Kendall Abernathy |
27701 |
Dept Hsg. & Community Devel. |
Jennifer Albright |
27707 |
Tuscaloosa-Lakewood NA |
Joel Kostyu |
27707 |
Durham Central Park Historic Preservation Comm. |
Norm Krause |
27707 |
Hope Valley |
Harry Dawley |
27701 |
Trinity Park |
John Burness |
27707 |
Duke Univ. |
Sandy Ogburn |
27707 |
Five Oaks |
Rosemarie Kitchin |
27703 |
Grove Park |
Ellen Reckhow |
27705 |
Durham County |
Pat Carstensen |
27707 |
Cross County |
Stan Hoffman |
27705 |
Garrett Farms |
Frank Hyman |
27701 |
Burch Ave. |
Fred Mowry |
27705 |
Colony Park |
Mike Shiflett |
27705 |
INC |
Al Stone |
27705 |
Duke Homestead |
Mike Shiflett called the meeting to order at 7:10.
The May minutes were approved.
Big Sweep/Green Sweep: September 18 is the date for a national cleanup of creeks and rivers. Ellen Reckhow mentioned that the County budget includes $10,000 for neighborhood cleanup projects. County staff assistance is also available for such projects.
Change to minimum housing code: Kendall Abernathy summarized the changes, which apply to all residences within city limits.
· Heating: there can be no more than a 10-degree variance between rooms.
· Minimum electric service has been raised from 60 amps to 100 amps.
· City regulations on stair railing heights were changed to conform to the state regulations.
· A "Repair Only" ordnance was adopted. Under this ordnance the city can require owners to repair sub-standard houses that require only minor repairs. Before, the owners could board the houses up and still be in compliance.
The minutes of the City Council meeting that adopted the changes are available on the Durham Web site at http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/agendas/1999agendas/6-7-1999CC.html.
Smart Growth Initiative: Steve Bocckino reported that at a large meeting in the Hayti Community, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Homebuilders' Association, the Sierra Club and other organizations ratified the smart growth principles. This fall the Peoples' Alliance wants to "put Smart Growth on the ballot" - to question the candidates about their stand on the principles.
Development Pause in the NC54/I40 Corridor: Ellen Reckhow explained that the County Commissioners decided a pause was needed when they were asked to vote approval for the 550,000 sq. ft. Fountains office project. Southwest Durham roads are already clogged, and $86,000,000 additional funds would be needed to bring them up to standard. The County Commissioners hope that by applying travel demand management (TDM), we will get time to devise other solutions. TDM, Ellen said, is "one of the lowest cost ways to buy time." Elsewhere peak trips have been reduced by 20-40% when big employers have promoted car pooling, staggered start times, etc. Ellen hopes that big employers like IBM, Duke, and the new office complex will cooperate. She is also hoping for support from the Durham City Council.
Currently the plan is to halt approval of new developments over 80,000 sq. ft. for the six months it will take to get TDM in place. In addition, a corridor study will be done over the next nine months to a year. The state has agreed to fund a TDM study for their part of the corridor, and Chapel Hill wants to extend the plan to that city.
Ellen remarked, "People are on edge . . . waiting for their leadership to take a stand and do something."
Pat Bocckino moved that INC go on record as supporting the County Commissioners' action of the development pause, and as urging the Durham City Council to adopt a similar proposal. Harry Dawley seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.
See http://www.stopthesprawl.org/corridor.htm for more information.
Duke Partnership Coalition: John Burness reassured INC that Duke's commitment to the community will not end when Sandy Ogburn leaves it to join the Triangle Transport Authority. He is conducting a search of a new director, has 35-40 candidates, and hopes to choose a replacement in about ten days. Duke has committed $10,000,000 to community affairs over the next four years.
Partners Against Crime: Mike Shiflett reminded the group that the money available for the four PAC sectors - $5000 apiece - must be spent by September 30.
Central Park: Joel Kostyu, a Durham real estate broker, told us about the effort to get the park built. It began with a community charette in July 1995. A working committee of about fifteen people has met monthly. Recently they won a development grant from the American Society of Landscape Architects - one of two parks North Carolina so chosen. Eighty people participated in a community cleanup of the park area. They "hope to be moving dirt by the end of the year," Joel said.
Rezoning: On July 19 City Council will hear an application for rezoning of three plots at James St. & Chapel Hill Road, near Foster's Market, for a drive-through pharmacy. The project would destroy two residences. A motion was made and passed unanimously that INC supports deferring the rezoning for 60 days to allow the neighborhood time to organize and decide its position. Mike Shiflett will write a letter asking for the 60-day deferral.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:23.
AAS
7/26/99