Durham City Council Meeting: State of the City and Key Actions – April 18, 2023
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Durham City Council Meeting: State of the City and Key Actions – April 18, 2023
The Durham City Council met on April 18, 2023, for a regular meeting that included the Mayor's State of the City address, approval of a consent agenda, public hearings on zoning and text amendments, and the adoption of a resolution supporting Temporary Protected Status for Guatemalans. The meeting also featured discussion on a proposed Strategic Code Assessment and Development (SCAD) document, which was postponed to a later date.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (with two items pulled): appointments to various boards and commissions (items 1–8, 10–20), interlocal agreement, virtual auction authorization, contracts for cultural roadmap, sidewalk projects, cemetery expansion, drainage assistance, stormwater improvements, and other routine items.
- Item 6 (Durham Planning Commission appointment) and Item 9 (Resolution supporting TPS for Guatemalans) were pulled for separate consideration.
Public Comments & Testimony
Annexation – 4501 Glen Road
- Mr. Chavis (opponent): Opposed the annexation, citing lack of affordable housing, insufficient community input, and concerns about water supply. Urged the council to defer the project until residents better understood the planning department's ordinance changes.
- Mr. Kenneth Fink (opponent, online): Raised traffic safety concerns, noting that the only access to the new 17-home subdivision would be through the existing Chimney Stone dead-end street, which already has narrow roads and on-street parking. Asked that a separate entrance on Glenn Road be considered.
- Mr. Furnace (opponent, online): Supported development but opposed the traffic design, citing safety risks for children and families in the neighborhood, including autistic residents. Requested reconsideration of the entry point.
- Mr. Barick (opponent, online): Expressed concerns about the homes potentially becoming rentals and added traffic congestion on narrow streets.
- Applicant (Patrick Kiernan and Matthew Minor) rebutted that connecting to Glenn Road would increase through-traffic, and they intend to sell homes to owner-occupants similar to the existing neighborhood.
Walkability Text Amendment and Other Items
- No public speakers were heard for the walkability text amendment (Item 22), pet waste receptacle text amendment (Item 23), or stormwater performance standards (Item 24).
Discussion Items
State of the City Address (Mayor Pro Tem Middleton – delivered by Mayor O'Neill in his absence)
- Mayor O'Neill highlighted accomplishments over the past year: over $10 million in federal infrastructure grants, a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods grant for housing revitalization, $20 million in ARPA funds for 34 community projects, and plans to host the World University Games in 2029.
- Reported that 82% of residents surveyed rate Durham as an excellent or good place to live, and 78% as an excellent or good place to work.
- Emphasized the need for affordable housing, workforce development, and transportation equity, including maintaining fare-free transit.
- Announced a Day of Remembrance on May 15, 2023, to honor victims of violence.
Announcements and Council Reports
- Councilmember Caballero requested excused absences for several meetings due to a family emergency (approved unanimously).
- Councilmember Freeman announced her attendance at the North Carolina League of Municipalities Women in Municipal Government meeting.
- Councilmember Williams and the mayor discussed the proposed SCAD text amendment. After community contention and staff requesting additional time, the council voted unanimously to refer the item back to staff for further work, postponing it until after the summer break.
Resolution Supporting TPS for Guatemalans (Item 9)
- Councilmember Caballero introduced the resolution, noting it was part of a national campaign. Community members read the resolution in Spanish and English. Councilmember Williams spoke in support, tying the issue to racial equity. The resolution was adopted unanimously.
Annexation 4501 Glen Road (Item 21)
- Staff presented the petition to annex an 8-acre parcel for a 17-lot single-family subdivision. The applicant committed to matching the existing neighborhood's style and possibly joining the HOA. Council debated traffic impacts and affordability. Councilmember Williams encouraged the applicant to consider contributing to affordable housing. Three motions were required.
Other Public Hearings
- Walkability Text Amendment (Item 22): Approved unanimously to limit block lengths and improve pedestrian connections.
- Pet Waste Receptacles Text Amendment (Item 23): Approved unanimously to require pet waste stations in new residential developments and at trailheads to reduce bacterial pollution.
- Stormwater Performance Standards (Item 24): Approved unanimously to comply with the state's Neuse Nutrient Strategy.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (Items 1–20, with Items 6 and 9 pulled).
- TPS Resolution for Guatemalans: Adopted unanimously after public reading.
- SCAD Text Amendment: Motion to refer back to staff passed unanimously.
- Annexation 4501 Glen Road: Three motions passed 5–1 (Councilmember Holsey Hyman voted no on the annexation and zoning motions; third motion on consistency statement passed 6–0).
- Walkability Text Amendment: Two motions passed 6–0.
- Pet Waste Receptacles Text Amendment: Two motions passed 6–0.
- Stormwater Standards: Two motions passed 6–0.
- Planning Commission Appointment (Item 6): Appointment confirmed 6–0 after clarification of residency.
- Excused Absences for Councilmember Caballero: Approved unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
One minute to error. We're now streaming. Recording in progress, good evening, happy Monday. We would like to call the Durham City Council meeting to order for this Monday, April 17, 2023 at 7 PM exactly here at one-on-one City Hall Plaza, first floor in our council chambers. I'd like you to join me in a moment of silence as we center ourselves for this evening. Thank you. I'll now turn to Councilmember Didrana Freeman to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. It's our practice to stand and salute the fly. If you'll join us. Thank you. Um, Mayor Prote Middleton has requested an excused absence for today. Councilmember Caballero. Here, Councilmember Freeman. Present. Councilmember Holsey Hyman. Present. Councilmember Johnson here. And Councilmember Williams. I am here. Thank you. Well, what a time for the time. The moment has come. I've been waiting for this moment for a couple of weeks now for the state of the city address. This city that I love so well, my hometown. Uh, with you all who have joined us here in chambers, and with you all who are watching at home for me to tell you what my journey has been like and what the city of uh of Durham has been doing since I last addressed you about this time last year. And it brings me joy when I think about all that we have accomplished. We've accomplished so much over the last year. Uh, it's impossible to include it all tonight, but I will cover as much ground as possible on where the city of Durham stands on pressing issues, and where I hope to have your help to move us forward. I want to honor and recognize my council colleagues who serve with me, and also our city manager who I'll talk about again and our city attorney. Thank you all for all of the work that you do for the city of Durham. I want to start with some good news. We could talk about a lot of bad news, but this is a good news time. And it's certainly not all of it. I encourage you to stay up to date and spread the word about the many great things happening in our city. Make sure that you sign up for the biweekly newsletter called City Connect, which includes messages from our city manager, or view the Bull City Today segments on Spectrum Channel 8, or on the city's YouTube and social media pages. The city has continued to strengthen our partnership with Durham County. I gotta stop and talk about the relationship that I have with our chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners, Chair Brenda Harelton, who's here with me tonight. She has been a mentor to me in this role. She's been a partner to me on many things on a personal basis. And I look to her for guidance in a lot of things. So I want to publicly say thank you for your friendship, for your sisterhood, for all the things that you do for our county. And I also want to brag that we've been able to partner on a lot of things together, from addressing crime and enhancing public safety to our partnerships on affordable housing and economic and youth development, and be rest assured that it's her board as well. We coordinate well between the two boards, and it's an historic board that she chairs. And so we are grateful that we are sharing this historic time together. So we are working to ensure that whether you have a city or a county address, your leaders be rest assured that your leaders are coordinating our efforts and our resources to achieve greatest impact. Now, we've all heard about the bipartisan infrastructure law. And through the passing of that law, a once-in-a-generation investment in our country's infrastructure. This city, Durham City, has been awarded over 10 million dollars to support safe streets and roads for all program, our emergency watershed protection program, and hazard mitigation. But we are not stopping there.
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