Durham City Council Meeting: February 8, 2024

The Durham City Council met on February 8, 2024 at 7:00 PM. Key actions included approving a consent agenda with amendments, hearing public comments on the Cortez Drive Townhomes zoning case, and ultimately denying the zoning map change. The meeting was briefly interrupted by a protest related to a ceasefire resolution.

Consent Calendar

• Approved consent agenda items 1–14 and item 5 (Resolution in Support of Black Teens in Crisis) with a friendly amendment to remove Roman numerals at the end of each paragraph and change the word "church" to "faith-based organization" in the seventh whereas clause. The motion passed by hand vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Cortez Drive Townhomes (Item 15):
  • Opponents:
    • Donna Stanback (lifelong Durham resident) raised environmental concerns: high impervious surface (70%), minimal tree coverage (20%), impaired streams, lack of 100-year stormwater basin, and potential blasting impacts. Requested application of new UDO standards.
    • Andrew Hefner (fleet safety expert) argued traffic safety on Angier Avenue is already critical; a single exit will cause dangerous conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
    • Paul Joffrin (Pleasant Drive resident) said the project does not conform to the comprehensive plan’s place type map, would increase market-driven displacement in a naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) neighborhood, and would add 2,100 vehicle trips per day to a congested road.
    • Lila Needham (Pleasant Drive resident) noted the only access is from Angier Avenue, a proposed stub-out to Pleasant Drive would go through her backyard, and previous concerns were not addressed.
    • Quay Weston (new father, 27713 resident) opposed the 3% affordable housing (9 units out of 282), a one-time $36,000 donation to DPS, and the project’s misalignment with the comprehensive plan. He linked the housing crisis to the Palestinian situation; the mayor ruled him out of order for comments not germane to the item.
  • Proponent:
    • Za Nine Toon (online) supported the project, stating Durham needs affordable housing and it will boost the economy.

Discussion Items

• Item 5 – Resolution in Support of Black Teens in Crisis: Councilmember Caballero requested removal of Roman numerals and changing "church" to "faith-based organization." Adopted via friendly amendment.
• Item 15 – Cortez Drive Townhomes Zoning Map Change:
  • Staff Report: Alexander Cahill (Planning) provided history: the case was deferred multiple times since September 2023; no changes from last presentation.
  • Applicant Presentation: Neil Ghosh (Morningstar Law Group) represented the applicant (CSC Group, not final builder). Proposed 282 for-sale townhomes on ~47 acres, 100% townhomes (previously mixed with single-family). 20% of units under 1,700 sq ft, 3% affordable at 80% AMI for 30 years. Price points: surface-park units mid-$200s, garage units high $300s. Committed to traffic improvements, a bus pull-out (subject to GoDurham decision), and a signal at Angier/Pleasant if warranted. Cited opening of East End Connector and planned grade-separated rail crossing (2027) as traffic mitigations.
  • Council Discussion:
    • Councilmember Freeman questioned environmental compliance, unit count (282), and a proposed road stub-out near Pleasant Drive; applicant clarified no road through private property.
    • Councilmember Cook asked about square footage minimum (1,700 sq ft for 20% of units) and price point discrepancy; applicant noted median price reports from staff were not project-specific.
    • Councilmember Caballero supported, arguing by-right development (94 single-family homes) would yield less affordable housing, fewer commitments, and no community benefits.
    • Councilmember Baker opposed, citing inconsistency with the comprehensive plan’s vision for a mixed-use, walkable neighborhood on a 47-acre site; he noted the Planning Commissioner called it “classic single-use, auto-dependent sprawl.”
    • Councilmember Freeman also opposed, citing environmental impacts and lack of mixed-use.
    • Mayor supported, citing need for middle-market housing and risk of developer building expensive homes by-right.
    • A protest from the audience disrupted the meeting; after clearing the chamber, the council resumed and rejected a continuance motion.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved with friendly amendment (hand vote, unanimous).
• Cortez Drive Townhomes Zoning Map Change (Item 15): Motion to adopt the rezoning ordinance failed (hand vote; no explicit tally, but motion did not pass). A subsequent motion to adopt the consistency statement also failed. The project is denied.
• Next Steps: The council will meet again on Thursday, February 12 (work session). The meeting adjourned at 8:58 PM.