Durham City Council Meeting - October 14, 2024: Proclamations, Hurricane Relief, and Key Zoning Decisions
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Durham City Council Meeting - October 14, 2024
The Durham City Council met on Monday, October 14, 2024, at 7:00 PM in City Hall. Mayor Leonardo Williams presided, and all council members were present. The meeting featured multiple proclamations, extensive council announcements regarding Hurricane Helene relief and climate change, a unanimous consent agenda, and several contested zoning and annexation items, including a 5-2 vote on the Parmer Edge annexation and a condition-laden approval of Duke University's Central Campus rezoning.
Proclamations
- Minority Enterprise Development Week (Med Week): Proclaimed October 14–17, 2024, celebrated minority business contributions.
- Digital Inclusion Week: Proclaimed October 7–13, 2024 (noted as October 7, 2024 in text), recognizing Durham's digital equity efforts.
- Durham Housing Authority Day: Proclaimed October 8, 2024, marking the 75th anniversary of DHA.
- National Customer Service Week: Proclaimed October 7–11, 2024, honoring city employees.
Council Announcements & Comments
- Councilmember Cook urged early voting (starting in 10 days), highlighted high holy days, and called for smarter development to mitigate climate change impacts.
- Councilmembers Baker, Caballero, Freeman, Rist, and Mayor Pro Tem Middleton shared remarks on Hurricane Helene devastation, Durham's relief contributions (including deployed fire, water, and police resources), and called for continued support.
- Councilmember Rist honored Joel Fleischmann, former Duke University leader, who died at age 90.
- Mayor Williams announced a Bloomberg Philanthropies innovation award, provided updates on intercity visits, and recognized a new communications intern.
- The City Manager and Deputy City Manager detailed deployed resources: a seven-person water management crew in Woodfin, urban search and rescue teams, fire relief crews, and police supply deliveries to Avery County.
Consent Calendar
The following items were approved unanimously (motion and second by council):
- DHA Board appointment
- Open Space and Trails Commission appointment
- Appearance Commission appointment
- Racial Equity Commission appointments
- Historic Preservation Commission appointment
- Approval of minutes
- FY2024 inventory performance audit (Aug 2024)
- Contract with ETR Services LLC for community conversations
- Budget carryover and amendments
- State and federal lobbying contracts
- African American Mayors Association grant for economic mobility
- (Items 14-15) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act contract amendments with Eckerd Youth Alternatives
- Temporary construction easement at River Forest Park 14-16. Annexations and zoning changes (see below)
Discussion Items
Item 13: Temporary Construction Easement at River Forest Park
- Approved unanimously after staff provided additional information regarding square-footage cost calculations.
Items 17 & 18: Annexations for Yates Road and Bristolwood Drive Rights-of-Way
- Staff presented two small annexations for city road maintenance and utility extensions.
- Public comment by Robert Brown (Bristolwood Drive resident) requested asphalt paving of the existing rock roadway. Applicant confirmed paving to NCDOT minimum standards west of culvert and city standards east.
- Council approved after reconsideration and correcting missing motions.
Item 19: Parmer Edge Annexation (183 acres)
- Applicant Patrick Biker (Morningstar Law Group) highlighted the site's top-five ranking in the 2020 Industrial Land Use Study, potential for a Duke Energy substation, and jobs for Durham residents. The site is already zoned IL and RR; no zoning change requested.
- Staff noted the RR portion (40 acres) raised Planning Commission concerns about future use. Councilmember Baker and Freeman voted no, citing inconsistency with the place type map and lack of plan for the RR land.
- Motion to annex passed 5-2 (Baker and Freeman opposed). Subsequent zoning and consistency statements passed 7-0.
Item 20: Sunrock Camden Rezoning (21.8 acres)
- Applicant sought unified industrial zoning for a concrete plant expansion. No development plan; future major special use permit required.
- BPAC requested bike trail improvements, but applicant noted inability to commit at this stage. Council approved unanimously.
Item 21: Duke Central Campus Rezoning (154.57 acres, 10 parcels)
- Duke University requested UC zoning (university and college with graphic development plan) for parcels contiguous to existing UC districts. No immediate development plans; aim is campus-wide planning.
- Duke presented master planning principles, sustainability framework, and a new commitment: either a 10-foot shared path on Pratt Street or a 5-foot sidewalk plus 10-foot bike facility connecting Pratt Street to Erwin Road, to be built before development certificates.
- Public comment by Mimi Kessler urged workforce housing. Duke representatives noted UC zoning does not permit general housing but expressed interest in future UDO updates.
- Council debate: Some supported (noting Duke's community partnerships and responsive additions); others opposed (citing lack of specific plan and community distrust).
- Prior to vote, Duke committed to remove golf course as a permitted use on these parcels.
- Approved with conditions; all three motions passed 7-0.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- Parmer Edge annexation approved 5-2 (Councilmembers Baker and Freeman voting no).
- Duke Central Campus rezoning approved 7-0 with added commitments for bike infrastructure and exclusion of golf course use.
- Sunrock Camden rezoning and the two right-of-way annexations approved unanimously.
- City staff provided detailed updates on Hurricane Helene response and resources deployed.
- Council directed city attorney to research possibility of separating the RR-zoned portion from the Parmer Edge annexation (report to follow).
Meeting Transcript
Two minutes to air, one minute to the live stream. Recording in progress. One minute to air, the live stream has started. It's good to see you all here. It's great to uh be in the people's house tonight. Welcome to City Hall. Calling this meeting to order at seven PM. And if you will please join me in a moment of silence. Thank you. It's our practice to stand to salute the flag and say the pledge if you join us. Good evening, Mayor Williams. I'm here. Mayor Pretempt Middleton. I'm here. Councilmember Baker. Here. Councilmember Caledo. Here. Councilmember Cook. Here. Council Member Freeman. Present. And Councilmember Rist. Here. Thank you so much. We will now move to quickly through our ceremonial items. There we go. Deputy Director. Yes. I have the honor of presenting our proclamation for um Med Week in what we say short for minority economic minority enterprise development week. Here's the proclamation. Whereas Minority Enterprise Development Week, also known as Med Week, is observed in October to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contribute and contributions of the minority business enterprise community. And whereas one of the city of Durham's primary goals is shared economic prosperity. And whereas the City of Durham encourages and actively seeks participation by minority and women-owned business enterprises for advertised projects. The City of Durham is committed to the ongoing evaluation of its policies, procedures, and practices that its businesses has conducted in a manner that ensures minority and women businesses receive equitable access to all available opportunities. And whereas minority and women businesses are key components of the city, state, and national economy, and are to be honored not only as valued resources for the provision of goods and services, but vital to our economic success. Now, therefore, I, Leonardo Williams, mayor of the great city of Durham, North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October 14th through 17th as 2024 as Minority Enterprise Development Week in Durham and recommend its observance to all citizens. Witness my hand in the corporate sale of the City of Durham, North Carolina this seventh day of October 2024. Thank you very much. Thank you all. Good evening, and thank you, Mayor Williams, Mayor Pro Tem Middleton, City Council members, and residents in chambers tonight. I am Sheila Fawcett, the deputy CFO, and I have with me this evening Dr. Timothy Jackson, our underutilized business compliance manager, as well as Sydney Anderson, our business services administrator. We work in the finance department under Tim Flora. He's a great guy. And he is our finance director as well as CFO. Since 1983, the U.S. President has proclaimed National Minority Enterprise Development Week, Medweek observance, to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of minority business enterprises and to honor those corporations and financial institutions supporting minority business development. The National Minority Development Week will take place on October 20th through the 26th of this month. The theme for Durham's 2024 Med Week is solidifying your next.
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