OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Durham City Council Meeting - February 3, 2025

City Council — Monday, February 3, 2025
BodyDurham, North Carolina
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, February 3, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:20

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Durham City Hall.

0:41

I have someone's phone.

0:42

Is this yours?

0:45

Okay.

0:46

Gotcha.

0:52

All right.

0:53

We are calling this meeting to order at 7 p.m.

0:55

It's great to see everyone in here.

0:59

Whole portion of Durham is here.

1:05

We also may have seen a group of kids that just walked out.

1:09

I'll tell you about that in just a second.

1:12

All right.

1:13

Let's get this meeting started.

1:21

Madam Clark, will you um give me one second, guys?

1:29

A little out of order here.

1:30

All right.

1:31

We are uh we are in order, and I would like us to pause for a moment of silence, please, for many reasons.

1:48

Thank you.

1:50

At this time, I am going to ask Mayor Pro Tem to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:55

Thank you, Your Honor.

1:56

Uh it is our practice to stand and salute the flag as we engage in the Pledge of Allegiance.

2:04

I'd like to lead it to the flag.

2:23

Thank you.

2:26

All right.

2:26

Madam Clark, will you please call the roll?

2:28

Thank you, Mr.

2:29

Mayor.

2:29

Mayor Williams.

2:30

I'm here.

2:32

I'm here.

2:32

Councilmember Baker.

2:33

Here.

2:33

Councilmember Caballero.

2:35

Here.

2:35

Councilmember Cook and Councilmember Freeman were awarded excused absences at the last work session.

2:41

And Councilmember Rest.

2:42

Here.

2:43

Thank you.

2:43

All right, congratulations to the awards.

2:51

All right.

2:52

Announcements by council.

2:54

Councilmember Baker, we will have you take Councilmember Cook's role tonight and go first.

3:00

Thank you, Mr.

3:01

Mayor.

3:01

Thank you all for coming out this evening.

3:03

It's good to see the chambers full.

3:06

This doesn't happen very often.

3:09

I'm sure many people in this room and watching at home have been following the headlines, so I won't repeat them.

3:16

But I think it's fair to say that we need to recognize the dire situation in our in our country, our federal government.

4:11

Sustainability standards being gutted.

4:23

And uh gun violence is as bad as ever in cities across this country, including in our city.

4:29

And since our last meeting, we've lost more residents to gun violence, including um, well, not including, but we we also had a a two-year-old who is shot in Durham today uh in the leg.

4:40

Um a two-year-old.

4:44

So think think about think about all of this.

4:48

So thinking about the state of our our federal government and our state government.

4:54

It does us no good to wallow in despair.

5:00

We need to be clear-headed, we need to be calm.

5:02

We need to be focused on the necessary work that we're able to do here at the local level uh and organize for higher levels of change in our state and in our country.

5:14

And we need to use here at the local level also every lever of power that we have available to us to make the lives of our residents better.

5:23

We have the power of the purse, the budget.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Land Use Planning███████████████████████23%
Land Use and Annexation███████████████15%
Procedural███████████11%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Youth Programs█████5%
Traffic Safety████4%
Public Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Durham City Council Meeting - February 3, 2025

The Durham City Council met on Monday, February 3, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included announcements, a consent agenda, and three public hearings: a contract for the Algal Floway Project, annexation and rezoning of 2613 Carpenter Road, a rezoning for Pickett Apartments, and annexation and rezoning of Moriah Ridge. Councilmembers Cook and Freeman were excused. The meeting adjourned at 11:55 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1: Appointments to the Durham Workers' Rights Commission (Conlan Fenerty, Italo Medelius, Elizabeth Reinstein) – approved.
  • Item 2: Appointment to the Housing Appeals Board (Teisha L. Wymore) – approved.
  • Item 3: Approval of City Council minutes from multiple meetings (Nov–Dec 2024) – approved.
  • Item 4: Audit Services Oversight Committee (ASOC) 2024 Annual Report – received.
  • Item 5: First Amendment to Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Durham County for Joint Communications Plan – authorized.
  • Item 6: FY25 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) project closeout – ordinances adopted.
  • Item 7: Amendments to Police and Fire Compensation Plans – authorized.
  • Item 9: Closing American Rescue Plan Act funding for Western Intake Partnership Projects – approved.
  • Item 14: Contract with Corporate F.A.C.T.S. for CDBG, ESG, and HOPWA reconciliation – authorized.
  • All consent items (except Item 8) were approved 5-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Algal Floway Project (Item 8): Pamela Andrews and Robin Barefoot questioned site selection and technology effectiveness in North Carolina, referencing a 2021 preservation study. Staff responded that the study would be used and a prior pilot showed promising results.
  • 2613 Carpenter Road (Item 12): Speakers Tammy Sawaya, Pam Williams, Wanda Allen, Pamela Andrews, and Katie Ross opposed the annexation, citing car-centric design, lack of transit connectivity, floodplain impacts, tree save concentrated in floodplain, and exceeding housing unit projections. The applicant committed to a 10-foot multi-use path and greenway corridor donation.
  • Pickett Apartments (Item 11): Over 80 speakers (including residents, Durham Academy representatives, and bird advocates) opposed the rezoning, raising concerns about traffic, flooding, stormwater, bird habitat (185 species observed at Sandy Creek Park), parking, visual impact, and inadequate affordable housing (10% income-restricted). The applicant offered additional commitments: bird-friendly window treatments, $300,000 toward trail connection, and securing easements.
  • Moriah Ridge (Item 13): Many speakers (including adjacent property owners, farmers, and environmental advocates) opposed the annexation, citing violation of the urban growth boundary (UGB), leapfrog development, environmental damage to New Hope Creek corridor, lack of community engagement, and creation of "donut holes" with existing residents left inside. Some speakers described feeling pressured by the developer.

Discussion Items

  • Algal Floway Project (Item 8): Council approved a contract with Gradient, PLLC for site evaluation and identification, not to exceed $1,046,376, plus a contingency of $156,956, and authorized amendments up to $1,203,332. Motions passed unanimously.
  • 2613 Carpenter Road (Item 12): Council approved the annexation and rezoning to Planned Development Residential 5.587 (98 townhouse units, 5% affordable). The developer committed to constructing the greenway trail. Motions passed 5-0.
  • Pickett Apartments (Item 11): Following extensive public comment, Councilmember Caballero proposed a continuance to allow further discussions on bird-friendly design and a potential partnership with Durham Academy for the trail connection. The public hearing was reopened and continued to the March 17, 2025 meeting. No final vote was taken.
  • Moriah Ridge (Item 13): Council debated the annexation and rezoning (up to 1,000 units, including affordable via 9% LIHTC). Councilmembers Baker, Caballero, Rist, Middleton, and Mayor Williams expressed opposition, citing the urban growth boundary, lack of planning, and community treatment. The motion to annex failed 5-0. The project was denied.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda: Approved 5-0.
  • Algal Floway Project: Contract authorized (unanimous).
  • 2613 Carpenter Road: Annexation and rezoning approved (5-0).
  • Pickett Apartments: Public hearing continued to March 17, 2025; no final decision.
  • Moriah Ridge: Annexation motion failed 5-0; project denied.
  • Announcements: Mayor Williams highlighted the Bull City Future Fund (raised $365,000, goal $1 million), the State of the City address on February 18, and a TEDx Duke appearance. Councilmembers noted solidarity with immigrant communities, refugee resettlement funding cuts, and the need for housing and safety.

Meeting Transcript

Hello, everyone, and welcome to Durham City Hall. I have someone's phone. Is this yours? Okay. Gotcha. All right. We are calling this meeting to order at 7 p.m. It's great to see everyone in here. Whole portion of Durham is here. We also may have seen a group of kids that just walked out. I'll tell you about that in just a second. All right. Let's get this meeting started. Madam Clark, will you um give me one second, guys? A little out of order here. All right. We are uh we are in order, and I would like us to pause for a moment of silence, please, for many reasons. Thank you. At this time, I am going to ask Mayor Pro Tem to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you, Your Honor. Uh it is our practice to stand and salute the flag as we engage in the Pledge of Allegiance. I'd like to lead it to the flag. Thank you. All right. Madam Clark, will you please call the roll? Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mayor Williams. I'm here. I'm here. Councilmember Baker. Here. Councilmember Caballero. Here. Councilmember Cook and Councilmember Freeman were awarded excused absences at the last work session. And Councilmember Rest. Here. Thank you. All right, congratulations to the awards. All right. Announcements by council. Councilmember Baker, we will have you take Councilmember Cook's role tonight and go first. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you all for coming out this evening. It's good to see the chambers full. This doesn't happen very often. I'm sure many people in this room and watching at home have been following the headlines, so I won't repeat them. But I think it's fair to say that we need to recognize the dire situation in our in our country, our federal government. Sustainability standards being gutted.

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