Durham City Council Meeting - May 6, 2025

The Durham City Council convened on May 6, 2025, at 3:45 PM for its regular meeting. The meeting opened with proclamations, followed by council member announcements, a consent agenda, and two major land-use items: a zoning map change for Strauss Drive Townhouses (approved unanimously) and a consolidated annexation and zoning change for the Howard Property (approved 4-3 after extensive public comment and council debate).

Proclamations and Ceremonial Items

• Councilmember Cook read a proclamation designating May 2025 as Huntington's Disease Awareness Month. Betsy McFarland, Executive Director of HD Reach, accepted and highlighted the organization's work supporting affected families in North Carolina.
• Councilmember Wist read a proclamation declaring May 4–10, 2025, as National Drinking Water Week. Robert Pepper, Plant Operations Coordinator at the Brown Water Treatment Plant, accepted and noted that 380+ department employees ensure safe drinking water for Durham.

Council Member Announcements

• Councilmember Cook reported on a Young Elected Officials conference in Washington, D.C., and a visit to the Pauli Murray Center.
• Councilmember Baker voiced concern over EPA restructuring affecting Durham workers, and reported on the Stagville Memorial Project and Biscuits & Banjos festival.
• Councilmember Caballero noted the Strawberry Festival, Teen Girls Empowerment Conference, and mental health awareness.
• Councilmember Freeman highlighted Union Baptist Church budget outreach, Star Wars trivia, and urged community engagement on mental health and youth safety.
• Councilmember Wist gave multiple DPR updates: tennis court resurfacing request, Canine Field Day, Earth Day celebration, and Bike Month events.
• Mayor Pro Tem Middleton thanked the city for his year as president of the North Carolina League of Municipalities and stressed that gun violence remains a top priority.
• Mayor Williams recognized outgoing special assistant Derek, who will attend Harvard Law, and announced the Bull City Future Fund's first tranche of funding.

Consent Calendar

• Adopted by unanimous vote. Items included: citizens advisory committee appointments, Board of Adjustments and Environmental Affairs Board appointments, contracts for temporary staffing, job recruitment software, Parks and Recreation comprehensive plan, pavement management, street maintenance, software licenses, waterline replacement, and water/sewer rate proposals.

Discussion Items

Strauss Drive Townhouses (Zoning Map Change)

• Applicant Marie Farmer (Parker Poe) proposed rezoning six parcels (13.49 acres) from Commercial Center and Residential Suburban-20 to Residential Suburban Multifamily and Commercial Center, both with graphic development plans, to allow up to 95 townhouse units. Key commitments: 5% affordable units at 80% AMI for 30 years, reduced impervious surface to 70%, increased tree coverage to 25%, buffer to single-family neighbors, crosswalk to transit, and landscape strips. The Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval. Councilmember Cook and others supported the infill project for meeting comp plan policies. No public comments opposed. The council voted 7-0 to approve the rezoning and consistency statement.

Consolidated Annexation – Howard Property (Utility Extension, Annexation, and Zoning Change)

• Applicant Dan Jewell (Thomas & Hutton) requested annexation of 86.41 acres and rezoning from RR and RS-20 to Planned Development Residential 5.783 (up to 499 residential units, max 12,000 sq ft non-residential). The property lies within the urban growth boundary and is designated Mixed-Use Neighborhood on the place type map. The original plan called for 650 units; after community input, density was reduced by ~25% to 499 units.

Public Comments & Testimony:

• Opponents: Multiple residents spoke against, citing: (1) environmental concerns—stream sedimentation, impervious surface, loss of natural heritage area, inadequate stream buffers; (2) traffic impacts—NC 98 already over capacity, 62,400 additional AADT from approved developments; (3) infrastructure strain—EMS response times, fire station distance, lack of ladder truck; (4) school overcrowding; (5) the project not meeting 35% of comprehensive plan policies. Representatives from the Environmental Affairs Board and Sound Rivers requested stronger stormwater and tree protections.
• Supporters: Property owner Larry Howard and his family highlighted 60 years of land stewardship; they supported the project as a generational legacy. Additionally, applicant emphasized commitments made during the process, including: 25% density reduction, off-site intersection improvements (11 intersections, 3 new traffic signals), 30-foot landscape buffer along NC 98, 30-foot no-build setback, 200-foot minimum apartment setback from neighbors, construction of greenway trail, 50% maximum impervious surface, stormwater management to the 25-year storm, two playgrounds and open play field, 5% (later increased to 6%) affordable housing, and native plantings when available.

Council Discussion:

• Councilmember Cook questioned stream/stormwater management and natural heritage protection; staff clarified that stream determination occurs at site plan stage. Applicant committed to not developing the western stream corridor, preserving a 230–250 ft wildlife corridor.
• Councilmember Caballero asked about land conservancy purchase; property owner confirmed no offers received.
• Councilmember Freeman inquired about commercial location and multi-use path continuity; applicant noted right-of-way constraints.
• Councilmember Baker ultimately voted no, citing excessive auto-centric sprawl in southeast Durham, infrastructure strain, and environmental impacts.
• Councilmembers Caballero, Wist, Middleton, and Mayor Williams supported, emphasizing the project's alignment with the comprehensive plan, community concessions, and incremental progress toward mixed-use, transit-oriented development.
• By a 4-3 vote, the council approved the annexation, rezoning, and consistency statement.

Key Outcomes

1. Consent Calendar – Approved unanimously.
2. Strauss Drive Townhouses (Zoning Map Change) – Approved 7-0. Also approved consistency statement 7-0.
3. Howard Property Annexation and Rezoning – Annexation and zoning change approved 4-3 (Councilmembers Baker, Cook, Freeman voting no). Consistency statement approved unanimously.
4. Additional Commitments from Applicant (Howard Property): stormwater management to 25-year storm, two playgrounds and open play field, maximum 50% impervious surface, native plantings if available, affordable housing increased to 6% of units.