INC NEWS - INC-list Digest, Vol 22, Issue 1

[bragin at nc.rr.com]

as i recall, sidewalks were installed along the south side of Markham
Ave. between Washington St., and Buchanan St. a couple of years ago
without removing any of the trees along that stretch of road.

Barry Ragin

----- Original Message -----
From: Deb Christie <dchristie1 at nc.rr.com>
Date: Monday, October 2, 2006 3:13 pm
Subject: Re: INC NEWS - INC-list Digest, Vol 22, Issue 1
To: "Duke, Frank" <Frank.Duke at durhamnc.gov>, inc-list at rtpnet.org

> I have to agree that tree preservation is extremely important, and 
> also 
> serves, it appears, as a traffic calming device.
> 
> Deb Christie
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Duke, Frank" <Frank.Duke at durhamnc.gov>
> To: <inc-list at rtpnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 8:37 AM
> Subject: Re: INC NEWS - INC-list Digest, Vol 22, Issue 1
> 
> 
> >I read the message regarding Duke's pedestrian plan with some 
> interest.> I approved consideration of the jogging trail around 
> East Campus as an
> > alternative to a sidewalk. I did so because I thought 
> preservation of
> > the tree canopy on Broad Street was important -- to Durham and to 
> Old> West Durham. I visited the site before I made the 
> determination and saw
> > that along Broad Street there was less than one foot of clearance
> > between the trees and the wall (which is protected by Duke's 
> development> plan). The alternatives that I had were removal of the 
> trees to permit
> > installation of a conventional sidewalk or approval of the 
> alternative> pathway. I chose in favor of the trees. From your 
> email, I realize you
> > think I made the wrong decision and that the trees should have been
> > sacrificed.
> >
> > There is nothing in the UDO requiring that alternate pedestrian 
> systems> by all- weather. Merely that they provide a connection 
> between two
> > places that pedestrians could use. I reviewed the entire document 
> and> met with attorneys before I made the decision that I did.
> >
> > Given the options available to me, I would make the same decision 
> again> and sacrifice a conventional sidewalk (one exists on the 
> west side of
> > Broad Street and the trail on the interior of the wall provides a
> > pedestrian connection along the east side of Broad to Markham 
> Street).> The engineers who would prefer no trees in the right-of-
> way whatsoever
> > argued that I should have required elimination of the tree cover, 
> but it
> > is that tree cover that defines the character of Broad Street -- 
> that> establishes it as a special street in a special place in Durham.
> >
> > Frank Duke, AICP
> > City-County Planning Director
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org [mailto:inc-list-
> bounces at rtpnet.org]> On Behalf Of inc-list-request at rtpnet.org
> > Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 12:00 PM
> > To: inc-list at rtpnet.org
> > Subject: INC-list Digest, Vol 22, Issue 1
> >
> > Send INC-list mailing list submissions to
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> >
> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> > than "Re: Contents of INC-list digest..."
> >
> >
> > Today's Topics:
> >
> >   1. INC NEWS - Elected officials fail at oversight, basic city
> >      functions (Caleb Southern)
> >   2. INC NEWS - Two more pedestrians hit (one on LaSalle, one at
> >      Broad & Perry) (John Schelp)
> >   3. INC NEWS - Duke's pedestrian plan lacks sidewalks,
> >      connectivity (John Schelp)
> >   4. Re: INC NEWS - [durhambikeandped] Two more pedestrians hit
> >      (one on LaSalle, one at Broad & Perry) (Barry Ragin)
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 14:22:15 -0400
> > From: "Caleb Southern" <southernc at mindspring.com>
> > Subject: INC NEWS - Elected officials fail at oversight, basic city
> > functions
> > To: <inc-list at durhaminc.org>
> > Message-ID: <016f01c6e4bd$5b6845f0$2f01a8c0 at funkpad5>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> >
> > "Bell said that anyone who read the reports should have known 
> about the
> > problems and should have told the City Council. 'My issue is with
> > Patrick at
> > this point,' he said." (N&O)
> >
> > My issue is with you, Mayor Bell.
> >
> > Certainly there is plenty of blame to spread around for the dump 
> fire.> But
> > this happened under Mayor Bell's watch. And it was predictable and
> > preventable.
> >
> > In the four years I have been involved with civic issues in 
> Durham, the
> > poor
> > state of maintenance and basic city services has been a constant 
> theme.> I
> > can only imagine what other 'invisible' functions we take for 
> granted> (water
> > & sewer, stormwater, etc.) are on the verge of catastrophic 
> failure. We
> > all
> > see the sorry state of our pothole-ridden roads and other visible
> > infrastructure.
> >
> > We just passed a massive bond for what is euphemistically called
> > "deferred
> > maintenance" -- effectively using our credit card to buy groceries.
> >
> > HOW DEEP DOES THIS PROBLEM GO?
> >
> > I, for one, am not willing to give Mayor Bell and Council a pass on
> > this. We
> > elect them to provide oversight on our behalf. It is 
> unsatisfactory to
> > let
> > them get away with finger pointing AFTER THE FACT. The catastrophic
> > failure
> > of basic city services is not a surprise. Mayor Bell and our elected
> > officials must get ahead of this problem and ensure that our city
> > functions
> > properly -- rather than squandering our tax dollars on boondoggle
> > theaters
> > and grants to inept or corrupt organizations.
> >
> > Instead of ordering a report about "who knew what when and how 
> far up
> > the
> > chain it went," the Mayor should order an audit of the state of 
> all city
> > infrastructure and systems, and what we need to do now to prevent 
> the> next
> > imminent failure. That would be . . . leadership.
> >
> > Mr. Mayor, Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here."
> >
> > Caleb Southern
> >
> >
> > ***
> >
> > Officials briefed on dump's risk
> > Durham leaders got updates on the status of a waste center that 
> later> caught
> > fire
> >
> > By Michael Biesecker, Staff Writer: News & Observer
> >
> > As the city's yard waste composting facility burned, top 
> administrators> denied they were told the dump had been operating 
> for more than two
> > years
> > without a state permit.
> >
> > But internal reports show that City Manager Patrick Baker and Deputy
> > City
> > Manager Ted Voorhees got weekly updates that outlined the 
> problem. Solid
> > waste managers also warned their superiors that equipment 
> shortages and
> > a
> > contractor's poor performance could lead to a fire.
> >
> > In interviews Friday, Baker and Voorhees acknowledged they 
> received and
> > read
> > the "City Manager Executive Updates," the contents of which were
> > routinely
> > discussed at weekly meetings of senior city administrators. Both 
> said,> however, they had no knowledge of the permit lapse, the 
> severity of the
> > problems at the dump or the likelihood of fire.
> >
> > The reports cover the period from May 29, 2005, until days before 
> the> acres
> > of accumulated leaves and limbs at the dump spontaneously burst into
> > flame
> > Sept. 10. The fire took 14 days and more than $100,000 in 
> taxpayer money
> > to
> > extinguish, while smoke blanketed nearby homes and forced some 
> residents> to
> > flee to hotels.
> >
> > "Time is crucial as material is arriving without being processed, 
> thus> increasing the potential for compost fires," reads the report 
> for the
> > week
> > of July 15. That statement was bulleted under the heading 
> "Management> Issues," defined on the form as issues "the city 
> manager needs to know
> > about."
> >
> > The Yard Waste Compost Facility's permit expired in July 2004, five
> > months
> > after a large mulch fire burned for nine days. When the city 
> applied for
> > a
> > new permit, officials at the state Department of Environment and 
> Natural> Resources refused.
> >
> > As of Friday, the yard waste dump still did not have a valid 
> operating> permit. Meanwhile, state regulators are considering 
> fines of $5,000 per
> > day.
> >
> > Baker, who became acting city manager in August 2004, said he had 
> never> visited the yard waste dump until after the most recent 
> fire. By his
> > reading, the warnings in the executive updates about a potential 
> fire> were
> > referring to piles of mulch and compost, not adjacent the mounds 
> of yard
> > waste that spontaneously combusted.
> >
> > "All I can remember being told, and I can't remember exactly by 
> whom, is
> > that they had some permitting issues with the state they were 
> working> out,"
> > Baker said. "Hindsight is 20/20. But this happened on my watch, 
> and it
> > is my
> > responsibility."
> >
> > Council members blasted the city's handling of the recent fire at a
> > Sept. 18
> > public meeting and expressed outrage that they were never 
> informed that
> > the
> > facility had been operating illegally. Baker apologized, telling 
> council> members that they were not told about the problems because 
> he had never
> > been
> > informed.
> >
> > On Sept. 21, as the piles smoldered, Mayor Bill Bell instructed 
> Baker to
> > prepare a report about "who knew what when and how far up the 
> chain it
> > went."
> >
> > Interviewed moments later in the hall outside the council's 
> conference> room,
> > Voorhees said he had vague knowledge that his subordinates were 
> working> to
> > renew the permit. He was adamant, however, that he never knew or had
> > been
> > told the permit had expired.
> >
> > But the internal updates make repeated references to the 
> department's> efforts to get a new one. Under the heading "Future 
> Hot Items (Potential
> > negative press or controversial issues)," the one dated May 29, 
> 2005,> has
> > the bulleted entry: "Yard Waste Composting facility Permit from 
> DENR --
> > all
> > required documentation has been submitted for approval."
> >
> > The reports describe a facility struggling with insufficient 
> resources> to
> > handle the yard waste. Without room to spread out the materials, the
> > piles
> > grew bigger, increasing fire potential.
> >
> > The executive report for the week of Dec. 31, 2005, reads, "The 
> facility> is
> > inundated with existing compost, newly ground mulch, and newly 
> arriving> yard
> > debris -- primarily leases. ... Our only operational equipment, a 
> rubber> tire loader, is not well suited to moving large loads over 
> uneven,> non-paved
> > terrain due to its rollover potential. As mentioned in the previous
> > report,
> > we really need a tracked loader to help push and efficiently store
> > material."
> >
> > Though another city department eventually loaned the yard a tracked
> > loader,
> > the requested new equipment is still on order. It is expected to 
> arrive> in
> > 30 to 90 days.
> >
> > Context cited
> >
> > Voorhees said Friday that the internal updates should be 
> considered in
> > the
> > context of all the priorities of city government. Responsibility 
> for the
> > failures at the yard waste facility lies at the feet of its on-site
> > manager,
> > Roosevelt Carter, Voorhees said.
> >
> > "It's sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind until it catches on fire -
> - and
> > then
> > everyone knows about it," Voorhees said.
> >
> > Efforts to reach Carter on Friday were unsuccessful.
> >
> > Bell said that anyone who read the reports should have known 
> about the
> > problems and should have told the City Council. "My issue is with
> > Patrick at
> > this point," he said.
> >
> > Two other council members who reviewed the reports questioned the
> > performance of Baker and Voorhees. Thomas Stith said the documents
> > indicated
> > "negligence." Eugene Brown questioned whether the pair were worth 
> their> salaries -- a combined $271,649 per year, not including 
> benefits and
> > perks.
> >
> > "We pay the manager and his team big bucks to resolve these issues,"
> > Brown
> > said. "In this case, I don't think the taxpayers got their money's
> > worth."
> > Staff writer Michael Biesecker can be reached at 956-2421 or
> > mbieseck at newsobserver.com.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 05:56:35 -0700 (PDT)
> > From: John Schelp <bwatu at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: INC NEWS - Two more pedestrians hit (one on LaSalle, one at
> > Broad & Perry)
> > To: inc-list at DurhamINC.org
> > Message-ID: <20061001125635.26597.qmail at web34308.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> >
> > Hit-and-run driver leaves woman with critical
> > injuries: Recent Duke grad one of two to be hit in
> > under 24 hours
> > Herald-Sun, 1 October 2006
> >
> > A recent Duke University graduate was critically
> > injured when she was hit by a car late Friday on South
> > LaSalle Street near McQueen Drive, according to
> > police.
> >
> > The vehicle left the scene without stopping, police
> > said.
> >
> > According to police, the accident happened at 11:53
> > p.m. in front of the Belmont Apartments. Caitlin
> > Donnelly, 22, from Towaco, N.J., who graduated from
> > Duke in May, was waiting for a taxi cab and crossed
> > the street to check on a taxi that had just pulled up.
> > After Donnelly learned that it was not the cab she had
> > called, she turned to go back across LaSalle Street.
> >
> > As she was crossing the street, Donnelly was struck by
> > a northbound car that had its headlights off,
> > according to police. The driver made no attempt to
> > brake and did not stop after the collision, according
> > to investigators. The vehicle was described as a
> > dark-colored sedan, possibly a Honda or Nissan. The
> > vehicle had damage to the front windshield and was
> > missing the left side mirror. Witnesses could provide
> > no description of the driver.
> >
> > Donnelly was taken to Duke University Hospital for
> > treatment of severe head injuries, police said.
> >
> > Anyone with information about the accident is asked to
> > call Durham Police Investigator M.H. Goodwin at (919)
> > 560-4314 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.
> > CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information
> > leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers do not
> > have to identify themselves.
> >
> > Friday's incident was not the only time a pedestrian
> > was struck in Durham in a 24-hour period.
> >
> > Around 3 p.m. on Saturday, a pedestrian was struck in
> > the crosswalk at Broad and Perry streets, the same
> > place 28-year-old Erin Kuhns was struck, dragged and
> > partially run over by a Cadillac Escalade on Aug. 11.
> > In that incident, the vehicle's rear wheel ran over
> > Kuhns' arm and shoulder and grazed her neck, leaving a
> > scar.
> >
> > The young woman struck Saturday did not appear to be
> > seriously injured.
> >
> > City officials plan to ask the state Department of
> > Transportation for a signal at the Broad and Perry
> > street intersection.
> >
> > Donnelly remained in critical condition Saturday
> > evening.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 3
> > Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 06:51:48 -0700 (PDT)
> > From: John Schelp <bwatu at yahoo.com>
> > Subject: INC NEWS - Duke's pedestrian plan lacks sidewalks,
> > connectivity
> > To: inc-list at DurhamINC.org
> > Message-ID: <20061001135148.41337.qmail at web34310.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> >
> > folks,
> >
> > The Pedestrian Plan that Duke recently submitted to
> > Durham's Development Review Board for approval is
> > woefully inadequate. Duke's plan leaves off a
> > significant number of future sidewalks -- which gives
> > the university a pass on sidewalk requirements
> > outlined in Durham's ordinance.
> >
> > In public hearings, Duke has repeatedly affirmed the
> > importance of sidewalks and pedestrian connectivity. A
> > review of their pedestrian plan suggests that talk is
> > cheap. According to local officials, Duke seems to be
> > working behind the scenes to avoid building sidewalks
> > near their projects. Here are three examples:
> >
> > 1) Although a sidewalk is required in Duke's current
> > site plan for the new Center for Integrative Medicine,
> > the university is trying to eliminate a sidewalk along
> > Cameron Blvd., undermining an important *integrative*
> > characteristic of the new center.
> >
> > Local officials have indicated that Duke wants to
> > re-submit a site plan that will omit the sidewalk
> > (based on the new, weaker requirements in Duke's
> > proposed pedestrian plan). One negative effect of this
> > change is that it would be more dangerous for the many
> > people who walk along Cameron Blvd. to football games
> > and other events at Wallace Wade stadium.
> >
> > 2) Duke was also supposed to build a sidewalk in front
> > recently expanded and renovated Washington-Duke Hotel
> > on Cameron Blvd., a big money-maker for the non-profit
> > university.
> >
> > While the local planning ordinance states that Duke's
> > new sidewalks must have the same functionality as
> > conventional sidewalks, Duke is trying to argue that
> > the jogging trail fulfills this requirement.
> >
> > Some must wonder how a dirt trail covered with mulch
> > that goes back into the woods is the same thing as a
> > paved, all-weather, pedestrian-friendly sidewalk along
> > Cameron Blvd.
> >
> > 3) Duke is trying to argue that the gravel trail
> > around the inside of the East Campus wall serves the
> > same function as a sidewalk and that therefore, Duke
> > shouldn't have to build sidewalks around East Campus.
> >
> >
> > While the gravel trail inside the East Campus wall
> > might be suitable for joggers and dog walkers, it is
> > not the same as a sidewalk designed to facilitate
> > pedestrian traffic. Does Duke seriously expect a
> > pedestrian -- a parent pushing a baby stroller -- to
> > climb over the wall at the corner in order to walk
> > along Buchanan, Markham, Broad, or Swift?
> >
> > Finally, with regards to the Central Campus
> > redevelopment, concerned neighbors have asked Duke
> > several times to pay special attention to the northern
> > pedestrian portals at Anderson St and at Ninth Street.
> > Duke officials have assured us they will attend to
> > these matters -- assurances that are called into
> > question as Duke's recent efforts to avoid including
> > adequate, appropriate sidewalks in their site plans
> > come to light.
> >
> > Instead of trying to save money, Duke should create a
> > safer environment for students, visitors, fans and
> > neighbors. Instead of scaling back their commitments
> > to sidewalks, Duke should be working even harder to
> > build better, pedestrian-friendly bridges with Durham.
> >
> >
> > thank you so much,
> > John Schelp
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 4
> > Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 11:46:02 -0400
> > From: Barry Ragin <bragin at nc.rr.com>
> > Subject: Re: INC NEWS - [durhambikeandped] Two more pedestrians hit
> > (one on LaSalle, one at Broad & Perry)
> > To: durhambikeandped at yahoogroups.com, pac2 at yahoogroups.com,
> > inc-list at DurhamINC.org
> > Message-ID: <451FE2BA.1000908 at nc.rr.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> >
> > John, that's the most horrific story i've heard this year.
> >
> > unfortunately, all of the traffic calming/pedestrian safety 
> measures in
> > the world will not be able to protect people from someone whose 
> respect> for the lives of their fellow humans has sunk to such 
> criminal levels.
> >
> > i wish Caitlin a complete recovery.
> >
> > i hope the law enforcement/criminal justice system is able to 
> catch the
> > person who did this and prosecute them fully. and anyone who knows
> > anything about this (and i'm sure that there's at least one other 
> person>
> > beside the driver who knows) needs to step forward.
> >
> > Barry Ragin
> >
> > John Schelp wrote:
> >
> >>Hit-and-run driver leaves woman with critical
> >>injuries: Recent Duke grad one of two to be hit in
> >>under 24 hours
> >>Herald-Sun, 1 October 2006
> >>
> >>A recent Duke University graduate was critically
> >>injured when she was hit by a car late Friday on South
> >>LaSalle Street near McQueen Drive, according to
> >>police.
> >>
> >>The vehicle left the scene without stopping, police
> >>said.
> >>
> >>According to police, the accident happened at 11:53
> >>p.m. in front of the Belmont Apartments. Caitlin
> >>Donnelly, 22, from Towaco, N.J., who graduated from
> >>Duke in May, was waiting for a taxi cab and crossed
> >>the street to check on a taxi that had just pulled up.
> >>After Donnelly learned that it was not the cab she had
> >>called, she turned to go back across LaSalle Street.
> >>
> >>As she was crossing the street, Donnelly was struck by
> >>a northbound car that had its headlights off,
> >>according to police. The driver made no attempt to
> >>brake and did not stop after the collision, according
> >>to investigators. The vehicle was described as a
> >>dark-colored sedan, possibly a Honda or Nissan. The
> >>vehicle had damage to the front windshield and was
> >>missing the left side mirror. Witnesses could provide
> >>no description of the driver.
> >>
> >>Donnelly was taken to Duke University Hospital for
> >>treatment of severe head injuries, police said.
> >>
> >>Anyone with information about the accident is asked to
> >>call Durham Police Investigator M.H. Goodwin at (919)
> >>560-4314 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 683-1200.
> >>CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information
> >>leading to arrests in felony cases, and callers do not
> >>have to identify themselves.
> >>
> >>Friday's incident was not the only time a pedestrian
> >>was struck in Durham in a 24-hour period.
> >>
> >>Around 3 p.m. on Saturday, a pedestrian was struck in
> >>the crosswalk at Broad and Perry streets, the same
> >>place 28-year-old Erin Kuhns was struck, dragged and
> >>partially run over by a Cadillac Escalade on Aug. 11.
> >>In that incident, the vehicle's rear wheel ran over
> >>Kuhns' arm and shoulder and grazed her neck, leaving a
> >>scar.
> >>
> >>The young woman struck Saturday did not appear to be
> >>seriously injured.
> >>
> >>City officials plan to ask the state Department of
> >>Transportation for a signal at the Broad and Perry
> >>street intersection.
> >>
> >>Donnelly remained in critical condition Saturday
> >>evening.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > INC-list mailing list
> > INC-list at rtpnet.org
> > http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list
> >
> >
> > End of INC-list Digest, Vol 22, Issue 1
> > ***************************************
> > _______________________________________________
> > INC-list mailing list
> > INC-list at rtpnet.org
> > http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/listinfo/inc-list 
> 
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