INC NEWS - PC MUST vote on Black Mdw Ridge Zoning on December 9th -- by law

[Melissa Rooney]

Hello all. I think the INC voted too quickly on the developers' letter regarding Black Meadow Ridge for a number of reasons that I won't go into here.

Regardless, please take note that, by law, the Planning Commission MUST vote on the rezoning for this property at their December 9th meeting. Otherwise, they forfeit their voice in this matter (which I don't think any of us would want them to do). This supersedes the aforementioned letter, which requests that any rezoning decisions be deferred until February, 2009.

As such, I am writing to request that the INC members communicate to the PC their opposition to the current request to down-zone the Black Meadow Ridge property to RS-10, thereby allowing a density of 4.5 units per acre. 

This density would result in one house(lot) per ~0.2 acres. Clearly, this zoning would STILL not provide the protection that this sensitive piece of land requires. For example, I have been informed repeatedly (by development and planning staff) that any residential lot smaller than 0.3 acres would require clear-cutting and mass-grading. 

Please write your planning commissioners and ask that they vote against an RS-10 zoning for this land parcel and that they insist upon a more stringent down-zoning that will truly protect this environmentally important piece of land. (There's no harm in letting them determine what that 'more stringent down-zoning' will be.)

Email address for the PC: durhamplanningcommission at durhamnc.gov

It wouldn't hurt for the INC to consider voting on a resolution to this effect at their November meeting...

Thanks!
Melissa

Melissa Rooney, Ph.D.
Fairfield Rep to the Interneighborhood Council
(among other things -- wink)
mmr121570 at yahoo.com