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

[Deb Christie]

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-----
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> 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.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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