INC NEWS - Jordan at Southpoint Rezoning case (Z06-51) : Your help is needed

[Melissa Rooney]

The Planning Commission is poised to discuss and vote
on the Jordan at Southpoint Rezoning case (Z06-51)
tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. The meeting is at 5:30 PM
in City Council Chambers (on the first floor of City
Hall), and we could really use a good turnout.   

We implore you to please email the Planning commission
with your concerns regarding (and your request for
denial for) the Jordan at Southpoint
development...~240 homes on the Chatham County
border...

The email address is:

DurhamPlanningCommission at durhamnc.gov

Summary of reasons why they should deny this rezoning
application/request:

The applicant for Jordan at Southpoint met with the
neighbors on March 22 to address concerns with a
promise for a response in approximately one week. That
response never occurred, and in April the applicant
asked for another deferral to work on neighbors'
concerns. To date, the neighbors have yet to have
their questions answered. Instead the applicant has
responded to inquiries with more reasons/excuses for
the delay. Now at the last minute, the applicant has
responded by stating he will "probably" ask for a
delay.
 
Neighbors' concerns have yet to be addressed and to
vote in favor of this project on Tuesday would be in
insult to the process of citizen participation. 

The project as it now stands provides inadequate
buffers against existing neighbors as well as Corps
land. Mass grading of this project will further
degrade what is left of southern Durham county. I
believe most of the open space is either floodplain or
part of the Duke Energy 250 ft. wide power easement,
all of which is unbuildable land; so the assertions of
generous open space is misleading. More must be done
to incorporate existing mature trees (that are outside
of the floodplain tree-save) into the overall project
as prescribed (but ignored) in the environmental
section of the UDO. For a tract of land abutting
Chatham County, the density is too high and out of
character with adjacent land, all rural.
 
A vote for this project on May 8th would be a travesty
to southern Durham County and its citizens. We don't
need any more barren, stack and pack development. Even
Cary is now upset with the manner in which it was
developed -- a little too late for Cary, but there's
still time for us.

I've already sent you the detailed
background/specifics regarding this
development/rezoning project, but I've cut and pasted
them below if you'd like to review them.


Thanks!
Melissa

_______________________

Jordan at Southpoint (Z06-51)

* Mr. Stanziale just got the Fayetteville Assemblage
rezoned so he's planning on marching all the way to
the county line. 7,500 sq. ft. (or 0.17 acre) lots
piled up along the Chatham County line...The
development plan shows 236 lots...

1) The project extends down to the Chatham County Line
and wraps around to NC 751. Over 200 lots with half
being 7500 sq. ft. (or 0.17 acre)  and the other half
10,000 sq. ft. (or 0.23 acre).

DOST suggested this be a conservation subdivision and
the applicant has ignored every suggestion made by
DOST.

The applicant has refused to consider a conservation
subdivision.  The density is too high as proposed with
half the lots being only 7500 ft.sq. This is smaller
than the lots on Fayetteville Assemblege to the north,
especially the southernmost tier of lots closest to
Scott King Road. 

The general rule was SUPPOSED to be that lot sized
increased as you head south toward Chatham County. 
This means that the first tier of lots abutting Scott
King Road should be at least the same size as the
lower tier of Fayetteville assemblege and Lyons Farm (
one-third acre). 

2) This project would impact two creeks - Crooked
Creek and Northeast Creek. The Corps request for a
100ft. buffer along the ACE property would provide
some siltation control for both of the already
impaired creeks and upper portion of Jordan Lake, and
more importantly, provide a safety zone where the
project abuts hunting lands.

I understand that planning Director Frank Duke is
asking for the 100 ft. buffers adjacent to Army Corps
land. The applicant, George Stanziale, refused this
request when DOST (Durham Open Space and Trails) asked
for it. 

The most recent aerial photos show the property
outside of the power line easement to be mostly
wooded, with approximately 80% of the cover being
deciduous trees. 
  
We are concerned that performing slightly better than
the minimum Durham County legal requirements is not
sufficient to protect the adjacent streams from
significant runoff during construction and after
completion.  Our experience with the Southampton
development is that grading contributed to massive
amounts of sediment being carried into Northeast
Creek.  The Renaissance Center development, with puny
siltation fencing and one small siltation pond has not
prevented significant sediment runoff into Crooked
Creek.  The development proposed in this application,
without other protections, will add to the
sedimentation in these two creeks.
 
Too much sediment settling out in a creek smothers the
plants and invertebrates that cleanse the creek of
pollutants.  Too much sediment flowing into a lake
like Lake Jordan shortens the useful lifetime of the
lake.
 
The simplest and most cost-effective way to protect
these streams and still develop this property is to
perform less grading, cut fewer trees, and minimize
the damage done to the topsoil.
 
Northeast Creek Streamwatch requests the following
committed elements:
1. A 100-foot (measured from the property line to the
edge of the buffer) permanent undisturbed buffer with
Corps of Engineer land.
2. A 50-foot (measured from the center of the creek to
the edge of the buffer) permanent undisturbed buffer
aound the tributary of Northeast Creek.
3. Preservation of the existing pond and a 50-foot
(measured from the center of the creek to the edge of
the buffer) permanent undisturbed buffer around the
tributaries of the pond.
4. Agreement not to clearcut the existing trees, but
to remove trees and undergrowth sufficient for roads,
driveways, and the footprint of the house only.
5. Building separation of 30 feet, preserving trees.
6. Minimum lot size of 11,000 square feet.

3) Mass grading is obviously planned, if for no other
reason, than because the topography of the land is
difficult to develop and thus needs to be graded
severely to build houses there. First there will be
clearcutting then excavating  and/or levelling to
insure maximum buildable area for these tract houses. 

The applicant claims it will be environmentally
sensitive, yet there will be mass grading. 

When DOST asked questions the applicant claimed he
wouldn't have the answers until the final grading plan
which will be too late. 

4) There are very few neighbors since this is VERY
rural
land. People who live on the little dead-end street,
Salix Rd., across from Herndon Park are the only ones
who can file a protest petition. This amounts to 10-20
residential properties/homes all total. They need our
help.






__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com