INC NEWS - Aug 1 JCCPC meeting: Conservation Subdivision requirements to be 'tweaked'

[Melissa Rooney]

Hi everybody. Just wanted to fill you in on the most
recent progress regarding conservation subdivision
regulations (in the UDO). See below.

I went to the JCCPC (Joint City County Planning
Committee) meeting this morning. The gist is that the
JCCPC agreed to form a committee to 'tweak' the
conservation subdivision (CSD), to remove loopholes
and ensure that it serves its true purpose. For more
detail, see below.

Thank you to everyone who wrote the JCCPC with their
concerns. It would be great if you could email them
again to thank them for their sincere consideration of
your concerns and their action as a result.

JCCPC email addresses:
"Catotti, Diane" <Diane.Catotti at durhamnc.gov >,
"Cole-McFadden, Cora"
<Cora.Cole-McFadden at durhamnc.gov>,
"Becky Heron" bmheron at durhamcountync.gov, 
"Woodard, Mike" <Mike.Woodard at durhamnc.gov>, 
"Ellen Reckhow" ereckhow at aol.com,
"Lewis Cheek" lcheek at durhamcountync.gov, 
"Don Moffitt" d.moffitt at verizon.net


After county commissioner Becky Heron opened the
discussion about the need for revision of the UDO
section on conservation subdivisions, and there was
some discussion about the feasibility and
effectiveness of a moratorium on conservation
subdivisions, JCCPC committee member and planning
committee Chair, Don Moffit asked that those citizens
in attendance be allowed to voice their concerns and
opinions.  Wendy Jacobs, Carol Young, and myself
(Melissa Rooney) spoke.

The JCCPC then agreed to form a committee to go
through the conservation subdivision (CSD), determine
any loopholes that could be used counter to the
intention of a CSD, and propose changes to ('tweak')
the conservation subdivision requirements where
necessary. 
Commissioner Heron strongly suggested that this
committee be head by  Jane Korest (Durham County Open
Space and Real Estate Manager) and/or Helen Youngblood
(a senior planner with the Durham City-County Planning
Department, and city staff person in Durham Open Space
and Trails) as they are familiar with the conservation
practices and the problems in the UDO as it now
stands.

The JCCPC will then consider and vote on these
proposed changes. The JCCPC asked for more information
on the manner and time-line in which a moratorium
could be imposed, but delayed discussion/decision on
this until they have more information. The general
feel was that a moratorium was not necessary.

Jordan at Southpoint's application for a CSD was
accepted early this week (by this, I mean accepted for
review/consideration, not accepted in all its detail),
and as such, it seems that this development would not
be subject to any changes in the UDO, nor to any
moratorium that could be inflicted in the future. 

However, I implored the planning department to use the
most stringent interpretation of the conservation
subdivision requirements in their consideration of
Jordan at Southpoint, as it is a precedent setting
subdivision. I am hopeful that they will do so, as
JCCPC chair (and city council member) Mike Woodard
confirmed that the planning director has prohibited
use of the powerline easement as a primary
conservation requirement; however, it appears that the
developer is trying to now use it as a secondary
conservation requirement.

I do hope that the intention is to have a Durham
county citizen (preferably a resident in
Rural/Suburban durham, where conservation subdivisions
are likely to be built) on this committee. With this
in mind, I have volunteered to serve on the
conservation subdivision 'tweaking' committee;
however, I will not be in town for the next two weeks.


Again, please email the JCCPC to thank them for taking
this first step in the long-term interest of Durham
County and its residents.

Thanks!
Melissa





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa Rooney, Ph.D.
Fairfield Community Awareness, 
Communications and INC representative

Durham, NC 27713
mmr121570 at yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


       
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