INC NEWS - Letter: effort to "streamline" development process is misdirected (Herald-Sun)

[John Schelp]

Letter: Process works fine
Herald-Sun, 12 May 2008 
 
The effort to "streamline" the development process in
Durham is well-intentioned and misdirected. Comparing
the speed of project approval in Durham to that in
Cary is using the wrong metric. In places like New
Jersey, where developable land is quickly
disappearing, as it is in Durham, the approval process
can take several years. We're a lot faster than that. 

One part of the proposal to speed approvals is to
speed up Future Land Use Map cases. Instead, they
should be slowed down. 

The Planning Commission changed its rules of
procedures two years ago to speed cases already, by
allowing developers to submit FLUM cases with a
requested rezoning so that they could be heard
concurrently. It is rare when a developer takes
advantage of the change, requiring the commission to
hold multiple hearings. And it's the wrong process
anyway. We consider changes to the FLUM whenever a
developer wants a zoning change that is not in keeping
with our vision for Durham. The Future Land Use Map
should only be changed after careful consideration
about how we want Durham to be in 30 years. 

Today, neighbors of proposed projects are at an
extreme disadvantage in rezoning cases, because
developers are experienced about the process while
neighbors have to learn what to do each and every
time. Speeding up the process for FLUM will only
heighten the disadvantage that neighbors have, and
result in poorer projects for Durham. 

We need to have and hold a vision for Durham that
reaches far into the future, a place that our children
cherish, rather than focusing on making development
easier. 

Don Moffitt
Durham