[Durham INC] Fw: Jordan Lake Nbhd Meeting -- very disappointing turnout

[Melissa Rooney]

We
need a MUCH bigger turnout at the Planning Commission Public Hearing (the first public hearing on the matter) on
June 9, or elected officials are going to take citizen apathy for lack of
concern, meaning this watershed redrawing will be as good as done. 



This
PC public hearing meeting is June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at City
Hall.



Summary of the Jordan Lake Neighborhood Meeting, as reported by staff --

 "The event was held at Jordan High School
in the cafeteria with a staff presentation beginning at 7:05 pm. There
were between 20-25 individuals who attended the session, a fairly light
turn out as we had mailed out close to 300 notices. Staff had set up
four workstations for attendees to meet with staff individually to
answer any questions following the staff presentation. Because of the
light turn out the event ended at approximately 8:15 pm."

See attached Herald Sun article on the meeting for more info.

Regretfully, I could not attend this meeting (a rarity), but I can't carry the weight of everyone, regardless.

We can't afford to lose momentum. PLEASE come to the Planning Commission Public Hearing on June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at City
Hall.





Thanks,

Melissa (Rooney)

________________



				
				
				
		

		
		
		
			
		
		
			County experts detail lake changes
			
		
		
		
			
		
	
		

		
		
		
			By Matthew E. Milliken
			
		
			
			 : The Herald-Sun
			
		
		
			
			
				
				
			
		
		
			
			
			
mmilliken at heraldsun.com
			
		
		
			
			
May 15, 2009
			
		
		
		
		


		
		 
		 
		
		
		


		
		
DURHAM -- County planners explained a set of proposed changes in
Southwest Durham to a group of about 20 people Thursday night. 


The informal neighborhood meeting was an early step in a process that will lead to the Board of County Commissioners
enacting or rejecting amendments to the county's comprehensive plan,
rural and suburban tiers, and zoning. If approved, the changes -- which
are all tied to one another -- would shift the critical watershed area
around Jordan Lake in a way that could allow developers to move ahead with a mixed-use project off N.C. 751.     


The critical watershed area extends one mile from the lake's nominal
boundary, which is defined as 216 feet above mean sea level. State and
county rules severely restrict development inside the critical area.     


Opponents have questioned the surveys of Jordan Lake that underlie the
proposed changes and raised concerns over the impact the proposed
development might have on the lake's water quality. The developers and
land owners say they have followed legal requirements and can develop
the land in an environmentally responsible fashion. 


Jordan Lake, which is considered an impaired body of water, provides drinking water to parts of Wake and Chatham counties. The city of Durham has drawn water from Jordan in the past and plans to do so in the future.     


The next step in the current process will take place June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, when the Planning Commission
considers the changes after receiving written and verbal comments. The
ultimate decision lies with the Board of County Commissioners. 


Even if all the changes on the table right now are made, a decision
would follow on whether to rezone the land owned by Southern Durham
Development to allow its 751 South project. 


Another issue that will be left to the future is redrawing the
protected watershed area, which covers the area that lies anywhere from
one mile to five miles past the lake boundary.     


Two property owners who attended Thursday's meeting said they had just
started to learn about the issue and had some apprehensions about the
critical watershed changes. 


"That was really my main concern with this whole thing," said Jeff
Napoli, who lives in the protected watershed area. "I'd like to know
what's happening with the lake. The lake is already in trouble." 


Napoli put the question to a Planning Department official and was told it couldn't be answered, which left him unhappy.     


"It just doesn't make sense to put more development in an area that's
already stressed, even though you've got great regulation," he said. 


Greg Tuttle, a UNC Chapel Hill physician, lives in the Chancellor's
Ridge development, very near where 751 South might be built. He bought
his home five years ago because it was in a rural spot but had easy
access to the rest of the Triangle. 


He's worried about losing that rural character, having to deal with
traffic from the new development, and potentially seeing more lake
pollution. 


"I'm not a water quality expert, but I understand it's pretty stressed as is," Tuttle said.     


Patrick Byker, a lawyer for Southern Durham Development, declined comment. 
		
		
		


		
		 
		 
		
		
	
		

© 2009 by The Durham Herald Company. All rights reserved.



      


      
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