[Durham INC] Need Advice: Morreene Road Warehouse/NCDOT Challenges

[Will Robinson]

We need some quick advice from INC members:
After 18 months of up's and downs, the neighbors along Morreene Road in Turnage Heights have been working with Triangle Vet Emergency Clinic to redevelop the warehouse in our neighborhood. The vet clinic has been fantastic to work with--a real model for CN zoning neighborhood/business relationships. They have committed tens of  thousands of dollars to upfit the property above and beyond what was required in order to be a good neighbor.  We feel so thankful to be working with them.
On Wednesday night (a few hours ago), the owners of the vet clinic met with the neighborhood and told us they'd run into a roadblock with NCDOT who is requiring a turn lane as part of the development. DOT has recently advised the clinic that they will now also have to foot the bill for moving sewer lines associated with the lane widening.  The neighborhood is afraid that this could be a deal breaker, adding $150,000.00 to the lane widening costs, which are already at several hundred thousand dollars.  We can't imagine losing the vet clinic and having to look at the half-built warehouse for a few more years. 

The DOT is reviewing the clinic's plans this week and will be getting back to them with a response next week.  Peak traffic at the clinic for the year is 1 car every hour; the neighbors would be fine if no turn lane were required at all which would spare some of us from losing some of our front yards, too.  If the lane requirement can't be voided, we're hoping NCDOT will allow the clinic to install the turning lane without having to move the sewer lines. 

Having the vet clinic and its owners purchase and redevleop the warehouse is something we never could have dreamed.  It would be a first-class business and a great benefit for our neighborhood. We've come so far in our fight and we'd hate to have come so far only to have this issue derail the project.  We've got about three days to figure out the best way to show  DOT our support for the vet clinic's project.  Do INC members have any advice on the best way for us to go about this?  I think that Tasha Johnson at DOT is the person reviewing the plans.  
Thanks for your help.  You can email me directly off-list and I'll relay info to our neighborhood group accordingly.
Will Robinson
919-382-8494
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