[Durham INC] Fwd: Re: Re: 751 South

Tue Aug 3 23:19:32 EDT 2010

I agree with Wendy, of course. My only 'compromise' would be a conservation 
subdivision that strictly follows the UDO requirements.

Melissa

________________________________
From: wendy jacobs <geewen at nc.rr.com>
To: Melissa Rooney <mmr121570 at yahoo.com>; inc-list at durhaminc.org; 
durhamenviro at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, August 3, 2010 10:20:50 PM
Subject: RE: Fwd: Re: Re: 751 South

Even if they agree to abide by the  Jordan Lake  rules, the pivotal issue is 
that the project is still inappropriate for this site due to location, 
infrastructure and environmental features. The density and intensity of 
residential and commercial uses, amount of impervious surface and acreage that 
will be mass graded is still  excessive. They need to scrap the whole plan and 
start over. The time for making substantive changes is way passed. This is just 
a ploy. If they were sincere about making changes they could have done so at the 
Planning Commission level and when negotiating with neighbors. They may be 
offering minor changes but we still end up with 1300 residential uses and 
750,000 sf of non residential uses whose development plan looks nothing like a 
Southern Village or Meadowmont.

Opponents need to stay strongly united against this project.

Wendy

________________________________

From:Melissa Rooney [mailto:mmr121570 at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 7:40 PM
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org; durhamenviro at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Fw: Fwd: Re: Re: 751 South

All,

Here's the latest from SDD. More of what we've come to expect from these last 
minute developers. Where was their desire to offer committed elements at the 
Planning Commission's public hearing a couple months ago?  Or even at the  
County Commissioners ' public hearing just last week?

http://www.indyweek.com/triangulator/archives/2010/08/03/mitchell-affordable-housing-10-other-new-commitments-to-be-drafted-in-751-south-development#more

Truly affordable housing would be a start, but that is only one part of the 
problem. Unless they agree to abide by the  Jordan lake rules regulating runoff 
and pollution from new developments, there should be no thoughts of compromise. 
Without true, committed protections from damage to  Jordan Lake , how can we 
trust their arguments that this development will not harm this important water 
source?  Furthermore, if it weren't for the developers' back door negotiations 
to move this area out of the 1-5 mile protected  Jordan Lake  watershed, the 
highest density would be that obtained by making it a conservation subdivision, 
which is how an area this close to  Jordan Lake  should be developed, 
regardless. On a lesser note, with regard to the roadside buffer they have now 
so generously offered their Chancellor's Ridge neighbors-- even a 100 foot 
buffer will be ineffective in shielding neighbors from this shopping center 
during winter when the trees are leafless.

It's my understanding that a change greater than 20% will require the project to 
go through the process again. Any real change to address most of citizen 
concerns to date will require MORE than a 20% change, and I don't think we're 
going to see that. 

Melissa (Rooney)

On Aug 1, 2010, Carrick Glenn <cglenn5 at nc.rr.com> wrote:
Carol, Thanks for the article.  Very comforting.  Lots of other bizarre 
information is available.  public information for the googling:
> 
>1)  December 31, 2004: BEYOND CREE:  In recent years, Hunter's entrepreneurial 
>spirit has led him to a new industry - commercial real estate. Hooked by the 
>challenge of maximizing "revenue yield per acre," he is developing a 600-acre 
>subdivision near The Streets at Southpoint mall where he has built 30 homes.
> 
>2)  What happened to Neal's brother, Eric Hunter, who reported Neal to the SEC 
>in 2003 for dumping his CREE stock just before the stock tanked on the market, 
>and Neal made millions of dollars with nonpublic stock information, which is 
>alleged stock fraud and insider trading.  Eric also alleged that Neal 
>artificially inflated Cree's revenues by concocting "sham transactions" with his 
>other company, Charles & Colvard, and used a method of "shifting funds" to 
>significantly increase CREE profits.  Brother Eric fled to  Switzerland  because 
>he, his wife Jocelyn and his family were being "followed" and felt intimidated 
>and threatened.  The whole Hunter family (including his mother) said that Eric 
>was mentally ill and had a bad drinking problem.  But then again, these family 
>members were all CREE shareholders, and Eric's allegations were taking the 
>company down.   Eric was a Cree co-founder with Neal, and he filed a $3.2 
>billion lawsuit against Neal and Cree, but it was dropped 6 months later (Nov. 
>2003) and a settlement agreement occurred.   
>
> 
>An absorbing article from Bloomberg Businessweek August 11, 2003: 
> http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_32/b3845070_mz063.htm    
>
>Also this article: 
> http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/opinion/blogpost/1151305/    
> 
>The Securities and Exchange Commission began an informal inquiry into Cree after 
>the Hunters (Eric and his wife, Jocelyn) filed the suit against Neal.  A series 
>of class-action lawsuits from Cree shareholders also were filed. Eric dropped 
>the lawsuit in November 2003 for an undisclosed settlement w/ an agreement not 
>to talk about any of the charges in the future.  ("Eric Hunter agrees to drop 
>Cree suit," Triangle Business Journal) 
>
> 
>better than a soap opera... !
> 
>3)  Also, From N& O Jan. 2010.  Blog:  $39 MILLION TAX CREDITS FOR CREE & NEAL 
>HUNTER:   "Eric Hunter's old company CREE got a big amount of tax credits, etc, 
>announced on Friday.  His brother Neal may own the whole company now, but the 
>tax breaks have to do with the LED lights,etc, that I THINK Eric holds the 
>patents for this technology.  39 million in tax credits!"   News and Observer 
> http://www.newsobserver.com/business/local_state/story/275499.html   Cree tax 
>credit worth $39 million  1/10/2010.   STAFF WRITER JOHN MURAWSKI   "Cree, the 
>Durham  maker of energy-efficient lighting, qualified for a $39 million federal 
>tax credit under an Obama administration program for green energy manufacturing. 
>Cree is the only North Carolina  company out of 183 nationwide...." "The money 
>from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help Cree pay for a rapid 
>expansion to meet orders from China  and elsewhere. The company hired nearly 300 
>people last year and plans to hire a total of 575 by 2012 to ramp up production 
>of LEDs, or light emitting diodes. "   
> 
>profits, tax breaks, alleged unusual business transactions, story discrepancies, 
>private agreements....    sounds familiar.  the saga continues. 
> 
> 
>On Jul 31, 2010, at 9:02 PM, Carol wrote:
> 
>>If you all aren't aware of this article, here's a snippet from a December 31, 
>>2004 Triangle Business Journal article titled, "A Day in the Life of Neal 
>>Hunter":
>>
>>                  " 2 p.m. Hunter meets with tax attorney Walter Rogers about a 
>>conservation easement that would block any future owners from carving up the 
>>large lots on a peninsula that borders Jordan Lake's buffered shores. The 
>>easement should help protect the area, which is home to fox, deer and other 
>>wildlife. But in exchange for foregoing any future redevelopment, the landowners 
>>- Hunter, Lim, Carter, Mitchell,  Edmond and Cree's Scott Schwab - should 
>>qualify for a tax break."
>>
>>Read more: A Day in the Life of Neal Hunter - Triangle Business Journal
>>
>>They have protected themselves from higher density development near them with a 
>>tax break to boot, but they appear to care little about other people they 
>>impact. How about SDD taking that 166 acres and converting it into a 
>>conservation easement so we can enjoy what they have set up for themselves?
>>Carol 
>>
>>
>>On Jul 29, 2010, Page McCullough <page.mc at verizon.net> wrote:
>>I do not know who "several individuals" would be. Brenda wrote me a 
>>>note two days ago asking about compromise as well. The PA Coordinating 
>>>Committee is discussing this tonight. I am not in favor of a 
>>>"compromise" that does not result in going back to the drawing board, 
>>>but I am only speaking for myself. I have not responded to Brenda's 
>>>inquiry and will not until we have consensus on the PA CC. Page
>>>
>>>On Thursday, July 29, 2010, at 01:13 PM, steve bocckino wrote:
>>>
>>>> Does anyone know about this "meeting" Brenda is referring to? I smell 
>>>> a rat.
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> B------------ Forwarded message ------------
>>>>
>>>> From: Brenda Howerton <brendahowerton10 at yahoo.com>
>>>> Date: Jul 27, 2010
>>>> Subject: Re: Fwd: 751 South
>>>> To: rcyoung4 at verizon.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Carol:
>>>> I appreciate you voting for me and I am listening to all my 
>>>> constituents.  Like you I have been disappointed in the conduct of 
>>>> citizens in this community and how they have treated their neighbors.  
>>>> I , like the citizen that spoke last night am embarrassed that my 
>>>> community has not been willing to come together from both sides of 
>>>> this issue and come up with a plan that works for All of Durham 
>>>> Citizens.
>>>>  
>>>> Several individuals approached me yesterday and asked if the vote 
>>>> could be put off so a meeting could be put together out of the eye of 
>>>> the media and out of the politics of this thing and have it be about 
>>>> what's good for Durham .  Well we have the time, are you will to engage 
>>>> in a conversation with folks that's interested in workability?
>>>>  
>>>> This has gone on too long, I believe the neighbors can handle this if 
>>>> the are willing to come to the table and give for the good of ALL.
>>>>  
>>>> I don't know what you mean by " Quit acting like a Republican, I would 
>>>> be happy to discuss that with you.
>>>>  
>>>> sincerely,
>>>> Brenda Howerton
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>> Finally, I voted for you because I thought you would listen to your 
>>>> constituents, but I have been bitterly disappointed by your conduct 
>>>> thus far. When are you going to pay attention to the vast majority of 
>>>> Durham  residents who oppose this project and do the right thing by 
>>>> voting NO to this abomination? 
>>>>
>>><image.tiff>
>>>>
>>>> From: Carol <rcyoung4 at verizon.net>
>>>> To: brendahowerton10 at yahoo.com
>>>> Sent: Sun, July 25, 2010 6:15:26 PM
>>>> Subject: Fwd: 751 South
>>>>
>>>> Dear Commissioner Howerton,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  I'm including the sales pitch link to the high density mini-city 
>>>> proposed for the shores of Jordan   Lake known as 751 South.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.751south.com/index.html
>>>>
>>>> Please click on the "751 South" area in upper left to pull up the 
>>>> video. Note there is NOT ONE person of color anywhere. This is what 
>>>> they are pitching and I believe their true vision. When I attended the 
>>>> initial neighborhood meeting, the development team bragged about how 
>>>> upscale this devlopment would be. How does that gel with what they are 
>>>> feeding you about jobs for inner city people and affordable housing? 
>>>> They won't commit to those promises because they have no intention of 
>>>> honoring them.  
>>>>
>>>> Southern Durham Development brags about donating land for schools, 
>>>> sheriff sub-station, EMS , etc. We have no money to build schools and 
>>>> it makes NO sense to locate the sheriff on the edge of the county in 
>>>> what will be city, nor does it make sense to place   EMS on the far edge 
>>>> of the county. There is a planned  EMS  station on Alston near Hwy. 54 
>>>> which will better serve the area.
>>>>
>>>> Southern Durham Development brags about the road improvements they are 
>>>> making at no cost to the county. What they aren't telling you is that 
>>>> based on formulas set forth by, DOT they are required to make these 
>>>> imrovements based on the 30,000 to 40,000 additional car trips this 
>>>> massive project will generate. Don't fall for this devlopment as a 
>>>> walk-able community. This project will clog our roads.
>>>>
>>>> Southern Durham Development brags about lower nitrogen loads going 
>>>> into Jordan  Lake then would be generated by agriculture or a typical 
>>>> subdivision. What they don't talk about is the petro-chemicals 
>>>> dripping onto all the massive amounts of pavement from all 
>>>> the vehicles and going almost directly into  Jordan Lake . If they cared 
>>>> so much about Jordan   Lake , they would commit to the Jordan Lake Rules 
>>>> now, not when it will be required. I resent that I will be forced to 
>>>> pay for this lake's clean-up while these people make off with millions 
>>>> in profit. Please remember that Alex Mitchell and Neal Hunter live on 
>>>> secluded estates in  Chatham   County and will never contribute a dime to 
>>>> the lake's clean-up.
>>>>
>>>> Finally, I voted for you because I thought you would listen to your 
>>>> constituents, but I have been bitterly disappointed by your conduct 
>>>> thus far. When are you going to pay attention to the vast majority of 
>>>> Durham  residents who oppose this project and do the right thing by 
>>>> voting NO to this abomination? Quit acting like a Republican, doing 
>>>> the bidding of the rich and powerful.
>>>>
>>>> Carol Young
>>>> 5808 Williamsburg Way  
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
> 

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