[Durham INC] Durham Citizens' Newsletter - October/September 2010

Wed Sep 15 16:13:52 EDT 2010

Repaving More Streets Now - Remember to Vote Nov. 2

On November 2, Durham voters will be asked to decide if the City can
borrow $20 million to finish smoothing out the remaining 150 miles of
streets in the worst condition. It's an important decision that will
have a long-term impact on street maintenance in Durham for years to
come.

Currently, Durham maintains about 680 miles of streets, of which about
one-fifth remain in poor or very poor condition, as determined by a
pavement condition survey done about three years ago. Funds from the
2005 and 2007 bond referenda, approximately $20 million in total,
allowed Durham to resurface about half of the backlog that resulted from
years of inadequate spending on street maintenance. By the beginning of
next summer, all of the bond funds will have been used to resurface more
than 110 miles of streets in all parts of Durham.

The economic slowdown has impacted everyone, but it also makes now an
ideal time to invest in our streets: Oil prices are 30 percent lower
than three years ago, making asphalt prices lower as well; Contractors
prices have dropped significantly because fewer projects are available;
and, streets will continue to deteriorate costing taxpayers more in the
long run. 

Issuing general obligation bonds is the most cost-effective way to pay
for large-scale capital projects, such as street repaving. Durham's AAA
bond rating means the City can borrow at the lowest interest rates for
major infrastructure projects.  

If approved by voters on November 2, this bond will enable the City to
catch up on repairs to the worst streets over the next two paving
seasons, ending in 2012. For the owner of a $150,000 home, the annual
tax increase needed to pay for better roads for Durham ... about $11.40
a year.   

Starting next year, plans are to build ongoing street repaving funds
into the annual budget each year.  However, catching up on our worst
streets now is a top priority for Durham. Thanks to voter approval of
previous bond referenda, the City is nearing the point to keep future
repaving on a regular schedule. Economic conditions make it a good time
to finish the job on which we've already made significant inroads.

Whatever your decision, learn as much as you can about progress on
street repaving in Durham by going to the City's website at 
www.DurhamOperationGreenlight.org. There, you can see streets that would
be included on the 2010 Bond Referendum repaving plan, along with a
video from City Manager Tom Bonfield, frequently asked questions, and
much more.  Remember to vote on November 2.

Water Efficiency Ordinance Restricts Watering Days

The summer weather has brought back abnormally dry conditions to parts
of central and southeastern North Carolina, including Durham. Residents
are asked to be mindful of their outdoor water usage and to follow the
City of Durham's Year-Round Water Efficiency Ordinance. The outdoor
irrigation schedule applies to any spray irrigation system and allows
customers with addresses that end in an odd number to water on Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday. Customers with even-numbered addresses are
allowed to water on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. No watering is allowed
between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. any day and no watering is permitted on
Mondays. Temporary licenses are available for the establishment of new
landscapes and hand-watering, and drip irrigation systems are not
restricted by this ordinance.

 Bull City Connector Linking Downtown, Campus Connections

Park your car and let the Bull City Connector take you where you want to
go! It's a convenient, fare-free, and frequent bus service connecting
visitors, business travelers, students, and downtown workers to key
destinations in and around Durham, including Duke University, Durham's
historic downtown, Ninth Street and Golden Belt. Whether you're looking
for dining, entertainment or conducting business, this environment
friendly bus service offers an alternative way to get to where you're
going. For information and a route map, visit www.BullCityConnector.org.

Is Your Property Located In A Local Historic District?

Durham has seven local historic districts that were created to protect
and preserve the historic character of these areas as new development
and redevelopment occur. These districts are: Cleveland Street, Downtown
Durham, Fayetteville Street, Holloway Street, Morehead Hill, Trinity
Heights, and Watts Hillandale. Each district is a zoning overlay
district that applies to the property.

Changes to the exterior appearance of properties in these historic
districts require review and approval to ensure that the change is in
keeping with the historic character of the district. That review is
conducted through an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness
(COA). When each district was designated a preservation plan specific to
that district was adopted as part of the zoning. When a COA is
submitted, the proposal is reviewed for consistency with the review
criteria in the preservation plan. Property owners are often unaware of
this requirement, what changes require review, and their responsibility
for compliance. For instance, replacement windows or siding, removal or
planting of trees in the front yard, installation of signs, demolition
of any structure, site work, fences or walls, and installation or
relocation of mechanical equipment all require a COA. 

If your property is in a historic district and you plan to make any
exterior changes, contact the planning department at 919-560-4137 to
begin the COA application process. For information, visit the City's 
website
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/planning/%20historic_preservation.c
fm.>  for Historic Preservation.

Subscribe to the City Manager's Report

Receive the latest information and important City news via e-mail with
the City Manager's Report. The report from City Manager Thomas J.
Bonfield highlights the latest happenings in Durham City Government. To
subscribe, visit www.DurhamNC.gov/managersreport. 

3rd Fridays Series Offers Music at the CCB Plaza

Start your weekend with live music and fresh air in the heart of
downtown Durham. Performance in the "3rd Fridays" series will continue
into October on the CCB Plaza, 201 N. Corcoran Street in downtown. All
concerts begin at 6 p.m. For information, visit 
www.DurhamNC.gov/departments/parks or call 

560-4355.

Durham Police Department's New Master Facilities Study

Stay informed, or get involved in the Durham Police Department's (DPD's)
new Master Facilities Study?  Public forums will highlight the scope and
goals of the study, and provide attendees with handouts for reference.
Citizens will also have the opportunity to ask questions and express
their ideas for additional citizen engagement throughout the new study
development and implementation. Information about the study and public
forums will be posted on the DPD website <http://www.durhampolice.com/>
under Events and Features. For information, call DPD Community Services
at 560-4438, ext. 29230.

Reducing Blockages/Overflows through Sewer Line Cleaning

To meet permit requirements and reduce the instances of sewer blockages
and overflows, Department of Water Management deploys crews to clean
sewer lines on a routine basis. Using high-pressure water pumps and
hoses combined with various attachments, debris is flushed out of the
system. Standard equipment can output water at a rate of 200 gallons per
minute through a one-inch hose. This can produce up to 2,000 pounds per
square inch of pressure - allowing technicians to "pressure wash" the
pipes. The debris is then removed by vacuum. This same process is also
used during emergency response to blockages.

Because this process can cause the water seal in a household toilet to
fail and splash the water onto the surrounding walls and floor in the
bathroom, customers are encouraged to close all toilet lids routinely.
A further action would be to cover the toilet bowl with an old towel and
then place the toilet seat and lid down to hold the towel in place. City
staff is developing notification procedures for routine system cleaning
so that customers can prepare for and minimize issues caused by the high
pressure flushing process.  Customers may call Water & Sewer Maintenance
at 560-4344 for further information and updates.

Toilet Rebate Program Still Available

The City of Durham is offering rebates valued at $100 for qualified
water customers who replace their existing toilets with EPA WaterSense
labeled High Efficiency Toilet (HET) models. Any toilet that meets the
criteria and is purchased after January 1, 2008, is eligible for the
rebate. Rebates will be applied as credits to customers' water bills.
For information and the rebate form, visit www.DurhamSavesWater.org
<http://www.durhamsaveswater.org/> . 

Durham ... Beyond the Headlines

It's that time of year, when organizations are looking for speakers.
The City of Durham is available to talk to you on a wide variety of
topics about your city.  For us, it's simple.  We want to build strong
partnerships with our residents by providing presentations on topics
ranging from where your tax dollars go, our water quality, code
enforcement in neighborhoods, to parks and recreation and the list goes
on...  Frankly, we want to be your best resource for getting answers to
important questions about Durham.  Call us at 560-4123 or email us at 
speakersbureau at durhamnc.gov.  We're waiting ...

Your City - Your Channel

DTV8 provides programming to keep Durham informed on the important
issues and services involving citizens every day. City government
produced programs include scheduled meetings of the Durham City Council
and the Durham Planning Commission. The City also produces "City Hall
This Week," a program dedicated to informing citizens on what is going
on inside Durham's city hall, and "CityLife," a show featuring
information on current City issues and upcoming events. For a
programming schedule, or to watch DTV8 live on the Web, visit 
www.DurhamNC.gov/DTV8.

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

A person with a disability may receive an auxiliary aid or service to
effectively participate in city government activities by contacting the
ADA Coordinator, voice (919) 560-4197, fax 560-4196, TTY (919) 560-1200,
or e-mail ADA at durhamnc.gov, as soon as possible but no later than 48
hours before the event or deadline date.

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