[Durham INC] [Fwd:) Development Review Submittal Process Improvements Effective January 1, 2011

[Melissa Rooney]

"The increased frequency of submittal opportunities will also mean less

wait time for plan review and comments"

These improvements may streamline and accelerate the process, a result that is 
logically desired by those who want to develop their land,. However, based on 
recent experiences, these changes will only make it harder for citizens to be 
informed with enough time to comprehend and provide input regarding future 
effects on their city/county and its resources.  It is likely that this will 
result in more administrative decisions (which generally have input from 
developers and their lawyers) with less transparency and public scrutiny. From 
the 751 south case we all know how quickly the rules can be changed and how hard 
it is to inform and involve citizens when changes are made last minute, etc.  I 
can't help but feel that speeding up this process is only going to hurt citizen 
awareness and review. And I have to wonder who initiated these changes when we 
are still awaiting rules and effects relating to the Jordan and Falls lake 
watersheds, not to mention the impending development along 751 once the 751 
South project gets the water and utilities it wants from the city.

Melissa (Rooney)




________________________________
From: RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com>
To: inc-list at durhaminc.org
Cc: fhna-list at fhnanews.com
Sent: Tue, December 28, 2010 2:37:11 PM
Subject: [Durham INC] [Fwd:) Development Review Submittal Process Improvements 
Effective January 1, 2011



---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Development Review Submittal Process Improvements Effective
January 1, 2011
From:    "Griffin, Wade" <Wade.Griffin at durhamnc.gov>
Date:    Tue, December 28, 2010 11:42 am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Development Community and Interested Citizens,

The Durham City-County Planning Department has been working on improving
the development review process and is happy to announce an important
change to our plan submittal process.

Effective January 1, 2011 we will be accepting applications for site
plans and plats, by-appointment, twice a week, instead of weekly or
bi-monthly.

The increased frequency of submittal opportunities will also mean less
wait time for plan review and comments (compared to that of projects
currently submitted in between review cycles).

Here is how the revised process will work for Small Simplified, Large
Simplified, Minor and Major Site Plans and Final Plats:

*         Contact Joanne Gordon at joanne.gordon at durhamnc.gov or at
(919) 560-4137 x28254 to schedule your plan submittal appointment. You
will need to provide her with your name and email or phone number as
well as the name of your project.

*         Appointments will be available every Tuesday and Thursday
morning from 8 am to 11 am, and will be filled on a first-come,
first-served basis.

*         Appointments will last 30 minutes maximum. If you will need to
submit multiple applications please indicate this when making the
appointment so that multiple appointment slots can be reserved for your
cases. To respect the time of other applicants and staff, applicants
bringing additional applications without notice will be asked to
reschedule for additional appointment slots, as available.

*         Appointments may be scheduled no more than one  week in
advance and no less than 48 hours in advance.

*         Staff reserves the right to ask applicants who are more than
10 minutes late to reschedule their appointment if there is insufficient
time to review and process the submittal.

Administrative Site Plans, Exempt Plats, and all Re-Reviews can still be
submitted any day without appointment.

Updated application (and related forms) can be found at the following
link after January 3, 2011:
http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/planning/applications.cfm

We are very interested in receiving feedback on this new process, which
was spearheaded by Planning Supervisor Sara Young and Senior Planner
Mike Stock, as part of a series of adopted and planned process
improvements designed to make the City/County development review process
more efficient.  Please contact Patrick Young, Assistant Director for
Development with questions or concerns regarding this matter at (919)
560-4137 x28273.

Wade Griffin

Planner

Durham City County Planning Department

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham NC 27701

Phone: 919-560-4137 x28229

Fax    : 919-560-4641



      
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