[Durham INC] Tuesdays' meeting

[Tom Miller]

Dear neighbors:

 

Remember, Tuesday night we will take up resolutions on the following
subjects:

 

1                     Bring the Money Home (a resolution about the impacts
war costs have had on local governments)

2                     Opposing an NC Constitutional Amendment Against gay
Marriage

3                     For the Transit Tax

4                     For  City of Durham Open Space Plan

 

Also, Bob Ashley of Preservation Durham will address us on the role historic
preservation plays in neighborhood redevelopment and renewal

 

We will also take up other business as well.  An agenda will be published
tomorrow (had to take my son to college this weekend).

 

The meeting is at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church downtown.  Park at the
rear of the church and enter through the back door.

 

Please, let's have a big turnout!

 

Tom

 

Item 2 above, Gay Marriage:

 

WHEREAS, throughout its history Durham has proved to be a progressive city
in nearly every aspect of its civic endeavor; and 

WHEREAS, the City of Durham has adopted and reaffirmed a policy of promoting
equal rights and opportunities for employees of Durham Government without
regard to race, religion, age, gender, disability, national origin, color,
marital status, or sexual orientation; and

WHEREAS, the Durham City Council has shown its commitment to making Durham a
welcoming community for gay and lesbian residents by formally extending
health care benefits to same sex domestic partners of City employees and
their legal dependents in 2002; and

WHEREAS, the Durham City Council passed a resolution supporting marriage
equality in 2009 and again, recently, in 2011; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina General Assembly is considering Senate Bill 106
and House Bill 777 that would place on the 2012 ballot a referendum to amend
the North Carolina Constitution to prohibit marriage between people of the
same gender, and further prohibit the recognition of any other form of
domestic legal union; and

WHEREAS, the adoption of such a Constitutional amendment is inconsistent
with the City's commitment to equal rights and opportunities for its
residents and employees; could invalidate the City of Durham's domestic
partner benefits; and could lead to litigation;

WHEREAS, this diversity of residents is found in, and is seen as a source of
strength to, its neighborhoods, represented by the Inter Neighborhood
Council; and

 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE INTER NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OF DURHAM THAT:

1)   The INC opposes Senate Bill 106 and House Bill 777

2)   The INC reaffirms its commitment to equal rights and opportunities for
all residents of Durham, including the rights of same-sex couples to share
fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities, and commitments of civil
marriage.

 

Item 4 above, Open Space

 

Whereas, the Durham City and County Planning Department is undertaking the 

development of an Urban Open Space Plan; and 

 

Whereas, numerous environmental benefits result from the preservation and
protection 

of vegetated open space, including but not limited to reducing urban
temperatures and enhancing 

air quality, decreasing peak runoff volume through short term storage and
evapotranspiration, 

filtering pollutants through soils and other media, providing visual relief
for urban 

neighborhoods and the community, and providing habitat for animal, bird and
insect populations; 

and, specifically 

 

Whereas, Durham's Urban Heat Island exceeds 10F, and in other cities air
conditioning 

associated with this elevated temperature accounts for 5-10% of electrical
energy costs and 

associated greenhouse gas emissions; and 

 

Whereas, elevated urban temperatures combined with automotive emissions
reduces 

downtown air quality and surrounding downwind areas; leading to more
violations of air quality 

standards, and 

 

Whereas, reduced air quality increases incidence of asthma and heart attacks
by as much 

as 15 to 20%, and 

 

Whereas, satellite data of Durham County shows a clear connection between
tree 

coverage and temperature, and 

 

Whereas, Durham County data shows that families earning $80,000/year live in


neighborhoods with 70% tree coverage, but neighborhoods of families earning
$20,000/year 

have just 20% tree coverage, and 

 

Whereas, the presence of trees calms people in urban areas, reducing
aggression by 25%, 

and promotes positive child development, and 

 

Whereas, all open space enhances the quality of life for its citizens and
promotes 

community investment, growth and development; promotes citizen connections
and 

multigenerational experiences and provides a more pedestrian-friendly
environment. 

 

Whereas, the Comprehensive Plan specifically identifies urban open space
areas that 

may need further protection (particularly sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10)
and the Unified 

Development Ordinance, Trails and Greenways Master Plan, Parks and
Recreation Master Plan, 

Landscape Guidelines and a number of other plans/guidelines that have
already been adopted or 

are in process provide some control and protection of open space in the
City, a comprehensive 

urban open space plan for the City is needed to provide proper guidance for
further decision 

making processes which may include possible acquisition/preservation or
development of those 

areas deemed important to Durham's quality of life and our environment. 

 

Whereas, unlike traditional concepts of undeveloped open space, current
concepts of 

"urban open space" encompass broader environmental and urban design aspects
of both publicly 

and privately owned spaces, including but not limited to community gardens;
isolated roadside 

trees, bushes and plants; benches and bus-stop shelter areas; areas of
strategic wildlife habitat 

unrelated to recreation; rivers, streams, and creek corridors, and
creek/bridge crossings; city and 

county-owned small natural areas and pocket parks, cemeteries and small
natural areas around 

libraries, schools, and hospitals; median plantings; informal pedestrian
paths following sewer 

and power line easements; stormwater facilities and similar sites;
owner-maintained gardens and 

entrances to and parking areas of commercial/office properties; and plazas;
and 

 

Therefore, be it resolved that the InterNeighborhood Council encourages the
Durham 

City/County Planning Department carefully consider the environmental health
aspects of 

Durham's Urban Open Space Plan, in addition to the more traditional open
space motivations. Of 

utmost importance is the reduction of downtown temperatures, improvement of
air quality, and 

rectifying issues related to environmental health and socioeconomic equity.
As a part of this 

planning process, we urge the creation of an environmental health survey
detailing the above 

issues. 

 

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