[Durham INC] Mixed Use Update

[Pat Carstensen]

I will miss the meeting next week, so wanted to give a brief update on the second Location Focus Group meeting for the Update to the UDO on Mixed Use (or Mixture of Uses), http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/mixed_use_update.cfm
At the first meeting, participants ranked characteristics of places that would be good candidates for mixed use (being near a train or bus stop, for example).  Staff used these rankings and the GIS capabilities to build maps showing where we would expect mixed use (mostly no surprises, lots on both sides if the Durham Freeway, 15-501, somewhat more surprising almost the whole length of Fayetteville Street).  I think the technology could be stretched in interesting ways (showing not just where different criteria add up, but where they pull in different directions, for example).  The maps could be used both to try to direct mixed-use development into the most suitable areas (hopefully not just encouraging unrealistic expectations of land values among some land owners (-:) and prioritizing where neighborhood engagement should be done.
Our group had a very interesting discussion about where there were re-development opportunities in Durham.  My general sense from this discussion was that the UDO and tinkering with policy is probably much too blunt an instrument to take advantage of these opportunities.  

I think the results will eventually be on the website, but they don't seem to be there yet.
It looks like there will be some kind of workshop / public input opportunity in October, with proposals of UDO revisions going to the Planning Commission early next spring.
Regards, pat 		 	   		  
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