[Durham INC] Contact Council TODAY: Say NO to 751 S Water

[Melissa Rooney]

Please see below. At the very least, the mayor and council (email address below) should hold off on any vote until all appeals regarding the county's rezoning (and handling of the citizen protest petition) for this development have been heard and decided.

--Melissa (Rooney)

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The 751South water extension will come up at the Durham City Council CC work session on Thursday, February 9.

Please take the time TODAY to email the mayor and entire council at 

council at durhamnc.gov

with a short message urging them to "Say NO to water for 751 S."

A few points are listed below-- if you find yourself at a loss for words, feel free to use them.

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751 South—A Bad Deal for the Neighbors, our Water and for Durham,

Environmental
·      751 S borders Jordan Lake, the drinking supply for 250 thousand Carolinians.

·      The current zoning would generate 80 acres of impervious surface—the new rezoning under consideration by the county would generate more than 100 acres impervious surface.

·      Jordan Lake is already on the Federal "impaired waters" list because of pollution.

·      The developers admit that they won’t be able to meet the Jordan Lake rules for nitrogen and phosphorus emissions on site. Instead they will buy land 10 miles away, in SW Orange County, to "offset" their nitrogen. In so doing, they will consume all of the available nitrogen remediation land for the entire basin.

·      What about the hydrocarbons and other carcinogens in the runoff from the asphalt on this site?

·      Commercial development here will trigger a land rush along 751 into Chatham County, further endangering the lake.

Traffic
·      751 S would add 30,000 automobile trips per day to NC751, but the developers have offered only to widen 751 to Stagecoach Rd.

·      The City has estimated the cost of widening 751 from Stagecoach Rd. north to I-40 to be $7 million. The developers expect the taxpayers to pay for it.

Process
·      The developers wish to be annexed by the City, yet went to the County for their rezoning.

·      The density of 751 S runs entirely counter to the 2005 Comprehensive Plan approved by the City, which calls for low density residential on the site. The City has never adopted that changes made by the County to the Comp Plan in this area.

·      The developers made massive campaign donations to current County Commissioners. Despite overwhelming local opposition, and in the face of 2 protest petitions, the BOCC approved the rezoning.

·      The City Manager's staff conducted an exhaustive economic analysis of annexation, and determined that it would cost the City much more than it would bring in for years to come.

·      The threat of using community wells is an empty one, for geologic, economic and regulatory reasons.

·      As of February 7, 2012, the developers still haven’t paid their $142 thousand bill for 2011 property taxes.

·      Neighbors are overwhelmingly in opposition to this development. They have signed 2 legal protest petitions and over 2000 have signed an online petition. They financed a survey, along with two lawsuits, at a total cost of over $110,000. This is principled and passionate opposition, and deserves consideration from the Council.
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