[Durham INC] FW: Durham Planning Newsletter for October 2012

Fri Oct 5 16:33:02 EDT 2012

Some interesting news items here.  Regards, pat

From: RWadegriffin at gmail.com
To: pats1717 at hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2012 16:28:27 -0400
Subject: Durham Planning Newsletter for October 2012

Friday, October 5, 2012

To visit the department web site Click here.

Village of Rougemont Plan

The third public meeting for the Village of Rougemont Plan was held at Little River Community Center on August 21.  The meeting was well attended, with approximately 50 participants.  Anne Kramer gave an overview of local historic districts, historic landmarks and design criteria.  Drew Cummings, assistant county manager, provided an update on the water needs assessment for North Durham County and the groundwater pollution issue in Rougemont.  The next meeting is scheduled for October 11.  That meeting will primarily focus on land use and zoning issues in Rougemont.

Monster Dash

The Durham City-County Planning Department is hosting a charitable Seven Stars event called the Durham Monster Dash. Planners are taking advantage of the Halloween season to re-envision downtown Durham into a spooky running and walking course. The Monster Dash will be used to experiment with online participatory mapping, web pages, informational movies and social media. The event will also be an interesting test of the City’s public open spaces and pedestrian accessibility.

The Durham Monster Dash will be held downtown Durham from 5:30-8:00 PM on Friday the 26th of October. The event will start at City Hall Plaza and the course will wind through the alleys, past historic and interesting architecture, and open spaces of downtown. The community is encouraged to dress up in costume and participate in this fun-eerie event. Costumed “Monster Dashers” will run through a 3-mile course. A kid-friendly route features a 1-mile walking course.  Planning staff and community volunteers will set up “Monster Zones” to provide thrills and chills along the route. Awards and prizes will be awarded to “Superior Monsters.” DJ’s will spin great tunes in the plaza and food trucks, and local businesses will provide treats for hungry dashers. As a grand finale’, participants will learn the “thriller dance” and perform it with dozens of fiends.

Register online at durhammonsterdash.org and check out the Facebook page.  This costumed fun-run benefits charities that enhance children’s environments through creative expression. Proceeds from the event will go to Girls Rock NC, Kidznotes, The Scrap Exchange and Keep Durham Beautiful. This event is presented by the Durham City-County Planning Department and is co-sponsored by the Durham Police Department, and WXDU Durham. There is no rain date for this event and all proceeds will still go to the charities mentioned above.

FEATURED ITEM

What the Planning Department Does:
The Zoning Administration Section

The Zoning Administration Section is comprised of six staff members. They specialize in zoning enforcement, site compliance and site inspections as it relates to the administration of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Currently there is one Supervisor, four Zoning Enforcement Officers/Planners and one Site Compliance Planner.

This section focuses on making sure properties in Durham City and County are in compliance with the provisions of the UDO. Violations are identified on a complaint and proactive basis with complaints receiving high priority. If a violation is found, there is a process to be followed to ensure compliance. Most cases can be resolved without issuance of penalties. However, staff does have the authority to impose Civil Citations and pursue compliance through Community Life Court (District Court). Some common violations of the UDO include:
Parking in street yards
Vehicle repair and sales in residential areas
Prohibited signs
Landscaping/destruction of vegetation
Prohibited uses
Work on historic properties without approvalThe duties of Site Compliance include verifying all UDO standards are met on existing properties. They also include inspecting new construction and renovations for compliance. Examples are: landscaping, lighting, dumpster location, parking, and architectural features related to new development or reconstruction.

Zoning Administration staff also conduct educational and outreach efforts. They participate in Landlord Training workshops, City College, Partners Against Crime (PAC) meetings and other neighborhood meetings. They also conduct night and weekend investigations as necessary.

Current initiatives and upcoming responsibilities include managing the process for preparing a draft mobile vendor code. Once that code has been approved by City Council, Zoning Enforcement staff work with other agencies to oversee compliance of the code. Zoning Enforcement staff also assist in administering the new outdoor dining permit program.

Zoning Administration is a high-paced work group. They spend the majority of their time in the field checking sites for compliance. For more information, or if you would like to file a complaint, please contact us by clicking the Contact Us link in the right hand column of this newsletter.

Design Guidelines Update and Consolidation for Locally Designated Historic Properties

The City-County Planning Department has received a federal pass-through grant to update and consolidate the design guidelines for local historic districts and local historic landmarks. The grant funds will be used to hire a preservation consultant to work with stakeholders and the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). They will be tasked with completing the update to the design guidelines. They will be using grant funds to pay the costs associated with adopting these revised guidelines.

The Commission has made efforts to determine what obstacles may be in the way of applicants for certificates of appropriateness (COA). One of the obstacles identified was the lack of clarity and accessibility of the design guidelines in the various districts. Each district currently has its own set of design guidelines adopted within the preservation plan. Most of the guidelines from district to district are nearly identical. However, there are some slight differences. This causes confusion for applicants in preparing their COA applications. It also causes confusion for the HPC who are tasked with reviewing them. In addition, there are aspects of the districts, such as streetscapes and non-contributing structures, where the guidelines are insufficient in providing standards for the Commission to base their decisions upon. Therefore, Planning Staff and the HPC determined that an update and consolidation of the design guidelines was necessary as it would provide better access to the standards for applicants.

Support for the project has been extended by various individuals and organizations, including the following:
Historic district business/property owners
Preservation Durham
Durham City-County Planning Department
Members of the Durham HPC
Individuals at the NC Historic Preservation Office
Various othersThis project will not impact the process for approval of modifications to locally designated historic properties. This update will simplify and clarify standards applied by the HPC in making decisions on COA applications.

Stakeholders will have several opportunities to provide input on the project. The initial public meetings to introduce the project are tentatively planned for early November, once the consultant has been selected. Additional public meetings will be scheduled as drafts of the guidelines are completed. Prior to adoption of the new guidelines, three separate public hearings will be required with the HPC, Planning Commission, and finally, City Council.

Questions regarding this project should be directed to Lisa Miller, senior planner with the City-County Planning Department, at Lisa.Miller at DurhamNC.gov or (919) 560-4137 ext. 28270.

Planning Demographics Webpage

The Planning Department is proud to say we have completed a demographics webpage. The page provides information on Durham population and housing as well as various other interesting statistics such as unemployment, education, and income.  The webpage includes the current population estimates for Durham County and the City of Durham. To view the site, please click the READ MORE tab below.

The Department would like to thank Laura Woods of the Community Planning section for her efforts in making this page a reality.

Planning Department Continues Culture of Service Campaign 

The City-County Planning Department’s Culture of Service team hosted an event this August that had lunchtime in City Hall awash in dozens of delicious desserts. Billed as a “gastronomical battle royale,” the Blue Ribbon Bake-Off gathered contestants from City and County departments to bake scrumptious confections and donate them to the cause. Competition was fierce as employees and residents sampled pies, cakes, cookies, and other treats to raise money for Durham Public Schools through the Donor’s Choose program. Inspired by the State Fair, Planner Lindsay Darden concocted the idea to stage the fundraiser as a baking contest, complete with a photo costume booth and a ‘major award’ going to the grand prize winner -- a soaring cherry topped pie shaped metal trophy. Although everyone (not on a diet) came out as a winner, the "Best in Show” went to Gail Sherron in the Planning Department for her exquisite Fresh Apple Walnut Cake.

Department Holds First Urban Design Studio

The Planning Department would like to take a moment to say thank you to everyone that took part in our first Urban Design Studio on July 17. The focus of the group was downtown pedestrian environment improvements. More than 40 people turned out to provide input and we consider it a great success. We hope to get more input as the series goes on. For more information on this particular studio, click the READ MORE tab below.

Industrial Land Study

Staff has completed a study of industrial land in Durham County. The purpose of the study was to determine if Durham County has an adequate supply of marketable industrial land to accommodate growth through the year 2035.  Staff determined that: (1) Durham County has just over 17,000 acres zoned for industrial uses and that 5,300 acres are currently utilized; (2) Projected industrial employment indicates that 1,400 acres are needed to accommodate growth; (3) the supply of available, marketable industrial land is about 1,600 acres; (4) a substantial percentage of land zoned for industrial uses is not, in fact, marketable for those purposes. (5) A number of industrial zoned properties do not have the necessary acreage for large industrial facilities. 

IN THIS ISSUE

Village of Rougemont Plan

Monster Dash

What We Do: Zoning Administration Section

Design Guidelines Update and Consolidation for Locally Designated Historic Properties

Demographics

Planning Department Continues the Culture of Service Campaign

Department Holds First Urban Design Studio

Industrial Land Study

Hot Items

Stay in Touch

Useful Links

Planning Terms

Staff Profile 

HOT ITEMS

The Durham City-County Planning Department is currently working to help codify the rules for mobile vending in Durham and we're making great progress. Keep your eyes open for movement on these changes as the updates will be coming soon.

STAY IN TOUCH

Contact Us

Organizational Directory Sign-Up Form

Take Our Customer Service Survey

Subscribe to this Newsletter

USEFUL LINKS

Comprehensive Plan

Customer Service Center

Land Development Office

Staff Directory

Unified Development Ordinance

Zoning Atlas

PLANNING TERMS

Here we take a moment to define what are common terms for planners, but may make no sense to the rest of the world.

 "Historic District"

The term “historic district” is a relatively common term that most people think they understand. This term is usually associated with tax credits.  Generally, people are aware that historic districts exist to preserve the integrity of sites with historic value. However, they are often unaware that there are different types of historic districts and that each has its own benefits.

One type of historic district is a National Register Historic District. These districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Contributing structures within these districts are recognized by the federal government as historically significant. Property owners have the option to apply for state and/or federal tax credits toward funds spent on the rehabilitation of the structure so long as the renovations meet the Standards for Rehabilitation set for by the Secretary of the Interior. 

The other type of historic district is a Local Historic District. Under North Carolina General Statutes, local jurisdictions are allowed to create areas recognized as historically significant locally without the property being listed in the National Registry. These districts function as a zoning overlay that exists to require compatibility with the historic character of the area and preservation of important historical features. The changes and additions in the district are enforced by the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Department staff.  For more detailed information on the different types of Historic Districts, check out the Department’s Historic Preservation Frequently Asked Questions.

STAFF PROFILE

Cynthia Jenkins is native of Rocky Mount, NC.  She has been a planner for 10 1/2 years.  Before joining us, Cynthia was a planner for Edgecombe County in the areas of current and long range planning and community development.  She managed the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program.

She is a member of the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association (NCAPA). She serves on the Development Committee and as Vice Chair of the  Education and Outreach Committee. She is a member of the City's Landlord Training Workshop Committee, 
serves as departmental liaison for the City's Culture of Service Strategy Team, and is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials.

Despite the challenges of working and raising a family, Cynthia enjoyed the company of her daughter, her mother, and her family as they got to see her receive a Masters in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in December 2009. She also has an associate degree in Administrative Office Technology from Edgecombe Community College, and a bachelor in Urban and Regional Planning with a minor in Public Administration from East Carolina University. 

Cynthia is a very active member of Springfield Baptist Church. Outside of church and work, Cynthia spends time with her daughter as well as her wonderful neighbors, hangs out with her friends, watches TV, goes bowling, shops, and tries to lend a hand in her community.

Published by Durham City-County Planning Department - 101 City Hall Plaza - Durham, NC 27701 - 919-560-4137

 This message was sent to pats1717 at hotmail.com from:
 Wade Griffin | Durham City County Planning
101 City Hall Plaza | Durham, NC 27701

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