[Durham INC] May Minutes, June meeting tomorrow

Mon Jun 22 09:29:46 EDT 2020

I don't think I ever sent these out.  Please let me know about any changes or corrections. Thanks, pat

May Delegates’ Meeting Agenda

Via zoom

May 26, 2020 7-9PM

Attending the meeting were:

Neighborhoods

Birch Avenue – Alisa Johnson

Bragtown -- Constance Wright, Billy Dee

Cross Counties – Pat Carstensen

Falconbridge – Richard Ford

Forest Hills – Matt McDowell

Long Meadow – Pakis Bessias

Northgate Park – Debra Hawkins

Old North Durham – Peter Katz

Old West Durham – Vicky Welch

Trinity Park – Philip Azar

Trappers Creek / Greymoss – Will Wilson

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood – Susan Sewell

Watts Hospital Hillandale – Tom Miller

Someone identified with just a number

Visitors

Annette Smith – DPR and Durham Parks Foundation

1) Will Wilson welcomed those “present” and folks introduced themselves.

2) Approval of Minutes – Phil moved to approve the April minutes.  Vicky seconded.  This passed.  We will used the county’s process for doing official votes in virtual meetings.

OLD BUSINESS:

3) Durham Neighborhoods United petition on Durham Police new protocol program about University Party Houses – In 2008, Duke made the rules on campus more strict, so drinking moved off campus.  Individuals and neighborhoods have been working on it for years and years.  For example, one party had 6 school buses parked on a neighborhood side street to transport students at the end of the party.  There are trash, traffic, health, and other issues.  The neighborhoods have had good cooperation from the Durham police, but the turn-over of officers has meant that too often continuing issues are seen as a first-time offense.  The officer assigned last year to work on the issue has been great -- surveyed best practices across other cities and created a protocol for Durham Police. The protocol involves student education about city ordinances and how to party safely, clear progression of response to code violations that include option of misdemeanor diversion program, and single data collection point for review. This has been very successful.  The officer is getting promoted but wants to set up replacements who will provide continuity in data collection, safety and education.  The neighborhoods would like to have the program continued (see Resolution A).  Northgate Park was concerned about the allocation of resources.  The officer is only doing this as one of his many duties.  Neighbors are also being asked to step up with documentation of potential violations as other calls have higher priority but now has a single point to which to send their data.  The program should reduce the burden on the police department since they will not be responding to so many parties as the party houses get educated.  Will and Susan will figure out a clearer wording than “dedicated” and with this change, the motion passed.

4) Braggtown development – The community learned very late in the process about the planned development at Old Oxford and Carver Extension.  Braggtown would like to have a lot more input into what goes there, such as fewer trees cut down, more affordable housing, support for schools and libraries, sidewalks and generally an equity lens.  The community surveyed its residents to determine what they would like to see (as opposed to just being against the proposal) and created a petition  reflecting the results: https://www.change.org/p/petition-for-equitable-development-in-braggtown-durham-nc)..  Their community group hasn’t been been able to meet in person, and haven’t been able to meet with the developer although they have sent their suggestions to them.  Please sign and share the petition.  Tom Miller has talked to the applicants; the developer of one has a definite plan with a mix of about 500 units of not-too-expensive (based on the market) townhouses and single family and one seems more likely to sell the property.  It is an attractive place to put residential because of the proximity to commercial areas, but how close it would be to what we would want depends on what gets into the development agreement.  There may be some issues with the notice provided.  For the city/county-supported affordable housing, this has advantages over downtown.

5) Black Meadow Ridge – There was a presentation in March about whether it could just be done with a simple site plan review.  We’ll get more information and send it out on the list-serve.

NEW BUSINESS:

6) Open Space/Trees reductions – A developer has asked for a text amendment to the zoning code to get the requirements for trees and open space be reduced.  In March, it went to the Planning Commission, which sent it to a committee.  COVID shut everything down, so it is sort of on hold.  The developer argues that open space gets in the way of affordable housing, but then proposed to reduce the requirements generally with no tie to affordable housing.  The one point that makes sense is to think about whether more density should be tied to more open space.  The staff report on this is in the March agenda of the Planning Commission.  INC should be concerned.

7) Single family definition – The same developer asked for this change to UDO as well.

8) Resolution on Durham's handling of COVID (appendix B) – Tom moved and Susan seconded the resolution.  We will vote on the resolution next month.

New Business:

9) Woodcroft Parkway Extension – The Transportation Department is asking for comments on an extension to Woodcroft Parkway through the woods to (more or less) the student driveway at Jordan High School.  If you want to see the details or comment on it, go to https://pppconsulting.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=eab5805a7d3c4082beb32e8375f1f276

10) ATT gas main – A nice shady part of the trail would have trees knocked down to put in a 12-inch pipeline for natural gas, and this was a surprise to local officials.  It will be discussed at MPO meeting on June 10.  More details: https://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2020/05/22/ncdot-dominion-excluded-top-durham-officials-from-discussions-on-proposed-pipeline-along-american-tobacco-trail/ or http://www.triangletrails.org/

11) Committee Reports – none

12) Neighborhood Reports and Announcements

  *   Northgate Park may have a virtual food truck rodeo.

  *   TLNA is looking at ways they can get face coverings to those who haven’t been able to get them.

  *   The city lakes are opened to bank fishing; there is a lottery for bank fishing, as well as boat fishing on Lake Michie, for a day of fishing; the point of the lottery is to keep usage low enough to maintain social distancing (https://www.dprplaymore.org/360/City-Lakes).  Behavior of visitors to the parks has been great.  All the plans on reopening parks are fluid, based on how conditions develop (https://www.dprplaymore.org/463/COVID-19-Coronavirus-Updates).

  *   National Night Out has been postponed to October.

13) Adjourn

Appendix A: Resolution on Party Houses

Resolution in support of Durham Police Department’s new Student Party House policies and procedures.

Whereas Durham Neighborhoods United (DNU) is a group of Durham neighborhoods responding to issues caused by student party houses in residential areas around Duke. (17+ houses in at least 9 neighborhoods) Several of these neighborhoods are also members of The Inter Neighborhood Council of Durham (INC), and neighborhood representatives have kept INC up to date on the work of DNU.

Whereas DNU has worked with many city departments (Police, Fire, Neighborhood Improvement Services, Planning) to learn how to use available resources, with limited success. DNU has reached out to Duke departments to learn how they can assist with this issue, with limited success.

Whereas DNU has maintained a close relationship with the Durham Police Department, included regular participation of officers from PAC 2 and PAC 3 and a meeting with the current Durham Chief of Police. Durham Police have been made aware of all DNU’s efforts to reach out to other departments in Durham and Duke and their limited success.

Whereas Durham Police (PAC2 captain) assigned an officer in the Spring of 2019 to review best practices around student party houses in other locations and to draft a best practices policy for the city of Durham that included working with Duke University and DNU. This plan was first implemented in the Fall of 2019 as a trial for the school year 2019-2020. This officer received a commendation in December for his work, including creating this protocol.

Whereas DNU has seen a positive benefit in this trial year, including a reduction of party house issues, improved collection of data, improved involvement with Duke, successful use of the misdemeanor diversion program, and successful restorative justice interactions with students. A formal framework for response helps bridge frequent staff changes within the departments to provide fair and consistent responses and data.

Whereas the new Police protocol helps students have safe parties and promotes safety in neighborhoods. Always a concern, this takes on additional importance in the time of Covid-19.

Therefore, be it resolved that INC supports a continuation of the new police program responding to student party houses. We urge the Durham Police Department to continue with a dedicated officer leading this program for additional years. INC congratulates Durham Police Department for responding positively and successfully to this ongoing issue.

Appendix B: Resolution on Durham’s Handling of COVID

WHEREAS, Durham’s first confirmed Coronavirus case was tested on Monday, March 9, 2020;

WHEREAS, as of Monday, May 24, 2020, Durham had endured 45 fatalities and 1,266 confirmed infections;

WHEREAS, Durham first responders started off with inadequate equipment and nonetheless provided care from the first confirmed infection and continue to provide care;

WHEREAS, Durham “Stay at Home” orders, which have been more restrictive and of greater duration than state Stay at Home orders, have provided a framework for mitigating fatalities, hospitalizations, outcomes, and infection rates;

WHEREAS, Durham resident adherence to Durham stay at home orders has provided true mitigation of fatalities, hospitalizations, outcomes, and infection rates;

WHEREAS, the Durham stay at home orders and adherence to them have had devastating short term impacts on the local economy, people’s social and mental health, and our community fabric;

WHEREAS, in addition to working alongside medical teams and first responders to help curb the pandemic, Durham residents, businesses, nonprofits, institutions, and other stakeholders have worked to help fellow residents in ways large and small;

WHEREAS, studies of the 1918 flu pandemic indicate that curbing the spread of the 2020 pandemic flu with quarantines, school closings, and social distancing lowers mortality rates and helps strengthen an economic recovery;

WHEREAS, while Durham data is incomplete, data provides no reason to believe that Durham has not followed US national trends where populations vulnerable by health, race, age, income, wealth and political representation have been disproportionately impacted by Coronavirus with respect to health and economic impacts;

WHEREAS, while Durham data is incomplete, data largely confirms that Durham is following US national trends where populations vulnerable by health, race, age, income, wealth and political representation have been disproportionately impacted by Coronavirus; and

WHEREAS, at state and local level stay at home orders are relaxed and tightened based on the interplay between data, science, and adverse impacts on the local economy, people’s social and mental health, and our community fabric;

NOW, THEREFORE, THE INTERNEIGHBRHOOD COUNCIL OF DURHAM HEREBY:

  1.  Thanks elected officials, the city and county administrations, medical teams, first responders of all types, businesses, and fellow residents for curbing the pandemic flu at least on a temporary basis through issuance of and adherence to stay at home orders;

  1.  Thanks Durham residents, businesses, and nonprofits that worked to help fellow residents in other ways large and small, and special mention is made of:

  1.  Individual, networked and tightly grouped collectives of mask makers, including https://www.coveringthetriangle.com/ and others too many to mention;

  1.  Providers of food to those in need, including the Durham branch of https://foodbankcenc.org/about-us/locations-contact-info/durham/, https://www.umdurham.org/, and https://communitiesinpartnership.org/ and others too many to mention;

  1.  Those how have offered counseling and healing through prayer, time well spent in community, and other modalities – while maintaining social distance protocols and adhering to stay at home orders;

  1.  Housing providers and those who work with the homeless and housing vulnerable, including https://fmfnc.org/, https://communitiesinpartnership.org/, and https://www.umdurham.org/; and

  1.  Low and no interest loan providers including (and grant makers) including https://community.duke.edu/give/?utm_source=bm23&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Duke-Durham+Fund&utm_content=1185113&utm_campaign=FY20:+Duke+Student+Assistance+Fund-VPrice-1 ;

  1.  Urges Durham residents to consider the above-listed groups for volunteer and giving opportunities;

  1.  Calls on elected officials and the city and county administrations to work with other institutional stakeholders to increase testing, with special emphasis on medical team members, first responders, and historically vulnerable populations;

  1.  Urges elected officials and the city and county administrations to work with other institutional stakeholders to prepare in case pessimistic scenarios around a second peak and mutation prove accurateagainst the possibility that coronavirus cases dramatically increase or the virus mutates in a manner that increases fatality rates;

  1.  To uUrges its fellow residents to adhere to stay at home orders as then in effect and to maintain social distancing;

  1.  Urges residents to take flu vaccines, this year and every year, whether for COVID-19  or existing flu strains;

  1.  To uUrges Durham residents, businesses, nonprofits, institutions, and other stakeholders to continue to help fellow residents in other ways large and small and toward that end shares with the community;

  1.  To uUrges Durham to help disproportionately vulnerable residents receive otherwise disproportionate contributions of financial and other resources;

  1.  To mMourns all Durham residents who have died from the flu pandemic and to acknowledge the hurts of families exposed to the health, economic and social devastation of the pandemic in all its forms; and

  1.  Commits tTo make use of InterNeighborhood resources to stay current on coronavirus stay at home orders and to publish the orders and official and unofficial information about the Coronavirus on its website and listservs from time-to-time, and toward that end, makes the following available:

  1.  Current stay at home order summary https://www.dconc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/7777 and text https://www.dconc.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=32042

  1.  Durham County Health Services coronavirus page https://www.dcopublichealth.org/services/communicable-diseases/communicable-diseases/coronavirus-disease-2020/-fsiteid-3

  1.  North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service safety guidance for individuals and families https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/information/individuals-families-communities/individuals-and-families

  1.  Community resource guides found at http://tinyurl.com/ducovid19resources and https://sites.duke.edu/covidcommunityresources/category/donate/

THIS INC RESOLUTION PASSED ON THE _________________ DAY OF ___________ 2020.

CERTIFIED:

By:  ____________________________________

Position:  _______________________________

Date of certification:  _______________________

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