[Durham INC] DRAFT INC minutes -- resending in advance of meeting

[Pat Carstensen]

________________________________
From: INC-list <inc-list-bounces at lists.deltaforce.net> on behalf of Pat Carstensen <pats1717 at hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 7:39 AM
To: inc listserv <inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net>
Subject: [Durham INC] DRAFT INC minutes

We do need to have a slate of candidates for INC offices by the September meeting -- we usually list the slate in September and approve the slate in October.

Please let me know about any additions or corrections to the minutes.  Thanks, pat



August  Delegate Meeting of the InterNeighborhood Council of Durham

Via Zoom

August 24, 2021



Attending the meeting were:

Neighborhoods

Bragtown – Vannessa Mason Evans

Burch Avenue – Richard Ziglar

Cross Counties – Pat Carstensen

Falconbridge -- Dick Ford

Forest Hills – Sarah Morris

Long Meadow – Pakis Bessias

Merrick-Moore – Bonita Green

Morehead Hill – Rochelle Araujo

Old West Durham – David Eklund

Trinity Park – Philip Azar, Mimi Kessler, Diane Amato, Mary Molina

Tuscaloosa-Lakewood – Susan Sewell


Guests

Annette Smith -- Durham Parks and Recreation, Durham Parks Foundation

Will Wilson -- president of INC


President Will Wilson called the meeting to order, and those present introduced themselves.  There were no adjustments to the agenda.  Sarah Morris moved to approve the June minutes, Bonita Green seconded, and the minutes were approved.


Trinity Park Neighborhood Fiber Installations -- The resolution was sent the mayor and council; the response from the mayor is in the appendix.  The issues,  including gas leaks and torn-up lawns, continue with all the fiber installers.


Bylaws Revision Update -- The committee now has a draft better-arranged bylaws, so progress is continuing.


Duke rezoning -- Burch Avenue has been watching the “issue football” tossed around Duke people and departments, but now has a meeting set up.  Duke would like to do an “omnibus” rezoning to UC (University Campus), mostly without a development plan, for a bunch of small properties.  Burch Avenue is concerned about a property (the old Duke laundry) that is in the middle of the neighborhood because of the traffic impacts of many of the  uses Duke could do there with UC zoning. There is another piece of the proposal next to the Crest Street neighborhood, and we should support this neighborhood.  Burch Avenue could bring in a resolution on the issue.


Candidate Forum -- No-one has raised a hand to lead this.  Not all the candidates showed up at forum sponsored by the Committee on the Affairs of Black People.  Doing a candidate forum is a lot of work.  What questions would  we want to pose that aren’t done elsewhere?  Would it make sense to send out a questionnaire, creating focus on neighborhood issues?  If so, we would want to limit the number of questions to about 6 questions..  Susan will take in questions and make a list; Will will send out an appeal.


Development Project updates --

  *   There was a neighborhood meeting for an affordable community at Fayetteville and Geer; on paper, it sounds good.

  *   Bragtown is still working with different developers.

  *   Rosewalk is asking for a re-zoning.

  *   Aura Farrington 54, a traditional garden-style apartment complex on Farrington Road near the intersection of N.C. 54 and I-40, aimed for completion in early 2023. Plans for Aura Farrington 54 include 250 apartment units across three four-story buildings on around seven acres with 400 surface parking spaces.  The intersection is already “challenging.”


Neighborhood Reports

Dearborn Park got their mural put in today; Red Maple Park is also going to get one.  Other parks are getting murals and in different stages of work. More on Durham’s public art: https://durhamnc.gov/3245/Public-Art-Collection


We could potentially do a program on land trusts versus other avenues to affordability.





Appendix: Mayor’s Response on Damage from Fiber Installers


Thank you very much for this resolution of the INC. I agree that we have had a lot of difficulties with fiber optic cable installers over the past several years. City staff has repeatedly had to suspend digging for some of the installers for the reasons you cite. I have not heard much about this recently, so I appreciate hearing this from you all.



Many of the practices you outline are ones that we require already. I hope they are being effectively carried out.



As you may know, the City used to charge the utilities to pay for the inspections the City has to do after the companies dig. But the fiber optic companies went to the legislature four or five years ago and got the legislature to disallow the City from charging for this very necessary service. The City still does this inspection, of course, but it costs the taxpayers now to provide this service to the fiber optic companies that should be paying for it. At the height of the digging a couple years ago, this cost the City $2 million in a single year.



So I share your concerns. I will pass this resolution on to our City Manager for her to share with staff. I am sure they will give it their attention.



Best wishes,



Steve Schewel

Mayor, City of Durham



101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701



(919) 560-4333 (office)

steve.schewel at durhamnc.gov






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