[Durham INC] Fw: Draft June minutes

[Pat Carstensen]

Re-sending in advance of next weeks meeting
________________________________
From: INC-list <inc-list-bounces at lists.deltaforce.net> on behalf of Pat Carstensen <pats1717 at hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2023 7:08 AM
To: inc listserv <inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net>
Subject: [Durham INC] Draft June minutes

Please let me know about additions and corrections.  Thanks, pat



June  Delegate Meeting

InterNeighborhood Council of Durham, Via Zoom

June 27, 2023


Attending the meeting were:

Neighborhoods

Cross Counties – Pat Carstensen, Ed Harrison

Falconbridge – Richard Ford

Leesville Road Coalition – Steven Knill

Merrick-Moore – Bonita Green

Morehead Hill – Bruce Mitchell

Old North Durham – Mimi O’Brien

Old West Durham – Quade Gallagher

Trinity Park –  Mimi Kessler, Mary Molina, Philip Azar

Watts Hospital Hillandale – Tom Miller, Sherri Zann Rosenthal


Guests

Tammie Sawaya – Preserve Rural Durham

Pamela Andrews – Preserve Rural Durham

Tina Motley-Pearson - Preserve Rural Durham

Wanda Allen –  Preserve Rural Durham


Vice-President Steven Knill called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone; those present introduced themselves.  There were no adjustments to the agenda.


Preserve Rural Durham (preserveruraldurham.org) was founded in concern about the lack of thought reflected in the many 4-3 City Council approvals of development and the impacts of mass-grading, clear-cutting and dynamiting, including flooding, sedimentation and damage to residents’ water wells.  They are requesting a pause to development around Lick Creek.  They are not against development, but what we are seeing is a monster; if you haven’t been in the area, it looks like war zone.  They shared their video that explains their concerns.  They have worked with Stormwater and gotten some violations issued, but the attempts to remedy the situation after construction aren’t working and there isn’t enough staff to watch adequately.  The city’s response to the problem in West Durham was essentially, “Private parties are welcome to sue;” it seems the city engineer has no power to do anything (the stormwater rules didn’t apply since there were fewer than 4 lots, due to the state law, and, of course, the developer can keep cutting off 3 lots at a time).  There doesn’t seem to be any accountability once the zoning is approved, in terms of following the rules; for example, it is unclear where the conservation is in the conservation subdivision out there.  The video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f9HTStpyD4

Minutes – Tom moved to approve the minutes, Mimi Kessler seconded and this passed.

Elections – Mayor O’Neill has announced she isn’t running for another term.  Plenty of people are running for the three at-large council seats.  Leesville Road will be doing candidate forums, and has invited INC questions.  Leesville Road would welcome help.

City Budget – The June 20th council meeting was somewhat contentious.  The Fire Department didn’t get the raises they requested, and there will be a rash of resignations since even Knightdale pays better.

SCAD update – There was a meeting with Planning and the proponents and there will be another meeting in July.  Planning has developed concerns that some parts of the proposal are not within the law.  Breaking it apart is legally possible, but practically it may be impossible to unravel the interconnections.  It’s not clear when the matter would get back to Council.

Neighborhood Reports and Announcements

  *   Watts Hospital Hillandale has multiple committees working on multiple large developments.  They hope to get 44 affordable unit out of the developments.  Once built, the number of households in the neighborhood would about double.  They would have to figure out how to incorporate more residents of apartments in neighborhood activities.

  *   On the 4th of July, come to Wats Hospital Hillandale’s 74th holiday parade.  Be there at 9:50 a.m. so as not to miss the beginning of the parade.  It's a short event and a lot of fun.  Everyone is welcome.

  *   Bonita has reached out to Walltown, about both the affordable housing at Northgate and issue of the contamination of the parks.

  *   Merrick-Moore gardens are coming along.

  *   Leesville Road Coalition had a town hall yesterday with the Durham water department.

Adjourn - Next meeting July 25, 2023, @7 PM





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