By james art Overview:
Duke has not presented more detailed development plans to the council, but has committed to building a pedestrian and bicycle path near the Durham VA Center when it redevelops those sites.
Earlier this month, the Durham City Council voted 5-2 to approve a request to rezone 10 parcels owned by Duke University to give the university wide latitude for future construction.
This college and university (UC) zoning, which the city created specifically for use by Duke University and North Carolina Central, allows the universities to build essentially whatever they want without having to go back through the lengthy board approval process. development.
“This allows elements of planning and zoning, such as stormwater, parking, sidewalks, tree cover, to be considered holistically at the campus scale, rather than at each individual building site,” said Adem Gusa, director of planning and design at Duke , the council.
The request itself wasn’t complicated—it simply included those 10 lots in the Erwin Road/Central Campus area already owned and used by Duke in that area, which surrounds most of the lots.
But the conversation surrounding the vote, which continued from an August meeting, highlighted the council’s divided approach to the relationship between the city and its largest landowner and employer. Nate Baker and Chelsea Cook, two of the council’s newest members, didn’t seem to have much faith in Duke.
“If the zoning is approved, we’re taking ourselves out of the planning process,” said Baker, who voted against the rezoning along with Cook. Baker argued that UC’s zoning is appropriate, but that the university must come back to the council with a complete plan for the site before requesting the rezoning.
“I personally believe the right time is later, after the planning process,” he said.
It wasn’t the first time Baker expressed his skepticism about Duke. He has been an advocate for the Duke Respect Durham campaign, which is trying to press Duke for direct payments to the city, since the nonprofit university is not required to pay property taxes.
Mayor Pro-tem Mark-Anthony Middleton attacked the naysayers, asking what change they expected Duke to make after the August meeting.
“We need to stop sending people out – giving people homework and creating de facto expectations and then come back here and [changing] the parameters of the assignment,” Middleton said. “Why are we wasting these people’s time? We could vote that night.
Since that August meeting, however, Council Member Javiera Caballero has secured a commitment from Duke to build a pedestrian and bicycle path near the Durham VA Center during the redevelopment of those sites. She also got the university to promise that it would not build a golf course on the redeveloped site.
“Sometimes the duration is good and that’s why I use this tool from time to time. It’s a tool I’m allowed to use as a council member,” Caballero replied to Middleton, irritation evident in her voice.
After all, the city’s universities seem to have social capital to spare: Durham’s mayor, Leonardo Williams, is an NC Central graduate, and his son currently attends Duke.
Seemingly in response to Baker and Cook’s concerns about Duke’s intentions, Williams asked the university staff to outline its past contributions to affordable housing in the city and later asked its members to share how many people the university employs.
“Don’t be shy,” Williams said. “Duke has been a partner in my experience, and we should know that.”
Contact reporter Chase Pellegrini de Paur at [email protected]. Comment on this story at [email protected].