2026-10-19 - City Council

03:54Mhm.

11:16>> Good evening, everyone, and welcome to

11:18Durham City Hall.

11:20It's great to have everybody in here. Um

11:23I'll call this meeting to order.

11:277:00 p.m.

11:30Oh, there we go.

11:33All right, and we'll start uh you can

11:34just join me in a moment of silence,

11:35please.

11:45Thank you.

11:46And I am going to ask for one additional

11:49special moment of silence as we laid our

11:52firefighter

11:53um Andrew Brookes to rest this week this

11:56weekend.

11:59Testing.

12:00All right.

12:01Uh I'll ask for once more a special

12:04moment of silence.

12:06Um over the weekend we lit the city red

12:09uh in every government-owned and some

12:11privately-owned properties red in honor

12:14of our fallen firefighter who was um

12:16unfortunately killed um in a tragic call

12:20uh um

12:21uh

12:22in the line of duty.

12:23Um Mr. Andrew Brookes has spent time

12:25with his family, council members, and I

12:27went to the viewing and to the funeral.

12:29And uh even hung out with our

12:31firefighters um as we blocked the street

12:33off on uh Saturday night after the

12:36funeral to spend time with each other.

12:39Um if you can join me in once more a

12:41moment of silence in honor of Andrew.

12:56Thank you so much.

12:59At this time I'll pass it over to a

13:00council member Rich for the pledge of

13:01allegiance.

13:02>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If it is your

13:04practice, I invite you to rise with me

13:05and recite the pledge of allegiance.

13:12I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

13:15United States of America

13:17and to the republic for which it stands,

13:20one nation under God, indivisible, with

13:23liberty and justice for all.

13:33>> Thank you so much. Madam Clerk, will you

13:34please call the roll?

13:36>> Good evening, Mayor Williams.

13:38>> I'm here.

13:38>> Mayor pro tem Caballero.

13:40>> Here.

13:40>> Council member Baker.

13:41>> Here.

13:41>> Council member Burris.

13:42>> Here.

13:43>> Council member Cook.

13:44>> Here.

13:44>> Council member Kopack.

13:45>> Here.

13:46>> And Council member Wrist.

13:47>> Here.

13:48>> Thank you so much. At this time, we'll

13:50start with our ceremonial items, and the

13:52first up is National Diabetes Awareness

13:54Month proclamation read by Council

13:57member Kopack.

13:58If you are here, please join him at the

14:00microphone.

14:03Dr. Carcena, welcome.

14:11>> Proclamation.

14:13Whereas diabetes is a chronic disease

14:15affecting more than 38 million

14:17Americans, including hundreds of

14:19thousands of North Carolinians,

14:21and remains a leading cause of heart

14:23disease, kidney disease, vision loss,

14:26nerve damage, and other serious health

14:28complications. And

14:30whereas early detection, access to

14:32quality health care,

14:34diabetes self-management education,

14:36healthy nutrition, physical activity,

14:39and advances in diabetes technology can

14:41significantly improve health outcomes

14:43and quality of life for individuals

14:45living with diabetes. And whereas

14:48National Diabetes Awareness Month

14:50provides an opportunity to increase

14:52public understanding of diabetes, reduce

14:54stigma,

14:55encourage prevention and early

14:57screening, and recognize the dedication

14:59of individuals living with diabetes,

15:01their families, caregivers, health care

15:04professionals, researchers, educators,

15:07advocates,

15:08and community organizations working to

15:10improve diabetes care and outcomes.

15:13And whereas the North Carolina Diabetes

15:15Advisory Council works collaboratively

15:18with partners across the state to

15:19advance diabetes awareness, education,

15:22prevention, equitable access to care,

15:25and improved health outcomes for all

15:26North Carolinians.

15:28And whereas, the city of Durham, also

15:30known as the city of medicine,

15:32recognizes the importance of promoting

15:33public health, advancing health equity,

15:36supporting community partnerships, and

15:38encouraging residents to learn about

15:40diabetes prevention, management, and

15:42available resources. Now, therefore, I,

15:45Leonardo Williams, Mayor of the city of

15:46Durham, North Carolina, do hereby

15:48proclaim November 2026 as National

15:51Diabetes Awareness Month

15:53in Durham, and encourage all residents

15:54to participate in educational programs,

15:56community events, and activities that

15:58promote diabetes awareness, prevention,

16:01early detection, and support for all

16:02those affected by diabetes.

16:04Witnessed by hand and corporate seal of

16:06the city of Durham, North Carolina, on

16:08this 19th day of October, 2026.

16:11Dr. Corsino.

16:15>> Thank you. Good evening. Mayor, city

16:18council, community members, friends, and

16:21neighbors.

16:23I accept this proclamation on behalf of

16:25all of our members in our community that

16:27lives with diabetes.

16:29Also, on behalf of the North Carolina

16:31Diabetes Advisory Council, and our team

16:34at the Duke Endocrinology Division.

16:37Thank you for recognizing Diabetes

16:39Month, for giving our community an

16:41opportunity to pause, reflect our self

16:45on the health of our people living with

16:47diabetes.

16:48For me, this moment is personal.

16:52I stand before you, not only as a

16:54physician, but also as a daughter of

16:56someone whose life was impacted by

16:58diabetes, and as a person who's living

17:01with diabetes myself.

17:03I have seen diabetes through many

17:05lenses. I have seen it through the eyes

17:07of a daughter, through the eyes of an

17:09experience as a patient, and through my

17:12work as a physician caring for others

17:14affected by this disease.

17:17And each of those perspectives has

17:19taught me something important. Diabetes

17:22is more than a diagnosis.

17:25It becomes part of everyday life.

17:28It is there in the decisions we make

17:30each day about how we eat, how we move,

17:33and is there where we check our numbers,

17:35take our medications, attend medical

17:38appointments, and make choices because

17:42today we are thinking about our health

17:45tomorrow.

17:46But diabetes does not define who we are.

17:50People like me living with diabetes, we

17:52are parents, grandparents, sons,

17:56daughters, teachers, physicians,

17:59community leaders, friends, and

18:01neighbors.

18:02We are people with dreams,

18:04responsibilities, families, and futures.

18:07That is why this declaration matters.

18:11It tells people in our community living

18:13with diabetes that you are seen.

18:16And it remind all of us that improving

18:19health is our shared responsibility.

18:22We need great awareness. We need

18:25prevention, early detection. We need

18:28access to high-quality care, education,

18:31and treatment. And we need to make sure

18:34these opportunities reach every member

18:37of our community.

18:38We also need compassion.

18:42To the mayor and city council, thank you

18:44for recognizing Diabetes Month.

18:47And to everybody in our community living

18:49with diabetes, I say this not only as a

18:52physician, but as one of you.

18:55Our work cannot stop at raising

18:57awareness. We must advocate for action.

19:01We must invest in diabetes prevention

19:04and early detection.

19:05We must also recognize that health

19:08begins before someone has a diagnosis.

19:12Every family deserve access to

19:16affordable nutritional foods.

19:19Everyone deserve a safe place to work,

19:22walk, exercise, live and grow old.

19:26And we must make those opportunities

19:28available to everybody and every

19:30neighborhood. Thank you.

19:35>> [applause]

19:57>> All right. So

19:59I have the honor of reading the

20:01proclamation

20:02for World Food Day.

20:05And I chose this one because

20:09this weekend we

20:11The office of the mayor came together

20:13and created what's called the The

20:14Together Table. There are 65 food banks

20:17in North Carolina of some all types of

20:20food banks.

20:21And

20:23Porch is one of those very unique

20:26resources that we have here in our

20:27community.

20:29The mayor's office successful

20:31successfully obtained $175,000

20:35as the largest city in the country to

20:39receive that that level of funding. The

20:41largest um

20:43award. And so we use that money to

20:45invest back in the community and we

20:46invested into the work that's already

20:48been done. And so this weekend we had

20:51500 people come out at the Black Farmers

20:54Market and celebrate fighting together

20:57food insecurity. And so I wanted to read

21:00this because this is special. We've been

21:01talking about doing some work together.

21:04And shout out to the staff for really

21:05focusing on this as well, which I'll

21:07talk about a bit more later.

21:10>> [clears throat]

21:11>> So, whereas

21:12World Food Day is celebrated by the

21:14United Nations globally every October

21:1616th promoting awareness of hunger and

21:19inspiring action for the future of food,

21:22people,

21:23and the planet.

21:24And whereas the 2026 theme

21:27of innovate today, nourish tomorrow

21:30issued a call to harness the power of

21:32innovation and partnership to build

21:34sustainable and equitable food systems.

21:37And whereas local government can play a

21:40central role in creating the conditions

21:42for success by investing in proven

21:44models, strengthening infrastructure,

21:46and setting policies that expand food

21:48access.

21:50And whereas

21:51Together Table, the Mayor's Innovation

21:53Mayor's Office Innovation to combat food

21:56insecurity and cultivate a sustainable

21:58and resilient ecosystem has allocated

22:01grant funding to strengthen existing

22:03food distribution networks,

22:05expand delivery capacity, and deepen

22:08volunteer support to ensure consistent

22:10supply to neighborhood pantries and

22:12mobile sites. And whereas along with

22:15hundreds of municipalities worldwide to

22:17demonstrate support of new approaches,

22:21shared knowledge, sustained invest-

22:23investment,

22:25and partnerships to end food insecurity

22:28in Durham. In doing so, I also recognize

22:31the community-based organizations whose

22:33work expands access to higher quality,

22:37nutritious food across the community.

22:40Now, therefore, I, Leonardo Williams,

22:41Mayor of the City of Durham, North

22:43Carolina, do hereby proclaim October

22:4516th, 2026, as World Food Day in Durham

22:49and encourage all residents to take note

22:51of this observation. To witness my hand

22:55and the corporate seal of the City of

22:56Durham, North Carolina, this 19th day

22:59of October, 2026. Congratulations.

23:03>> [applause]

23:08>> Good evening.

23:10Um my name is Amy Jones and I'm the

23:12executive director of Porch Durham. Um

23:14but we submitted this proclamation

23:16celebrating World Food Day in honor of

23:18all of the community-based organizations

23:21in Durham um who are implementing

23:23innovative food assistance programs. So,

23:26I just want to take 1 minute of

23:27everyone's time to say thank you. Um as

23:30you heard in the reading, there are

23:31hundreds of municipalities, NGOs, and

23:35other global civic agencies um who are

23:38also proclaiming October 16th to be

23:40World Food Day. So, we are thrilled that

23:43the city of Durham is cosigning on this

23:44campaign and movement to end hunger.

23:47Um the unfortunate reality is that

23:50levels of food security are on the rise

23:52both nationwide but also right here in

23:54our own community.

23:56Food banks and pantries are reporting

23:58demand for assistance that is

24:00approaching or even surpassing pandemic

24:03levels.

24:04And at the same time just this month the

24:06federal government made additional cuts

24:08to the SNAP program meaning

24:10municipalities like Durham and

24:12community-based organizations are

24:14feeling additional pressure to ensure

24:16that our neighbors don't go hungry.

24:18So, we're grateful for the mayor and for

24:20this council for investing in models

24:22that work

24:23for helping on the ground organizations

24:25like ours to strengthen our capacity and

24:28for creating conditions to reduce food

24:29insecurity through um programs and

24:32policies and partnerships. So, thank you

24:35and happy World Food Day.

24:37>> Thank you.

24:39>> [applause]

25:21>> Can y'all make some noise over there?

25:22It's just a little too quiet in here.

25:23It's eerily quiet.

25:26>> [laughter]

25:26>> Gosh.

25:28>> Ready?

25:28>> Thank you.

25:29>> Thank you. Awesome. Good evening

25:30everyone. It's my honor to read the

25:33domestic and care worker day

25:35of recognition proclamation.

25:38Whereas domestic and care workers are

25:40the child the child care direct

25:42providers and house cleaners who do the

25:44important work of making our homes safe

25:46environments and offer much needed care

25:48for ourselves and our loved ones. And

25:50whereas domestic and care workers make

25:51it possible for others to work outside

25:53of the home,

25:54there is an increasing need to fill

25:55essential roles of caring for elderly

25:57elderly individuals, 70%

25:59of adults over 65 who will need in-home

26:02services in the future. And whereas

26:04domestic and care workers provide

26:06physical, medical, emotional, and

26:07spiritual support for the individuals

26:09they work with. Historically, these

26:10roles have been performed by women,

26:12black people and people of color,

26:13undocumented individuals, and other

26:15vulnerable populations. And whereas

26:17there are close to 3.5

26:19million domestic and care workers

26:21nationwide whose contributions go

26:23largely unnoticed, who don't receive

26:25fair wages or benefits, labor in unsafe

26:28conditions, and aren't covered by

26:30comprehensive labor protections. Unpaid

26:32family caregivers who provide aid to 70%

26:35of aging adults and provide 72% of

26:37home-based child care are not recognized

26:40for the valuable in excuse me, for the

26:41invaluable support they provide.

26:44And whereas COVID-19 has had devastating

26:46impacts on all workers, domestic and

26:48care workers have worked throughout the

26:50pandemic providing services, supporting

26:52their families, and have and have been

26:54widely acknowledged as essential

26:55workers. There is a history of domestic

26:57and care workers creating and leading

26:59social justice movements, and many like

27:01Dorothy Bolden, who organized efforts

27:03for policy and and social change to

27:05bring dignity and recognition and honor

27:07for this vital workforce. Now,

27:08therefore, I, Leonardo Williams, Mayor

27:10of the City of Durham, North Carolina,

27:11do hereby proclaim October 13th, 2026,

27:14as Domestic and Care Workers Day in

27:16Durham, and encourage all residents to

27:18support those doing this vital work.

27:20Witness my hand and the corporate seal

27:21of the City of Durham, North Carolina,

27:23this the 19th day of October, 2026.

27:27And I'm very glad to present this to

27:28Darlene Mitchell and the Durham Domestic

27:31Workers Alliance.

27:33>> [applause]

27:38>> On behalf of We Dream we thank you,

27:41Mayor, representatives. We dream in

27:44>> black.

27:46>> Thank you.

27:46>> Uh-huh. Thank you so much.

27:49>> [applause]

28:13>> Good evening. I'll be reading a

28:13proclamation for Domestic Violence

28:15Awareness Month, presented to the Chair

28:17of the Mayor's Council for Women,

28:18Karishma Ramirez.

28:28All right, proclamation. Whereas, home

28:29should be a place of peace, love, and

28:31safety, not a place where fear replaces

28:33freedom, silence conceals suffering, and

28:35love is used as an excuse for abuse. And

28:38whereas, behind closed doors,

28:39individuals and families may experience

28:41physical, emotional, sexual,

28:43psychological, or financial abuse, often

28:46carried on where the world cannot see.

28:47and whereas we remember those whose

28:49lives were taken by domestic violence,

28:51honor survivors who found the courage to

28:53seek safety, and stand beside those

28:55still searching for a way forward. And

28:57whereas domestic violence is not a

28:58private burden for survivors to carry

29:00alone, but a community concern demanding

29:02compassion, prevention, accountability,

29:04and action. And whereas the the Durham

29:06Mayor's Council for Women believes every

29:08woman Sorry, excuse me, every person

29:10deserves to be loved without fear,

29:11respected without conditions, and

29:13empowered to live with dignity and

29:15independence. And whereas we challenge

29:16our community to stop asking why

29:18survivors stay, and begin asking how can

29:20we create safer pathways to freedom,

29:22healing, and hope. Now, therefore, I,

29:24Leonardo Williams, Mayor of the City of

29:26Durham, North Carolina, do hereby

29:27proclaim October 2026 as Domestic

29:29Violence Awareness Month in Durham, and

29:31hereby ask all residents to break the

29:33silence, believe and support survivors,

29:35promote healthy relationships, and build

29:36a Durham where love never requires

29:38someone to sacrifice their safety.

29:40Safety. Witness my hand and the

29:41corporate seal of the City of Durham,

29:43North Carolina, this 19th day of October

29:452026.

29:48>> [applause]

29:59>> Good evening, Mayor, members of City

30:01Council, and Durham community.

30:04As chair of the Durham Mayor's Council

30:06for Women, I stand before you with a

30:08message of love, compassion, and hope.

30:12Domestic violence does not discriminate.

30:15It can happen to anyone,

30:17including our friends, neighbors,

30:20co-workers, and our loved ones.

30:23In 2024, Durham County recorded 927

30:26domestic violence protective order

30:28filings.

30:30In 2025,

30:32four lives were lost due to domestic

30:34violence-related homicide in Durham

30:36County,

30:37and 162 across North Carolina.

30:41They are not just statistics. These are

30:43lives, families, and futures forever

30:46changed.

30:49Domestic violence is not always

30:50physical.

30:52Sometimes it's deeper wounds, or

30:54emotional, psychological, financial, the

30:57wounds no one can see.

31:00Tonight, instead of asking, "Why didn't

31:03they leave?" let's ask, "How can we help

31:06them feel safe?"

31:08Listen without judgment.

31:11Believe survivors. Respect their

31:13decisions. Help them find support.

31:17I also want to share a personal note. I

31:20am a domestic violence survivor.

31:22So, when I say I see you, I hear you,

31:26and I understand, I speak from lived

31:28experience.

31:35>> To anyone suffering in silence, you are

31:37not alone.

31:39You deserve love,

31:41dignity, peace, and safety.

31:43There is hope, healing, and a life

31:45beyond domestic violence.

31:48If you need help, please contact the

31:50Durham Crisis Response Center at 919

31:5340403

31:576562

31:59or the National Domestic Violence

32:01Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

32:07Someone listening tonight may have the

32:09power to save a life.

32:11So, please don't turn away.

32:14Let's do more than wear purple.

32:15Let's show compassion, offer support,

32:18and be a part of the solution.

32:20Because love should never hurt.

32:23Love should never control, and love most

32:25certainly should never cost someone

32:26their life. Thank you.

32:36>> [applause]

33:19>> All right, thank you all so much.

33:21At this time [clears throat]

33:22we uh will have uh brief announcements

33:24by council members. I'll start to my

33:28right.

33:30>> All right, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh good

33:33evening, colleagues.

33:35To to to Deputy City Manager Crowder,

33:37it's good to see you in that seat there.

33:38Good to see you. Good to see staff,

33:39residents in in in here in person and

33:41also online. Good to see you all. Um a

33:43couple of heavier comments first. So, as

33:45the mayor said, um last Friday and

33:47Saturday was a heavy day for the city of

33:48Durham and all firefighters everywhere.

33:50Um I want to thank everyone from Durham

33:52who went over to Burlington on Friday

33:54for the visitation for Andrew Brookes

33:56and his family and then Saturday for the

33:58uh for the funeral. Um and it broke my

34:00heart to be in the in the sanctuary on

34:02Friday to see the beautiful pictures of

34:04Andrew Brookes and his family. Um

34:07I talked to his brother his younger

34:08brother who lost an older brother. Um I

34:11can't imagine what that's like.

34:12>> So, actually he looks like his younger

34:14brother. He's the older brother.

34:16>> Yeah, no, he's older brother.

34:17>> Yeah.

34:18>> Oh my god.

34:18>> By 2 years.

34:19>> That's amazing.

34:19>> I know. Amazing young man, right?

34:21>> Yeah.

34:21>> Um Andrew's grandmother was also a

34:23firefighter, a great family. Um I'm just

34:26also proud you may not know that many

34:27firefighters from around the country

34:28came here to Burlington to be there for

34:31the service. Um fortunately, not many

34:33firefighters died in the line of duty in

34:34the year. And so folks from

34:36Massachusetts, California all came for

34:38the service. It was amazing. I also want

34:40to thank the firefighters from Raleigh,

34:42Chapel Hill, and others who were who

34:43filled in for folks in Durham so the

34:45firefighters here go to the could go to

34:46the service. So, um, very moving and um,

34:49um, and and sad day but also also just

34:52want to send my uh, hopes and prayers to

34:54the family for their for their as they

34:56grieve and and and uh, recover from this

34:58awful loss. So, thanks for everyone from

35:01Durham that went over. Also Thursday

35:02there was also a rally for Isak Giego

35:05Gallegos who was a young man, Orange

35:07High graduate, who was nabbed by ICE uh,

35:09folks about a month ago. Uh, so thanks

35:12for folks from Durham that came out for

35:13that rally and for the continued

35:14resistance to ICE and the raids they um,

35:17are awful in our communities.

35:19I do want to note that early voting has

35:20begun if as folks know. Um, there are 10

35:23early voting sites across Durham so go

35:25to the Board of Elections website to see

35:26where you can vote. Um, we had a

35:28presentation with the Joint City-County

35:30Committee last week about the dire

35:32budget situation in Raleigh. And as

35:34we're going to talk about later tonight

35:35Council Member uh, Copex's resolution

35:37we're going to we're going to read. Um,

35:39those three I mean everything on the

35:41ballot is important but those three

35:42amendments are really critically

35:43important. We'll talk about it later but

35:45thanks Council Member Copex for your

35:46work on that. Um,

35:49it was a blast Friday to be part of the

35:51uh, the the uh, City of Durham benefit

35:53golf tournament at Hillandale with the

35:55mayor um, and Richard um,

35:58Richard

35:59uh,

36:01Barbie who's the new tech solutions uh,

36:03director and in the CEO Marci

36:05Richardson. So the mayor and Marci and

36:06Richard and I were foursome great to to

36:08be part of that that tournament and also

36:09to raise money for the Boys and Girls

36:11Clubs.

36:11Um, I think I've got some of the stuff

36:14but I'll save it for my next meeting so

36:16thanks Mr. Mayor. Uh, good to see you

36:17all. Look forward to our meeting

36:18tonight.

36:19Sounds good. Council Member Cook.

36:21Thank you. Good evening everyone. Um, I

36:23want to first

36:25uh, recognize the Mayor's Committee for

36:27persons with disabilities who did their

36:30national disability awareness month, um,

36:33award ceremony last week. So, I had the

36:35opportunity to watch them recognize

36:37organizations across Durham who work,

36:41leadership, hiring practices, um, or

36:44just community service have led to more

36:47opportunities and the advancement of

36:50persons with disabilities. It was really

36:52fun to meet all these folks from

36:54different walks of life who are sort of

36:56working in this same step together. Um,

36:59and to meet some of the folks who, um,

37:03who've been serving in these roles, in

37:05these leadership roles for many years,

37:07um, long before they got recognition for

37:09doing so. So, that was a really fun

37:10event, um, and a really meaningful one.

37:12I was really proud to to be there, um,

37:16and then the second thing I just want to

37:18echo my colleague's comments. I attended

37:20the celebration of life for Andrew

37:22Brookes this past Saturday, um, and it

37:25was a really impactful and beautiful

37:28service and and a really nice mem-

37:31remembrance of someone who clearly was

37:34such an amazing firefighter and also was

37:36more than just a firefighter, who had a

37:38life and, um, and made relationships

37:41that sounded really deep and and

37:43meaningful.

37:44Um, to the hundreds

37:47of fire service members who came, I

37:49think I saw representation from every

37:51department across the state, those

37:53across the southeast, those across the

37:55the country as council member has said,

37:57uh, thank you so much. You really

37:58honored us with your presence.

38:01Um, and to all those, uh, family members

38:04of Andrew, to the folks at the

38:07departments of Elon, Efland, and, um,

38:10and Swepsonville, where he worked at all

38:12of those different, uh, departments, and

38:15to his family, I hope that his memory is

38:18a blessing for you. Um, he seemed was

38:20like a really joyous person to be around

38:22and I'm greatly sorry for your loss.

38:25Um and finally to our Durham

38:26firefighters, what an honor to have you

38:30protecting us every day.

38:32Um I'm going to get choked up, but

38:34this is a department of people who run

38:36into danger to ensure that every

38:38resident every resident of Durham

38:41no matter what is safe and protected and

38:45um it's incredible. I think that we

38:48we think of fires I think is really

38:50extraordinary events, but they're

38:51happening pretty regularly and people

38:53are in crisis pretty regularly and our

38:55firefighters are out doing this job day

38:57in day out. They have long hours. Um

38:59it's hard. It's physically demanding. Um

39:01they're putting themselves in dangerous

39:03positions and thanks are not enough, but

39:06I do want to say thank you to all of the

39:08the members of our Durham department who

39:10are working every day to keep us safe.

39:14>> Thank you, council member

39:16uh Baker.

39:21>> [clears throat]

39:22>> Thank you, colleagues, for your

39:23comments. Um there's obviously a lot of

39:26uh heavy stuff that's happening. Um

39:28we've lost our uh firefighter. Um I was

39:32um lucky enough to be able to attend the

39:34funeral on Saturday and witness um the

39:38incredible solidarity and family that is

39:41the firefighting uh community. Um as was

39:44mentioned, uh firefighters coming from

39:46across the country to to Durham and and

39:49out to uh out to Burlington to um

39:52remember uh Andrew Brookes, who's 24

39:54years old. Um I was also uh

39:58at the vigil for um Isaac Isaac

40:00Gallegos, um

40:02one of our community members, Central

40:04North Carolina community members, um

40:06abducted by ICE.

40:08Um and a reminder that um ICE is

40:12operating very heavily. They are They're

40:15operating as provocatively as they were

40:17before. They're They're operating in a

40:19much more subtle way.

40:21And the countless other news stories

40:24that we see and hear every single day

40:27over weeks and months now at this point.

40:29Um

40:31HR1 which takes uh 1.3 trillion dollars

40:36I mean, we spend

40:38we spend hours debating over $500,000,

40:41$1 million, $1.3 trillion dollars

40:45from SNAP

40:46for food from Medicaid

40:50from ACA uh health care benefits

40:54and uh creates um tax uh benefits for

40:58those earning more than $500,000 a year

41:01in in the the order of $1.3 trillion.

41:04That's a perfect uh translation of money

41:08going from people who really need it

41:10who need it to literally survive to

41:13those who are already exor orbitantly

41:15wealthy. And that's just par for the

41:17course uh right now and what we're

41:18seeing across the state and across the

41:20country.

41:21But there are some lights. There are

41:22some shining lights out there. Um I

41:25think um the solidarity I saw around

41:27Andrew Andrew Brookes was heartening.

41:30The um organizing to bring Isaac back

41:34home um is incredible.

41:36Um these are these are community heroes.

41:39Um and then I look around the country

41:41and around the world and I see uh more

41:43reasons to feel in inspired and more

41:45lights out there. I'm I'm inspired by

41:48the protests that are happening across

41:50France um from the students who are

41:52standing up bravely. Um the

41:54demonstrations in Brazil right now that

41:57are happening. All of these are things

41:59that that we can look to for

42:00inspiration. And of course right now, we

42:02are in early voting. Um

42:05and people are turning out. So, if you

42:08haven't gone to vote, please make a plan

42:10to go and vote. Uh vote uh vote early.

42:14Make sure that any issues that you might

42:16have are are taken care of early. So,

42:18please

42:20know when and where you're going to vote

42:21and get out and do it. Thank you.

42:23>> Thank you.

42:24Council member Burris.

42:29>> Well, since I'm going at the end, I

42:31don't have very much to say at this

42:32Well, not the end cuz Cozart speaks last

42:34when they you. Good evening. Thank you

42:36all for joining us tonight. I know it's

42:37been a lot of somber topics that have

42:39been discussed. So, I won't reiterate

42:41those and just want to extend my

42:42appreciation to all of our city

42:43employees who make sacrifices each and

42:46every day to ensure that our city is

42:48able to run and flow efficiently. So, I

42:50appreciate you all for your service. And

42:52I just also want to recognize the

42:53mayor's count the mayor's council for

42:55women for your proclamation uplifting

42:57the significance of domestic violence

42:58awareness and just how it impacts

43:00familiar structures and the generational

43:01trauma can be impacted by that. And so,

43:04providing space for survivors but also

43:06making sure we don't have any future

43:07victims.

43:08Like my colleagues, I was able to attend

43:10the vigil for Isaac Gallegos last week.

43:14I'm a proud graduate of Orange County

43:16schools. So, where Isaac's a graduate of

43:17Orange High School, I'm a graduate of

43:19Cedar Ridge High School. So, standing

43:20solidarity to the community that I've

43:21grown up in and just want to ensure if

43:24you saw the tears flowing that night and

43:26just the family. No one should deserve

43:27No one should ever live in a reality

43:29where you have your neighbor basically

43:32your your child just

43:35disappeared is the word. That's the

43:36That's the That's the word we're using

43:37these days at this point. So, just

43:39really want to uplift that and all the

43:40things that are going on across our

43:42community. We have had On a less somber

43:44note, we have had record-breaking

43:46turnout for early voting. So, I think

43:48the first day of early voting, we had

43:49already exceeded our turnout for '18 and

43:52'22. And so, I'm really excited to hear

43:55that our neighbors are active and that

43:57we are engaged. Let's keep up the good

43:59work, Durham. We have to make sure that

44:01we turn out and pull those numbers from

44:02the rest of those rural counties in the

44:04state to make sure to outperform. And

44:05I'm looking forward to us doing that.

44:07And also, personally, I just want to

44:09give a special shout-out to my dad,

44:10whose birthday is tomorrow.

44:12Um he's turning 60-something, but I know

44:14he watches this every now and then, so

44:16cheers to another year of life and

44:17surviving me. So, thank you all.

44:19>> [laughter]

44:24>> Co- Council member

44:26>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening.

44:27Great to be with everyone. I also want

44:29to reiterate my colleagues' comments,

44:31and I was honored and moved to attend

44:33the funeral on Saturday for Andrew

44:35Brookes, and it was a tribute to a young

44:37man who worked so hard to be excellent

44:41at his profession so that he could be of

44:43service to his community, and he did it

44:46exceptionally well.

44:48So, my heart goes out to his family and

44:50all of his colleagues

44:52uh in the Durham um Fire Department and

44:55the other fire departments in which he

44:56served. It's also a reminder of the

44:58dangers that our first responders put

45:00themselves in

45:02uh every day, but Andrew's uh service uh

45:05is is appreciated, is honored, and will

45:07not be forgotten.

45:10I'd like to thank all of our National

45:11Night Out hosts. It was a wonderful

45:14evening, and I appreciated everyone who

45:15organized their communities and welcomed

45:17us.

45:18Um related to National Night Out, I

45:20wanted to recognize Carolina Arbors

45:22community for donating, I think it was

45:24at the end over $50,000 to EMS,

45:27as well as their advocacy that inspired

45:30a $350,000 proffer to EMS from a

45:32developer.

45:34>> [snorts]

45:34>> We can't pay for all the things we need

45:36across the community with tax dollars,

45:38and so these are meaningful steps when

45:39communities contribute, uh when we get

45:42proffers uh for the city from

45:44development projects,

45:45and I encourage others who are able to

45:47follow suit, and just appreciate the

45:49leadership of this community.

45:51Uh I'd like to thank Bike Durham for

45:53hosting a successful walk audit in

45:55Braggtown, which showed just how

45:57dangerous our streets can be for

45:59pedestrians and for

46:01uh cyclists.

46:03Um and also for transit riders, while we

46:05were out on Dearborn Drive, we saw an

46:08elderly community member get off the bus

46:10in front of Bragtown Library and almost

46:12get hit

46:13uh by a car that was speeding down uh

46:15Dearborn. And we actually had to call

46:17out to her to make sure she didn't try

46:18and walk because the drivers were not

46:20paying attention to uh her and to the

46:23crosswalk. So, thank you Bike Durham for

46:25raising awareness and getting good data,

46:26which we can use to implement safer

46:28practices across the community.

46:30>> [snorts]

46:30>> Uh on a personal note, I'd like to

46:32congratulate the Brogden boys uh soccer

46:34team, who this evening uh won the

46:37divisional championship and advanced to

46:40the championship game on Thursday at

46:41Durham County Memorial Stadium. Uh my

46:43son plays for the team. He and his

46:45teammates were very excited. Uh and so,

46:47there's a chance that they could be

46:48perhaps the first Brogden team to win

46:50since Council member Reese's son played

46:52for former Mayor Schewel, who was

46:54coaching uh at Brogden at the time and

46:57led them to the championship. So, we're

46:58hoping to follow in that legacy of his

47:00footsteps. Um

47:02uh and and finally, as my colleague

47:04said, I wanted to just mention briefly

47:05uh our our our neighbor um and our our

47:08former resident Isaac Areagos, who was

47:10actually the captain uh of his varsity

47:13soccer team, and his team showed out

47:15along with his family and friends.

47:17And I want to lift up Comunidad de

47:19Durham um as well as all those who

47:21organized in his support um after he was

47:24taken from his asylum hearing uh and

47:26detained in Georgia. There's many ways

47:28you can find online to help. Uh so,

47:30please do look [clears throat] for ways

47:31that you can help support him and his

47:32family and all others who are facing the

47:34same challenges today. Thank you.

47:37>> Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

47:39>> Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Good

47:41evening, colleagues. I have um

47:42Thank you for all your comments. I don't

47:43really have anything uh to add.

47:47>> Thank you so much. And as I stated

47:49earlier, uh just thanks to everyone who

47:51came out yesterday

47:53uh at the Black Farmers Market at Durham

47:54Tech. Over 500 people um coming together

47:58bringing resources that they have on a

48:00daily and just putting it on display.

48:03Want to shout out the American Beverage

48:05Association and the African-American

48:06Mayors Association for making the

48:08funding non-alcoholic beverages. For

48:11making

48:12the these funds available and I'm just

48:15really really really proud of my team.

48:18Camille Smith and Emmanuel Igoe for

48:22applying for these grants and

48:25successfully successfully obtaining

48:27them.

48:28And bringing the community together

48:30allowing us to invest now collectively

48:34between the Bull City Future Fund and

48:36the grants we are over $1 million out of

48:39the mayor's office that have been

48:41directly invested back into the

48:42community. So really really proud of

48:44that work and we're going to be putting

48:46out a

48:48a comprehensive report

48:51by the end of the year.

48:53Next year.

48:54Um

48:55Yeah, I I like I said earlier spent time

48:57with Andrew Brown's family and just

49:01I mean we were there for um

49:04a somber reason but his his his

49:06grandmother just had me laughing the

49:07entire time. She's a rockstar.

49:10And she just the whole family were in

49:12great spirits and it was emotional

49:14actually to see the city lit up in red

49:16the other night and

49:18you know just hanging out with the

49:19firefighters at James Joyce in the

49:21federal and our Durham police blocking

49:23off the street and allowing them to just

49:25be with one another. Firefighters from

49:27all over the nation.

49:29Um

49:30and getting messages from mayors around

49:32the country. It it was quite the

49:35the embracing.

49:36And I never felt anything like that and

49:39I I while greatly appreciative I I never

49:42hope we have to go through that again

49:43either.

49:44Um

49:45But yeah and and as stated National

49:48Night Out was a great success. Um and

49:51also we uh just got back from Tulsa,

49:54Oklahoma, with the Aspen Institute, uh

49:57and got a chance to share more

49:59information about what's happening in

50:01Durham. There are a lot of eyes on this

50:03city,

50:04from our public safety apparatus to the

50:06innovative uh work we're doing with

50:08housing.

50:10And uh you know, I've been talking about

50:12this grant funding for um

50:15food insecurity,

50:16but let's talk about housing. Uh the

50:18city of Durham, and again, shout out to

50:21the uh office of the mayor's staff, I'm

50:23proud to announce that we are the

50:25recipients, one of is it 15 or 30?

50:29One of 15 cities in America

50:32who have been awarded uh

50:34up to $750,000

50:36to continue the work on our ADU and

50:38housing initiatives

50:40uh by Bloomberg Philanthropies. So, I

50:42was on the plane and I got the alert.

50:44So, really excited about that, and we'll

50:47uh we'll be putting more information out

50:48about that really soon.

50:51And those are my comments for this

50:53evening. Uh before moving on, I will

50:55give my update,

50:57colleagues,

50:59on our

51:01homeless uh the

51:03the uh

51:05housing sprint information.

51:07Uh so, uh today we celebrate a

51:08significant milestone in the city of

51:10Durham's efforts to make homelessness

51:13rare and brief.

51:14Through three coordinated housing

51:16sprints led by our HOPE team, 104 people

51:20at this point, including 50 children,

51:22have transitioned from homelessness to

51:25into housing. And out of 50 households

51:27served, 49 of them, or 98%,

51:31uh remain uh uh uh remained in in uh

51:33current housing, demonstrating the

51:35impact of a coordinated community-driven

51:37approach.

51:38These results are possible because of

51:40the collaboration between our city team,

51:42nonprofit partners, landlords, and

51:45community organizations working together

51:47to remove barriers and connect residents

51:49with stable housing.

51:50From families transitioning out of

51:52shelters to individuals moving out of

51:54encampments, we're seeing lives change

51:56through meaningful action and sustained

51:58support.

51:59While we celebrate this progress, we

52:01know there is much more work to do. Our

52:02next housing sprint begins November 1st

52:06and we remain committed to expanding

52:08these efforts and strengthening

52:09partnerships across Durham. So, I want

52:11to thank our Hope Team and every partner

52:13helping to ensure that our neighbors

52:15have access to safe, stable housing. And

52:18together, we're not just addressing

52:20homelessness, we're creating pathways to

52:21stability, dignity, and opportunity for

52:25the people of Durham. And the reason why

52:26I give these updates because I do hear

52:29when people come in and try to kidnap

52:31the narrative.

52:33I do hear when folks are saying, "Oh,

52:34the city's not putting them in anywhere.

52:36They're just putting them in a hotel and

52:37then forget about them in a week or a

52:38month, they're kicked out." That is not

52:40true.

52:41So, what I read you are the facts

52:43and these are verifiable. We are

52:45actually housing people in stable

52:47housing and I don't mean a hotel room

52:49and calling it housing. I mean actual

52:52homes, actual apartment units.

52:55And and that is real work. So, I want to

52:57thank the staff and I will continue to

52:59protect the integrity of the work of you

53:01all as you are continuing to the follow

53:04our our policy direction and that is

53:06make sure that homelessness is rare and

53:08brief.

53:09So, thank you for that work.

53:12All right.

53:13>> [clears throat and cough]

53:18>> Next up are our priority items

53:20and I will pass it over to

53:23our Deputy City Manager

53:25Jennifer Hooks.

53:26>> Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Madam Mayor Pro

53:28Tem, members of City Council. The City

53:30Manager's office has one priority item.

53:33Agenda item number 23, capital

53:35investment and job creation incentive

53:37agreement with Affi Inc. has been

53:39postponed to the November 16th City

53:42Council meeting.

53:43Thank you.

53:46>> Thank you so much.

53:49Um Madam Attorney.

53:51>> Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Madam Mayor

53:52Pro Tem. Members of the Council, it's

53:54good to see you. The City Attorney's

53:56Office has no priority items this

53:57evening.

53:58>> Thank you. Madam Clerk.

53:59>> Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Madam Mayor

54:01Pro Tem and members of City Council. The

54:03City Clerk's Office has no priority

54:04items this evening.

54:07>> I'll see you something.

54:09All right.

54:10>> [clears throat]

54:11>> I'll now read the consent agenda. Number

54:12item number two, Durham Convention

54:14Center and Durham Convention and

54:16Visitors Bureau, Discover Durham.

54:19Uh

54:19appointment. Number three, approval of

54:21City Council minutes.

54:23>> Mr. Mayor, item two was pulled.

54:25>> I item two has been pulled. My

54:27apologies.

54:28Number four, request to carryover

54:31funding from fiscal year 2025-2026

54:33to fiscal year 2026-2027

54:36to amend the fiscal year fiscal year

54:392026-2027

54:41budget, capital improvement plan CIP

54:42ordinance, and the internal service

54:44funds spending plan.

54:47Item number five, US Department of

54:49Housing and Urban Development HUD

54:522025 Continuum of Care COC planning

54:55grant grant project ordinance, that has

54:57been pulled.

54:59Item number six,

55:02US Department of Housing and Urban

55:04Development HUD 2026 Emergency Solutions

55:07Grant Grant Project Ordinance, that has

55:09been pulled.

55:11Item number seven, amendment number two

55:13to professional services contract SW52D

55:15LaSalle Street pedestrian improvements.

55:18Item number eight, amendment number four

55:20to professional services contract SW45D

55:23Cornwallis Road bike and pedestrian

55:25facilities project.

55:26Item number nine, amendment number one

55:28to contract ST2026-01

55:31Hunting Ridge and West Lavender

55:33stormwater infrastructure improvements.

55:36Number 10, environmental and

55:37geotechnical professional services

55:40design contract with A1 Consulting Group

55:43Incorporated for pre-regulatory Landfill

55:45Park project.

55:48Number 11, construction

55:51construction services contract with the

55:53Daniel Group, Daniel Group.

55:55Uh the

55:57the Daniel Company LLC for the Durham

55:59City Hall reconfiguration project.

56:03Number 12, agenda item

56:07objection after assessment roll

56:09confirmation for curb, gutter, and

56:11paving on Amber Place.

56:15Item number

56:1713, first amendment to contract number

56:2021588,

56:22supplemental agreement number six to

56:23master agreement number

56:27uh 18908 with Kimley-Horn and Associates

56:30Incorporated for design of multimodal

56:33improvements on state maintained

56:35streets.

56:37Number 14, supplemental agreement number

56:40four to governing agreement number 21549

56:42with Kittelson and Associates

56:45Incorporated for design of Duke Ricks

56:47Road Corridor Improvements.

56:49Number [clears throat] 15,

56:51construction award to Carolina Civil

56:53Works Incorporated for the Duke

56:54University Road North Driver Street

56:57Water Line Replacement.

56:59Number 16,

57:02professional services contract with CDM

57:04Smith Incorporated for the Brown Water

57:05Treatment filtrate and lagoon

57:09decant dis- discharge upgrades.

57:12Number 17, amendment number one to

57:14contract number 21869 with McKim & Creed

57:17Incorporated for the South Durham Water

57:19Reclamation Facility territory ter-

57:22tertiary filter replacement and

57:25miscellaneous process

57:28rehabilitation items project.

57:32And on GBA, we have number 18, mini

57:35assessment rolls for curb, gutter, and

57:37paving and water and sewer laterals on

57:41Chalmers Street. Number 19, confirmation

57:45of assessment rolls for ribbon paving,

57:47water main, and water and sewer laterals

57:50on Link Street from Glen Cole Road east

57:53to the east property line of REID

57:56164518.

57:59Number 20, landmark designation report,

58:02Cranford Wanamaker House.

58:05It's been

58:06pulled.

58:08It's public hearing, sorry.

58:10Uh consolidated annexation 508 Olive

58:13Branch.

58:14And yep, that'll be it. Oh, we have item

58:17number 24, resolution regarding the

58:19impact of 2026 constitutional amendments

58:22on Durham.

58:25So, those are our items with the uh

58:28items number two, five, six

58:32being pulled.

58:35>> I'll make that motion to adopt the

58:36consent agenda.

58:37>> So moved and proper.

58:39It's moved and properly seconded. And a

58:40clerk, please open the vote.

58:44Please close the vote.

58:45>> The motion passes [clears throat]

58:46unanimously.

58:48>> Thank you so much. Colleagues, I'm going

58:50to start with our pulled items and then

58:51I will go down to

58:54uh

58:55number 24 and then I'll address two

58:56public hearings.

58:59Item number two,

59:00I have it pulled. Uh Scott Frawley.

59:14Welcome, you have 3 minutes.

59:21>> Good evening. My name is Scott Frawley.

59:23Pulling this item, I think gives us a

59:25chance to pause and bring awareness to

59:27Discover Durham's vision around

59:29convention center expansion or

59:30redevelopment. It's important to discuss

59:33the systems of power and their

59:34motivations for prioritizing this

59:36project when so many basic needs aren't

59:38being met. Who's selling the narrative

59:40that this is desirable?

59:42Well, with this appointment we see that

59:44Hilton Worldwide is one of those

59:46disproportionately powerful voices.

59:48Tonight we've been hearing

59:49acknowledgements of ICE and Hilton, of

59:51course, being the multinational company

59:54embroiled in scandal for supporting of

59:56ICE agents in its hotels.

59:58Is the council actually taking seriously

1:00:00the consequences of rolling out the

1:00:01welcome mat to this corporate led

1:00:03influence? You know, I remember not too

1:00:05long ago Mayor Williams talked about an

1:00:07inspiring trip he took to Spain. If the

1:00:09mayor would like to share a report back

1:00:11from that trip, I can offer something

1:00:12first. I know people who live in

1:00:14Barcelona and I know cultural sector

1:00:16leaders across Europe. If the mayor

1:00:18would like to ask them about how their

1:00:19locals view governments that uplift

1:00:21tourism over healthy communities, I'd be

1:00:23glad to make those connections. And let

1:00:26me share some words from Discover Durham

1:00:27CEO Susan Amey.

1:00:29It is important what residents want to

1:00:31see in the future, but they're not going

1:00:32to say a convention center. They're just

1:00:34not. But city leadership has to be

1:00:36thinking 10, 20, 30 years into the

1:00:38future.

1:00:40I'd say the problem actually is that a

1:00:42great deal of city leadership only looks

1:00:44ahead to those coming decades and based

1:00:46on how they're treating the health of

1:00:47our waters, soil, and democracy, they're

1:00:49not even doing it well. Real leadership

1:00:52requires thinking ahead seven

1:00:53generations into the future as taught by

1:00:56the original stewards of these lands

1:00:57including the Tuscarora among others. I

1:01:00challenge the council to dismantle this

1:01:02unimaginative and destructive project.

1:01:04If we're soberly talking about actually

1:01:06surviving and caring for one another

1:01:08into the future, then the council must

1:01:10work to enable projects toward

1:01:11overcoming capitalism in this colonial

1:01:14form of governance and building a new

1:01:16convention center ain't it.

1:01:20>> Thank you.

1:01:23All right, next I that is item number

1:01:26two. So, therefore I'll entertain a

1:01:28motion

1:01:30to appoint

1:01:32L. Douglas Pender to the Durham

1:01:34Convention and Bureau of Visitors Bureau

1:01:36Discover Durham representing lodging

1:01:38full services with the term to expire on

1:01:40October 31st, 2029.

1:01:45>> So, moved.

1:01:46>> It's been moved and properly seconded.

1:01:47Madam Clerk, please open the vote.

1:01:50Thank you. Please close the vote.

1:01:52>> And the motion passes unanimously.

1:01:53>> Thank you. All right, next item is

1:01:56number five.

1:01:59>> [clears throat]

1:01:59>> This is

1:02:00Miss Victoria Peterson.

1:02:06You have 3 minutes. Welcome.

1:02:11>> Thank you.

1:02:13I wanted to speak about these funds from

1:02:17HUD.

1:02:18And Mr. Mayor,

1:02:20I heard that you mentioned about

1:02:23all the good work that the city's doing

1:02:26to work with the homeless

1:02:28in this community.

1:02:31But, I really feel that we've dropped

1:02:34the ball.

1:02:35I would say about 80 or 90% of my time

1:02:40is spent

1:02:41in the African American community.

1:02:44We have numerous numerous African

1:02:48Americans

1:02:50that are living on the streets.

1:02:52My understanding from

1:02:54from your HEART program,

1:02:57you have about 150 camps

1:03:00here in the city.

1:03:02Persons who live outside

1:03:05during the winter months, during the

1:03:07summer time. 150 camps.

1:03:10You have about 600 homeless individuals.

1:03:14That's from HEART. Your heart program.

1:03:18Overall, I'm glad that we have that

1:03:20program, that they are trying to.

1:03:24But my concern is the HUD dollars

1:03:27that's been coming into Durham

1:03:30for quite a few years.

1:03:34You have property

1:03:36over by over by McDougald Terrace

1:03:39where I can actually walk to.

1:03:42The old Lincoln Apartments

1:03:45have been housed over there. You have

1:03:47quite a few buildings, Mr. Mayor and

1:03:50other city council members. I actually

1:03:51have pictures.

1:03:54Not what I would call brick buildings

1:03:59that basically need to be gutted out and

1:04:02redone.

1:04:04You have, I believe it's it's sitting on

1:04:07nine nine acres of land.

1:04:11Close to 200 some apartments

1:04:15could be housed there.

1:04:17And it sits there

1:04:19in this community

1:04:21somewhere between 15, I'm sorry,

1:04:24somewhere between 10 to 15 years, Mr.

1:04:27Mayor.

1:04:31This property that is now my

1:04:33understanding have been

1:04:34is owned by Durham Public Housing

1:04:38that has not paid taxes property taxes

1:04:41in years, Mr. Mayor.

1:04:45I'm asking this city council

1:04:47to look at this property.

1:04:51I'm asking the city council

1:04:53to get a hold of this property

1:04:56get some legit developers

1:04:59put this property in proper hands

1:05:03and let's use this property to house

1:05:06persons who really need housing in this

1:05:09community.

1:05:10Let's start taking the federal funds.

1:05:13>> Thank you. Stay right Stay right there,

1:05:15though.

1:05:20Thank you, but just stay right there for

1:05:22me, Ms. Peterson. I am going to

1:05:25call the question on this one, and then

1:05:26I have you for number six as well.

1:05:28I have you for number six as well, so

1:05:29just hold tight.

1:05:33That's the only speaker I have for this

1:05:35item. Uh colleagues, I'll entertain a

1:05:37motion

1:05:38to adopt the fiscal year 2026-2027

1:05:41US Department of Housing and Urban

1:05:43Development Continuum of Care Planning

1:05:45Grants Grant Project Ordinance in the

1:05:47amount of $158,755,

1:05:51of which $31,751

1:05:54is required is a required local match

1:05:57from the general fund.

1:06:00>> So moved.

1:06:00>> Second.

1:06:01>> Moved, second, and sneezed.

1:06:05Madam Clerk, please open the vote.

1:06:08Please close the vote.

1:06:09>> And the motion passes unanimously.

1:06:11>> Thank you. Uh continuing on, item number

1:06:14six.

1:06:16I have you.

1:06:19Oh, that's right. I'm sorry.

1:06:21Uh the second motion is to authorize the

1:06:23city manager to execute the grant

1:06:25agreement with the US Department of

1:06:26Housing and Urban Development in the

1:06:28amount of $127,004.

1:06:32>> So moved.

1:06:32>> Second.

1:06:33>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:06:34Clerk, please open the vote.

1:06:35Please close the vote.

1:06:37>> And the motion passes unanimously.

1:06:38>> All right, number six.

1:06:40US uh Department of

1:06:42US Department of HUD

1:06:442026 Emergency Solutions Grant Grant

1:06:46Project Ordinance.

1:06:48Ms. Peterson, on you.

1:06:49>> So, I want to I would like to continue

1:06:51my conversation here.

1:06:53And I think this conversation is going

1:06:55to continue on for the next several,

1:06:57probably, months. Uh Mr. Mayor, you

1:07:00mentioned that $750,000

1:07:02is getting ready to come into this

1:07:04community for for homelessness.

1:07:07Uh and these other federal funds and

1:07:10federal funds that we're going to be

1:07:11getting in the future.

1:07:13But my understanding from public

1:07:15housing, and I do not want to say

1:07:17anything correct, uh I'm sorry,

1:07:19incorrect, but that the public housing

1:07:22is saying to me that Mrs. Peterson, we

1:07:25do not get a dime

1:07:27from the city council.

1:07:29We do not get any monies.

1:07:32I do not know if that's true or not. If

1:07:35that is true, that does concern me

1:07:39that we're getting monies from the feds,

1:07:44but the city

1:07:45but the city government is not putting

1:07:48any monies

1:07:49into public housing.

1:07:51Now, these dollars here are asking for

1:07:54matching funds from the city. It does

1:07:58state that. So, I don't know if the

1:08:00person

1:08:02really was just sort of

1:08:04giving

1:08:05misinformation, Mr. Mayor, but it does

1:08:08concern me. If that is true,

1:08:11that the only thing that the city is

1:08:14depending on are federal dollars

1:08:17to deal with housing and and and

1:08:20low-income housing and and homelessness,

1:08:24but we and on Thursday, I will try to uh

1:08:27bring some more information to you, Mr.

1:08:29Mayor,

1:08:30of the kind of monies that this city

1:08:32still has.

1:08:35We are not a poor city.

1:08:38WE'RE NOT POOR.

1:08:40THE COUNTY is not poor.

1:08:42For this city to have, and please do not

1:08:45take this the wrong way,

1:08:48like I said,

1:08:50I spend about 80 or 90% of my time in

1:08:53the African-American community. Many

1:08:55African-Americans that I have spoken to

1:08:58here in Durham

1:09:00are grieved

1:09:01about what is going on in this community

1:09:04and how the poor and the working poor

1:09:08is being treated, Mr. Mayor. We are

1:09:10building numerous buildings down here,

1:09:13numerous apartments,

1:09:15but we really do not have housing

1:09:19for those

1:09:22who are poor and and when I'm talking

1:09:24about poor, I'm talking about persons

1:09:28who don't have the money

1:09:30to pay for an apartment.

1:09:33They just don't have it for whatever

1:09:35reason. And a lot of it has nothing to

1:09:37do with drugs. A lot of it has nothing

1:09:39to do with

1:09:41with mental illness. It's just they're

1:09:43poor. They just don't have the finances.

1:09:45They don't have the families. But it's a

1:09:48Um but anyway, Mr. Mayor and City

1:09:50Council member, I want you to look at

1:09:52that property.

1:09:53>> Thank you.

1:09:53>> Okay?

1:09:54>> Thank you.

1:09:56>> The Lincoln Apartments.

1:09:57>> Yes, ma'am.

1:09:58>> Okay, I want you to look at it now.

1:10:00>> We'll do.

1:10:01>> got to deal We've got to deal with that

1:10:02property over there. Yes, sir.

1:10:04>> Thank you.

1:10:08All right. Yes, ma'am. And and and

1:10:11thanks for, you know, bringing that up.

1:10:12The This uh Durham Housing Authority is

1:10:15a a great partner.

1:10:16Durham Housing Authority is a great

1:10:18partner and um

1:10:20uh the 44 million that was in

1:10:21partnership with them, so that came from

1:10:23the city as well as the 1.5 million. And

1:10:27um more. So, we There's funding.

1:10:31Yes, ma'am. All right, here we go.

1:10:33Colleagues, I'll entertain a motion to

1:10:35adopt the fiscal year 2026-2027

1:10:38US Department of Housing and Urban

1:10:40Development Emergency Solutions Grant

1:10:43Grant Project Ordinance in the amount of

1:10:45$350,218

1:10:48made up of $170,218

1:10:51Emergency Solutions Grant and $180,000

1:10:56of city dedicated housing fund funds.

1:11:00>> So moved.

1:11:00>> Second.

1:11:01>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:11:03Clerk, please open the vote and please

1:11:05close the vote.

1:11:06>> The motion passes unanimously.

1:11:08>> Thank you and I'll also entertain a

1:11:09motion to authorize the city manager to

1:11:11execute the grant agreement in the

1:11:13amount of 170,218.

1:11:17>> So moved.

1:11:17>> Second.

1:11:18>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:11:19Clerk, please open the vote. Please

1:11:20close the vote.

1:11:21>> Motion passes unanimously.

1:11:23>> All right. Before we get [clears throat]

1:11:25to our public hearings,

1:11:26uh

1:11:30Yeah, I'm going to go down to item

1:11:31number 24. This is the resolution

1:11:33regarding the impact of the 2026

1:11:36constitutional amendments on Durham and

1:11:38I'd like to pass it over to Council

1:11:40Member Koback. Thank you for your

1:11:41leadership on it.

1:11:42>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:11:45So, we need everyone to know about the

1:11:47harmful amendments that are on the

1:11:48ballot this fall put forth by our

1:11:51right-wing North Carolina legislature in

1:11:52an effort to turn out the vote, but they

1:11:55have um

1:11:56potential serious long-term consequences

1:11:58as well. Uh and so this council wanted

1:12:01to bring forth a resolution urging our

1:12:03residents to vote against the amendments

1:12:05uh in order to help raise awareness,

1:12:07help community groups raise awareness uh

1:12:09of of uh of this issue as we've already

1:12:12started voting this fall. Uh and so with

1:12:14that, uh I will go ahead and read the

1:12:16resolution, Mr. Mayor.

1:12:18Okay.

1:12:19Resolution regarding the impact of the

1:12:212026 constitutional amendments on

1:12:23Durham.

1:12:24Whereas on November 3rd, 2026 and during

1:12:26early voting, North Carolina voters will

1:12:28consider amendments to the state's

1:12:30constitution which would place

1:12:31additional constitutional limitations on

1:12:34state and local revenue authority and

1:12:36add additional restrictions on voting.

1:12:39And whereas constitutional amendments

1:12:40are more difficult to change than

1:12:42ordinary laws and require 3/5 support

1:12:44from both the North Carolina House and

1:12:46North Carolina Senate as well as a

1:12:47majority of voters.

1:12:49And whereas tax rates and fiscal

1:12:51policies are best addressed through

1:12:52legislation

1:12:54rather than amendments to the

1:12:55constitution and should remain flexible

1:12:57to address urgent local and state needs.

1:13:00And whereas the proposed income tax

1:13:02amendment states, "Constitutional

1:13:04amendment to keep the state income tax

1:13:05rate from being raised higher than 3 and

1:13:071/2 percent, 3.5%."

1:13:11And whereas a constitutional cap of 7%

1:13:14already exists, the current individual

1:13:17income tax rate is 3.99%

1:13:19and existing state law provides for

1:13:21potential reductions below 3.5%

1:13:23beginning in 2027 if specified revenue

1:13:26triggers are met, meaning the proposed

1:13:28amendment would establish a lower

1:13:30constitutional ceiling rather than

1:13:32reduce the current tax rate.

1:13:34And whereas lowering the income tax cap

1:13:36in the constitution would limit the

1:13:38revenue options available to future

1:13:39elected leaders to fund essential

1:13:41services like education, public safety,

1:13:44health care, roads, state parks,

1:13:46disaster recovery, and other essential

1:13:48services.

1:13:50And whereas constitutional limitations

1:13:52on state revenue authority could place

1:13:54additional fiscal pressure on state and

1:13:56local governments and reduce the

1:13:57flexibility available to respond to

1:13:59future revenue needs.

1:14:01And whereas future elected leaders need

1:14:03flexibility to respond to emergencies

1:14:05and changing economic conditions such as

1:14:07inflation.

1:14:09And whereas the property tax amendment

1:14:10states, "Constitutional amendment

1:14:12requiring limits on property tax

1:14:13increases by local governments."

1:14:16And would require the General Assembly

1:14:17to pass a law limiting how much local

1:14:19governments can increase the total

1:14:20amount of property tax revenue they

1:14:22collect.

1:14:24And whereas limitations on the city's

1:14:25ability to increase property tax levy

1:14:28revenue could reduce future fiscal

1:14:30flexibility to respond to

1:14:31infrastructure, affordable housing,

1:14:33public safety, and other needs.

1:14:35And whereas preserving state and local

1:14:37fiscal flexibility is important to the

1:14:39ability of state and local governments

1:14:41to respond to

1:14:42changing economic conditions,

1:14:44emergencies, and future investments.

1:14:46And whereas the photo ID amendment

1:14:48states, constitutional amendment to

1:14:50require all voters, not just those

1:14:52presenting to vote in person, to present

1:14:54photo identification before voting.

1:14:56And whereas North Carolina law already

1:14:59requires photo ID for all voters,

1:15:01including those voting absentee.

1:15:03And whereas voter ID laws have a direct

1:15:05and disparate impact on minority

1:15:07communities and limit access for

1:15:08military, student, rural, older voters,

1:15:11and others who may lack qualifying

1:15:12identification.

1:15:13Therefore, be it resolved that the city

1:15:15of Durham opposes these amendments to

1:15:17North Carolina North Carolina's

1:15:18constitution and encourages voters to

1:15:20vote against all three amendments.

1:15:22Signed this 19th day of October, 2026.

1:15:29>> Thank you, council member.

1:15:31As you heard, the resolution as read.

1:15:34>> [clears throat and cough]

1:15:35>> I will call the question and then open

1:15:37for discussion.

1:15:39I'll entertain a motion to adopt the

1:15:40resolution regarding the impact of the

1:15:422026 constitutional amendments on

1:15:45Durham.

1:15:46>> So moved.

1:15:46>> Second.

1:15:47>> It's a moved and properly seconded. Is

1:15:49there discussion?

1:15:54Well, all right.

1:15:55>> [laughter]

1:15:56>> Um

1:15:57Oh.

1:16:01Oh, I see. Okay, got it.

1:16:03I have one speaker, public freedom.

1:16:19Welcome. You have 3 minutes.

1:16:29>> All right. Good evening, Mayor Williams,

1:16:31Mayor Pro Tem Caballero.

1:16:33Um assistant city manager, deputy city

1:16:36manager, uh staff,

1:16:38tens of folks in the audience, millions

1:16:39of folks online, and all the reporters

1:16:41who watch. Um so, whoever caught it,

1:16:44thank you. I thought you were going to

1:16:45pull a Senate Rules Committee on me and

1:16:47just evaporate my name into the

1:16:49universe. I do appreciate it. Um so, I

1:16:51want to be clear. I I do support this

1:16:52resolution. However, here's my push to

1:16:55what I've said before

1:16:57>> [clears throat]

1:16:57>> during these comments.

1:16:59We like to sing progressive sonnets, and

1:17:02then we govern very differently, right?

1:17:06So, just with the same energy and verve

1:17:09that you're bringing this resolution, I

1:17:11want to see the same one against the

1:17:13decisions by the Board of Equalization

1:17:15Review regarding commercial property

1:17:18valuations and how billions of dollars

1:17:20of tax revenue was knocked off the city

1:17:23and the county rolls. I think

1:17:26it's one thing to um take a stand

1:17:29against what Raleigh has been doing, and

1:17:31I agree with you 100%. I also need us to

1:17:34use the same resolution power on our

1:17:38local entities here in Durham that have

1:17:40done things in not-so-progressive ways.

1:17:43And to be very honest with you, even

1:17:44some of you on the dais right now who I

1:17:47don't see eye to eye with on

1:17:48development, I've heard your public

1:17:50comments during work sessions with the

1:17:52tax administrator, and I know you're

1:17:53equally as upset. And I share your

1:17:56frustration. My ask is, I think the

1:17:59county commissioners are being quite

1:18:00intransigent. Um they're digging their

1:18:02heels in, but many of you, in fact, an

1:18:05overwhelming majority of you are quite

1:18:07frustrated at what is coming down from

1:18:09the county and the tax administrator.

1:18:10And I challenge you to lean into your

1:18:12progressive muscle and issue a

1:18:14resolution with the same force and verve

1:18:17of what's happening with the Board of

1:18:18Equalization Review right now. We still

1:18:20don't have the minutes, okay?

1:18:23Um the there's no clarity as to how some

1:18:25of these valuations, and to give you an

1:18:27idea, right? And I made this in a public

1:18:29video last week. Um the Chesterfield

1:18:31building in downtown Durham, almost $50

1:18:33million worth of tax valuation just

1:18:35disappeared. If you aggregate what the

1:18:37city um

1:18:39tax revenue share for would be, I'm sure

1:18:41that might have made up the shortfall

1:18:43regarding some of the funding to our

1:18:44nonprofits that were sort of at the very

1:18:46end of the negotiating table regarding

1:18:48the budget conversations. And so I

1:18:50challenge you all, these are our local

1:18:53tax valuations, our local tax dollars,

1:18:55and I would like to see a resolution

1:18:56similarly against the Board of

1:18:58Equalization review. And I'll give you

1:18:59back 30 seconds. Thank you.

1:19:03>> Thank you for your commentary.

1:19:06I

1:19:07uh

1:19:08Thank you for that commentary. I don't

1:19:10compliment

1:19:11uh much on public

1:19:13dialogue, but

1:19:15um that is something that we're working

1:19:17on, and I will be inviting

1:19:19uh the board members in for a

1:19:21presentation to the city council.

1:19:23Uh and they have agreed to, so we will

1:19:25be getting that on the agenda,

1:19:26colleagues. Uh just letting you know

1:19:28that I'm working on scheduling the Board

1:19:30of Equalization

1:19:32to um come and present to the council so

1:19:34that we are not um so that we can verify

1:19:38narrative and what actually did happen.

1:19:41Um

1:19:41it is highly frustrating, um but I want

1:19:44to make sure the folks actually have the

1:19:46true understanding of what what

1:19:48happened.

1:19:49Uh so we'll get that on the work session

1:19:51agenda. So

1:19:53Um all right. Uh those are

1:19:57That's all That's the only speaker I

1:19:58have for this item.

1:20:00>> [clears throat]

1:20:00>> I will say just publicly, I hope that

1:20:03North Carolina votes no on these

1:20:04constitutional amendments. I want to be

1:20:06very clear about that. Uh we don't

1:20:08govern in resolution, but it you know,

1:20:10uh some things that are regarding city

1:20:12business,

1:20:14um we try to, you know, just at least

1:20:17position our stance on things.

1:20:20Um but what we can really do to have

1:20:21serious and true impact is to work with

1:20:24our neighbors, get the word out across

1:20:26the state as much as possible.

1:20:28Um I did get a notification that, you

1:20:30know, you guys are publicly elected

1:20:32officials, you shouldn't be taking

1:20:34position on state politics.

1:20:38Whatever. Vote no.

1:20:41All right.

1:20:42Yep, go ahead.

1:20:43>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um yeah, from one

1:20:45end of the dais to the other, I just

1:20:46want to say thanks so much for

1:20:47Councilman Kopack for uh bringing forth

1:20:49this resolution. I support this thing

1:20:50110%. As the mayor said, this is really

1:20:53critical that we vote down these three

1:20:54amendments.

1:20:55Um

1:20:56many of us were at the joint city county

1:20:57committee meeting just last week. We had

1:20:59a presentation about the state fiscal

1:21:01environment. It's already constrained,

1:21:02right? Already keeping us from doing

1:21:03things like paying teachers and a lot of

1:21:05other stuff, roads. And so, further

1:21:07constraining our ability to raise

1:21:08revenue is kind of would be would be

1:21:11insanity, right? Um

1:21:13this if in the the property tax

1:21:14amendment in particular passed would be

1:21:16like this is a generational change in

1:21:18how we function at the local level and

1:21:20our ability to raise revenue for all the

1:21:21things that Councilman Kopack included

1:21:23in his resolution, roads, schools,

1:21:27affordable housing, infrastructure, you

1:21:29name it. So, thank you so much for this

1:21:30and I I urge our unanimous support of

1:21:33this resolution.

1:21:35>> All right. And I I casually said vote

1:21:37no. I should use the

1:21:39the appropriate terminology, vote

1:21:40against.

1:21:42Vote against. That's the language you're

1:21:43going to see on the ballot. Um but early

1:21:45voting is happening now. We have 10

1:21:47locations. Um make sure that you I I

1:21:50hate saying make a plan to vote because

1:21:52that's that's like you're delaying. Go

1:21:54vote tomorrow if you can. Vote as soon

1:21:56as you can. The lines are historically

1:21:58long. Let's celebrate that. And make

1:22:00sure you have your approved ID, whether

1:22:03it's a license or passport or whatever.

1:22:06Um make sure that you take that with you

1:22:08to the polls.

1:22:09And uh I put out a video uh

1:22:12that make sure that I stated publicly

1:22:15everything people need to make sure they

1:22:16can go and vote. It is a long video.

1:22:18It's 11 minutes. I'll do a few shorter

1:22:20videos this uh this week while at the

1:22:22polls. But uh please make sure you go

1:22:24out and and vote against this amendment.

1:22:28All right. Madam Clerk, please open the

1:22:30vote.

1:22:39Oh, that's me.

1:22:42Please close the vote.

1:22:43>> And the motion passes unanimously.

1:22:45>> Thank you. I was thinking someone was

1:22:46like hesitating.

1:22:48>> [laughter]

1:22:49>> All right. We will now move to our

1:22:51public hearings.

1:22:55Item number 18, mini assessment rolls

1:22:57for curb, gutter, and paving, and water

1:23:00and sewer laterals on Chalmers Street.

1:23:03Ready for the staff report.

1:23:14>> Good evening, Council. John Sandor,

1:23:16Planning and

1:23:18Development.

1:23:19Um

1:23:22Chalmers Street. So, this was sort of a

1:23:25continuation from August 17th when the

1:23:29assessment

1:23:31for curb, gutter, and paving

1:23:33and sewer water laterals on Chalmers

1:23:36were confirmed with the exception of the

1:23:39proposed assessments against the

1:23:40properties of Terrence and Miranda

1:23:42Henderson, Elijah and Linda Henry, and

1:23:45Katrina Reed due to the objections to

1:23:47the assessment by these property owners.

1:23:50Um these proposed assessments were

1:23:51referred to today

1:23:53uh to be heard for further

1:23:55consideration.

1:23:59>> All right. You've heard the staff

1:24:00report. Are there any technical

1:24:01questions or comments to staff?

1:24:05All right. At this time, I'll declare

1:24:06the public hearing open.

1:24:09And I have no speakers for this item.

1:24:11Therefore, I'll declare the public

1:24:13hearing closed and back before the

1:24:15Council.

1:24:16Once again, any questions?

1:24:18Thank you. At this time, I'll entertain

1:24:20a motion to adopt the resolution

1:24:23confirming the assessment role for the

1:24:25curb, gutter, and paving improvement to

1:24:28Chalmers Street from Hemlock Avenue to

1:24:31the north property line of REID 133231.

1:24:36>> So moved.

1:24:36>> Second.

1:24:37>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:24:38Clerk, please open the vote.

1:24:40Please close the vote.

1:24:42>> The motion passes unanimously.

1:24:43>> Thank you. I'll

1:24:44also entertain a motion to adopt the

1:24:45resolution confirming the assessment

1:24:47role for the water and sewer lateral

1:24:49improvement to Chalmers Street from

1:24:51Hemlock Avenue to the north property

1:24:53line of REID 133231.

1:24:56>> So moved.

1:24:56>> So moved.

1:24:56>> Second.

1:24:57>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:24:58Clerk, please open the vote.

1:25:02Please close the vote.

1:25:03>> The motion passes unanimously.

1:25:05>> Thank you. Item number 19, ready for the

1:25:06staff report.

1:25:13>> All right. Um

1:25:16Uh November 15th, 2010, the City Council

1:25:18adopted a resolution ordering the

1:25:20improvements for Lang Street from

1:25:23Glencoe to the east property line of

1:25:25REID 164

1:25:27518. These improvements have been

1:25:29completed and the preliminary assessment

1:25:31role has been prepared. In accordance

1:25:33with the section 77 of the charter of

1:25:35the City of Durham, a resolution was

1:25:36adopted by the City Council on August

1:25:383rd, 2026 adopting the preliminary

1:25:40preliminary assessment role and setting

1:25:42a public hearing for August 17th, 2026

1:25:46to hear objections to the assessments

1:25:47before confirmation of the assessment

1:25:49role. And these proposed assessments

1:25:52were referred to the October 19th, 2026

1:25:54Council meeting for further

1:25:55consideration.

1:25:58>> Thank you. You've heard the staff

1:25:59report. Are there any questions for

1:26:01staff?

1:26:03>> [clears throat]

1:26:03>> All right, thank you. At this time, I'll

1:26:05declare the public hearing open.

1:26:07There are no speakers for this item, so

1:26:09therefore I will declare the public

1:26:10hearing closed and back before the

1:26:11Council. Once more, are there any

1:26:12questions?

1:26:14Thank you. That being stated, I will

1:26:16entertain a motion to adopt the

1:26:17resolution confirming the assessment

1:26:19role for the ribbon paving improvement

1:26:21to Link Street

1:26:23from Glen Cole Road east to the east

1:26:26property line of REID 164518.

1:26:30>> So moved.

1:26:30>> Second.

1:26:31>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:26:32Clerk, please open the vote.

1:26:35Please close the vote.

1:26:36>> Motion passes unanimously.

1:26:37>> Thank you. I'll also entertain a motion

1:26:39to adopt the resolution confirming the

1:26:40assessment role for the water main

1:26:43improvement to Link Street from Glen

1:26:45Cole Road east to the east property line

1:26:48of REID 164518.

1:26:52>> Second.

1:26:53>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:26:54Clerk, please open the vote.

1:26:58Please close the vote.

1:27:00>> Motion passes unanimously.

1:27:01>> Thank you. And lastly, I'll entertain a

1:27:02motion to adopt the resolution

1:27:03confirming the assessment role for the

1:27:05water and sewer lateral improvements to

1:27:07Link Street from Glen Cole Road east to

1:27:10the east property line of REID 164518.

1:27:13>> So moved.

1:27:15>> Second.

1:27:16>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

1:27:17Clerk, please open the vote.

1:27:23Please close the vote.

1:27:25>> Motion passes unanimously.

1:27:26>> Thank you. All right, next item.

1:27:30Item number 20, landmark designation

1:27:32report, Cranford Wannamaker House.

1:27:35Welcome. Ready for the staff report.

1:27:38>> Good evening. My name is Carla Rosenberg

1:27:41with the Durham Planning and Development

1:27:42Department. Before I begin the staff

1:27:44begins, staff would like to state for

1:27:45the record that all Planning and

1:27:47Development Department hearing items

1:27:48have been advertised and noticed in

1:27:50accordance with state and local law.

1:27:53And affidavits of all notices are on

1:27:54file in the Planning and Development

1:27:56Department.

1:27:57I'm here to introduce a request for

1:27:59landmark designation for Cranford

1:28:01Wannamaker House located at 1019

1:28:04West Trinity Avenue on a parcel of 0.26

1:28:07acres.

1:28:08The The request was submitted by 401

1:28:10Design LLC represented by Sarah

1:28:12Lockenman.

1:28:14The Historic Preservation Commission

1:28:15gave its recommendation for approval for

1:28:17both the buildings and the land um a

1:28:20vote of 7 to 0 on June 2nd, 2026. And

1:28:24the North Carolina Historic Preservation

1:28:25Office issued its recommendation letter

1:28:27on July 21st, 2026.

1:28:31Um and staff is recommending approval of

1:28:33this request to include the buildings

1:28:35and the land um including the

1:28:37miscellaneous improvement that

1:28:38constitute constitutes an historical

1:28:41associated with the parcel.

1:28:46>> Thank you. You've heard the staff

1:28:47report. Any technical questions from

1:28:50staff?

1:28:52All right. We have an applicant here.

1:28:56How much time do you think you need?

1:28:58>> Hello.

1:28:58>> Hi.

1:28:59>> I am Sarah Lockenman of Fouroverone

1:29:02Design.

1:29:02>> How much time do you think you need?

1:29:04>> Uh less than 10 minutes.

1:29:06>> All right. 10 minutes, please.

1:29:07>> I'll go real speedy.

1:29:09>> All right.

1:29:10>> Um all right. Uh I prepared this

1:29:13landmark application with the help of

1:29:15Rich Herbs, who's the owner of 1019 West

1:29:18Trinity

1:29:19of the Cranford Wanamaker House. Um and

1:29:22we are here today to respectfully

1:29:24request the City Council uh designate

1:29:26this property as a local historic

1:29:28landmark.

1:29:31Hey, and it works.

1:29:32Durham in 1890 was a tiny town with a

1:29:35population of less than 5,500 based

1:29:38around tobacco and the railroad.

1:29:40You may have seen this map of our city

1:29:42drawn in 1891.

1:29:44City Hall will eventually be here.

1:29:46You can pick out the oldest buildings

1:29:49from American Tobacco here and what is

1:29:51now West Village here.

1:29:53And you can spot Gregson and Duke just

1:29:56starting to delineate what will become

1:29:58in 20 years Trinity Park.

1:30:00Watts and Buchanan haven't been laid out

1:30:02yet and the first buildings of the new

1:30:04Trinity College stand on the far left.

1:30:08There they are. This same year as the

1:30:10map was drawn, the Cranford Wannamaker

1:30:12house was built. It was one of five

1:30:14Faculty Row cottages built in 1891 by

1:30:17local contractor T.S. Christian for

1:30:20Trinity College, the institution that

1:30:22relocated from Randolph County to Durham

1:30:25and later became Duke University. These

1:30:27modest but distinguished cottages were

1:30:29built specifically to house faculty and

1:30:31they stand as a small handful of

1:30:33structures original to the college,

1:30:35remarkable survivors from way back when.

1:30:38This photo of the house is preserved in

1:30:40the Duke archives and dated July 17,

1:30:431895.

1:30:44It's inscribed on the back, "The house

1:30:46in which W.I. Cranford lived."

1:30:49Professor William Ivey Cranford, one of

1:30:51the first Trinity College professors and

1:30:53administrators who lived in the house,

1:30:55was a Trinity College graduate himself,

1:30:57class of 1891. He served the college as

1:31:00instructor in Greek, associate professor

1:31:02philosophy and logic, and ultimately

1:31:04dean of the college.

1:31:07The house's celebrated occupant was

1:31:08William Hane Wannamaker on the right, a

1:31:11Duke University professor and

1:31:12administrator who shaped the institution

1:31:14for over four decades from 1905 through

1:31:171948.

1:31:19Wannamaker held multiple senior

1:31:21administrative posts, played a

1:31:23foundational role in building the

1:31:24college's athletics program and

1:31:26facilities, and served as the editor of

1:31:28the South Atlantic Quarterly.

1:31:30He was largely responsible for the

1:31:32growth and success of Duke athletics,

1:31:34including hiring Wallace Wade in 1931.

1:31:38In 1916, when Buchanan Boulevard, then

1:31:41Guess Road, was widened and the stone

1:31:43wall was constructed around what is now

1:31:45East Campus,

1:31:46four of the five Faculty Row houses were

1:31:49moved into Trinity Park.

1:31:52The map on the left shows the location

1:31:54of the house

1:31:55up until 1916, circled in red, and then

1:31:58where it landed three blocks east on the

1:32:01right at 1019 West Trinity. Another of

1:32:04the faculty houses, the Bassett house,

1:32:06moved next door to 1017 West Trinity.

1:32:10The houses were physically relocated via

1:32:12wooden logs and towed by horses. We

1:32:15don't have any actual photo of the

1:32:17actual house moving, but this is the

1:32:19This is the gist of it. I would have

1:32:21loved to have seen it.

1:32:22Um once it was moved onto the property

1:32:27on West Trinity,

1:32:28a small garage was constructed along the

1:32:30alleyway.

1:32:31Built before 1937, it's gabled and

1:32:34wood-sided with a garage door on the

1:32:35alley end.

1:32:37Its attic has wooden boxes from Carolina

1:32:40Glass Company, likely from the 1920s.

1:32:43With the new location and garage, the

1:32:45house changed from being part of a

1:32:47walkable campus to a family home in a

1:32:49neighborhood and matched the new houses

1:32:51being constructed throughout Trinity

1:32:52Park in the '10s, '20s, and '30s.

1:32:56Our application argues this property

1:32:58meets Durham's landmark criteria on

1:33:00multiple grounds. I'll summarize the two

1:33:02strongest.

1:33:04Criterion A is an association with

1:33:06significant persons and events.

1:33:08The house has direct documented

1:33:10associations with persons significant to

1:33:12Durham's educational and cultural

1:33:14history, Professor Cranford and William

1:33:17Wannamaker.

1:33:19Beyond individual figures, the house

1:33:21represents the first moments of

1:33:22organized academic life in our city.

1:33:25The Faculty Row houses are some of the

1:33:27only surviving physical evidence of the

1:33:29original Trinity College campus as it

1:33:31existed before becoming Duke University.

1:33:35The first phase of Trinity College

1:33:37campus is in the map on the left and was

1:33:39comprised of the five faculty

1:33:41residences,

1:33:42the Washington Duke Building, which

1:33:44burned in 1911, the Epworth Inn,

1:33:47two-thirds of which was demolished in

1:33:491914, and the still-standing Crowell

1:33:52Science and Technology Building, which

1:33:53is a brick classroom structure.

1:33:56With the loss of the Washington Duke and

1:33:58the original rambling Epworth in

1:33:59footprint, the more modest homes of the

1:34:01faculty take on greater importance.

1:34:05The slot

1:34:06Sorry, the Cranford-Wanamaker House also

1:34:08meets criterion C and embodies the

1:34:10distinctive characteristics of a type

1:34:12and period. It is architecturally

1:34:14significant example of the late

1:34:16Victorian residential style with plans

1:34:19sourced from a pattern book.

1:34:21It is a one and a half story frame

1:34:22structure, Queen Anne in form with

1:34:25shingle style detailing as was

1:34:27fashionable in academic and professional

1:34:29communities in the 1890s.

1:34:31Its most distinctive surviving feature

1:34:32is the tower, which was originally

1:34:34topped by an exotic onion-shaped dome.

1:34:38That dome was removed less than 10 years

1:34:40after it was built around 1900 and then

1:34:43was rebuilt with a flat roof and

1:34:45crenellations. That crenellated parapet

1:34:48is what gives it its castle-like

1:34:50appearance now.

1:34:53There are very few shingle style

1:34:54structures standing in Durham. There's

1:34:56one in Watts Hill and Dale on Alabama

1:34:58and another on Cleveland Avenue. It

1:35:00wasn't a style that really caught hold

1:35:02in the South, making it even more

1:35:03significant.

1:35:06The house and the other Faculty Row

1:35:08homes were listed on the National

1:35:10Register of Historic Places in 1979 as a

1:35:12group four.

1:35:14That listing recognizes them as having

1:35:16both architectural and historical

1:35:17significance individually and

1:35:19collectively.

1:35:21It describes them as comfortably aging

1:35:23Victorian dowagers who anchor the

1:35:25neighborhood with their seniority and

1:35:27lighten it with their whimsies and

1:35:29eccentricities, which is just such a

1:35:31great quote.

1:35:33I note especially that the three other

1:35:35standing Faculty Row houses are already

1:35:37protected in some way. Two are local

1:35:40landmarks, a third has protective

1:35:42covenants held by Preservation Durham.

1:35:44The Cranford-Wanamaker House is the only

1:35:47one that does not have anything in

1:35:48place.

1:35:49Landmark status will protect this

1:35:51property by ensuring any changes to the

1:35:53exterior have to be approved by the

1:35:55historic preservation community in

1:35:56perpetuity, so that it will maintain it

1:35:59will maintain its integrity and place in

1:36:01the neighborhood into the future.

1:36:04The city council must, quote, find this

1:36:06property

1:36:07maintains significant integrity to

1:36:09convey its significance, and we believe

1:36:11it does.

1:36:13The house retains integrity of location.

1:36:15It has been at 1019 West Trinity Avenue

1:36:17since 1916, 110 years, long enough that

1:36:21its new location has achieved its own

1:36:23significance.

1:36:25It retains integrity of design and

1:36:26materials. The overall 1 and 1/2 story

1:36:29massing, the tower with its crenellated

1:36:32parapet, the porch with original door

1:36:34and side light, the nine over one

1:36:36windows,

1:36:38and the exterior shingle detailing

1:36:40remain legible and consistent with the

1:36:42original construction, even though it's

1:36:44had later alterations.

1:36:46It retains integrity of association. It

1:36:48continues to be a private residence, and

1:36:50its connection to Trinity Historic

1:36:53District and the adjacent former campus

1:36:54grounds is unbroken.

1:36:57Like the vast majority of century houses

1:36:59standing in Durham, the house has been

1:37:01altered over time with gradual additions

1:37:03and changes, starting with the tower

1:37:04dome removal.

1:37:06Our position is that the early

1:37:07alterations are themselves now historic,

1:37:09having stood for well over 120 years,

1:37:12and that the remaining fabric is more

1:37:13than sufficient to convey the property

1:37:15significance.

1:37:16Later additions, including the most

1:37:18recent addition of a primary

1:37:21have been done with an eye to the

1:37:22original architecture and do not detract

1:37:24from the original form, and it therefore

1:37:26maintains integrity of design.

1:37:29We believe the Cranford-Wannamaker house

1:37:31clearly meets Durham's threshold for

1:37:32landmark designation.

1:37:35In closing, the house was built in 1891

1:37:37as part of the founding of an

1:37:39institution that would transform Durham.

1:37:41It's housed generations of educators who

1:37:43built that institution. It survived a

1:37:45campus relocation, over a century of

1:37:48Durham's growth and change, and it

1:37:49stands today as one of a handful of

1:37:51surviving physical connections to

1:37:53Trinity College's original campus.

1:37:56There's another great quote from the

1:37:58Duke Chronicle in the spring of 1916

1:38:02that stated, "When the houses are moved,

1:38:04Faculty Avenue will be discontinued. The

1:38:06quaint classic faculty houses have seen

1:38:0825 years progress of the college,

1:38:11and they're now Now they are to follow

1:38:13the other old landmarks in giving way to

1:38:16a new order."

1:38:17Giving the Cranford-Wannamaker House

1:38:19this honor will just formalize what the

1:38:20students knew way back then, that it is

1:38:23indeed a landmark.

1:38:25I'd like to introduce uh Rich Herbst,

1:38:27who's the homeowner, who has a little

1:38:28bit more about his research into it.

1:38:38>> Thank you, Sarah. Um

1:38:40Good evening, and thank you to the

1:38:41members of the council for hearing the

1:38:42application for local landmark status

1:38:44for our home, the Cranford-Wannamaker

1:38:45House.

1:38:46My name's Rich Herbst. I'm here tonight

1:38:48representing myself and my wife, Karen.

1:38:51We're both Duke graduates who met here

1:38:53in Durham as students in the late '80s.

1:38:56I'm a retired Navy pilot, and after

1:38:57raising our three sons in Denver, Karen

1:38:59and I decided in 2024 to relocate back

1:39:01to Durham to create a gathering place

1:39:03here for our family.

1:39:05After purchasing the Cranford-Wannamaker

1:39:07House, I realized the exciting

1:39:09opportunity to uncover its history. I

1:39:11had no idea the richness I would find.

1:39:13We also found that the house had

1:39:15significant need of restoration,

1:39:17renovation, and repair, and that some of

1:39:19its repairs were critical to its

1:39:21longevity.

1:39:22For the past 2 years, I've become a bit

1:39:24of a historian, immersing myself in

1:39:26researching the history of the house,

1:39:28the association to Trinity College,

1:39:30Duke, Durham, and the early beginnings

1:39:32of Trinity Park neighborhood. Along the

1:39:34way, I've had a tremendous amount of

1:39:36help from the Duke Library and Archives,

1:39:37including Val Gillespie, the Duke

1:39:39University historian, and Julian

1:39:41Patterson from Preservation Durham.

1:39:43Sarah has already shared with you the

1:39:45details of the historical significance

1:39:47of the house Duke Trinity Park in Durham

1:39:49along with its architectural

1:39:50significance. I'd like to share with you

1:39:52some additional details behind three of

1:39:55the most significant and historical

1:39:57meaningful things I found in my

1:39:59research.

1:40:03First, the origins of the house and the

1:40:04construction and plans.

1:40:06From the Duke archives, I found the

1:40:08original building committee minutes from

1:40:09the February 1891

1:40:12minutes when Trinity College was being

1:40:14moved from Randolph County to Durham and

1:40:15campus construction was being planned.

1:40:18Included in the minutes is the building

1:40:20contract handwritten on stationery from

1:40:22the W. Duke and Sons Tobacco Company to

1:40:25engage in the business of erecting

1:40:27faculty residences on the college

1:40:29grounds of Trinity College.

1:40:31The contract called for the building of

1:40:32five residences, two for

1:40:34$1,800 to $2,000, and three costing

1:40:37$1,500 each. There was no information

1:40:40available on the architecture or the

1:40:42plans of the houses.

1:40:44I did extensive research on plan books

1:40:46from the late 1800s and zeroed in on New

1:40:48York-based architect Robert Shoppell,

1:40:50who's responsible for creating the plans

1:40:52for hundreds of Victorian era homes in

1:40:55the US in the late 1800s 1800s from

1:40:57Maine to Oregon.

1:40:59After purchasing

1:41:02several books by Shoppell that were of

1:41:04no help, I came across an online archive

1:41:06copy of his complete works showing

1:41:07hundreds of homes. As I flipped through

1:41:09the pages, one of the first plans I came

1:41:12to was house number 174, and I

1:41:14immediately recognized it as the

1:41:16Cranford-Wanamaker House.

1:41:18I subsequently uncovered plans for the

1:41:20other three existing faculty houses that

1:41:23still reside in Trinity Park.

1:41:26The second key finding I came across was

1:41:29the fact that the first Trinity College

1:41:30undergraduate couple to get married made

1:41:33their first home in the

1:41:34Cranford-Wanamaker House.

1:41:36As I researched the Cranford files in

1:41:38the Duke archives, I learned that

1:41:39William Cranford married Nellie Edwards.

1:41:42Nellie was one of the very first women

1:41:43to attend Trinity College.

1:41:45As a Duke graduate who married another

1:41:47Duke graduate, I found it very exciting

1:41:49that the first married couple made their

1:41:50first home in our house.

1:41:54From the 1890 to 91 catalog of students,

1:41:57here's the record I found listing both

1:41:58Cranford and Edwards in the junior and

1:42:00senior classes and these class photos I

1:42:02found in the Duke photo archives show

1:42:04both Cranford and Edwards with their

1:42:06classmates.

1:42:07Finally, the third historic finding that

1:42:09I'd like to share with you is that the

1:42:11Cranford Wanamaker house was one of the

1:42:13first in the state with running water

1:42:15and a bathroom.

1:42:17The first Trinity College catalog

1:42:18published after the move to Durham in

1:42:201892 notes that the faculty houses were

1:42:23furnished with bathrooms, cold and hot

1:42:25water and are connected with the city

1:42:26waterworks and lighted by electric

1:42:28lights.

1:42:29An article in the Durham Morning Herald

1:42:31noted that the faculty houses were among

1:42:32the first in the state to boast indoor

1:42:34plumbing.

1:42:35Further, when the house was moved to

1:42:37Trinity Avenue in 1916, the bathtub that

1:42:40was installed shown here was originally

1:42:42used in the Watts Hospital when it was

1:42:44located at the corner of Main Street and

1:42:46Guess Road, now Buchanan Boulevard.

1:42:49These are just three of the many

1:42:49historical findings I came across when

1:42:51researching the Cranford Wanamaker house

1:42:54and its rich 135-year-old history which

1:42:57I've compiled into a document that I've

1:42:58submitted to the Duke archives.

1:43:01Members of the council, thank you for

1:43:02your time tonight. I hope we've painted

1:43:04a colorful picture of this wonderful

1:43:05house and its history that has been both

1:43:08integral and significant to Duke,

1:43:10Trinity Park and Durham. I respectfully

1:43:12request that the council approve our

1:43:14application for the Cranford Wanamaker

1:43:15house to be designated as a local

1:43:18historic landmark. Thank you.

1:43:21>> Thank you so much.

1:43:23Thank you.

1:43:24I uh do have an online speaker.

1:43:29Number 20. Uh Julia Lasseur.

1:43:33Alaysha?

1:43:33>> Hi. Yes. Yeah, perfect. Leisure. Uh, hi

1:43:36mayor, mayor pro tem, and city council

1:43:38members. My name is Julia Leisure and I

1:43:41am here on behalf or I'm virtually here

1:43:43on behalf of Preservation Durham to

1:43:45to enthusiastically support the

1:43:47designation of the Cranford Wanamaker

1:43:49house at 1019 West Trinity Ave as a

1:43:51local historic landmark. Thanks to the

1:43:54extensive vigorous research of the

1:43:56current homeowner, Rich Herbs, we are

1:43:57proud to support the continuous

1:43:59preservation of a home that stands as an

1:44:01important piece of both Durham and Duke

1:44:03University history.

1:44:05In 1891, Durham was rapidly growing

1:44:07industrial tobacco boomtown, but our

1:44:09early city leaders had a larger vision.

1:44:11They wanted Durham to be a center of

1:44:13learning, culture, and innovation that

1:44:15could compete with Raleigh and Chapel

1:44:16Hill.

1:44:17Securing the relocation of Trinity

1:44:19Trinity College was the crown jewel to

1:44:21attract the faculty to this young city.

1:44:23Durham had to provide

1:44:25comfortable and welcome housing to

1:44:27attract these faculty. This house was

1:44:29planned and built for exactly that

1:44:31purpose, serving as a literal foundation

1:44:32for Durham's academic identity.

1:44:35Architecturally, this house is a

1:44:36fashionable example of Queen Anne

1:44:38shingle style architecture. In a

1:44:40fascinating parallel to

1:44:42to today's click and chip culture, this

1:44:44house, along with the other four

1:44:45companion faculty houses you you have

1:44:47seen in Sarah's presentation, was

1:44:49actually ordered out of a popular 1887

1:44:51pattern book that Rich just went over.

1:44:54Today, 135 years later, this home

1:44:56provides a rare tangible glimpse into

1:44:58the early downtown residential designs

1:45:00of Durham, most of which have

1:45:02unfortunately been lost to history

1:45:04through decades of redevelopment. The

1:45:06survival of the Cranford Wanamaker house

1:45:07is a testament to extraordinary

1:45:09stewardship. It is one of only four

1:45:11remaining faculty houses having been

1:45:12moved on logs and pulled by horses to

1:45:14its current location.

1:45:16These houses hold a special place in

1:45:17Preservation Durham's heart as one of

1:45:19its sister properties, the Pegram house,

1:45:21was our organization's very first

1:45:22historic easement. 10 previous

1:45:25homeowners have lived in and protected

1:45:27this house and today Rich carries that

1:45:28torch. Rich and Karen carry that torch

1:45:30proudly.

1:45:31Maintaining a 135-year-old house is a

1:45:33monumental challenge, but Rich and Karen

1:45:35have gone a step further by championing

1:45:37this landmark status. They fully

1:45:39understand the strict limitations this

1:45:40status places on future changes to the

1:45:42property. They are willing to accept

1:45:44these regulations because of their

1:45:45profound dedication to Durham's history

1:45:47and the continued stewardship of the

1:45:48home. With the owner's eager consent,

1:45:50clear architectural significance, and

1:45:52deep historical integrity, Preservation

1:45:54Durham asks the city council officially

1:45:56designate the Kramden Wanamaker house as

1:45:58a local historic landmark.

1:46:00Thank you so much.

1:46:02>> Thank you so much.

1:46:03Those are all of the speakers that I

1:46:05have, so therefore I will

1:46:07um

1:46:08You don't want to respond to you?

1:46:11>> [laughter]

1:46:11>> All right.

1:46:12Uh I will um

1:46:15close the uh consider the public hearing

1:46:17closed to back before the council.

1:46:27Oh, I see.

1:46:28Sorry, Madam Clerk. The the in-person

1:46:31virtual separation again. I'm sorry.

1:46:34Um Mr.

1:46:36No, Sarah?

1:46:39>> It's Pablo.

1:46:39>> Pablo.

1:46:40>> This is item number

1:46:41>> Yeah, it's it's Pablo's. He has agenda

1:46:4420.

1:46:45>> Oh, so I see. You're the applicant. Got

1:46:46it. Okay, Pablo Friedman.

1:47:08Welcome. You have 3 minutes.

1:47:10>> All right. Good evening, electeds,

1:47:13staff, tens of folks in the audience,

1:47:15millions of folks online, and news

1:47:17journalists around the world who tune in

1:47:19to our incredible public access

1:47:21television.

1:47:22Um so I my comments tonight aren't

1:47:25focused on the merits of the case. I

1:47:27think the applicant raises really good

1:47:29points for this to be a um

1:47:33recognized site. So, I just want to

1:47:35start off with that. My comments tonight

1:47:38are more about the process. So, at your

1:47:40work session, Mr. Pearlstein has

1:47:43continued to sort of talk about how um

1:47:46the inequity in terms of the speaking

1:47:48times, right? So, the applicants here

1:47:50had, if you add the two speakers, about

1:47:5215 minutes. So, logic would dictate

1:47:54those of us on the other side should

1:47:55have about 6 minutes. Now, I'm not going

1:47:58to sort of go like make an argument of

1:48:00that. I'm happy with the 3 minutes

1:48:02you've given both me and the other

1:48:03applicant, but I just want to point out

1:48:05sort of the inequity that you have right

1:48:06now in terms of this hearing format and

1:48:09how time gets divided up on both sides.

1:48:11So, that's point number one. Point

1:48:13number two, to extend my comments

1:48:15earlier around the Board of Equalization

1:48:17Review. So, we don't have minutes for

1:48:19the Board of Equalization and Review,

1:48:21but if you look at the report for this

1:48:23property, one of the implications of

1:48:25this designation is the property tax

1:48:27revenue is going to um I think drop by

1:48:29half, right? And so, that's a fair

1:48:31trade-off, okay? But at this point, we

1:48:33have proper oversight. There was a

1:48:35public hearing, there were public

1:48:37documents, there's a discussion, it's

1:48:39memorialized, it's recorded. But the

1:48:42Board of Equalization Review managed to

1:48:43knock off property tax revenue, and we

1:48:45have no understanding of how that

1:48:46happened. And so, my push to all of you,

1:48:49similar how we're doing with this

1:48:51process, I think you should extend this

1:48:53across the board to all of the appeals

1:48:56that are being heard right now by the

1:48:58county. This is a good process you have

1:48:59in place for the historic designation.

1:49:00Extend that, and extend some sunlight to

1:49:03the Board of Equalization Review,

1:49:04because we don't even know how they're

1:49:06thinking. But at least now the public

1:49:07has some insights. It's okay, there are

1:49:09merits, we agree with it, and one of the

1:49:11implications might be we're going to

1:49:12have a lower tax revenue. Okay, that

1:49:14might be a fair trade-off.

1:49:16Extend that process across the board

1:49:18because it's not equita- equitable on

1:49:20the county side. Thank you very much and

1:49:22I'll give you back 50 seconds. It's been

1:49:24nice to you all tonight. Thank you.

1:49:27>> [applause]

1:49:29>> All right.

1:49:31That's the applicant.

1:49:36Okay, I officially declare the public

1:49:38hearing closed at this time. Those are

1:49:41all the speakers that I have.

1:49:44>> [clears throat]

1:49:45>> I just think for the council if they

1:49:46have comments you know.

1:49:47>> Yeah.

1:49:49All right.

1:49:50That's all the speakers.

1:49:51>> question for staff.

1:49:54>> [snorts]

1:49:57>> Um I'm just curious in [clears throat]

1:49:59the applicant talked about a couple of

1:50:00other types of designations and

1:50:02protections that can be used for um

1:50:06historical sites. Can you talk a little

1:50:08bit about why this is the most fitting

1:50:11or if you think it is the most fitting

1:50:13for this site? And sort of what the

1:50:15advantages or disadvantages of doing it

1:50:17this way as opposed to some of the other

1:50:18protections are.

1:50:20>> Sure. Um there are

1:50:23there's the landmark desig- local

1:50:24landmark designation and local historic

1:50:26district designation of being a

1:50:28contributing property to a district. Um

1:50:30those are two of the local designations

1:50:33that could apply to a historic property.

1:50:35Um this one is not in a local historic

1:50:38district so the local landmark uh status

1:50:41would stand alone.

1:50:42The other um protection that was brought

1:50:45up is a historic easement. Those are

1:50:49operated by Preservation Durham. There

1:50:51is a tax benefit there as well. Um

1:50:55Preservation Durham could probably give

1:50:57more um clear input as to how they

1:51:00operate their program but there's

1:51:02basically taking a a tax um

1:51:05reduction

1:51:07uh in exchange for Preservation Durham

1:51:10holding an easement that states what

1:51:13they can and can't do to a property.

1:51:14Everything needs to be approved by

1:51:15preservation Durham. So, it's similar,

1:51:18but it's run under different entities.

1:51:21>> Thank you. Those are my questions.

1:51:24>> Thank you. Any other questions? Yep,

1:51:25Council member. And could you pull your

1:51:27mic down just a little bit?

1:51:28>> Sure.

1:51:32>> Yeah, I'm uh I'm excited about this. Um

1:51:34I'm a big fan of historic preservation.

1:51:37Um and as a as a planner, I regret not

1:51:39having taken uh historic preservation

1:51:41planning classes, but um I'm a

1:51:43want-to-be historic preservationist.

1:51:46Um I I can't tell you how many times

1:51:49I've looked at old pictures of Durham

1:51:51with beautiful buildings and streets

1:51:53laid out and just thought, "Man, I wish

1:51:54that I wish we could go I wish we could

1:51:56bring that back." Um in part because

1:51:59it's history

1:52:00um and we should live in a city that is

1:52:05joyful and has culture and beautiful

1:52:07architecture, but also because the old

1:52:09stuff we used to build was more

1:52:11pedestrian-oriented.

1:52:13Um the detailing isn't just about art,

1:52:15it's also about

1:52:17um creating something that's interesting

1:52:19as you're walking down the street for

1:52:20for someone who's who's a pedestrian

1:52:22rather than just someone who's driving

1:52:24by.

1:52:25My uh one question um is

1:52:29uh so, this does come with um some tax

1:52:32benefits, um

1:52:34modest tax benefits. I think for me, I

1:52:36think it's worth it. There

1:52:38a lot of investments that have to go

1:52:39into the property to to achieve this

1:52:42outcome.

1:52:43Um and I think that there are a lot of

1:52:44positive externalities for the whole

1:52:46community. I'm just curious if you could

1:52:48just walk through what are the added

1:52:51responsibilities of the property owner

1:52:53with this um designation?

1:52:55>> Sure. With this designation, the

1:52:57property becomes subject to the

1:52:58certificate of appropriateness process.

1:53:01We call it the COA process, and this is

1:53:04run um

1:53:05through the historic preservation

1:53:07commission, um and I am the staff

1:53:10liaison for that commission with the

1:53:11planning department.

1:53:13Um, there's a set of criteria that must

1:53:16be met anytime a change to the exterior

1:53:19or to the site is proposed, um, and

1:53:23staff or the preservation commission,

1:53:25depending on the type of change that's

1:53:27requested, um, the the level of review

1:53:30that's required, um, would review it

1:53:32against those criteria to ensure that

1:53:35uh, the criteria are met before any

1:53:37approval for that scope of work could be

1:53:39approved.

1:53:42>> Thank you.

1:53:43So.

1:53:46>> Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Yeah, I just want to

1:53:48extend my deepest thanks and

1:53:49appreciation to Sarah Lockenman, the

1:53:50consultant, and Rich and Karen Herbs

1:53:52who've uh, so carefully and and uh,

1:53:55warmly renovated this home. Uh, full

1:53:57disclosure, the Herbs are good friends

1:53:58of mine, so I actually this rarely have

1:54:00a like a front row seat to this

1:54:02renovation of the house. So I

1:54:04again want to appreciate all the great

1:54:05care, investment you've made to keep

1:54:07this historic property one that we can

1:54:09be proud of in Durham. I want to thank

1:54:11you all for being in Durham, for being

1:54:12residents here, for choosing the the

1:54:14Cranford Wanamaker house. Um, and I also

1:54:16want to brag on Mr. Herbs for um, not

1:54:18only just serving in the Air Force, but

1:54:19flying F-14s. You did two tours of duty

1:54:21in in the Persian Gulf, so I want to

1:54:23thank you for your service and for being

1:54:24great neighbors in Durham. It's a great

1:54:26project and I'll enthusiastically

1:54:27support the ordinance. Thank you.

1:54:35>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, as the liaison

1:54:37to the Historic Preservation Commission,

1:54:39uh, I fully support this historic

1:54:40designation.

1:54:42Uh, I think it'll join 97 other uh,

1:54:44properties in Durham that have this

1:54:45current designation and I appreciate the

1:54:47work of the commission and staff to get

1:54:49us to this point.

1:54:50Uh, I also want to highlight

1:54:51Preservation Durham's efforts uh, to

1:54:54bring more historic designations to our

1:54:56historically black communities in

1:54:57Durham. Uh, I think one that was uh,

1:54:59a lot of work went into not too long ago

1:55:01was the Chicken Hut project, which I

1:55:02know staff and others worked on. And I

1:55:04know that part of the partnership with

1:55:05uh Hayti Promise CDC is to try and tell

1:55:08the story of some of the homes of our

1:55:10legacy black families and leaders uh in

1:55:13Hayti and the Fayetteville Street

1:55:14corridor. And so I think that will be

1:55:16important uh complement and contribution

1:55:17as well to uh the the good work that's

1:55:20happening around preservation

1:55:22uh of the homes. And as my colleague

1:55:23Council member Baker said, um

1:55:26um you know, the uh kind of the the the

1:55:28streets, the grid, the pedestrian

1:55:29friendliness as well, which makes this

1:55:31uh project um uh I think so so special.

1:55:34Um you know, also just comment that, you

1:55:37know, as a policy maker and a resident

1:55:39of Trinity Park, you know, reading the

1:55:40history

1:55:42uh uh of of this community and

1:55:44surrounding this project definitely gave

1:55:46me, you know, food for thought in the

1:55:47moment we are today with some of the

1:55:48tough decisions we have around, you

1:55:50know, growth and development uh as our

1:55:52population grows, um you know, more

1:55:54people want to be here for the

1:55:55university, for work, uh to be near

1:55:57family. I'm really honored and cherish

1:55:59the places

1:56:01You know, before Trinity Park, Duke

1:56:03Park, other neighborhoods were built, it

1:56:04was

1:56:05um you know, it was woods.

1:56:07Uh you know, it was farmland. That was

1:56:09the limit uh of the city. You know, that

1:56:11was basically our our urban growth

1:56:12boundary.

1:56:13Um you know, and it was a result of, you

1:56:15know, large corporate uh landholdings

1:56:18um you know, that were, you know, uh

1:56:20developed principally by a large

1:56:22corporate developers, you know, develop

1:56:24housing stock that, you know, housed a

1:56:26lot of our initial residents in these

1:56:28neighborhoods and have led us to a point

1:56:30more than 100 years later where it's

1:56:32neighborhoods that people love and

1:56:33cherish and and celebrate.

1:56:36Um

1:56:37you know, I also think an important part

1:56:38of the history that it stated was

1:56:40the neighborhood hasn't changed a lot

1:56:41since the 1940s. Uh and I think that one

1:56:44thing that isn't stated is that a big

1:56:46reason for that was, um

1:56:48you know, following the passage of the

1:56:49Fair Housing uh Act and sort of white

1:56:51flight to the suburbs, you have

1:56:53communities across uh the the country

1:56:56that, you know, that advocated for very

1:56:58restrictive uh zoning laws. And so, it

1:57:00took a community that had single-family

1:57:02homes, Victorians, bungalows. I think

1:57:04one of the quote was some of Durham's

1:57:06most prestigious apartment complexes,

1:57:08as well as mixed-use commercial

1:57:10development, were sort of, you know,

1:57:12locked in place

1:57:13by advocacy to say that, you know, we we

1:57:16don't want this community to evolve and

1:57:17change, you know, change incrementally.

1:57:19You know, we'd like it to remain the way

1:57:20that it is, you know, at this point in

1:57:22time,

1:57:23you know, which has created challenges

1:57:25with intense competition for a really

1:57:27popular place for people to live in

1:57:29Trinity Park near downtown where people

1:57:30want to have walkability, bikeability,

1:57:32safety, proximity to neighbors, you

1:57:35know, a tree canopy, you know, a lot of

1:57:37of the characteristics that make it

1:57:38really special,

1:57:40as well as some of the the historic

1:57:41properties that, you know, fortunately

1:57:44we've retained and can continue to

1:57:45support to tell to tell that history.

1:57:47You know, I think that lives alongside

1:57:49in any community, you know, an evolution

1:57:51that happens over time where we kind of

1:57:54grow and change together where we honor

1:57:55and cherish that history,

1:57:57and we also look to what the needs of

1:57:59residents are today. And so, I thought

1:58:01that was pretty interesting history

1:58:02looking back,

1:58:04you know, at the stories surrounding

1:58:05this project and and the neighborhood

1:58:07where I live and really appreciate. So,

1:58:10you know, I want to celebrate this and

1:58:12look forward to voting to pass it, and

1:58:14also just reflecting on, you know, what

1:58:15it says today about the challenges we

1:58:17face around growth and development, and,

1:58:19you know, probably some of the same

1:58:20conversations at that point in time when

1:58:22they were thinking about initially

1:58:24building out these neighborhoods. So,

1:58:25thank you.

1:58:28>> All right, good evening. Thank you so

1:58:29much for your historical context in

1:58:31regards to the preservation of the

1:58:32neighborhood. And I want to just echo

1:58:34a sentiment expressed by my colleague,

1:58:35Mr. Kopack, in regards to equity in

1:58:37historic preservation, how many

1:58:39communities have been denied opportunity

1:58:40to preserve their homes, particularly in

1:58:42the Fayetteville Street Quarter. So, it

1:58:44is my greatest hope that the $10 million

1:58:46was invested through the What was it?

1:58:48Marshall Plan, then it changed to What

1:58:49was the name of it? Hayti Promise?

1:58:51Yes, that money that is actually

1:58:54utilized reserves some of the historic

1:58:55homes. I recall being a freshman at NCCU

1:58:58when they tore down the Alex Rivera

1:58:59house. If you know who Alex Rivera is,

1:59:01he was a famous photographer here in

1:59:02native to Durham and the house sat at

1:59:04the corner of Fayetteville Street and

1:59:05Lawson. You have the houses that were

1:59:07built by Hillside students that are on

1:59:09Lawson Street as well and a lot of great

1:59:11history that has been denied. So, I hope

1:59:12that we are able to explore this

1:59:14president spirit of preservation that we

1:59:16don't forget about historic Stokes Dale,

1:59:18College Heights, um all the historic

1:59:21things that have happened occurred

1:59:22there. The cottages that are world Cecil

1:59:24Street over by NCCU where Zora Neale

1:59:26Hurston stayed when she was a teacher at

1:59:28NCCU. So, there's a very rich history in

1:59:30Durham and sometimes when folks fight

1:59:32for historic preservation they're denied

1:59:33and the neighborhoods are um historic

1:59:35houses are torn down to make way for new

1:59:37developments. So, I wish that the spirit

1:59:38of equity lives among us here in Durham.

1:59:46>> All right.

1:59:47>> [clears throat]

1:59:47>> Thanks for preserving it.

1:59:49And

1:59:51um I I live in a historic property and

1:59:53really appreciate it as well. I'll keep

1:59:54it simple. I think my colleagues have

1:59:56shared a lot of dynamics here, so

1:59:59I look forward to supporting it.

2:00:01Uh and Council member, thanks for

2:00:02bringing up the um

2:00:05that that history and legacy on

2:00:07Fayetteville Street as well.

2:00:08And I hope we can get back to that

2:00:09Hillside students carpentry program

2:00:11built many of those homes on Lawson and

2:00:13Fayetteville.

2:00:14Um maybe we can recognize that one day

2:00:16as well, but we we should be able to

2:00:19I don't know if that's a We could

2:00:20probably talk about that later in

2:00:21planning,

2:00:22but um we should probably take some

2:00:23proactive action on that as well and

2:00:25align it with some of the investments

2:00:27we've made.

2:00:29All right. Well,

2:00:30I'll go ahead and call the question.

2:00:40All right.

2:00:41I'll entertain a motion to adopt an

2:00:43ordinance designating the Cranford

2:00:45Wannamaker

2:00:46house as a local historic landmark

2:00:48including

2:00:50both the building and the land.

2:00:52>> So moved.

2:00:52>> Second.

2:00:53>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

2:00:54Clerk, please open the vote. Please

2:00:56close the vote.

2:00:57>> The motion passes unanimously.

2:00:59>> Thank you very much.

2:01:05>> [clears throat]

2:01:08>> All right. Item number 22, consolidated

2:01:11annexation 508 Olive Branch.

2:01:16Ready for the staff report?

2:01:20>> Mayor Williams, Mayor Pro Tem Caballero,

2:01:22and honorable council members, good

2:01:23evening. I am Payton Burgess with the

2:01:25Planning and Development Department and

2:01:26I am happy to be here with you tonight.

2:01:29A request for utility extension

2:01:30agreement, voluntary annexation, and

2:01:32initial zoning map change has been

2:01:34received from Emily Williamson with

2:01:36Stuart Proctor LLC for one parcel of

2:01:39land totaling 0.462 acres and located at

2:01:42508 Olive Branch Road.

2:01:45This annexation petition is for a

2:01:46contiguous expansion of the primary

2:01:48corporate limits.

2:01:49The applicant proposes to keep the

2:01:51current zoning designation of

2:01:52residential rural, which the city must

2:01:54establish within its jurisdiction

2:01:56through a direct translation.

2:01:58The applicant proposes this annexation

2:02:00in order to connect to water and sewer

2:02:01for a single-family home.

2:02:04A direct translational zoning is one in

2:02:05which the existing county zoning is

2:02:07translated to the identical city zoning

2:02:09district upon the annexation of the

2:02:10property into city limits. A

2:02:12translational zoning does not and cannot

2:02:14include a development plan and any

2:02:16future development may proceed according

2:02:18to what the zoning would permit.

2:02:20The property is currently designated

2:02:21established residential on the place

2:02:23type map. The proposed residential rural

2:02:25zoning is generally consistent with the

2:02:27designated place type. Thank you. Staff

2:02:29and the applicant are available for any

2:02:30questions.

2:02:31>> Thank you very much. You've heard the

2:02:32staff report. Are there any questions?

2:02:34Yes, Councilmember Baker.

2:02:36>> Yeah, just one um

2:02:38cuz otherwise it looks pretty

2:02:39straightforward, but looks like

2:02:40Underbrush Drive just runs straight into

2:02:42this, like it's supposed to go through.

2:02:45Uh

2:02:46What's going on there?

2:02:47>> Um so, if the applicant accesses the

2:02:50site off of Olive Branch, um which is

2:02:53where that existing driveway is, they

2:02:54won't be required to do any

2:02:55improvements. If for some reason they

2:02:57wanted to connect to Underbrush, they

2:03:00would have to build out a cul-de-sac

2:03:02bulb, um which seems very unlikely in

2:03:04this situation. Um our transportation

2:03:07staff took a look at this, and the

2:03:09connection to Underbrush from Olive

2:03:12Branch wouldn't be required um to

2:03:15connect those two roads

2:03:17uh with any comprehensive transportation

2:03:19plan or anything like that. So, under

2:03:21the UDO, there's not um an existing

2:03:23requirement to kind of tie in those

2:03:26roads together.

2:03:27>> So, um thank you for that. So, um

2:03:31they'll build out, they'll access off of

2:03:33Olive Branch, and then Underbrush will

2:03:36just say the street stops here?

2:03:40>> Yes, sir.

2:03:40>> Okay. And was that

2:03:42any idea, was that contemplated when the

2:03:45neighbor when the prior neighborhood

2:03:47that it's adjacent to was being built

2:03:49out?

2:03:50>> Explain that. What do you mean?

2:03:51>> Like, it looks like the developer of the

2:03:53neighborhood that it's adjacent to that

2:03:55built and that constructed Underbrush

2:03:57Drive

2:03:59was considering that Underbrush Drive

2:04:01would just extend through.

2:04:03>> It's possible. Um I am not sure exactly

2:04:05what the conversations were at that

2:04:07time.

2:04:08Um it might have been a UDO requirement.

2:04:10I don't know off the top of my head. I

2:04:12can look and let you know. Um but just

2:04:14with it being an an undeveloped parcel,

2:04:16it's likely that there were um potential

2:04:18considerations to have connectivity in

2:04:20the future

2:04:21um that didn't kind of

2:04:24come into play now that it's built out.

2:04:30>> Okay.

2:04:35>> Councilmember Cook.

2:04:36>> Thank you. Um I'm just going to go back

2:04:38to this question that we asked last

2:04:40meeting, but

2:04:41um we were talking about having a

2:04:43directional translation

2:04:45the language is that it cannot include a

2:04:48development plan.

2:04:49But then we asked about it last time, we

2:04:52determined that it could include a

2:04:53development plan if it was if it was

2:04:56designated as being with a development

2:04:58plan.

2:04:59Is that Is that the Can you just help

2:05:02tease out that for me cuz it feels like

2:05:04that is an option if it's but when we

2:05:07talk about it and we're like it is you

2:05:08cannot do a development plan, it sounds

2:05:11it doesn't sound like quite right to me,

2:05:12but maybe I'm misunderstanding.

2:05:15>> Yeah, I'm going to call on Assistant

2:05:18Director Bud Wrennsky to answer that for

2:05:19you.

2:05:24>> Bud Wrennsky, planning development.

2:05:26Yeah, I mean

2:05:26Councilmember Cook, I think you're

2:05:27spot-on that an applicant could choose

2:05:30to uh

2:05:32uh

2:05:33move forward with the development plan

2:05:34at the time of their application. I

2:05:36think maybe the the nuances around the

2:05:38language, you know, at this time when

2:05:39we're saying

2:05:41uh this is a translational

2:05:43um

2:05:44zoning situation. So, um

2:05:46but you're right, it's not prohibited.

2:05:48It's not that they couldn't you know,

2:05:50have a development

2:05:50>> Yeah, and I do think the language sounds

2:05:51prohibitive, and I feel like it would it

2:05:53would be be more accurate to say

2:05:56it's not required and the applicant has

2:05:57chosen not to do it. It's just like

2:05:59>> That's correct.

2:05:59>> Which which is what happened. And it is

2:06:01not required, we cannot force it. But to

2:06:03say like

2:06:04it cannot include such a thing, it just

2:06:06it yeah, it doesn't it does not sound

2:06:08accurate to me given the explanation

2:06:10that we've gotten.

2:06:11>> Agreed, understood.

2:06:12>> Thank you.

2:06:16>> All right, therefore at this time I will

2:06:18declare the public hearing open.

2:06:22And how much time do you believe you

2:06:23need?

2:06:25>> Two or three minutes tops.

2:06:27>> Thanks, five minutes, please.

2:06:44>> You want to adjust that microphone just

2:06:46a bit?

2:06:47>> Oh, I'm sorry.

2:06:49>> There you go.

2:06:50>> All right, perfect.

2:06:52Good evening, mayor, council, staff, and

2:06:55community. My name is Emily Williamson

2:06:57and I'm with Stewart Proctor PLC.

2:07:01We would like to ask to petition

2:07:04to annex 508 Olive Branch Road into the

2:07:07Durham city limits.

2:07:10The owner wishes to build a

2:07:11single-family residential home.

2:07:14They would like to be annexed in order

2:07:15to tap the municipal water, which is

2:07:17adjacent

2:07:19across

2:07:21the street and tap the sewer, which is

2:07:24directly to the rear of

2:07:26the property.

2:07:30The

2:07:30The lot was platted in 1966, predated

2:07:34current city zonings and county zonings.

2:07:37It is an existing residential zoned lot.

2:07:41It is currently

2:07:430.45 acres,

2:07:46which is undersized for the

2:07:50rural residential zoning that we are

2:07:52seeking,

2:07:53but the UDO 14.3.2A

2:07:57has a provision that allows one

2:07:59single-family home to be built on an

2:08:01existing lot.

2:08:04We are currently adjacent in both the

2:08:06front and the rear to the Durham city

2:08:08limits.

2:08:09Um

2:08:10Underbrush Drive could not line up with

2:08:13Lilly Lock Way directly in an

2:08:16intersection through our property. We

2:08:19would have In order for that to happen,

2:08:20you would have to bulldoze the home next

2:08:23door, um which might be why

2:08:26the neighborhood to the rear of us chose

2:08:28not to do that extension of the roadway.

2:08:34I am happy to answer any questions, but

2:08:37we are attempting to place a building, a

2:08:40house, on the property that would have a

2:08:42tax value of 600,000, which would match

2:08:45both the properties behind and in front

2:08:49of our lot.

2:08:51And we would ask that you would accept

2:08:53this annexation petition.

2:08:56>> Thank you.

2:09:00All right. I have um

2:09:02>> [clears throat]

2:09:03>> one speaker for this item, Chris

2:09:05Pearlstine.

2:09:16Welcome. You have 3 minutes.

2:09:18>> Thank you. I actually like to start with

2:09:20um another clarification on rules. Um I

2:09:22know it's probably getting a little

2:09:24tiring at this point since I

2:09:26did the last meeting and now uh my

2:09:27neighbor uh Pablo Freedman has done it

2:09:29tonight. Um I'd like to propose that you

2:09:31can't limit me to 3 minutes. Going to go

2:09:33out on a limb here. Um the specific

2:09:35language in our rules for hearings,

2:09:38the the exact language that gives the

2:09:40authority to to reduce time says, "Where

2:09:43numerous speakers appear as proponents

2:09:46or opponents, the presiding officer

2:09:47shall have the discretion,

2:09:49subject to appeal to the council, to

2:09:51shorten the time

2:09:53or fix and apportion the allotted time

2:09:55among the applicant non-applicant

2:09:56speakers."

2:09:57I don't think there is any situation in

2:09:59which you could conceive of me, myself,

2:10:01and I as numerous speakers. There's just

2:10:03one of me. So, I'm asking for 15

2:10:06minutes. I don't actually think I'll go

2:10:07that long. I promise I'll try to keep it

2:10:09as short as possible. I do think this

2:10:10case needs a little bit more time uh for

2:10:13me to talk about this, and I think the

2:10:14rules say that I should get that.

2:10:17I don't know if we can

2:10:18get some verification on that.

2:10:23>> The procedures are available for the

2:10:26mayor to have prerogative to provide

2:10:28those. So.

2:10:30>> Can I have my time reset to 3 minutes

2:10:32perhaps?

2:10:44>> You may proceed.

2:10:46You have 2 minutes.

2:10:48>> 2 minutes, okay.

2:10:50So, in this case uh we've got I'm going

2:10:52to go really fast, so apologies. Uh

2:10:54translational annexation and uh we've

2:10:56talked about how these really bind us a

2:10:58bit, right? We can't ask for anything.

2:11:00Um

2:11:01when you look at this case, I think the

2:11:02biggest point uh to keep in mind is that

2:11:04this is negative tax value when we look

2:11:06at the cost-benefit analysis that the

2:11:07city did. So, this is going to cost us

2:11:09money to annex this. That's money that

2:11:11comes away from those housing sprints

2:11:12that we do. That's money that comes away

2:11:14from our schools. That's money that

2:11:16comes away from our EMS and our

2:11:18emergency responders.

2:11:19So,

2:11:20you know, last meeting we had a case on

2:11:23Wake Forest Highway uh that I actually

2:11:25was very excited about. Uh squeaked by

2:11:274-3. It was revenue positive, 2.25

2:11:30million.

2:11:31It also proffered uh extra money for our

2:11:34schools. It proffered stormwater

2:11:35controls that went beyond what was

2:11:37required. It also proffered a reduction

2:11:40in the impermeable surface area. This

2:11:42case comes with none of those. So, we're

2:11:45getting none of these benefits plus it's

2:11:47going to cost us money to do this. And

2:11:50so, you know, my neighbor Pablo Friedman

2:11:52also had a great quote about we speak in

2:11:54progressive sonnets, but then we govern

2:11:56as conservatives, right? And I think

2:11:58that that's true. We have the system of

2:12:01zoning and processes that we've

2:12:03established that create these outcomes

2:12:05where we're up here and we're having a

2:12:07uh a

2:12:08very intense debate about a case that

2:12:10goes 4-3 that has a lot of positives.

2:12:12If you look at what happened with the

2:12:13planning commission, that case failed on

2:12:15a split vote 5-5. This one came through

2:12:18revenue negative

2:12:20and it came through unanimously.

2:12:22And the last case that this developer

2:12:25did uh back in February got approved by

2:12:27you all unanimously without any

2:12:29discussion about this. And so I wonder

2:12:30what our rules are actually creating

2:12:32when we do these development cases. I

2:12:34also wonder how we're implementing these

2:12:36rules about speaking and how we follow

2:12:38these rules and when we can or can't do

2:12:40this, right? I wish I had Preserve Oral

2:12:42Durham up here

2:12:43with their spreadsheets and their their

2:12:46uh slides helping me out tonight, but I

2:12:48don't. Thank you.

2:12:55>> All right, those are all of the speakers

2:12:57that I have for this item.

2:13:00Um the applicant, do you need to

2:13:02respond?

2:13:04Okay.

2:13:05Thank you. Therefore, I'll declare the

2:13:07public hearing closed and back before

2:13:09the council.

2:13:11>> [clears throat and cough]

2:13:12>> Colleagues, any questions or comments?

2:13:20Go go ahead.

2:13:22>> Thanks Mr. Mayor. Uh appreciate the the

2:13:24applicant and appreciate the comments

2:13:25from the from the audience.

2:13:27Yeah, [clears throat] um we do take the

2:13:29uh obviously for annexation you want to

2:13:31see this to provide benefit to the city.

2:13:33So I and I think my other colleagues do

2:13:35take the sort of cost-benefit analysis

2:13:36carefully. I think in this case it's a

2:13:39small very like $2,000 cumulative impact

2:13:41over many many years. I think the flip

2:13:43side is that what we want to do in the

2:13:44city also is we want to get people to be

2:13:46on water and sewer. Part of the

2:13:48challenge I'm on the the UNRBA Upper

2:13:50Neuse River Basin Association. We track

2:13:52constantly phosphorus and nitrogen in

2:13:54our lakes, eutrophication the process by

2:13:56which lakes gather uh

2:13:59deplete oxygen, algae builds up and so

2:14:01forth. So we're careful about that. One

2:14:03of the reasons we have the challenge of

2:14:05phos- phosphorus and nitrogen is because

2:14:08of failing septic tanks. So to me the

2:14:10small negative uh

2:14:12revenue implication weighed against the

2:14:14sort of the huge environmental benefits

2:14:15of having homes on water and sewer to me

2:14:17makes this a an easy case. So, I'll be

2:14:19voting yes.

2:14:20Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

2:14:23>> Thank you.

2:14:24There are no other remarks.

2:14:26I'll call for the question.

2:14:28I'll entertain a motion to adopt an

2:14:30ordinance annexing 508 Olive Branch into

2:14:33the City of Durham and to authorize the

2:14:34city manager to enter into a utility

2:14:36extension agreement with

2:14:41>> Second.

2:14:42>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

2:14:43Clerk, please open the vote.

2:14:51Please close the vote.

2:14:53>> And the motion passes six to one with

2:14:55Council member Baker voting no.

2:14:59>> All right, and I'll also entertain the

2:15:01motion to

2:15:03adopt an ordinance

2:15:04amending the Unified Development

2:15:06Ordinance by taking property out of the

2:15:08residential

2:15:09Rural Falls Jordan District B Watershed

2:15:11Protection Overlay County jurisdiction

2:15:13and establishing the same as residential

2:15:15Rural Falls Jordan B Jordan District B

2:15:18Watershed Protection Overlay City

2:15:20jurisdiction.

2:15:21>> So moved.

2:15:21>> Second.

2:15:22>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

2:15:23Clerk, please open the vote.

2:15:31Please close the vote.

2:15:32>> The motion passes unanimously.

2:15:34>> Thank you, and I'll also entertain a

2:15:35motion to adopt a adopt a consistency

2:15:38statement as required by North Carolina

2:15:41General Statute Section 160D-605.

2:15:44>> So moved.

2:15:45>> Second.

2:15:46>> Moved and properly seconded. Madam

2:15:47Clerk, please open the vote.

2:15:50Please close the vote.

2:15:52>> And the motion passes unanimously.

2:15:55>> Thank you so much.

2:15:57All right, that

2:15:58concludes our agenda for this evening.

2:16:02Thank you all so much, and continue the

2:16:05Breast Cancer Awareness month activities

2:16:08and look forward to seeing you all on

2:16:10Thursday.

2:16:12>> Can you just announce the time?

2:16:13>> We are adjourned at 9:05.