The Durham City Council voted against a rezoning proposition that would have allowed a housing development to be built on the Infinity Heights site Monday night. All but one of the seven council members at the meeting expressed a lack of confidence in the development company’s plans.
The council heard arguments for the rezoning from Patrick Byker, an attorney for Parkland Development, which is the company interested in developing the property near Infinity and Roxboro roads. In his pitch to the council, Byker emphasized the neighborhood-friendly proposed features of the development such as sidewalks, a public park and fewer houses than originally planned and thus less traffic congestion. “We’ve eliminated four homes, so we’re down to 55 units,” Byker said. “The homes will be above the $200,000 range, and there is a good market in Durham for these homes.”
Byker also said special precautions had been taken in the plans to conserve trees and to delay construction in order to avoid disrupting the nesting habits of birds on the property.
But after Byker spoke, the council opened the floor to Durham residents opposed to the development. The citizens who spoke said the development would aggravate already dramatic traffic problems.
“By approving the zoning, you’ll add more traffic to an already busy road,” said Lisa Hito, who lives in a housing complex across the street from the proposed Infinity Heights development. “Progress and development are important, but this could bring devastating consequences to Infinity and Roxboro roads.”
Lugenia Mason cited very immediate reasons for her opposition to the rezoning proposal. Mason, who lives on nearby Omega Road, said she could not make a left turn out of her street, and that she often had to wait longer than five minutes for the light to change at the intersection of Roxboro and Infinity roads.
Council member Eugene Brown noted that the intersection had received an “F” grade and was one of the “worst in the city.” Mason said a new housing development in the area would make these nuisances unbearable.
“The traffic is terrible,” Mason said. “I am begging, please do not approve this rezoning. It’s already getting worse every day.”
After hearing a rebuttal from Byker, the council voted 1-6 against the motion, with council member Howard Clement casting the lone approving vote. Clement had argued for deferring the motion to a later meeting, but the other members were ready to decide.
“The developer did go back and make concessions in terms of eliminating townhomes,” council member Diane Catotti said. “But these complaints needed to be worked out with the neighborhoods before. This project is not in good enough shape to come forward.”
Members of the audience exulted after the council voted in their favor, to the point where Mayor Bill Bell had to hammer the gavel to quiet them down.
“You have to live there to understand,” Mason said after the vote.
In other business:
The council declined to support a motion to increase the Motor Vehicle License tax, with all seven council members voting against the proposition. The proposal would have doubled the tax from $5 to $10, using the increase to help cover the costs of expanded bus programs for Durham Public Schools. Council members cited the lack of a clear plan from DPS as a reason for their disapproval.
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