Durham City Council unanimously approved Duke's plans to rezone and renovate Central Campus Tuesday night, which will now allow the University to push forward with tangible plans for the new campus.
The vote comes after years of planning and months of negotiation and compromise with members of the community who were concerned about campus construction and its possible impact on local businesses.
To placate fears, University officials agreed that total retail space open to both University and local customers would not exceed 50,000 square feet, and that no single retail or restaurant space would exceed 20,000 square feet.
Restrictions on the height of new buildings, buffer space adjacent to non-University-owned properties and protection for historic buildings were also guaranteed by University officials.
"How can it be that a city so maligned in the national press as a cauldron of conflict can produce an agreement so important and difficult?" Provost Peter Lange said.
He noted the importance of the moment, not only for the Central Campus plans, but also in light of the ever-present spectre of the lacrosse scandal.
"In this year, when so much that has been so unfair, inaccurate and at times downright false about how Durham supposedly is divided against itself, overcome by community tensions and driven by supposed town-gown conflicts, it is noteworthy that we can come to you with this consensus proposal, the product of numerous productive meetings, a great deal of thoughtful discussion on all sides and compromise on issues small and large, some of them technical and others with major policy and financial implications," Lange said.
John Schelp, president of the Old West Durham Neighborhood Association, echoed the conciliatory tone that characterized the evening. Though he praised the final product, Schelp frequently had voiced his frustrations with and opposition to components of the proposal throughout much of the planning phase.
"Today we celebrate a victory for Durham," he said. "We have been able to help Duke help itself become a better neighbor."
Several City Council members said they were pleased with the final rezoning proposal.
"This is a win-win situation for the community and Duke," said council member Eugene Brown.
During public discussion, however, the plan received some opposition. Community activist Victoria Peterson criticized what she characterized as the criminal behavior of Duke students.
"I'm very embarrassed, and Durham should be embarrassed how Duke has put shame on this community nationally and worldwide," she said. "This campus needs to get some kind of control before they reach out further into the community."
With the Council's approval, the administration is now able to take more concrete steps toward implementing the plan.
"We're very pleased, of course," Lange told The Chronicle after the vote was recorded. "It's always nice to come to a stony and positive result."
In other news:
City Council discussed at length the problem of affordable housing in Durham. The council voted to give non-profit organizations the first opportunity to buy an allotted 30 percent of the city's surplus real estate to be used for affordable housing.
Victoria Ward contributed to the reporting of this story.
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