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Council approves two infill townhouse rezonings, continues larger Lakewood rezoning after community talks
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Summary
The council approved rezonings for townhouses on South Miami Boulevard and East Cornwallis Road, and continued a proposed downtown-core rezoning for 401 East Lakewood Avenue to Aug. 4 to allow more community negotiation over historic and community impacts.
Durham City Council on Monday approved two separate rezoning requests that would allow townhouse infill and continued a larger downtown-core rezoning so developers and neighborhood groups could continue negotiations.
The council adopted an ordinance to rezone 2403 and 2405 South Miami Boulevard from Commercial Neighborhood to Planned Development Residential (PDR 15.126), allowing up to 18 townhouses. The measure passed 6-1; Councilmember Rist cast the lone dissenting vote.
Councilmembers also approved a separate rezoning to change 1606 and 1608 East Cornwallis Road from Residential Suburban 20 to Planned Development Residential (PDR 10.205), clearing the way for up to 10 townhouses. That case was approved unanimously. The applicant proffered a $5,000 donation to the city's dedicated housing fund, a $1,000 donation to Durham Public Schools, native plantings per the landscape manual and a commitment to upgrade a transit stop to GoDurham/GoTriangle standards if the existing stop remained in front of the site.
A general-use rezoning request to change two parcels at 401 East Lakewood Avenue and 600 Fayetteville Street to Downtown Design Core ' which would allow higher building heights ' was continued to the council's Aug. 4 meeting. The applicant and planning staff said they requested the continuance to allow more time for community engagement: developers reported three years of stakeholder outreach and the parties told the council they expected to present a narrower set of outstanding issues on Aug. 4.
Planning staff reported there were 231 Explorer/public comments on the Lakewood proposal and 25 speakers signed up for the hearing. Council members and community leaders urged continued direct talks and requested that any community commitments be recorded in binding documents if possible. The applicant said it planned to follow up with a recorded declaration of restrictive covenants rather than rely solely on informal or verbal commitments.
The three zoning votes included standard consistency statements under North Carolina General Statute Section 160D-605.
What passed and what's next
- Methodist Street townhouses (2403 & 2405 S. Miami Blvd): Rezoned to PDR 15.126 (up to 18 townhouses). Vote: 6-1. Planning commission recommendation: approval. Applicant: Silver Developers LLC.
- East Cornwallis Road (1606 & 1608 E. Cornwallis Rd): Rezoned to PDR 10.205 (up to 10 townhouses). Vote: 7-0. Proffers: $5,000 to dedicated housing fund; $1,000 to Durham Public Schools; native plantings; bus pullout/shelter upgrades if the stop remains at the site.
- 401 East Lakewood Ave / 600 Fayetteville St: Downtown Design Core rezoning (increase in allowable height): continued to Aug. 4 at applicant request to continue community discussions; staff reported 231 public comments and 25 signed speakers.
