Council unanimously approves Strauss Drive rezoning to allow townhouse development with affordability commitments

The Durham City Council voted unanimously to rezone six parcels along Strauss Drive — totaling about 13.49 acres — to a combination of Residential Suburban Multifamily with a Graphic Development Plan and Commercial Center with a Graphic Development Plan, allowing up to roughly 95 units in townhouse or similar small‑scale multiunit formats.

Planning staff and the applicant said the site sits in the city’s Transit Opportunity Area and that the proposed graphic development plan includes commitments to preserve stream buffers, increase tree coverage, provide a landscaped buffer next to single‑family neighbors and include affordability commitments. The Planning Commission recommended approval 8‑0.

Marie Farmer, the applicant’s attorney with Parker Poe, presented the project and told council the plan concentrates buildings away from the stream corridor, lowers impervious surface to 70% maximum under the development plan and increases tree coverage commitments to 25%. Farmer said the plan includes an active open space and affordability commitment for units restricted to households at or below 80% of area median income for 30 years and that those units will have two or more bedrooms.

Council members who spoke supported the rezoning. Council member Baker said he met the applicant and called the proposal "the right rezoning in the right place at the right time." Council member Rist, who represents the neighborhood area and said he rides the Route 2 bus past the property routinely, called the project a strong example of infill and said he wished for greater density but supported the plan.

The graphic development plan also includes a pedestrian crosswalk across Strauss Drive, a landscape strip between curb and sidewalk along Strauss Drive and an increased contribution to Durham Public Schools calculated to reflect student generation from the development. Planning staff said the project was consistent with 19 of 24 applicable Comprehensive Plan policies and met several Transit Opportunity Area goals for building orientation and proximity to transit.

Council adopted the rezoning ordinance and the required statutory consistency statement under North Carolina General Statute Section 160D‑605 by unanimous vote. The applicant and staff said detailed site‑plan and permitting review will follow; that review will confirm final engineering, required buffers and the affordability units’ delivery mechanisms.

The approval was part of the council’s regular agenda; the council then proceeded to other items on the evening’s calendar.