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Durham council declines to close Haytai Lane after hours of testimony; hearing continued to Feb. 2
Summary
After hours of split public testimony about historic preservation, affordable housing and developer intentions, Durham City Council voted down a motion to permanently close 229 linear feet of Haytai Lane and kept the public hearing open to Feb. 2, 2026 for further review and outreach.
Durham City Council on Nov. 17 rejected a proposal to permanently close 229 linear feet of Haytai Lane — a public right-of-way east of Old Fayetteville Street — after a lengthy public hearing in which residents, preservation advocates and the applicant sparred over maintenance, displacement risk and historic significance.
The hearing opened with a staff report from Peyton Blanchard of the Planning and Development Department describing the request (case SC250003) to recombine the right-of-way with adjacent property owned by the applicant and noting that, if approved, conversion of public utilities to private ownership would require a separate council action.
The meeting drew extensive public comment. Opposition speakers warned the closure would further erode the…
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