Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Hayti neighbors press city on notice after private request to close Hayti Lane
Loading...
Summary
Hayti community leaders told council they learned only recently that a private owner has petitioned to permanently close Hayti Lane and asked whether the required public notice under North Carolina law had been published; city staff said Durham uses special enabling legislation and standard notice practices.
Neighbors and Hayti community advocates asked the council detailed process questions after staff introduced a petition to permanently close Hayti Lane.
Anita Scott Neville of Hayti Reborn said stakeholders — including property owners, businesses and the Hayti Heritage Center — "have no knowledge of this proposed action" and asked whether the statutory notice required for a street closure had been published. Neville cited North Carolina General Statutes, noting the state procedure that a resolution of intent must be published once a week for four successive weeks before the hearing.
City staff replied that Durham has special enabling legislation that allows the city to follow its standard notice procedures rather than the states four-week advertised-resolution process. Council members emphasized the closure originated from a private landowners petition rather than a city-initiated plan, and they encouraged staff to ensure adjacent stakeholders are informed and engaged before the formal public hearing date.
Council did not decide the closure at the workshop; staff and community members agreed the item will be heard at the public-hearing meeting scheduled for the next Monday. Residents asked for clear, written documentation of notices and a staff-confirmed timeline of outreach before that hearing.
