Council Adopts UDO Changes to Expand Research District and Ease RV Parking Rules

Durham City Council adopted two amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) in a single meeting: a privately initiated text amendment to expand university/college district frameworks and create a UC-3 district to accommodate large scientific and technical research parks, and a staff‑proposed RV parking amendment allowing recreational vehicles to be parked on driveways provided they are set back at least 25 feet from the public right-of-way.

Robin Schultz of the planning department presented the RTP/UC-3 amendment (TC 25…), explaining it was intended to align zoning across the county and to facilitate inclusion of large research parks. The council adopted the ordinance and the required consistency statement unanimously. "This amendment brings clarity and consistency for planning across the RTP area," staff said during the presentation.

On the RV-parking amendment, staff member Scott Whiteman explained the intent is to reduce citations for vehicles that would later be legal under the new UDO. Two residents who own RVs, Kat Moore and Evelyn Rosengren Hoveek, urged the council to include language to accommodate corner lots; staff suggested a refinement that would measure the 25-foot setback from the driveway curb cut rather than from every adjacent right-of-way to avoid penalizing corner lots. Council members agreed the staff formulation addresses most cases and approved the amendment 6-0.

Both measures included the required consistency statements under North Carolina General Statute §160D-605 and will be folded into the new UDO when it is adopted later this year.