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Durham commissioners adopt UC‑3 zoning changes and rezone most of RTP to facilitate research campus expansion
Summary
The Board unanimously adopted a UDO text amendment creating a University & College‑3 (UC‑3) district and rezoned most of Research Triangle Park to UC‑3; staff said existing data centers are grandfathered and that new rules will add a separate 'data center' use with limited standards.
At a Nov. 24 public hearing the Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a privately initiated text amendment to Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance (TC2500001) to create a University & College‑3 (UC‑3) zoning district and then approved a companion rezoning (Z2500025) to apply UC‑3 to most of Research Triangle Park (about 5,000 acres, excluding parcel 154063/Durham County Wildlife Club).
Robin Schultz of Planning & Development presented the UDO changes and said the UC‑3 district is intended to allow large scientific and technical research parks while providing internal campus and transitional use areas. Aaron Cain, also of Planning & Development, said staff finds the RTP rezoning consistent with place‑type maps and applicable comprehensive plan policies and that neighborhood meetings were held in accordance with guidelines.
During public comment Patrick Biker, an attorney representing C‑Square/Compass Data Centers, asked the Board to ensure that data centers remain a permitted use in the new UC‑3 district because the term "data center" is not currently listed in Durham’s UDO. Planning staff responded that existing data centers are operating under an industrial/light interpretation and are grandfathered, and that the forthcoming UDO will add a separate "data center" line in the use table with limited use standards (for example, distance from residential and a required noise study) for any new facilities.
The Board made two formal votes: to adopt the ordinance amendment to Articles 4–7 of the UDO and to adopt a statutory consistency statement required by North Carolina General Statute section 160D‑605. Both motions passed unanimously.
