Good evening. I want to call this meeting of the Durham City Council to order tonight at seven o'clock on November the 18th 2019. I certainly want to welcome everyone here today and Also, those people who are at home watching our meeting. We're very glad that you're with us And I'll first ask if you please Join me in a moment of silent meditation. Thank you Madam clerk, will you please call the roll? Mayor shul here Mayor pro tem Johnson here comes a member Alston Can't remember Kada Yaro here comes a member Freeman Councilmember Middleton here councilmember Reese here and Councilmember Reese will you please lead us in the pledge to the flag? I thought I would do it as an announcement. Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor Good evening everyone if it's your practice to do so and if you're able please rise and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under our individual Thank you very much councilmember And now we'll have the ceremonial items and for the first item neighbor spotlight I'm gonna ask councilmember Javier Caballero if she would please join me at the mic Good evening. Is Ann Drennan here this evening? And if there's any family members or community members who would like to join Ms. Brennan So this month this neighborhood spotlight is for Ann Drennan She's a recipient of the neighborhood spotlight for the month of October 2019 the neighborhood spotlight award recognizes community members that have gone Above and beyond in volunteering their time to serve the community This month and Brent Drennan excuse me a resident of old Sugar Road was nominated and selected because of the wonderful Wonderful work. She has done in her neighborhood including but not limited to raising awareness about the need for affordable and accessible medical equipment in our community Organizing community volunteers and leaders to find solutions to the community's needs for free access to medical equipment Organizing and managing project access known as help health equipment loan program Congratulations, Ms. Drennan on being the October neighborhood spotlight for the city of Durham and thank you for all the work you do I'll say one thing. I hope you don't need us But help is here in Durham. If you don't know of us have never heard Google it It's always great the neighborhood spotlight is always very special and thank you, ma'am Kelsey member Cabrera went for presenting it to Ms. Drennan and congratulations again, Ms. Drennan our second item for tonight is the history moment and I'm going to ask our Public historian Eddie Davis to please come forward. We're gonna have a great history moment tonight In honor of Dr. John Harding Lucas senior, so Mr. Davis Thank you again, Mr. Matt. Thank you council members staff and audience. Good evening Today is Monday November the 18th It is the beginning of the annual national observance of American Education Week Which always is commemorated during the week preceding Thanksgiving Distressed that 25% of the nation's World War one draftees were illiterate and 9% were physically unfit representatives of the National Education Association and the American Legion met in 1919 Exactly 100 years ago to seek ways to generate public support for education over the years since its 1869 incorporation Durham has recognized the fact that public education is one of the distinguishing measures that spur upward mobility and Advancement into the middle class and beyond Many state and national education leaders have hailed from Durham Tonight, I would like to take this history moment to salute one of those great local educators Dr. John Harding Lucas senior Dr. Lucas is a native of Rocky Mount He was born on November the 7th 1920 Which means that 11 days ago he celebrated his 99th birthday And thus has begun his 100th annual orbit of the earth around the sun Dr. Lucas is a graduate of Shaw University He served in the united states army during world war two and was deployed in the asiatic pacific theater While earning a master's while earning a master's degree from both new york university and and um um North Carolina College at Durham Dr. Lucas taught chemistry and coached at Atkins high school in kinstin Before becoming a principal at orange street school and mary potter high school in 1963 Lucas his wife Blondola and their children Cheryl and john junior moved to Durham and he became the principal of hillside high school He held that position for 24 years Today the school's john h. Lucas senior wellness center is named in his honor The lucas middle school in Durham is jointly named for john lucas and for senator genie lucas genie lucas and john lucas were not related But they were a school system colleagues While working at hillside john lucas became a leader in the merger of the predominantly white north carolina education association and the predominantly black north carolina teachers association Originally discussion centered on the white organization absorbing the black one lucas proposed an alternative In an interview with journalist evan smith for the 2016 AT&T heritage calendar lucas said Our interest in my opinion was to seek a strong single voice for education with an equal opportunity Lucas remembered my concept was in order to merge you should bring two groups together on an equal footing The national education association recognized Lucas's brand of equity within the process of merging southern black and white associations Thus the nea branded his leadership platform the lucas concept This lucas concept was utilized in teacher education I'm sorry teacher association merger processes in numerous southern states His proposals led to the formation of the north carolina association of educators in 1970 In fact, his influence was so impactful that white Black and indian educators selected john lucas to be the person to make the north carolina merger announcement in front of a national audience of 12 000 educators who were gathered in san francisco on july 1 of 1970 lucas served as the ncae state president during the 1974 75 school year Today the ncae continues to bring educators together without regard to ethnicity In fact, the current vice president of ncae christie more Is a teacher only from the Durham public schools. I don't know if christie is here or not Once successful in executing the state mergers lucas shifted his attention to working as a united states delegate to world conferences on the teaching profession in ethiopia In kinnah in ireland in canada and in south korea He also served on various state and national committees on education issues Although he was active in state and national education endeavors his work at hillside high school continued at a very high level However after accumulating a combined total of almost 75 years of education work john lucas and his wife blondola lucas retired in 1985 However in 1986 Dr. Lucas rose to an important challenge and accepted the presidency of shawl university He worked diligently with alumni and supporters to resolve financial and management problems Which threatened the 100-year-old institution? Here in Durham in 1992 Lucas was elected to the first school board of the newly merged school system And served as its vice chairperson At the point of the merger lucas applied the lucas concept again He advocated that instead of the Durham county schools absorbing the Durham city schools The newly merged school system should have a brand new name and new leadership Thus we now have the Durham public schools Lucas has received multiple honors for his work on behalf of education and equal opportunity In 1982 shawl university awarded him an honorary honorary doctorate in humane letters He was named a lifetime honorary board member of the national education association in 1972 And in 2009 Aided by a nomination process initiated by Durham's mini fort brown Dr. Lucas received the lifetime achievement award of the national school boards association In 2013 He received the north carolina award for public service From the north carolina department of natural and cultural resources and from governor pat McCurry With us tonight are several local educators and former students who worked with dr. Lucas at hillside high school And in the Durham public schools If there are folks who went to hillside while dr. Lucas was the principal Or if you went to hillside at any point or if you attended any of the Durham public schools Would you please stand now? Thank you very much Also here to support dr. John Lucas Shaw university director of alumni affairs dr. Lamont johnson and other members of the shawl family Would you please stand now? Students and faculty members from the lucas middle school along with family members of senator lucas senator genie lucas And dr. Lucas. I think we have a delegation from lucas middle school here Yes, we do The principal uh, that's principal sanchez. I believe that's correct Rebecca Clayton and manna hampton Who were two of the white educators who worked with dr. Lucas to merge the Durham black and white teachers associations in the late 1960s and 1970s? I believe Rebecca Clayton is here. Would you please stand? So locally the black and white and indian teachers and other minorities and other folks Worked real closely here in Durham and Durham would became a Model for the way that people would cooperatively work to make sure that students and teachers And the schools in general worked very well together after integration Pastor reginal van stevens and members of dr. Lucas's beloved white rock Baptist church where he retains the title of deacon emeritus I think there is a delegation from white rock here. Would you please stand? During dr. Lucas's days at shawl in the 1930s Dr. Lucas became a member of the omegle sci-fi fraternity His membership has been continuous and thus This is this makes him one of the longest serving members of the organization Throughout this nation and internationally with these gentlemen who are wearing purple and gold, please These are his member is brothers from beta five chapter here in Durham and other parts of omegle sci-fi Would you please stand? Mr. Mayor, I promise dr. Lucas that he would not have to make a speech However, I did not promise that I would not ask for a rousing round of Ovation for dr. Lucas and the american education week that he symbolizes Thank you so much Although it appears that he is willing to make a few comments right now So would the 99 year old gentleman, please come to the microphone Thank you very very much And praise god from all lessons flew I sure would come on Dr. Lucas look over here towards eddy See how we look Yeah, come on up Go ahead come on up. Dr. Lucas. I think we got one more from Shaw University Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Oh, yeah Fantastic. Thank you Thank you so much eddy and thank you so much dr. Lucas eddy only forgot one thing Dr. Lucas is also the father of the best athlete ever to come out of Durham, North Carolina. I will say that as well That's for sure And now i'm going to ask councilmember mark anthony middleton to join me, which I believe he has already done here We have a proclamation To reduce violence everywhere And I'll ask wander boon is wander here Ms boon here. She's coming up Oh, there she is great And anyone who she would like to have joined her please come on up and i'll turn this over to councilmember middleton Good evening everyone We'll give our friends an opportunity to Exit before we get started Good evening My thanks to his honor the mayor for allowing me to read this important and wonderful proclamation proclamation for strive It stands for striving to reduce youth violence everywhere Now hardheaded she was waiting for two two minutes come on now Everyone proclamation Whereas adverse childhood experiences aces Experienced early in life and lead to a greater risk for committing violence against peers bullying Teen dating violence and child abuse elder abuse intimate partner violence and sexual violence later in life And whereas children who are victims of abuse and neglect Are more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviors suffer from anxiety and depression encounter challenges in school And abuse drugs or alcohol And whereas 28 percent of high school students reported feeling so sad Or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing usual activities And whereas 11 percent of high school students in Durham Reported that they did not go to school at least once in the past month Because they felt unsafe at school or going to or from school 51 percent of high school students have seen other students being bullied And 37 percent of high school students report gang activity in school And whereas people living in low resource communities experience more crime Higher stress levels less access to resources Higher rates of chronic disease and higher rates of early death And whereas strategies applied at the community Relationship and individual levels that include resilience as an antidote to ACEs And that address historical trauma and institutional racism can help prevent multiple forms of violence Now therefore, I Steven M. Schul, mayor of the city of Durham, North Carolina Do hereby call upon all citizens to participate in this call to action And join together for resilient youth TRY In the strive to reduce youth violence everywhere strive initiative Witness my hand and the corporate seal of the city of Durham, North Carolina. This the 18th day of November 2019 Steven M. Schul mayor Well, good evening everyone One of the things that we want to do or I believe we want to do in Durham is to prevent violence It's wonderful to think about all the things that we can do to Impact violence after it occurs Including helping victims of crime to recover from that trauma But if we want to see a brighter future for all of us then we need to really pay more attention to prevention And so with me are several members of together for resilient youth and there's so many more Um, so thank you for being here with me. Um, if someone experiences Four or more adverse childhood experiences before their 18th birthday Then the outcomes can be devastating So those are physical abuse emotional abuse sexual abuse physical neglect emotional neglect Uh mental illness in the home incarcerated relative Mother treated violently substance use or divorce for or more Then these are the possible outcomes lack of physical activity smoking alcoholism drug use missed work severe obesity diabetes depression suicide attempts std's heart disease cancer stroke COPD and broken bones symbolizing violence So one of the things we need to think about is instead of asking someone What did you do? We need to ask what happened to you as the foundation of prevention So one of the things we do and together for resilient youth is to use community sectors In order to spread the word about aces and resilience But also to be authentic carriers of the message Now a while back it used to be that those 10 things were the only thing that we're talked about But now research shows that institutional racism Um and that historical trauma are also a part of those things that happen That really impact a person's health And it can lead to someone Partaking in violent actions later on children or children The adolescent brain doesn't fully develop until someone is 25 years old So we may say because they have grown tall that they should know better But with the frontal lobes not fully developed then we as adults need to surround our children To make sure that we protect them in every way that we can and that We also include them in the prevention process. So real quickly, I will say That Stephanie and Angie Antonia are part of the youth coalition for ages 9 to 25 College age students who helped carry this message. So again Um, you often see me or my husband Earl But we are not the only ones that are involved in this process. So they're in the school We have the faith community law enforcement community members Mental health and health Ashley is back there armenius dobson inside parents And parents that have lost children Due to substance use and overdose We also work in, um, the Durham housing authority Training individuals to carry this message because you can Recover your childhood And that is really the good news So we're excited about this work that didn't just start yesterday We've been around for 17 years and we've seen substance use among high school students go down and Marijuana is going up. That's another conversation And the opioid epidemic did not hit Durham in the same way that it did other communities, however heroin use is going up And we need to look at what's happening in the black community So we work with everybody We don't Single out a certain subset of people We are community wide But still recognizing that historical trauma is an issue Historical trauma means that as as slavery Has an impact on every single black person at the dna level And that's something that we have to talk about. So anyway, we are strive And the ways that you can get involved and i'm winding down The ways that you can get involved are from providing information building skills providing support And then environmental change enhancing and reducing barriers Changing consequences Looking at physical design and changing physical design and modifying and changing policy So we do address the social determinants of health transportation You know and i'm providing funds gap funds for people who need um those funds Intermittently so that's who we are the website is durham try.org and i invite you to become a champion of change with us Thank you very much Thank you all appreciate you being here Yeah Thank you All right, thank you councilmember meadowton and thank you all For our ceremonial items tonight We will now move to our announcements by members of the council Are there any announcements by members of the council? I don't believe so. Uh, i'm sorry councilmember middleton. Thank you. Mr. Mayor and good evening everyone Mr. I just want to take a just a really quick minute to thank so many members of this community Particularly members of this council firstly and members of this community for your wishes of condolences and prayers and good wishes During the bereavement of my family with the passing of my brother michael I just returned from new york on saturday from that funeral And uh was just overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from this community and this staff from departments throughout the city From so many members of our community. So I want you to know that it is acknowledged If I don't get to call each and every one of your names individually know that Your love and support were absolutely critical during this season. So I want to thank uh all who sent well wishes Secondly real quick. Mr. Mayor when I got back on saturday, I had an opportunity interesting kind of I guess connectivity To attend a wonderful discussion hosted by the friends of gear cemetery Regarding the upkeep of that historic cemetery where so many Um, particularly african-american Fathers and mothers of this city are buried. I want to be very clear. I'm well aware that Mayor pro tem johnson and councillor freeman have been engaged with this issue But I'd like mr. Mayor for us and since we've been talking a lot about racial equity and we just finished celebrating 150 years of history in our city Racism and institutionalized racism racism was so pernicious. We know in our country that it followed you to death And oftentimes the the dignities that were afforded Members of other communities were not afforded to black people when they died And that was also expressed in the upkeep and maintenance of those cemeteries I know that the city has been engaged Some years ago and doing some cleanup there and some grappling, but my hope is that in coming months perhaps in the coming year We would at least explore some opportunities to perhaps be a little more involved and intentional And bringing that cemetery up to Code, I don't anticipate that it would be a great financial burden on the city to to Keep it looking beautified and to to honor Some of the folk all of the folk that have buried there some of whom the history of this city would not be what it is Were not for their contributions So no action tonight, but I just want to honor the friends of gear cemetery and during preservation society and keep Durham beautiful for the work they've been doing In that area and would like to put it on our at least our our intellectual radar as a council To perhaps look at ways we can become involved in bringing that cemetery up to code finally mr. Mayor this week I'll be traveling to san antonio and i'm going to get to pretend to be you On thursday there will be an important panel discussion Highlighting the work of cities that have done work To close the racial gap when it comes to wealth in terms of the work we've done on fines and fees our deer program License restoration program I know my colleagues would agree that one of the coolest parts of our job Is to get to be brand ambassadors for this great city anywhere we are on the globe And i'm looking forward very much to joining other elected officials from all around the country at the national league of cities in san antonio this week where mayors and Council people and elected officials and staffs get together to talk about best practices on how to best govern Great american cities and to build communities that are equitable that are sustainable and they're welcoming to all folks So I look forward to being there this week. I thank my colleagues for the excused absence For the work session this thursday and mr. Mayor. I hope to do you proud on thursday Councillor councillor meadowton. I know you will do us proud and Thank you so much for being there and doing that and uh, again condolences Thank you, sir on the passing of your brother and we all feel it for you thank you All right any other announcements councillor freeman. Thank you. I I just want to make sure that I bring to light in light of uh, the proclamation or the proclamation of against violence evening That I in the previous meeting I brought to the attention of my council colleagues some conversations that have been happening in the community around Some calls for action from this council and recognizing that there are some things that we can do Like supporting try and the work that they've been providing for this community for over 15 years Or like many other groups like communities in partnership who's doing the food pantry Or spirit house that does a harm free to zone or a chance to change Who does the standing in the way of violence? I could go on and on. I mean love and respect. There's so many organizations that we could Look to engage in our conversations Immediately as they are doing the work already. I hope that we'll have a conversation at some point. I am recognizing that It takes a you know a vote of four of us So I will continue to bring this um Forward recognizing that the community called for a day of healing And uh to honor the police chief's request Also noting for the parks and rec locations to be not just open but welcoming and then also noting that Those resources need to be made available to actually to actual credible Messengers in the community who are doing the work And I just want to make sure that I keep bringing that up until we do address it. Thank you Thank you councilmember. Oh one additional thing Um, I felt it's probably um appropriate to probably share Noting that time we'll pick up with the holidays coming along that on january 15th a group of us was in poverty derm And um the psicopelians united against racism will be hosting A conversation for a case for represent reparations With uh sandy derrity professor sandy dr. Saran derrity and his partner want to know and mess her name up Kirsten mollin. Yes Kirsten And I would love to invite you all to attend and to make sure that everyone's aware It will be held on january 15th And that is an event that I am announcing Thank you. Thank you councilmember any further announcements All right. Thank you. If not, we are now at the Consent agenda the consent agenda can be I'm sorry. We're not the consent agenda We're now at the priority items by the city manager. I'm sorry, mr. Manager Thank you, mr. Mayor members of council. Good evening. I don't have any priority items this evening, but I would like to tag on uh councilmember middleton's uh representation of the City government and the work we're doing at the national league of cities conference We'll have two other staff persons on panels that will be also highlighting The work of Durham our budget management services director bertha johnson will be there as well as I believe ryan smith might be there and We will also be receiving two national awards Yet to be announced, but we're very proud of that as well. So thank you. I'll bring them back Thank you, mr. Manager for that announcement And we're excited about those awards and we're looking forward to hearing more about them Madam attorney Good evening. Mr. Mayor members of council city attorney's office has my priority items this evening. Thank you Madam clerk. Good evening everyone. The city clerk's office has no items. Thank you I think that this might now be the appropriate time for a couple of motions one We needed a motion for an excused absence For tonight's meeting for councilmember austin So moved second It's been moved and seconded that we grant councilmember austin an excused absence for tonight. Madam clerk. Will you please open the vote? Please close the vote And the motion passes six zero. Thank you. I will be attending the North Carolina metro mayors meeting on December the fifth, which is the day of a work session and we'll need an excused absence for that meeting Can I have a motion For an excused absence on December the fifth work session So moved second Moved and seconded to give me an excused absence on the December fifth work session Madam clerk. Will you please open the vote? Please close the vote The motion passes six zero. Thank you very much And now we'll get to the consent agenda the consent agenda There are as made up of items that have previously been considered by the council And the consent agenda can be approved by a single vote of the council Items can be moved from the consent removed from the consent agenda by any member of the public or any member of the council In if they are so removed will be heard at the end of the meeting Item one Durham convention of visitors bureau dba discovered Durham joint city county representative of reappointment Item two f y 2020 2021 budget development schedule item three review and discuss council enter and hiring and onboarding Item four selection of chrysalis research and consulting LLC for the preparation of a five-year consolidated plan annual action plan and analysis of impediments to fair housing choice Item item five contract amendment the housing authority the city of Durham community development block grant sub-recipient contract For the rehabilitation of Laurel Oaks townhouses Item six approval of dedicated housing and community development block grant funds to reinvestment partners aim for the rehabilitation of 28 16 Ross road item seven interlocal agreement with Durham county on funding for the veranda at witted school affordable housing project item eight first amendment to Durham community land trust inc dclt for vick giveable construction permanent loan agreement for the southwest central Durham home rental rehabilitation project item nine grant project ordinance for Durham county transit plan item 10 contract for water supply storage in jordan lake item 11 triangle land concerns the o'neill watershed protection project authorization to participate item 12 purchase contract with brady integrated security for citywide access control standardization project item 13 first amendment to contract with cedar grove institute for sustainable communities to develop a strategic plan for shared economic prosperity for the residents of the city of Durham item 14 contract with marcia mcdaniel ink to conduct promotion testing assessment services and job task analysis item 15 cooperative purchase group police mobile command center contract item 16 2019 law enforcement mental health and wellness program grant project ordinance item 17 emergency watershed protection and watershed restoration project grant project ordinance item 18 emergency watershed protection professional services ewp 2020-01 item 33 mayor's hispanic latino committee appointments You have heard the consent agenda and i will now entertain a motion for their approval Did you have a information from miss peterson madam clerk? What would the item be actually? 33 all right. Thank you We will pull item 33. Thank you very much We'll now have a motion to approve the Consent agenda with the exception of item 33 Second Moving to second that we approve the consent agenda madam clerk. Will you please open the vote? Please close the vote The motion passes 6-0. Thank you Well now move to our general agenda business agenda and we'll begin with item 19 the 2019 third quarter crime report And we'll welcome chief davis and her staff Welcome chief. We're good to see you. Thank you Good evening everyone Honorable mayor shul honorable council city manager tom bombfield And our city attorney kim raver. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present the third quarter crime report this evening This report covers the Durham police department's five performance measures our part one violent crime Part one property crime the department's overall clearance rates response times for priority calls for service and sworn and civilian Employee staffing levels I'll also discuss briefly Other highlights that occurred during the third quarter There were 32 homicides during the first nine months of 2019 compared to 24 in the same period of 2018 There were 36 incidents But the count is 32 homicides because three cases have been cleared as self defense And one case was classified as negligent manslaughter Which is determined to be an unintentional shooting So far there have been five homicide cases that occurred in prior years cleared in 2019 The number of reported sexual assaults dropped by 18 Percent 77 versus 94 for the same reporting period There were 19 cases from previous years that have been reported during the first nine months of 2019 Approximately one quarter of our cases Robberies dropped significantly during the first nine months of 2019 to the lowest third quarter Numbers in three years 16 percent of robberies were from businesses which include eight bank robberies The number of shooting incidents increased by 17 percent and the number of shooting victims increased by five percent during the first nine months of 2019 More than a quarter 27 percent of aggravated assault incidents were determined to be domestic 38 percent of all aggravated assaults in the third quarter came from a multi victim firearms incidents The percentage of this category the multi victim category 31 percent in both the first quarter and the second quarter Our focus and efforts have been to reduce the number of aggravated assaults particularly multi victim Aggravated assaults the percentage for multi victim firearms incidents during the first nine months of 2019 is 34 Our goal has been 30 percent Clicker here So part one property crime January to September burglary's were at a three-year low for the first nine months of the year There were decreases in residential and commercial burglary's but there was a brief spike In miscellaneous category which includes sheds and construction sites larcenies comprised almost two-thirds which was 63 of all part one crime 43 of all reported larcenies were from motor vehicles were involved auto parts and accessories More than a quarter 29 of all larcenies involved shoplifting So 72 of all larcenies are either thefts from vehicles or shoplifting Almost half of the guns stolen this year 49 126 of the 256 were taken during break-ins in vehicles And again honda accords with most stolen vehicle model during the first nine months of 2019 At least 46 percent A vehicle stolen this year had keys left in the vehicle or the vehicle was left with the engine running This is a reoccurring thing As we entered the cold season We want to remind everyone Again, especially during the holidays when people are scurrying about In a hurry that it's not a good idea to leave your car running with the keys in it This is a reoccurring theme here in Durham Vehicle thefts stemming from the desire to get into a warm car result in vehicle stolen So our clearance rates we compare our department's clearance rates to other departments of our size In the category of 250,000 to 499 or 500,000 population And fbi generated clearance rates our clearance rates were better than the average for cities Our size in all categories, but aggravated assault and violent crime During the first nine months of 2019 the aggravated assault clearance rate is affected by the number of multi victim Firearm cases since these cases are often difficult to clear Keep in mind also that the clearance rates for 2018 and the fbi peer city results are for the entire year Of total cases cleared We will update our clearance rates The totals at the end of the calendar year That'll be sometime in february or so 2020 Our homicide clearance rates include five cases cleared from prior years as well Where the incident actually occurred in prior years So priority one calls for service There were 6,056 priority one calls for service in the first nine months of 2019 Which is actually a 10 decrease from the same period in 2018 Our average response time was 5.92 minutes Which was close to meeting the target of 5.8 minutes We answered 55 percent of priority one calls in less than five minutes In the first nine months of 2018 our goal is 57 percent under five minutes 6 to 11 minutes is as Has been um the average for other comparable cities to Education has played a significant role in citizens using other reporting platforms to report Crimes our communications dispatchers do an excellent job in working the triage call so that they aren't Dispatch to officers unnecessarily So we believe that some of the work with the pdc platform where individuals are going to our software platforms to Make police reports and also vetting of calls through communications has helped as well Staffing levels our sworn staffing was at 97 percent at the end of september 2019 Our non sworn staffing was at 92 percent at the end of september 2019 19 recruits from basic law enforcement training academy number 49 graduated on september 18 There are currently 20 recruits in beli t number 50 who will graduate in february 2020 Two officers completed the advanced law enforcement training, which is known as our alet program during the third quarter This is an accelerated program for officers who are already north carolina state certified So uv's a request for the quarter The Durham police department process 47 uv's a request during the third quarter of 2019 57 percent of the requests 27 out of 47 were approved For the first nine months of the year 2019. We processed a total of 157 uv's a request So a few other highlights for the quarter Three new pieces of public art were unveiled on july 30th at dpt headquarters And during the placemaking at headquarters celebration We had several people from the community to come out and speak Each piece of artwork expresses a theme of common thread And a symbolic in the symbolic badge that you've probably seen out in front of the building It's the shape more contemporary shape of a badge structure in the front of the building It sort of represents the weaving Together of ethnicities and cultures in a very diverse city The unveiling marked the culmination of an 18-month process Coordinated by the city's police department general services department office of economic and workforce development And public art committee in collaboration with Durham technical community college. It was a great event Other highlights was national night out Held on august 6 and more than 90 neighborhoods throughout Durham We had another awesome national night out with lots of participation by community organizers citizens and elected officials Thank you all for supporting national night out as well National night is one of the department's favorite community events, which allows us to fellowship and get to know our community members from a variety of demographics Just a few before I finish a few other highlights that I'd like to bring out some of some of this is already in the written report, but I'd like to say some of this publicly that We initiated a homicide cold case Detective who has begun working on cold cases in the Durham police department We also arrested a primary suspect in the Zion person case And that case is seeking federal prosecution six other significant homicide arrests occurred for cases in 2016 18 and 19 After launching our anti-gun violence campaign this summer during the month of june We rolled out a 60 day initiative that focused on reducing violent crime 94 felony arrests were made and 24 guns were seized Details are also in the accompanying report for that particular operation This year or at least this quarter we made several robbery arrests one involving a repeat of fender conducting Buy-sell robberies on the internet at least five incidents were associated with this individual Our misdemeanor diversion program. There were 316 referrals to the program 100 percent completion rate for Those individuals, which was really good 75 of those referrals came from the Durham police department we Also held a child safety seat event sponsored by our attack unit our accident crash unit The community engagement unit held a bicycle repair event for children Investigator Judy Rodriguez became the first Durham police department officer to receive certification from the international association of fraud examiners She now works with the oig's office investigating financial fraud in the Durham area Which is very significant for us. We get a lot of financial fraud cases At least four employees receive city of Durham stars awards and integrity customer service and fairness The department is also receiving on november 26 the north carolina dogwood award by attorney general joss stein It'll be presented to our forensics unit and other individuals who have been working on sexual assault case reductions um Officer ramos was recognized for exceptional and courageous response in a wallace Fire incident and she's also being recognized as a north carolina jc's outstanding young public servant for other work She has done in our hispanic community um major Sherry Montgomery captain walter tate captain melissa bishop and lieutenant dm anthony graduated From the police executive research forum the senior management leadership institute I'm very proud of them as well and the last thing that I will add is that We have two members of our executive team who have announced their retirement That is deputy chief anthony marsh and deputy chief taren assembly It's very possible that um the next time you see me presenting They will no longer be with the Durham police department So I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the work that they have done During my tenure with the Durham police department to be agile in the midst of change to support me and various initiatives And I know whatever the next chapter holds for them They will be exceptional in it. So thank you very much And that concludes my report Thank you chief and We'll we'll we have some speakers, but first we'll have questions and comments from members of the council and then we'll hear from our speakers but chief marsh chief assembly want to Just add to what the chief says to express our appreciation To you all for all the fantastic service that you've rendered to our city All of us on the council and our whole community is in your debt and I just want to second the chief's appreciation and I'll be looking forward to hearing what you all are going to be doing in your retirement I hope it's uh I hope it's fun We'll now have questions and comments from members of the council and then we'll hear from any speakers that we have Questions or comments Councilmember reese just briefly mr. Mayor. Thank you How's it going chief davis? Um before I get to you I just want to thank again the two folks you signaled from your executive staff who are going to be leaving us I don't it's hard to imagine the Durham police department without the two of you spursely from my perspective Um, and I will just also say that chief marsh. I don't know if you remember the first time I met you Was it when you started doing the community outreach around the police warrant body camera policy? And I have not been and have not since Seen a public servant go about that very difficult work in the way that you did you were extraordinary during that process I told you that then and I will never forget the way that you Were engaged in this very difficult conversations with people around the community who have very different values about that particular issue Whether they want to be told they're being recorded whether they want the option What's to do with the footage and you were the quintessential public servant during that process? I'll never forget it. So thank you for your service. Really appreciate it Chief I wanted to first you mentioned every almost everything I wanted to talk about From the back half of the report I just want to call out the allocation of resources of the cold case unit Homicides it is so important that are That the families of victims know that we have not forgotten these cases And that allocation of resources is really personally meaningful. And so I appreciate that The other thing I wanted to mention is that you mentioned a lot of officers You couldn't mention everyone, but I wanted to pull officer DT stocks out of the report and and hold up that officer Who was approached in mid-september? By a person who was having a trouble paying for hotel and feeding their family And the officer and other officers it's always an officer and that a bunch of other officers they wrote in to help Um Helped get them some food help them Stay in the hotel for a bit. I just want to make sure that you give him my phone number If he comes into these situations again, just give me a call. I'll see what I can do But more Directly, I just wanted to say that I continue to be impressed with the quality of your leadership in this community The work that you've done over a difficult year The way that we have continued to have a very positive working relationship and the fact that that That your department is responding Heroically to the to the world that we are living in right now. And I just want to say thank you so much For all the work you do Really love that the staffing numbers are so high. That's a really good sign. I'll play with you with that Yeah, we're gonna keep it. Thank you chief. Thank you. Thank you Thank you councilmember other council members questions or comments Mayor pro jam. Thank you, mr. Mayor. I thank you chief for your report We got noticed recently of a grant that we were receiving to clear up some of our old sexual assault Test kits backlog. Yes, really excited to hear about that and was wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about How we got that resource and how we're going to be putting it to use Absolutely, and that was kind of one of my bullet points, but I didn't want to run too long, but Um We applied for this grant Um through the department of justice and we were awarded the grant. So It's a three-year grant. It's Right at about a million dollars And it is to support the Durham police department and not just eradicating the um The backlog which is dwindling and we we're getting a lot of recognition from that too because of the Deliberate intent And in working those cases, but it's also so that we can hire a da's A da in the in the da's office as well so that when we get hits And there is the potential to prosecute that we will have the resources that we need to investigate and prosecute So we're excited about that. We're in the embryonic stages right now of actually planning what that rollout looks like But i'll be glad to provide more information on the narrative of what we ask for as well Thank you so much. It is it's very substantial. Yeah, it's a huge grant and it'll make a huge difference. So i'm Um, really excited to see how that goes forward. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you Casper freeman. Thank you. I also want to echo my colleagues and thank you for your service as well as chief marsh and chief solvice, I um can't say how um Much, I appreciate just just what you guys do in this community and the way that you handle it. It's um It's commendable how Approachable that each of you are and how much you attend to the kind of people to the people in the community as if they were your neighbors like It's appreciated. I I also want to commend our chief and recognizing that The service you do in and out of uniform definitely Is also commendable and I was fortunate enough to attend your sister to sister event Saturday Saturday at the health department with our da satana de barry and I was really um Motivated and touched in a way that I want to be Careful about and and making sure that I follow your lead but I do want to hear more about Exactly how you guys have been able to partner and figure out ways that you can work around some of the shortcomings or the short resources beyond just the million dollar grant and um addressing some of the issues I know I want to lift up the one of the cases Or one of the women that stood up and shared her story.  I um Yes, I think we were all moved by that testimony But I really was um also very uh, I guess Like I only intended to stay probably 10 15 minutes I think I end up staying about an hour But there was so much information you were sharing regarding resources for people in the community I really love for you to take a moment and just share some of that. So um the conversation sort of Took a turn just To to discuss education in general and how do we educate individuals and the testimony that We all experienced during even though that was not a Durham police department case It was still very moving and I think it touched everyone to hear the the intimate details Of what an individual had gone through and how That person continues to carry that but um and then we personalized some of That conversation I gave an example of a A young man and this could happen to anybody a young man who is almost like a nephew to me And this person was in a relationship with uh, he was 17 at the time and he was in a relationship with a 15 year old and um The mother came home and caught them even though there was not an act there But the lack of education on the part of that young man And and and of course the young lady who was involved it caused charges to be placed on the 17 year old And he's about 25 now and he still carries those charges because Of the fact that in the state of Georgia 17 year old um could be considered um a rapist or That situation could have been considered a statutory rate charge So he continues to carry that even though this particular case was dismissed But we shared a lot of information about how we need to educate our young people how we need to educate our our Our students on college campuses and that no means no and that Sometimes the other contributing factors that come into play that aggravate those kinds of situations Is there is a need for more forums for that kind of discussion open and honest discussions because A person's career could be lost or a person could be violated in a way And um we we sort of want to be on the preventive end and then also I note that um The child abuse cases as well. It's it's it's important that people acknowledge just how Vulnerable our children are in this community and to sexual abuse absolutely and sexual assault And who has to actually take that report and follow the leads To see the case through yes Thank you councilmember. Thank you chief Councilmember milton. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. Good evening. Good evening chief and command staff always good to see you um Chief before we made a historic hire and bringing you here. I don't think chief marsh's Shoulders were quite as blinged out And nobody called me honorable at that time at all but during that time when when I was uh Working with so many other people in this city to transform our police department to transform the culture. I know Chief marsh wasn't always happy to see me coming as we sat across many tables But I I just want to publicly say that the temperament and the professionalism And and the steady hand that you brought to that work to those times and to those discussions um, we're just Above board just just just above and beyond Um, I think with a lot of folk in your position I would have displayed so I just want to commend you for just the even handedness That you've displayed and the temperament and the professionalism Over the years immense respect for you and and you're a young man So I look forward to seeing what you do after you take the uniform off you similarly as well For your leadership and your temperament as well over the years, it's it's uh It's amazing how fast time flies, but I wish you both the best As you do case. I'm going to be bothering you for a while. So you're going to be around for a while Chief congratulations on on some of those high profile arrests that you may we of course the presumption of innocence is on everyone Right, so the trial comes but we do want to congratulate you and the women and men under your command for those arrests I want to talk a little bit about the Shootings in our city While this government has not declared the state of emergency in our city. We have not officially declared that There are some residents and citizens who feel that way And I hear from them all the time And I'm not even talking about the gunfire that gets reported the shootings that we do respond to There are people in this city who every night hear gunfire in neighborhoods. That's a reality Not just a few a lot I saw a media report A couple of weeks ago where you were interviewed And and I I want to quote you correctly I think you were speaking about Additional officers and I you said quote I needed them then I need them now There's only seven people in this city That are vested with the power To make that happen in the budgetary cycle and they're here right now So I I was pretty clear who your audience was in that interview You also talked about a plan to augment the gang task force In response to what's been going on Of late, so I just want to ask you very directly As the seven people in this city that that can Act if you will I want to ask is there something is there a specific ass is there something this council can do outside of our regular budgetary cycle To to to augment your capabilities to help you and your department Address the issues you have I know the city manager is empowered to spend up to a certain threshold Without calling us but but outside of the traditional budgetary Cycle is there something this government can do To help you in the short term and to convey to the people of this city That although we're not declaring an emergency we get it and we understand that that there's an issue going on Uh, and that people are scared and people are upset And and they're looking to us for leadership. So so if it's a price What's the price if it's if it's a declaration, whatever it is Is there something this government can do in a short term? Councilor middleton if I could interrupt sure I have had conversations with chief davis over the last couple weeks I don't know if that was completely a rhetorical question or a direct question of her I'll let you you respond to that but well, uh, certainly, uh, I've asked the police department to Particularly around the the gang unit to Provide me some additional information so that Both she and sherif burkhead are working on that issue But provide me some additional information over the next several weeks And we'll be reporting back to the council about what that might look like And to directly enter your question assuming it wasn't rhetorical there there is You know, there are many avenues by which the the council has the authority or the ability to to supplement resources mid-budget Right. Uh, it wasn't rhetorical. Um, it and I appreciate the manager's, uh Information I well, let me just say for the record and I look forward to that reporting Um, I I want to go on record saying that that Whatever comes back if it's reasonable and within our power That that we should do it Um, we should act Um, I also want to go on record saying that I am I am not going to pretend Or play the game that anyone that's seriously engaged in this conversation Is going to suggest that there's something causally linked Between what has happened and what we do now No one serious is saying that any action this council takes or could have taken could have prevented a particular shooting Or a particular incident. I think the conversation deserves much more serious engagement than that But I think what needs to be displayed and said is that Um, we have the moral Credibility to look our folk in the eye and to say we have done everything we can do At least to create an atmosphere where things like this are less likely No one is suggesting that there's a causal link hard causal link, but I do think that At you know, I won't always be on the council one day I'm going to be a private citizen again And I'd like to be able to say that my government when they look at me has done everything within their power To create an atmosphere to create a context so that we have the moral authority Even if we can't say we couldn't have stopped that one We have created a context in which these things are less likely So with that said I look forward to the report Um, and I look forward to acting and voting If there's something to vote for and if there's some appropriation to be made outside of our regular Budgetary cycle because I think we are at a moment That calls for that type of engagement. Thank you again, uh chief and thank Thanks to the men and women under your command. I appreciate you. Thank you councilmember. Thank you councilmember Anyone else comments questions councilmember caballero. Thank you. Thank you chief. Um, just a couple of things. Um, I It was I was very happy to see officer Ramos named She is a stellar officer and I've had a wonderful experience with her and reading the report I was not surprised to see that's how she reacted. Um, and then I just want to say I'm very pleased with the uvisa Numbers I know that earlier this year there was a commitment Made that the current time limitation would be lifted and just wondering a little bit around what your thoughts were there and what Plans were thinking into 2020 Well, actually, I would need to really look at I don't know how many other cases that we do have At this point we are we have just about gotten to Everything that's been out there, but I'd have to get back to you to let you know that. Okay. Thank you. Mm-hmm You know the comments or questions Chief, thank you very much. We appreciate you and I'll thank you I'll ask you I didn't I didn't say but I appreciate my command staff being here as well and all the work that they do to You know work around the resources that we have. Thank you Again, thank you for this council support of the Durham police department My miss Peterson Miss Peterson, I will call on you at the appropriate time. Thank you chief if I could ask you and your staff to please Uh go back to your seats. That would be great. Thank you very much. We appreciate you all being here We have Of seven people signed to signed up to speak on this item and I'm going to call their names And if when I call your name if you could come over here to my right that would be great and I will give each of you three minutes the first Speaker will be Andrea muffin Hudson the second will be chris tiffani And the third will be devra freedman if you all could please come to my right And miss Hudson welcome You're up first and you have three minutes Yeah, don't worry your time doesn't begin till you start Welcome, please give us your name and address. Oh, my name is Andrea Hudson. Um, I live at 32 junction road I'm bent wood apartments I had questions for the police chief and her officers only because I've been getting calls recently from Law-abiding citizens who have been pulled over by either the sheriffs or the police from your watch commander He said it was sheriffs that had on police shirts and in police cars, but um They're taking registered handguns from these citizens and then when we go downtown There's no paperwork showing where they've taken these handguns and I've had Two Families who have missing handguns and one family is missing at least six because it's happened multiple occasions where the officers are um Kicking in their doors and taking their firearms And I really would like to know what's going on with that because if there's no paperwork For these guns and we've been to the sheriff's department because we figured maybe it is the sheriffs and we've gone to the police department and no one can say where these guns have gone and My fear is those guns are back out on our streets And that they are the ones that have their serials Numbers erased because we have one of the biggest gangs in the city taking the guns from these citizens And we really need to figure out what who these officers are Because they're wearing these face masks where you can only see their eyes And they're wearing black shirts to say police on the front So you can't even get their badge numbers and they're snatching phones from people So you can't even identify the cars that they're in because some are in patrol cars and then some are in unmarked police cars so If we can Figure that out Miss Hudson, we're happy. Thank you for your time Let me just say that if you have a specific complaint The the obviously no one can deal with just a blanket complaint that you've described if you have a specific complaint about a specific incident Please make that known to the police department I did we went to the police department on october 11th It was a little bit after midnight after we went to the The jail to bail the young man out But they let him out, you know on the signature bond and we went to The police headquarters to file a police report and the watch commander who I took a picture of and I'll be happy to Show you his picture that they wouldn't take the police report I mean the complaint because we didn't have officers names and we didn't have car numbers So he wouldn't take anything. He just kept telling us. Well, maybe it's just the sheriff's wearing You know t-shirts that have police on them because the sheriff's did stop and The sheriff's did do the stop and the sheriff's when they did the stop They called it in and said that they were in a high speed chase Which really isn't true because if anyone knows where north briggs and halloween is the individual lives in the middle of halloween before you get to Raven and halloween. So it wasn't a high speed chase, but that's what the sheriff's department called it in is I'm going about what the watch commander told me. He said in the police He told them to fall back from that call but The victims say that the police were the ones who pulled up his shirt Took pictures of his tattoos and they took the firearm that was out of the glove compartment Okay, thank you miss Hudson If you can see why the police will need specific information to do an investigation So if you can provide license numbers or you can provide names Our police department investigates Every complaint and they actually investigate a lot of complaints mainly Mainly things that they themselves Find in terms in terms of disciplinary concerns as well as some complaints that we do get from residents Any any resident complaint will be investigated, but it needs to have Some specific information. So if you have the name or badge number Or license number, we can't get that because they're wearing t-shirts to say police that don't have badge numbers on it And they're taking people's phones so they can't record the license plates numbers or the card numbers because they're unmarked Chargers Lieutenant bishops in the back you can take the information All right, okay. Thank you. Thank you miss Hudson Mr. Tiffany welcome, please give us your name and address. You have three minutes chris tiffani. Um I don't know how to get to my supposed to have a Here we go Here we go. All right. I'm sorry chris tiffani Post office box 25331 27702 what was called the political arithmetic of status is now called statistics We need statistics when we talk about social problems But statistics as a result of social processes that determine what will and will not be counted Police officials tend to us for an underestimate Political purpose is often hidden and it is naive to accept numbers as accurate without examining who created them And why why you harass our kids because that's who commits the crimes young black males if that ain't racial profiling I don't know what is But when a boy his mother submitted a written complaint about a random stop the complaint disappeared Just like a cop told witnesses that he could make them disappear and that cop was singled out Recomendation in the last quarterly report Not only are random stops and searches of innocent boys and use of force not counted Even when documented by civilians, but real criminals even drive-by shooters go free Because you need to protect informants who have information Don't deny it Don't deny it violent crime is heating up Climate change denial is funded by fossil fuel money and crimes and crime pr problems threaten a variety of business interests Crimes reported by the police are often not the same as crimes reported to the police And although it's hard to reclassify homicides Cause of death is sometimes inaccurate and some missing persons might be dead, but homicide counts Tend to be more accurate than other crimes Officials may respond to critics by defending existing policies as Adequate or can't do anything about domestic violence or incumbents try to imply it's not so bad or Oh, well, maybe we are worse than average, but look over there back then it's it's worse over there back then cherry picking one point Years ago That was almost as bad as now the elections over now and now you can admit We do have serious problems and existing policies are not adequate A highly publicized drive-by shooting case has been cleared, but not by stopping and searching random young black male pedestrians According to racial profiling stats created by police stopping and searching random young black males in or from unmarked target areas The drive-by shootings. Who knows who the drive-by shootings are? Someone knows But you have to protect informants Protect informants I'm sorry. I'm clumsy here Thank you. Mr. Tiffany miss Friedman. Welcome. You have three minutes. Please give us your name and address Debra Friedman 1109 east hardscrabble drive hellsbrough 27278 Thank you for allowing me to speak before council Durham's gun violence deserves a better response than your weak deflection People need housing or climate change is the biggest problem facing Durham Your stubborn refusal to prioritize people's lives Over your belong beyond policing agenda should raise the alarm for cities across america Sacrificing people's lives for your agenda at any cost will lead to more people dying in the streets of Durham Durham city council's actions prove you don't support the police department Give chief davis the funds she needs for police hires If you don't Durham will continue into joy to enjoy the shameful reputation as being weak on crime A lack of police presence lays out the welcome mat for criminals No longer is it acceptable for you to say black lives matter But offer no solutions to save black lives We now see how your willingness to sacrifice minorities don't that don't adapt to your narrow progressive vision One councilman offered to revisit shot spotter technology if more data was provided Citing a surveillance concern the nyu school of law performed an audit concluded that the risk of Voice surveillance is extremely low The report notes that there are no important design frameworks and operational safeguards built into how shops Shot spotter operates to prevent this from happening While it surely While it is surely possible that shot spotter sensors will on occasion capture Some intelligible voice audio related to a gunfire incident We have little concern that the system will be used for anything approaching voice surveillance Other policing technology companies should follow shot spotters leadership And proactively embrace their responsibility to protect individual liberty with their products Barry Friedman Policing project faculty director This city council's concerns over surveillance should be elated by this independent report I will hope you'll finally address the need for a police presence and or shot spotters technology Countless lives can be saved by spending 325,000 Recalibrate your moral setting city council Thank you Thank you, miss Friedman. I will now hear from monica rose I'm having a hard time reading that Uvisa. Oh, it's about says uv's. I see monica rose And it says uv's Welcome Please give us your name and address and you have three minutes I don't know what to say We came here prepared to celebrate to thank you to think that chief of police But unfortunately we can't celebrate She promised to change the policy on uv's Six months ago and today would mark six months from that point We the uv's a group we're very hurt. I personally feel Rage I want to cry We thought today was going to be a good day for the latinx community As the chief had promised that she was going to remove the restrictions Unfortunately she did not follow through on her word But we are here we're going to continue to advocate and Fight for our community Because right now in our community we see a lot of assaults a lot of robberies And nobody has done anything about it This is the unique opportunity for families who have been victims and have gone through hardship by Violence and and crime to have an opportunity to be with their kids to have protection and be with their kids Each of you that is sitting there in city council seats we've had conversations with each of you We've asked for your support So that those people who don't qualify for a uv visa can qualify Restrictions and I On behalf of All the people and including the visa uv visa group. I'm asking you that we can continue this work So that we can ask the chief to remove the restrictions on uv visa. Thank you Hello, good evening, my name is silvia segundo la verdad estoy aquí Y estoy muy decepcionada me voy desillusionada porque habíamos esperado hoy una noche de celebridad y Lamentablemente no fue así I'm sorry. Can the timer be adjusted? Go ahead. Thank you. Um, I am very disappointed. Um, I am very letdown because we expected tonight to be a night where we would get The restrictions on uv visa remove But not because of that are we going to leave um with our heads bowed because it is not just I'm sorry. I'm not a professional interpreter. Um, but there's um I think that you can convey she's conveying the feeling Just saying that this is this is not something that's gonna Have the group be let down and walk off. You're going to continue to go forth with this We're not going to go with our heads bowed We are here to continue fighting Y vamos a seguir y we will continue And we ask for the support from each and every single one of you So that we can be united and we can get the restrictions on visa use result Gracias. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'll just say a few words in response and uh Uh First of all Maybe I've misheard the chief, but my understanding is that the chief said that She uh, that there were Very few cases if any that had still not been cleared From any time But what I will say to you is this To all of you all who spoke tonight I agree with you and I know that this council agrees with you that the limitation should be lifted And uh, I'll be discussing that with the city manager And I'm sure that uh, he will uh be in contact with our police department about that Uh, there's no reason to walk away with your head bowed. You should walk away here with your head held high And I can just tell you that you have my commitment to work on this and make this happen And it is my understanding that that is also the position of the chief and the department and so, uh Please be in touch with me I will say in two weeks Okay, thank you very much Mr. Mayor, can I add something as well? Please do. Um, we have professional interpretation available now as well and If you contact us in advance, we can ensure that there are interpreters available and I'll I can be in touch with you about getting that information to you Thank you Thank you, madam mayor pro tem if I could just Just as a matter of Of conversation with community it probably would be best if we actually have someone on site At each meeting just Thank you for that I recognize that but I think that we're gonna All they have to do is ask in advance and they'll be here I think we're gonna need to get to that point if we're gonna talk about how latinx communities need to be heard Recognizing that they I mean they might decide to come within 10 minutes of the meeting It shouldn't be a hindrance and we'll get to that point. It may not be tonight Thank you Yvonne al Monte Mr. Aman al Monte welcome. You have three minutes. Please give us your name and address Uh, what do you need? My name is Yvonne al Monte. I live on 311 Salas all street during uh 27705 I'm also here because I'm a victim of a crime and I was also expecting like my friends to hear about the time restriction so And it just so disappointing that only two peoples of the council are talking about how our communities are in suffering all these crimes and In the last few days, there was a case of violent harassed. Uh, a latino was assaulted And he didn't call the police for a reason So I really encourage you to be connected to community because We're suffering. We're the ones who live in these neighborhoods where all these crimes are happening. So So I want to thank you Didriana in middle tune for Always talk about this issue because it's really so important for us. We're leaving the hell every single day and I really think and the conversation is to happen soon because My community will not call the police for this so What we're expecting what we're waiting for it's almost a year after the um Since the shooting happens on valeteras on december 15 and the community feels like no one has done anything to support us So I hope that a conversation Should be taken maybe in one of the neighborhoods with this group because we gotta do something we are tired of more shootings and helping victims of a crime it just like Sometimes you don't you don't know what to say to our community. Honestly, it just And they don't have access to healthcare. They don't have access to this and that so Sometimes our lives are miserable So when we're talking about donald trump republicans are none of these but I endure and we're having these policies that is not helping our community So I hope you can Take a different direction and do something. Thank you. Thank you Miss victoria peterson you have three minutes Miss peterson you have three minutes chief I'm proud of you girl You're doing a good job Okay, when you came here you walked into a mess This city council and the council before this council Knew that this community when it comes to crying is off the hook The problem that we have there are two problems. The citizenry refuses to get up and go out and vote Less than 50 percent of the population in this city Voted less than 50 These folks got under 20,000 votes That's ridiculous of a city that is close to 200,000 register voters This city council Could have given you the funds that you need To patrol this community Yeah They have they are sitting on 42 million dollars 42 million dollars of taxpayers monies The Hispanic community is up here complaining Hey I've been in this community for a year We have a reverend that sits up here. He's been trying to do his best Somebody needs to bring the black folks together in this community and get down here on this council And make these people do what they need to be doing Supporting this police department Developing programs for our young black men and women To help them get employment to help them get jobs To sit up on this council Literally do literally do we don't know what to do Oh We had two shootings in my community folks I live on Ridgeway last night Our electricity went off From six o'clock last night to three o'clock in the morning dealing with Duke power So we've got to deal with crime Also with electricity I'm a little concerned about the Hispanic community You came into a community that is in crisis I mentioned a year ago The sbi ice And the military Needs to be in this community When young black men can go up and down these streets shoot and murder And nothing is really happening We have only a little bit 500 and some police officers There's no way that these men and women can address the serious crime that is plaguing the city of Durham No way This police chief only gave you the part one cron Numerous times mr. Mayor you've heard me state about the part two and about the juvenile cron Thank you, mr. Peterson. We'll now hear from Sandro Mendoza Welcome, please give us your name and address and you have three minutes um sondra mendoza Durham 27707 um also can read this point about um What happened today with the uv says six months ago Even you mr. Mayor He said publicly that there was going to be a press conference and all this From that time on we told most of our community we told our community who wasn't qualified To start looking for their paperwork Because there was going to be a time where it wasn't qualified They were going to do it this month So that's what we intend to just keep doing your paperwork Keep looking for an attorney because they promised us That this was going to happen publicly Online there's a video out there the reason why The chief doesn't have Has signed off most on it, but that's the people who qualify She hasn't signed up on people who hasn't qualified So they were the ones who are going to are going to sign in When she takes the time restriction off I feel like this was all political Um They could have done it months ago Um, yeah very disappointed I'm not sure what i'm going to tell The people who I told to start doing the paperwork Yeah Thank you. Mr. Mendoza All right. Thank you very much for everyone. Monsieur tonight and brought up a lot of serious and important questions Please be in touch with me about the uv says. Thank you All right, we'll now move to item 20 The mutual plaza landmark designation and uh, we'll first hear the report from staff Good evening. I'm carlo Rosenberg with the planning department And first I'd like to state for the record that all planning department hearing items have been advertised and noticed in accordance with state and local law And avidavits of all notices are on file in the planning department So I'm here to present a request for landmark designation for mutual plaza located at 411 West Chapel Hill street The designation requests requested pertains to the two parcels on the northern half of the block Totally 1.65 acres This request is submitted by Cynthia de merenda of mdm historical consultants The historic preservation commission gave its recommendation of six to zero on september third 2019 And the state historic preservation office issued a letter of recommendation on august 19th 2019 Staff is recommending approval of the request to include the building and land associated with new lots one and two as shown in attachment three of the staff report Thank you, miss Rosenberg You've heard the report from staff and I'm going to declare this public hearing open And first I'm going to ask are there any questions for staff by members of the council Questions for staff at this point Just one Mr. Mayor, does remember freeman Exactly. So once this landmark is designated What will I guess will What will come out of this? Will there be an event? Will there be any funding made available? Is it tied to tax credits? I just want to make sure I'm Clear on exactly how this will be beneficial Sure, so the local landmark designation first of all Gives the property owner the opportunity to apply with the tax department for a 50 deferral on the taxes associated with the property and if both the building and the land are Designated then it would be for 50 percent of the value of the building and of the land In conjunction with that There would be a new Requirement for a certificate of appropriateness Which applies to all properties within local districts and to all local landmarks So any changes that would be made to the exterior of the buildings Or to the site Would require the certificate of appropriateness which is reviewed by the historic preservation commission or in cases of less substantial scripts of work by staff Any other sort of ceremonial? Recognition that would be separate from the actual ordinances passed and the legal requirements Any other questions for staff a question mr. Mayor mayor pro tem thank you So it's my understanding that this property is going to be redeveloped that there are plans to add additional buildings on Some of the vacant land. How does that affect the historic designation? So a certificate of appropriateness. It's It would be approved under what's called the historic properties local review criteria and so There are criteria that specifically addressed new construction on historic sites And so the whatever is proposed would need to meet those criteria So it would address massing scale materials used for the new construction Would those buildings also be eligible to apply for the 50 percent tax reduction? So if the If the land were designated The and and the buildings as well for those parcels then the 50 percent tax credit would then apply to Whatever was constructed on site subject to that COA Okay, and and the staff and the historic preservation commission are both recommending that we designate the land Yes, in order to preserve sight lines from the street and the site itself Having some elements that are important to the architecture of the building Okay, but if but if that property were to be redeveloped Are you saying that that helps the with the redevelopment we can then control that those elements are preserved? Okay. That's exactly it. Thank you Just and let me just Just to the tax benefit currently Is about 137 thousand dollars a year. I believe it's the number that you had in the memo. Is that correct? I would have to roughly that would be the approximate annual tax benefit um the Just also the the third there are three parcels Correct There are three parcels and we would be recommending new lot one and two. Yes But not number three, which is half of that right and so if new lot three was developed new lot three could be developed I'm Going to say this you can tell me if I got this right But new lot three does not have to be developed with those same Strictures, that's correct. Right? Yes And but but and that's really most of the lands most of the vacant land on this property is new lot three That's correct. And that land if it's developed would be not be subject to either the Requirements of the historic designation nor would it be subject to the tax relief Correct. Yeah Okay, mr. Mayor just cash member freeman just one point to note So in the same vein as the conversation we had earlier around the cemetery. I just want to note that this historic site has sat Without designation for at least 30 40 years now um, I mean it was built in the 60s and we're now in 2019 so It would have been like 2010 where they would have been eligible right Eligible for for historic designation. I mean we our landmark programs started Well before that so What's the eligibility that you're so I just want to know if there's any work that's being done In conjunction with the workforce. I mean well the economic development department to make sure that there are funds available To organizations that are preserving history around black history specifically recognizing that the mutual Building itself is a historic landmark And I know that there's been many occasions where the historic I guess representation has been celebrated and not necessarily has that been quantified into a number And I think it would be important to make sure that in our legacy conversations That that is also a part of what the planning department is looking at and trying to figure out what we can do Yeah, that's excellent Any other comments or questions at this point for staff? All right, we have one speaker signed up on this item And that is Cynthia de Miranda The author of the uh, this excellent historical review Over here right there's good. I just signed up in case anyone had any questions. So I have no statement to make Thank you very much All right, is there anyone else? I don't know if I've said this yet. You've heard the report from staff. I'm declaring the public hearing open I believe already said that but just in case I did just to cover the uh bases here Um You have heard the report from staff. You have heard questions from the council You've heard from miss de Miranda. Is there anyone else here? This is a public hearing item that would like to be heard on this item Is there anyone else here who would like to speak on this item? There's a public hearing All righty If not, uh, I'm going to Declare that this public hearing is closed And the matter is back before the council mayor Councilmember. Thank you, mr. Mayor. Um this this uh building Certainly in no way can capture To the full extent all of the hopes and aspirations and dreams that have been attached to it Not just in Durham but around the world I just wanted for the record say I feel very blessed And fortunate to be On the council at this point in history to be able to cast a vote To declare this iconic and sacred space Historic and to give it the designation that it's originally deserves. Thank you. Thank you Any other comments I want to just say that We read a lot of policy memos. We read a lot of Contracts we read a lot of recommendations from staff And we are really fortunate. I've always felt In in the city government in the quality of the writing that we get in the excellent In the excellent reports, it's also clear I've always been been so impressed by that but it is rare That we get such fabulously interesting reading about our own history In one of our items. This was a great history lesson I thought I knew a lot about that building. I thought I knew a lot about what What it stood for and I thought I knew a lot about the history surrounding it But I learned a ton and so I want to congratulate Ms. DeMiranda and staff Ms. Rosenberg and others for putting together such an interesting application really really fun to read and No offense to our city managers and others but not all of our items are that much fun to read I want to particularly cite One page three of the application And Let's see if I've got the right attachment here I'm sorry page nine of the application My computer will help me Yeah, um I'll just read from it uplift and racial pride was still important Of course in concert with announcing the choice of rea construction company of charlotte to build a new tower The mutual also unveiled a training program in the construction trades Apprentice carpenters bricklayers cement masons painter decorators and other crafts Working on our project under the supervision of journeymen in these trades. That's the end of the quote Would also attend state supported classes twice a week announced president spalding The program had the opportunities for raises half yearly The company intentionally went with a negotiated contract for the work in order to better be able to have input The hiring of workers ensuring access to the jobs and training for african americans The mutual also was careful to work with architectural and contracting firms that had good record of employing african americans I just want to cite that because of course this is the same kind of critically important work now And we our bond issue that we have recently passed has funds in it for training Workers in these trades in the building trades And I hope that we can Not just appreciate this history, but to continue to Do this same very very important work And it was Inspiring to read this and I know that We have a duty to continue to do the same things all right Just another note on that what's the mayor if I might not quite I just want to mention again the significant tax relief that does come with this designation The tax relief comes with a reason and the reason for the tax relief is that and it's the belief of our folks that wrote this law that to preserve A property and its historic condition Takes extra money And the tax relief for these historic properties is associated with that It is why we have to be careful though in terms of the The landmark designations that we do make we have to make sure and through our staff and through historic preservation commission That we're judicious about applying this landmark status in this case the Of course, there's no question of the Incredible historical value, but I do want to say that It's not just that we give up attack that we give up taxes that we give up property taxes There's a reason that we give up property taxes and that's to make sure That the historic landmarks can be preserved in the condition That has given them that has contributed their historic significance All right councilmember freeman building on your both points I would just like to say that I appreciate how Collectively as a community we do come around this recognizing that the disparity has been Around black and brown communities of and in building and and actual people like in human resources It's important that we're not only looking at the history but making sure that we're not Ensure an extinction and so when when you point to the job training and the and the um fields that are middle skills it's It's an opportunity that I hope that we don't miss and making sure that we surround it wrap around it more support I'm not sure that that's in the bond And the way in which it should be Which is why I continue to press the conversation around what in addition to that we can do I know that we'll continue to have the conversations I look forward to figuring out how we move the conversation forward but recognize that these same Deliberations we're taking and looking at history is the same deliberations We need to take and looking at gun violence and the people who are impacted At the center of that being black males I I just can't keep I can't keep harping on it because I know that you know this In your second brain But first brain you might not and so especially for folks at home recognizing that we're spending A lot of time talking about the second brain conversation not recognizing how all of those stereotypes and all of that um All those lives lost Are all of a value to us as a community and if we don't take care of it now we'll continue to lose more Thank you councilmember. Thank you All righty, I'll now accept an emotion That we will need to pass this item. Mr. Mayor. It's my which will be the Adopt an ordinance desigating mutual plaza as a local historic landmark councilmember. Mr. Mayor. It's my honor to move this item Thank you. It's been moved and seconded that we adopt the ordinance desigating mutual plaza as a local historic landmark Madam clerk, please open the vote Please close the vote Motion passes six zero. Thank you very much Okay, let's do it We'll now move to item 21 wc and mary hinton lion house landmark designation And first we will hear the report from staff and welcome. Ms. Rosenberg Evening again. Um, so i'm now going to present a request for landmark designation for the wc And mary hinton lion house. It's located at 2423 west club boulevard on a parcel of 0.54 acres This request again is submitted by synthia de moranda of mdm historical consultants The historic preservation commission gave its recommendation of six zero on september 3rd 2019 And the state historic preservation office issued its letter of recommendation on august 19th 2019 staff is recommending approval of the request to include the buildings and land associated with this parcel Thank you very much. Ms. Rosenberg You have now heard the report from staff I'm going to declare this public hearing open and first i'm going to ask are there any questions for staff for members of the by members of the council I do have one question I know other people that live on club boulevard. I might even live on club boulevard myself And there are lots of um Very nice houses on club boulevard that have a lot of historical value They have historic plaques and so forth And you I again I read ms de moranda's descriptions and staff's descriptions, which were very useful But could you speak to why this house? Is particular of particular significance compared to say other historically? Valuable houses on club boulevard. Why would this house? Be distinguished for this historic designation Sure. Um, so there were two two points one those architectural significance Of it being this prairie style on two levels the mayor style But even more importantly we felt was the resident of the house having the been served on the city council for several decades And at the point at which Durham was expanding the most rapidly in its history in the 20s and 30s and so This was a very prominent citizen who started off Humbly and grew and to have owned multiple businesses That Really served this community And its growth throughout the early part of the century She said that both of those things would have to be present At the historic significance of the well the building might be in itself historically significant in some unique way um I'm you know hypothetically let's suppose we've we've had other city council members that have served for lengthy periods of times poor souls and But they might not live in a house that had any particular historic value Architectural value say again architectural value. Thank you. Mm-hmm, right So both of these things are present here and they're both important Correct. Okay. Yes. All right. Thank you very much Uh So we have two speakers signed up for this item and I'm going to first call synthia de moranda So again, I'm just here to answer questions if anyone has any questions about the report itself Did you agree with miss Rosenberg's? Comments about why this was a particularly historically important house I think what's interesting um about lion Was his his business at the time as Miss Rosenberg said Of Durham's rapid expansion in the 19 the late teens in the 1920s. He owned a hardware store It's sold not just hardware, but building certain types of building supplies and His house was one of the earliest houses on club boulevard If you look at a map of the neighborhood, it's kind of an anchor position in the neighborhood And I think his construction of that house Very large very imposing an unusual and eclectic style Paired with the fact that he owned businesses that related to the building trades really Together those two the interplay of those two things You know the house I think it was also advertised early on in the in the Durham paper I think it helped spur development this kind of suburban development generally but also particularly in the watsill and dale neighborhood and um, I think his choice of an eclectic architectural style was interesting and In terms of the architecture itself, it's an unusual example I think the report goes into the fact that there's a similar but different house in trinity park But other than that this is not a style that was often employed in Durham So I think the rarity of the style the prominence of the businessman the early Construction of the house and the influence it had on the development of the neighborhood I think all those things come together for its importance. Thank you sure Let me get the other speaker in the room. Yeah, the second speaker is ellen chompy miss chompy welcome Colleagues, I'm just gonna have miss chompy speak from this microphone right here. Thank you. We're glad you're here. Thank you Um, also As miss miranda, I was as a homeowner. I wanted to make sure I was here in case you all had any questions to let you know, there's a real face behind this and to I wanted to quote there's a A very high-end watch company that always has these advertisements that say you never really own this watch You sort of care take it for the next generation and I feel that this applies to our house It is a privilege and a responsibility to be the owners of such a Historically significant and labor intensive Piece of property. It is a wonderful house. We've had great parties We are happy to open our home to the community for many things and have during the 20 plus years that we've lived there But it takes a lot of attention and We don't want my husband and I he could not be here. He's ill, but we don't want this care and love and attention When the time comes for us to sell our house We don't want that to be taken away by someone who perhaps might not have the same feelings. We would like them to be aware of the Significance and to have the ability and the The love to carry the heritage of the house On to future generations and future inhabitants of both the house and the community And I think that this designation will be a big help in ensuring that Thank you, miss chompy. Thank you Councilmember Freeman. I I am like completely like Trying to get my thoughts together on I really appreciate having I didn't catch her name. I'm sorry. So you're the owner's name again Miss chompy miss chompy here today, I understand what it is to be a Monitor of a Older home and I appreciate the work that you're doing. I just wanted to come back to The first speaker was mr. Miranda. Miss D. Miranda and just Because I opened up this can of worms it would be irresponsible of me not to ask Is do you know the ethnicity or the heritage The heritage background of the owner of this property? The original owner. Yes I can I'm quite certain that he was white. Okay And I have seen a photo a black and white photo of him, right? Yes. So just noting that As a person of color, it's it's denoted each and every time whether you're African American is not when you're white It will be helpful that it in your history and noting your history It will be helpful to have that that denoted as well because what tends to happen is you get Folks will see all of the check marks under African American and not under white and it looks a little skewed And I think that's not the case. So I understand just that point And I wanted to also thank you for pulling together the history. It's really great to hear and to read well to read through um, just what Lived here in Durham before we were ever even thought of so thank you very much. Thank you Thank you councilmember Is there anyone else who would like to be heard on this item? This is a public hearing item Is there anyone else here tonight who would like to be heard on this item? If not, I'm going to declare this public hand. Mr. Mayor. I'm sorry. I think I see a hand in the back Would you like to be heard on this item? Then please come to the podium Welcome Please give us your name and address and you have three minutes. Leticia Ross 1708 hill crush drive apartment d during north carolina It's my first i'm excited, but not really just had a quick question about I guess the role of the person that owned the home on the city council I mean, it's great that they did serve for that period of time But is there any I guess historical significance to What they contribute during that time Specifically to the community of Durham as a whole That it would be significant that it would now be a historical landmark. Thank you. That's a great question Ms. D. Miranda. Yes. Thank you for asking that question. Um There there was some research done on that point by the homeowner and It's my feeling that he is more significant as a business owner rather than his time on the council I From the from the research that I looked at I didn't see anything that stood out that he Took a particular leadership role in in Doing any particular thing that's not to say it didn't happen, but We just we didn't find that and maybe miss chompy would like to Comment because she she did a fair amount of research. I believe in council minutes from the period But I I felt that he was important as a local business owner He started with a harness shop and it grew to a very large hardware business paint store. He eventually had a filling station and um It seems to me that his larger contribution to the development of Durham was as a business owner and not so much as a city council member Thank you to missy. Miranda Is resin bird. Did you want to also comment at all? I'll just say as noted in this staff report. Um, he was outspoken advocate for recreational facilities parks And playgrounds and he supported the creation of Durham's first and only african-american city cemetery Beachwood cemetery in 1926 He supported citizens in their fight to maintain the trolley system alive during the arrival of bus transit And he was a founding and sustaining member of watt street baptist church Thank you ma'am Thank you for your question Uh before you leave today if you wouldn't mind coming to this table and just so the clerk will have a record of your name for the Minutes. Thank you. All right Miss plus we want to comment. Yes. My name is ellen plus. I live at 706 east forest Hills boulevard I'll just keep this very quick Something that struck me as I was listening to miss chompy speak is the fact that we've got a resident Who has been living in this historic house for an extended period of time already without tax benefit? They I presume have been Supporting the house keeping it up To a level where it actually meets the criteria to still qualify at this point in time For the landmark designation Because this is a resident who has been incurring those expenses already over a long period of time There's the sense I don't feel like they're looking for a tax break I get the feeling that they are truly earnest in terms of forward-looking stewardship to help Durham retain part of its historic structure and And feel and to that end I just as a fellow citizen and a fellow resident of an old house That like our family members when they get old we love them. They've got character and they've got a lot of health problems Um, I totally wish to support her in in putting that forward and just wanted to say that. Thank you. Thank you, miss Anyone else here who would like to be heard on this item? This is a public hearing item If not, I'm going to clay this public hearing closed and the matters back before the council We would need a motion to adopt an ordinance designated the wc and mary hint and lyon house is a local historic landmark I actually had a question if you don't know Hang on one second. Is there a motion? Second it's been moved and seconded and now we'll hear some discussion councilmember middleton. Thank you, miss mayor You're you're earlier comment about the and I'm paraphrasing the need to be judicious and handing out these designations Is is is paramount? And that's ringing in my head and and first off you talked about the Writing on mutual being interesting. This is also equally Equally fascinating history story. Mr. Lyon obviously was a remarkable Man I let a remarkable life and and I'm sure the house is a grand and beautiful house. I guess my question is and I think First off, miss yampi. I wish your husband well And a recuperation quick recuperation um, I um, I think I heard say that there's a similar house in another area Similar to it. Maybe not exactly, but there's another house like it in our city. I guess my question and perhaps you can help me is is Because some of these things seem to be more Art than science. I mean that you know, what's the equation to say? Okay, this definitely Um meets historical landmark designation mutual tower for me obviously clears the hurdle A number of ways I guess for me if I'm if I'm a visitor to Durham And I'm riding past this house with uh, someone who's conversion on Durham history You point at the house and say what to me because if it's not the only one like it in the city And yes, this was a very wealthy or successful business man who and I appreciate the um The work with beachwood, of course beachwood was established because it wouldn't let blacks get buried in Maplewood. So so What What do you say? I know what to say about mutual but what what do I point to this house and say this house is historically designated as a landmark because I know he was successful and great business man and the house is Indicative of particular style although we have another one like it somewhere else in the city What gets us over that hurdle to to to grant this Thing that I think the mayor was right in saying that should be done judiciously and sparingly Mr. Miranda would you comment? That's also a good question and that's That's that's these are the questions we're asking all the time when we're evaluating these buildings for any any sort of designation so I mentioned that there is another one in in trinity Park But but that was sort of the point is that there's two Located in the whole city of Durham whereas I couldn't tell you how many bungalows there are I couldn't tell you how many craftsmen four squares There are I couldn't tell you how many colonial revival houses there are I couldn't tell you how many georgian revival houses There are there are just so many of all those styles and even mill housing. I couldn't tell you how many mill houses there are additionally this house is Remarkably architecturally intact it has seen so few changes in its long history and As someone who really loves Brutalist architecture and most people don't love it, but I do love it I wish we could say the same about mutual because that was such a fantastic design There were reasons why they changed the design and I think those reasons were really valid But that building architecturally Has a different history and a different story in that it it needed some changes at a certain point This house is really remarkably intact and that's in itself somewhat unusual So you your question if we're driving around Durham And i'm pointing out the house and i'm saying why is that important I think because it's it's a house that helped develop that neighborhood and that neighborhood is a national register Historic district and also a local historic district. So it was an early house. It's in an anchor position in the neighborhood It was an interesting eclectic architectural style that would have brought people out to the neighborhood to see Oh, there's this new Community for white families for middle class upper middle class white families not even all white families Yes, all of that is true and that's part of the history um, but that's To me researching this house, that's the story I found associated with the house I appreciate that and I and I appreciate the the the primer on the the architectural Uh singularity of it, um, I guess for mutual for me, you know, it's the architecture But it's also what happened there that that that combination of You understand what i'm saying that's that's sort of my point despite the changes to the architecture That building is still I agree with you so obviously eligible to be a local landmark and actually eligible in my opinion to be listed in the national register of historic places as well and it Was intentionally, you know, the leadership of mutual intentionally built an iconic building As you read in the report, they hired an architect you specialized in building Icons literally icons Um, so that was their goal and that was what they wanted to do and that that was that what they achieved And so what i'm saying is despite the fact that some of what was architecturally iconic and and An engineering marvel even though even though that's Those elements have been changed That did not diminish its significance Thank you, mr. Miranda. Thank you very much. Thank you, uh And uh, I would just say mr. D. Miranda. You've said that you found the reasons for the changes at mutual Understandable the way I read it was you found them understandable, but you weren't too happy about them I think would be a more accurate statement um If you want to take a minute to talk about it, I think it's actually very fascinating so there was um Apparently a little bit of a conflict only only 30 seconds only 30 seconds There was a conflict between the original engineering company who designed the building and who designed the engineering And the engineering company that they hired In whatever it was the late 70s to determine is this building still safe? So obviously the original engineer said sure it's still safe. It's fine and the other company said yeah, we don't know And this was an insurance company after all They couldn't really risk the building failing could they Yeah, so It did sort of feel like an impossible decision To to leave it there was one solution for retrofitting it, but it was insanely expensive and this was the 1970s So it just didn't really work out for the architecture of this building Thank you. Mr. Mayte before you before you walk away. I just had just the one clarifying point I just want to make sure that we're Stating it clearly because it sounded like you were saying that because the residential location was fully intact It was the only reason that it's I just want to make sure that it's clear that if it is restored It also could qualify because there are homes that might not have necessarily been intact Once a homeowner came in and decided to have it Designated historic, but it could be restored Completely to the period and that would still qualify it. It could absolutely be restored It also Like the mutual building could be designated historic despite its architectural integrity because it Has a different story to it so Each of these properties have their own individual story And they're going to have their own individual reason for being eligible as a landmark Which is why the art aspect of it is important. Exactly. Yes. I'll now accept a motion Do we already have a motion before do not in ordinance designating the wc and maryland hot Hint in the lion house is local historic landmark. Madam clerk, could please open the vote Please close the vote The motion passes six zero. Thank you very much. Thank you for our Historic preservation staff for being here and miss chompy. Thank you for being here We'll now move to item 22 the zoning map change for beth page office This is a public hearing matter and first we'll hear the report from staff Welcome, mr. Others. Good evening. I'm emily struthers with the planning department I will now present case a 18 0009 and z 18 00033 Requests for a zoning map change and future land use map amendment Have been received from charlie oakley of mcadams on behalf of rob griffin for two parcels of land totally 23.66 acres the properties are located at five six two one chin page and three eight two four page road The applicant proposes to change the zoning from industrial light il to office and institutional oi There is no development plan proposed with this request The property is currently designated industrial and recreational open space on the future land use map The applicant has requested a future land use map amendment to office and recreational open space to coincide with the rezoning request the Durham planning commission at their september 9th 2019 meeting Recommended approval of the proposed by a vote of 10 to 2 With regards to staff's recommendations staff determines that these requests are consistent with the comprehensive plan and applicable policies and ordinances Few motions are required for this application. The first is to adopt a resolution amending the future land use map The second is to adopt a consistency statement and the third is for the zoning ordinance staff is available for any questions. Thank you Thank you very much mr. Others You have now heard the report from staff and i'm declare this public hearing open and first i'm going to ask are there any questions For staff by members of the council seeing none i'm going to Next ask uh look next uh ask for our speakers. We have One speaker to sign up for this item mr. Neil gosh welcome mr. Gosh Mr. Gosh i'm going to give you three minutes and if it turns out more as necessary later We'll work that out. That sounds fine. Good evening. Mayor shul. Mayor pro tim johnson And members of the city council i'm neil gosh an attorney at the morning start law group at 112 West main street and i am representing tri properties for this rezoning Also here tonight and mr. Rob griffin who's the vice president of development for tri properties and mr. charlie yokely here's the land planner for this project from the cadams This is my first time addressing the council since the election So I wanted to take a moment to congratulate the mayor and councilwoman johnson and councilman reese on their reelection And especially councilwoman caliara for her First time election uh to to the city council. Let's say uh well deserved congratulations. Thank you sir A little bit about the project. I'm sure you all are familiar with the beth page area Which was approved originally in 2006 Multiple development pods scattered throughout the acreage The property in this case is within an industrial pod But it contains both Well against some steep slopes In jurisdictional streams and has some access issues Which have proven unattractive for industrial development? At least during the more than a decade that my client has owned the property and marketed for development for either industrial or office space My client primarily is an office developer and unfortunately for it In this part of Durham, the market has been slow to respond to the availability of acreage available for Development for office instead what we have seen nearby is a development of residential communities So this rezoning represents A down zoning because we're getting rid of the industrial entitlement And it's basically exchanging it for a residential entitlement while retaining the office entitlement that that is there today Uh with the residential development both north and east of the acreage We felt in industrial use really wouldn't make sense and that a residential use make more sense now Then it did maybe previously and when we met with the neighbors, they agreed I handed up an email uh in support from kevin walls Who is the HOA president of the adjacent creekside neighborhood? Uh if his name sounds familiar it's because he won the neighbor spotlight in In april and so we are honored to have his support in that of the community We also have the support of the planning commission, which recommended approval by a vote of 10 to 2 My understanding is the primary concern for the two voted against the project was a lack of a development plan but We wanted to maintain maximum flexibility through the requested zoning And we've been very transparent with the neighbors about what a development under this request zoning might entail And in turn, we have won their support and we hope to have yours as well I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have and as I said, we have some folks from our team available to answer your questions But we are respectfully requesting your approval tonight. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Ghosh This is a public caring item. Is there anyone else present here who would like to be heard on this item? Is there anyone else who would like to be heard on this item? all right Council members I'm going to declare Well, maybe I'll wait a minute any any any questions and comments first for either staff or the developer My members of the council council member reese. Thank you, mr. Mayor Good evening, mr. Ghosh appreciate your remarks earlier. It was an adventure But here we are So Commissioner al-Turk at the planning commission Signaled his concern expressed his concern about this Proposal for two reasons one because there's no development plan as you mentioned but the other because um, if we if As I heard you say It's more likely that this is going to be developed as a residential use Why aren't we rezoning is that these are at a resident for a residential purpose? Can you help talk a little bit about that part of it and I'll ask you about the other part? Yeah, absolutely the We've been very transparent about the ability for the property to be developed residentially under the requested district We've also been very clear that Our primary interest my client's primary interest is to put an office here um, and they have been marketing the property for Development for an office for quite some time over a decade. I think 12 years And there have been no takers However, if there were a business which wanted to move to Durham and identify at this spot I can guarantee you that my client would be very interested in building them an office on this location So we do want to maintain that flexibility And yet my client has no interest in developing the property Residentially, however, the writing is somewhat on the wall. It's not been developed in years for office So it may be more marketable as a residential development Let's Move on to the development plan. I think I heard you say that The absence of a development plan creates more flexibility for your client. Is that correct? Sure Um, why should that be a concern for the city council? I'm I'm not suggesting that it should be. I'm just okay. I thought you were okay. It is something that is true Uh, in this case they are maintaining the flexibility through a general use zoning, which of course Is something that is allowed in under the udo The lack of a development plan so I can appreciate the Level of specificity that a development plan might afford in this process But there are certain aspects about this project That that give us some certainty even without one for example, as I mentioned, this is a down zoning So any development on this property pursuant to the rezoning we're requesting At its most intense level is going to be is going to create less traffic, for example Then what you could build at the most intense level in the current zoning. So from From a Traffic standpoint, we have some level of comfort that what we're asking for is less intense than what currently is allowed the other I mean, I've mentioned this a couple times that that my client try properties is primarily an office developer There's no builder in mind residential or office. Well, if it's office, it'll be try properties But there's no residential builder in mind. So I understand that a development plan would generally Give one the opportunity to have commitments related to that residential development. We just don't know what that would be So it's kind of hard to make some of those Some of those commitments at this time didn't really seem Like the right time to do it. Now, of course, all of this would be When it comes to be developed, there will be a site plan, which I understand is not a public process, but there would be the opportunity for the architectural review and And if necessary a traffic study at times, I plan if that's necessary, but we don't think it will be I'll have to say that was Not an expert That's probably the best answer you've got on that. So I appreciate it I'm not sure what I think of it, but I appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor Thank you, councilmember I have a question for staff It's along these same lines This is a large parcel Would we normally expect a development plan with this sort of request and does the lack of the development plan to give you any concerns Good evening pat young with the planning department. Thank you for your question, mr. Mayor. I I think staff's position is that development plans are reserved for situations where the adopted unified development ordinance standards appear to be inadequate to protect the Quite enjoyment property values environmental features or other some other interest of the zoning ordinance on adjacent properties I think as you heard from the applicant's agent in this case since This is a down zoning. So it's almost less intense than every way The homeowner association supported it as compatible. We didn't see anything on the site When we matched up against our 500 plus pages, you know, if I developed ordinance standards that we thought would threaten or or jeopardize Create undue impacts on the adjoining our nearby properties. So that was that was our assessment Certainly, we all understand that neighbors Um Prefer to have more certainty rather than less and that's very understandable But we didn't see that there was a significant risk of any negative impacts on the community Thank you, mr. Young Are there any other questions or comments for seeing their staff or the applicant a question for staff? Specifically around the I guess the open space the recreational open space Um I know that we're getting ready to enter into a comprehensive plan process Or at the very beginning of it. How does this impact or how do you frame? The future land use map against where we where that area is going with all of that residential Is there enough open space identified in this? So the future land use map identifies recreation open space primarily in areas such as bloodway blood plane um, and so what you see um designated as recreation open space is directly tied to those environmental features Um, I can't speak for the comprehensive plan future. Um, but that's what we are working with currently Can you explain like what the measure looks like how the measure Is made in or even in the old 2005 plan What the measure was to determine whether there was recreational open space in this area Sure, I'll just pat young planning department. I'll just expand on this drother's answer. Um As Mr. Other said the only property we designated As open space recreational or properties that were owned in by a public entity In an recreational use or that really were precluded from any other Substantial use like floodplain areas so just to expand on what mr. Other said But but that doesn't but in addition to that designation All of our different development Zones including the one that's before you tonight Do require some open space? Um dedication On site. I'm just going to give me the exact amount for the a lot proposed. I oh I use So it's 18 percent of the gross area of the site So even though that's not designated on the future land use map that is an ordinance requirement At the time of site plan it will be applied and we'll ensure that 18 percent of the gross acreage of the site Which is more than it is for industrial So it would be significant increase over the current conditions and just noting that That 18 percent is specific. It's not just like anywhere on on that section Well, it's 18 percent. Um, there there's um limitations and requirements about where it can be but uh There's some discretion to the applicant and some requirements about where it has to be on the site. Um But it does have to be committed on the site plan And just noting that it will be committed in the site plan How do you Like how do you feel comfortable with it? And I guess pre site plan noting that there's such a large it's like a you so so to speak around it Is there a floodplain in there or am I missing like am I missing that? There's a creek like there's something Cautioning us right now with the open space designation Well, there there definitely is floodplain on the site and stream buffers which Can be used in part for open space. I don't think applicant wants to elaborate on that but There are areas that Can be claimed for open space that will be protected and preserved Um I'm not sure I'm getting at your question No, and I'm just really just trying to gather some some feedback so that I can make a Determination based on what you're saying because I'm what I'm also going to get what I'm also looking at is that in current situations Where we're we have housing or office space in a floodplain who's responsible for alleviating that flooding Well, the intent of the the standard is to keep the floodplain as floodplain Have it be undeveloped and therefore not have any Additional impact than what it does prior to development that in combination with our storm water standards If the property is developed as residential Which I believe is likely but it certainly it's being marketed for both office and residential if this is approved There has to be what's called active open space. So that means it would be Outside of a floodplain area and managed as some kind of a recreational or active like a walking trail or sports field So I don't know exactly what that percentage is So one third one third of that so Everyone third of 18 is six percent and that looks similar to like a duke diet the fitness Active open space is what you're saying it could I I mean not that per se, but I mean there's like there's some features around it It has to be right and active so sports fields tracks tennis courts walking trails running trails Yeah And then just going back to the Responsibility as far as I know that the Stormwater feature or the stormwater Standards were in place 92 and forward or so So for office institutional office industrial office light. What was it? Oh, it's oh, I right. Yeah, oh, I prior to 92 Who's responsible for alleviating the flooding? Well Well, if the if a property was developed prior to the current stormwater control standards Um, and they and the use has not Changed or abandoned Then they're not the owner is not required to mitigate or manage the stormwater So typically what would happen is that those downstream impacts are managed by the city or wherever the impacts occur And I think I'm bringing to light I'm not saying in this case that it would be something that would prevent me from moving forward But I want to make sure that we're mindful of the fact that as a council colleague has mentioned that climate change is a factor And recognizing that flooding is going to occur more rapidly and more intensely in a lot of areas If we already have a feeling or an understanding of where those areas are We need to be even more intentional about not building densely in those areas And then also, I don't know how we create some in our unified unified development ordinances Space that acknowledges that's particular point so that we're not trying to ding a developer in each case So that there's enough Duke diet fitness features around an area that we know could be flooding Without a site plan to know whether or not they would be building into that area or not And that might make it a little bit easier to even if you just I'll try to I'm trying to go ahead. I'll try to react to that if I might So there's two separate issues that are definitely inter interrelated which is stormwater management for quality and quantity and floodplain floodplain is Federally is a condition of flood insurance for our residents is federally mandated Again, if we want to also allow our residents get flood insurance, which of course we do One of the things Durham does which is very innovative and a very small number of jurisdictions in North Carolina do Is identify both current and future Hundred-year floodplain. I think there's an item later that's going to talk a little bit more about that So that is already identified and regulated and The amount of what can be the encroachments in those areas is very very limited and if it is Sought there's additional approvals required and there's also a documentation required that what's called a no rise meaning the flooding levels won't rise So on stormwater again, this is since this would be new development They have to meet all the current stormwater development standards on the site. So I think in this instance, it's it's very well covered through those two means Thank you. I appreciate that Thank you any other comments or council member milton. Thank you, mr. Mayor So while while the absence of a development plan certainly in no way automatically scuttles A rezoning request it does at least for me invite a different level of scrutiny or perhaps different types of scrutiny So, you know, I look to the staff To give us assurances about protecting the quality of life of residents And I also look to what the people say and and I appreciate the letter from mr. Walls in which he says I quote is 110 percent I'm not the best math student, but 100 intents and 100 intents of 100 110 Percent support from the residents. So I'm curious. How many how many meetings did they have out there about this? Do you know? We I think we had two meetings and and just just to be clear. I mean to touch on the item, I think Councilman Reese asked, you know, why should the city care that the developer wants more flexibility? And I didn't mean to suggest that that's what we're asking for here It is and we are asking for more flexibility, but the point is When we were rezoning there was two options Theoretically presented one with the development plan and one with doubt And what we decided to do was to be very open and honest with the neighbors And what we found actually was that the neighbors in this case they they when they bought their properties They understood that they were buying Homes next to a non-residential Zoning district, but what they didn't understand or appreciate necessarily was that industrial uses could be established on that acreage So we went through with the neighbors the list of uses that are allowed in the district We are requesting and compared that to the list of uses that are allowed under the current zoning and the neighbors at that time agreed that What we were asking for was more in line with what they originally Understood to be the case About the types of uses that could be established on the property next to them So these are not neighbors that only want to see residential In fact, they would invite and always had to assume that there would be non-residential next to them But they do not want industrial uses next to them and that I think is the main reason why we were able to Work with them and get their support And that and I will say in lieu of a development plan which may have given them A distinct level of specificities about what was going to b