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Durham’s Main Library was packed on Tuesday night, as residents turned up to find out more about Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance update in the works.

“It was very well-attended and informative,” said Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop. “It was a diversity of people and ages, with a lot of interest in Durham’s UDO, which is a pretty technical and obscure document, so it was really cool to see how many turned out to engage in a UDO.”

Representatives from the city’s planning department hosted the informational event and made a presentation about possible changes to the rules regulating development and reworking the zoning map, much of it based on the results of previous community surveying.

“They identified that environmental concerns are one of the top concerns and priorities for Durham residents,” Samantha said. “So they’re considering how to update the rules to reflect that — for example, how many trees you need to leave on property being developed and how much impervious surface is allowed. They’re also adding conservation zoning areas to the zoning map.”

Samantha said the city is attempting the align the Unified Development Ordinance with Durham’s Comprehensive Plan that was rewritten in 2023. A comprehensive plan outlines how the city wants to grow and develop.

“Durham’s Comprehensive Plan is a beautiful vision, and there’s a lot of goodness in the priorities lifted up for this UDO rewrite, from environment protection to walkable cities and affordable housing. Those are all good priorities,” Samantha said. “It’s just a matter of ensuring that the new rules are strong enough to honor those priorities and make sure that they happen.”

The rewrite of the UDO is a two-year process that ends in 2025.

“We have a standing Action Alert going to Durham City Council members encouraging them to adopt stronger protection of waterways in the Unified Development Ordinance,” Samantha said. “If you want to engage in this process, we encourage you to write Durham’s council.”

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