Scott Mill bait and switch tactics before County Comm. mtg. Monday

The Scott Mill rezoning is coming up for a vote yet again, on Monday.  Last Friday two community members found that Bill Ripley has filed the original January plan with the City.  This means that many of the committed elements created with community pressure will be void.  The committed elements list included with the plan is also incomplete. For example, a 70-foot buffer was to be created along the eastern border of the development (though the Army Corps of Engineers wanted a 100' buffer), but the specifications are on a page omitted from the plan, except for a note about a minimum 15' buffer.  Community activists believe this bait and switch was planned all along.  Ripley's group reportedly says it did not want to go through the Planning Commission again to get the new plan appproved.  The plan might still have to go back to the planners after the Monday meeting.   

 

Meanwhile, it appears that the owners (?) of the land are upset with Ripley.  They don't want such high density development and small lots.  I've heard they are locals (possibly a majority black owned business group) and want affordable, working class housing, which they also wanted (but failed to get) in Lyon's Farm, across Scott King from the Scott Mill land.  They can't do much because they are in an option with Ripley's group, but they seem to have political influence.  

 

I don't know if this case is typical of how development occurs in Durham, but it is pretty complex and there are obvious issues of class (and political power), as well as the clear environmental and social aspects I mentioned in past posts.  

 

Activists request that people write to the County Commissioners to oppose the rezoning and come to the meeting Monday night (there will be some space with carpools from Parkwood around 6:15pm).  The meeting will be at 7pm, probably in the old County Courthouse (across Main Street from the new building), and this issue will probably be early on the agenda (available online at www.ci.durham.nc.us, as is contact information for the Commissioners).  Reportedly numbers cause the Commissioners to listen, and we might not have support from the majority of the Commissioners at this point.