Durham City Council narrowly approved a rezoning proposal Monday night that will allow up to 90 multifamily housing units along Infinity Road, despite opposition from residents concerned about traffic, flooding, and environmental impacts.
The change transforms the 15.8 acre lot, just north of the Eno River and the River Forest neighborhood, from low-density suburban housing to multifamily housing complexes with 5,000 square feet of potential office space.
The 4-3 vote came during a meeting in which council members repeatedly emphasized Durham’s growing housing needs.
In what is becoming a familiar pattern, the council split with council members Shanetta Burris, Chelsea Cook, and Nate Baker opposing the rezoning and Mayor Leonardo Williams, Javiera Caballero, Matt Kopac, and Carl Rist in favor.
Ahead of the vote, residents raised concerns about the loss of forested land, increased traffic, and potential flooding. Britney Westfall, who recently moved into a house off Infinity Road, tuned in through Zoom to share her anxieties: “There’s a lot of wildlife everywhere and deer crossing the road…so tearing out all those trees over here and creating all of that traffic and retail over here feels very out of place and is really going to change the feeling.”
Nearby residents also pointed to existing flooding issues. Samantha Boyd, who lives in River Forest, noted that her neighborhood has already experienced flooding. The River Forest neighborhood experienced heavy flooding last July during Tropical Storm Chantal. Boyd argued allowing more development could make conditions worse.
During the flood, River Forest residents were in water up to their necks, Boyd said. “We had neighbors, children and them rescued in a boat.”
Astrid Cook-Dail, representing the city’s Environmental Affairs Board, warned that the site contains sensitive natural features, including a stream corridor with steep bank slopes. She cautioned that increased runoff and erosion could harm downstream ecosystems.
The applicant, represented by attorney Mary Farmer of Parker Poe, claimed landscaping would increase tree coverage on the property by 20-25%. Ultimately, Farmer also agreed that the developers would use only native plants.
Mary-Ann Kaitlyn Barker, a nearby resident, echoed Boyd’s frustration with saturated development. She described the intersection of Infinity Road, N Roxboro Street, and Latta Road as “atrocious,” noting that long-planned state improvements have been repeatedly delayed. She claimed it was “irresponsible” to add strain to an area experiencing development without infrastructure upgrades.
One speaker, Andy Lowe, spoke in favor of the development, framing it as a necessary response to Durham’s growth and housing demand.
“We can acknowledge these costs while also benefitting from growth…and feel the tradeoffs as we have in these cases before us,” Lowe said.
Before the vote, Kopac pressed the applicant on flooding, affordability, and school impacts, initiating several changes to the proposal. The developer agreed to increase the share of income-restricted units from 5% to 8% and to ensure that stormwater runoff after development would not exceed pre-development levels.
Kopac also pushed for stronger support for Durham Public Schools. While the applicant initially proposed a $600 per-student contribution to the school system, above the typical $500, the group later increased that amount to $1,000 per student.
Even with those changes, several council members remained unconvinced. Baker emphasized that the site is not vacant, but forested, and provides important environmental value.
“If we are going to tear down something that is already valuable…are we replacing it with something that makes Durham better?”
Baker said he was not opposed to future development on this site, but said the proposal fell short of Durham’s goals for sustainable, equitable, and transit-oriented growth. He ultimately voted against the rezoning.
Burris also opposed the project, citing concerns about traffic, flooding, and a decrease in overall quality of life. She criticized the level of affordable housing offered, and added that without a current North Carolina budget, improvements to transportation infrastructure could be slow to arrive.
Rist acknowledged the project’s relatively small scale but praised the increase in affordable units and the developer’s commitment to plant all native species. He noted that Durham’s population is rapidly growing, and that the city needs a better housing supply.
Mayor Pro Tempore Javiera Caballero liked that the project was brought by a small, local developer.
“I think we are slowly boxing ourselves in…we don’t want the big builders because they are not a part of our communities,” she said.. “They don’t live here, they don’t have the same skin in the game. But then those projects are smaller, so they can’t necessarily offer the same things.”
Caballero also emphasized the importance of increased contributions to Durham Public Schools as enrollment declines and funding challenges continue.
Mayor Williams finished the discussion by saying bluntly that he would support the proposal. While acknowledging citizens’ concerns about traffic and infrastructure,Williams said the city needs both the housing and the property taxes.
“No case is perfect….,” Williams said. “We need housing at every level and every income. We need every housing type.”
Above: City Council members confer at a previous council meeting. Photo by All Kibria — The 9th Street Journal
Gracey Abernethy
