FLASH: Durham to Get Bigger

Durham County is currently vetting its newest comprehensive plan, which is to guide city/county development decisions through 2030. If you don't think this is an Orange County story, take a look at their plans for the borderlands between the county line and I-40, particularly that chunk of space bordered by 54, 40, Old Chapel Hill Road, and the county line: a couple square miles of medium to high density housing where currently there are woods bordering one of the waterfowl impoundments, more commercial development along 54, and much much more!

And remember, the farm that abuts Meadowmont is in Durham County.

Discuss!

Comments

Yes, but all the way down George King Road to Hwy 54 is still mostly undeveloped beyond roadside homes. The developments off Farrington Road barely go into those woods. I used to roam around in there as a kid and teenager. I'm stunned that it remains undeveloped to this day. That clearing by the new school is the tip of the tip of the iceberg. The whole area looks like 1.5 miles x 0.5 miles (narrower to the north, wider to the south).

Here's an update to the Herald-Sun's closed link: http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf">http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/planning/comp_plan/dcp_landusemap.pdf

(At high-speed, it takes a couple of minutes for all the platt datas.)

It looks like there are about a half-dozen key properties. Who knows whether and for how much they would be for sale.

Durham's *proposal* is for the area in question to be "recreation / open space"! So how 'bout let's get our Commission to talk with their Council and local property owners?

I know that a local group has spent a whole lot of time on its part of Durham's proposal, and it looks like only the west side of George King is envisioned for more open spaces (which would reduce my 0.5 miles dimension above). They might even have plans for that; I don't know.

Assuming we don't get into wetlands issue etc., it sounds like an interesting idea, Jeff. Frankly, considering the cost of land in the area and the topography, it might even be economically feasible to buy a relatively inexpensive house ($200,000 - shudder -) in the Ephesus Church Road area and bulldoze it for a soccer field. A little crazy, but . . .

Well, I'd hurry up -- they seem to be bulldozing quite a bit of that area already. The intersection of Pope and Epheseus Church is unrecognizable now, and the whole area is unrecognizable up to George King, where they're building the new elementary school.

I moved to this thread to discuss soccer fields, because this area just across the county line is one place where Orange County might consider purchasing and running some fields. Some maps have Jordan Lake's flood plain stretching into the area Duncan discusses above. I grew up in that area, and I don't think too much grading would be needed for a few (flat) soccer fields.

A joint Orange-Durham project? Durham would have to have some incentive to take those lands off future tax rolls.

 

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