Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout20210224 Ver 1_Public Notice Comments_20211028 (211)Public Notice Comment Form ID#* 20210224 Project Name* Westpoint First Name Affiliation (if applicable) Phone Number 9196270597 Version * 1 Number only. Last Name Priest Email * buddy-priest@hotmail.com *** The intent for collecting an email address is to allow us send you a receipt for submittal of this comment. Please pick the response below that represents your stance on the above mentioned project? * Yes - I agree with the project. No - I do not agree with the project. Comment Avid outdoorsman and Arborist, IT Project Manager. Long time Durham resident. North Durham for 11+ and South Durham for 10. Moved to North Durham in 2009 after seeing the large scale development of South Durham following large state game land tracts being sold and developed at a rapid rate, far too rapid to keep pace with the areas infrastructure. Quickly saw large increases in traffic, crime, and clear cutting of hundreds of acres of property that I had previously hunted as public game land. We had to get away from that. Associated home values made it a near impossibility for us to stay in South Durham. We decided to move to North Durham, due to somewhat lower home values, but also due to the fact that there was such a diverse landscape, with an abundant variety of wildlife, plants and trees. Much like South Durham used to be. Fast forward to 2020 - having already stopped the development at Latta and Guess for the Aldi and mixed dwelling initiative (which, by the way, is back on the docket AGAIN), we are now seeing drastic, wholesale development of a relatively small area between Hillandale, Rose of Sharon, Roxboro/Duke and Horton Road. I have attached a map showing these areas, just to give an idea to the macro view and the collective areas being developed. Let me also say that it's abundantly clear to many people that the City Council has been easily swayed by developers - with the recent storage facility approved on Guess road near Prison Camp road which, while it had substantial pushback by residents, somehow still managed to get approved after some sleight of hand and some 'donations'. This has all the hallmarks of another cash grab scenario. I want point out that the massive North Durham HS project, coupled with the Croasdaile encroachment onto Hillandale north of Horton, combined with the storage units, large scale home building near Hebron, and the proposed Westpoint project, are clear evidence that Durham's city government is essentially allowing developers to have carte blanche to build at all costs, even openly contradicting talking points that they like to bolster such as climate change, affordable housing and gentrification. There is no oversight to the overall impact to the GVVJy0IGI!!J Q!!4 VIIIIIPIIV II II1JQVLJ Uy P!! 11110 4GVGIVIJIII0111, PI14 II II!GI G QIG, 1!!Gy QIG IIVJI VG11Plllly UIPJGU. I I!GI G is a disregard, or what I perceive as a view of misinformation or complacency, regarding the already obvious flooding occurring in Argonne hills and the Eno at the EXACT place where this development is proposed. Which is across the street from what looks like the biggest development I have ever seen with the new HS. And also, that's before we even talk about the use permit debacle already overshadowing this proposal to begin with. It's like it was never meant to be, and in any other city, perhaps it would be, but Durham just has to grow AT ALL COST right? As a homeowner, the impacts to me and my family have been DIRECT and immediate. For example, over the last few months, JF Wilkerson has been doing some sort of water runoff project at the end the North side of Stadium drive. I understand that this was not associated with the Westpoint project, but I can say this - the volume of dump trucks, heavy equipment, blasting, and constant flow of construction vehicles, this is only going to be magnified 100 fold if this development continues. And this is just me, giving my opinion. Let's not forget the hundreds of surrounding houses who have already had to deal with their backyards being encroached upon, increased traffic and general disruption. We are pretty much one voice that must be heard. I can also say that as a direct impact of ALL of this development, but most importantly Westpoint, is that the quiet Horton Hills and Argonne Hills neighborhoods may not be quiet much longer. Many years ago I worked personally with the PAC 2 of Durham PD to implement measures on Stadium drive to reduce our rampant speeding problem. Over 30 vehicles were pulled over in 1 day. Since then (this was 2012 timeframe), things have been relatively quiet. But by adding all of this housing, and providing two ways in - Roxboro and Stadium, this will cause untold volume of vehicles using already narrow roads, already with congestion, already with higher accident rates (Horton/Stadium), and this just cannot be allowed to happen. Parents are scared to let their kids play on these roads now. We start seeing 500% increases in vehicle traffic, were going to see increased accidents, speeding, and my biggest concern is violence, or risk of violence in an already violent city. Looking at this from a wholistic perspective, taking out personal impacts to tax payers in this area, the ecological impact is tremendous and must be considered above all else. You couple this with real life negative, disruptions to the hundreds of people living adjacent to this proposal, then the answer is obvious. This is NOT what Durham residents here want, this is NOT part of a being a responsible Steward for Durham and this development CANNOT be allowed to proceed. Upload Supplementary Files Durham Development Aerial Since 2020.pdf Pdf file type only 281.06KB Any information (e.g., personal or contact) you provide on this comment form or in an attachment may be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and will be provided to the Department or Agency issuing the notice. Search Google Maps See travel times, traffic and nearby places TONE E ENO ide High School State Em Cr: Lockhaven Lift Stan!' • Y 5 4 , rh jr. Liberty Baptist Church Foxfire,j Apartment Harney Silver Sp!1 • Silver Spoon Restaurant Littleesars PizzaIP FriestS'v:s - Pricet Svcs Holt Elementary School i(? OLD FARM Prle5t SV^ *MDLA PAINTING ran Fed • Hebron Rd .Magnolia Pointe • Apartments Ryan Homes at Mlagnt Creek Tawnfio • a aqueria Los Amigos i . — �70dQlB Y .k Y� I, Cook Oir.11 forut Alli kma• 42021 Landsat ' C ernicus Maxar Technolo• ies. LLS. Geolo. ical Sury • USDA Fans Service A. ens M data'2021 nolia Cree • E! ld• Green United States Terms Privac Send feed:a* 11100 ft