Durham City Council greenlights development of nearly 2,000 multifamily housing units

Durham City Council unanimously approved three rezoning requests — including one providing for the development of nearly 2,000 new units of multifamily housing — and passed an economic development incentive agreement Tuesday evening.

At the meeting, which was pushed back a day due to Martin Luther King Day, council members also addressed recent events including President Donald Trump’s inauguration and the ceasefire in Gaza.

Rezoning requests

In a unanimous decision, the council approved a utility extension agreement with Brickworks Land LLC and a subsequent zoning change to rezone 95.48 acres of land from “Industrial, “Industrial Light” and “Residential Urban Five” to “Planned Development Residential.”

The rezoning will allow for the development of up to 1,880 residential units and 49,500 square feet of non-residential development. These units will be a mix of apartments and townhouses and will adhere to the city’s affordable housing goals, as at least 5% of the units — approximately 90 — will be allocated to residents earning 60% of the area median income.

Ian Kemp, who owns property near the site, raised environmental safety concerns about its development due to its proximity to what was previously an extraction pit. Nil Ghosh, an attorney with Morningstar Law Group representing the developer, acknowledged the comments and stated that they had done a thorough environmental analysis on the site.

Councilmember Nate Baker noted that there was room for improvement in terms of walkability and transit access, though he acknowledged that the proposal was “on the better side of what [the council] typically see[s]” and supported the plan.

“This is such a large transformative site … It’s a huge opportunity. I want us up here to be comfortable and careful in our deliberation and in our questioning,” Baker said.

The council unanimously approved two other rezoning requests.

Councilmember DeDreana Freeman emphasized the positive impact the business has had on Durham communities over the years, commending its support for victims of gun violence and its efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular.

“There is no real tangible report that shows how impactful our Black, family-owned funeral homes have been in responding in some of the most dire situations to gun violence and providing the care for families to get past or move forward,” Freeman said.

Carl Rist, the sole council member to oppose the agreement, questioned whether the plan was an appropriate “public investment,” expressing concern that only three of the five new jobs that will be funded through the agreement will pay living wages.

“Is that the right use of public funds?” Rist asked.

In other business

At the start of the meeting, some council members expressed disappointment with the Monday inauguration of President Donald Trump, which coincided with Martin Luther King Day.

“I think yesterday was a day of darkness and a day of light — a day of light and love celebrating the legacy of Dr. King, and a day of darkness ushering in the next phase of oligarchy and billionaire rule in this country,” Baker said.

Trump’s proposed immigration agenda was a particular cause of concern for the council.

“We’re going to have some really hard conversations on this council and in this community on how we protect our immigrant neighbors,” Councilmember Javiera Caballero said.

Separately, some council members expressed relief regarding the recently implemented Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Councilmember Chelsea Cook noted that the current ceasefire agreement was similar to the one passed by the council in a 5-2 vote nearly a year ago, which she authored.

“We, as a country who spent a lot of money sending weaponry over to Israel, have a lot to answer for,” Cook said.

Despite voting against the ceasefire resolution last year, noting at the time that he felt a unanimous vote would not reflect the will of Durham residents, Mayor Leonardo Williams expressed gratitude for the ceasefire and that “the killing is stopping.” He noted that violence continues to affect communities around the world and cautioned residents against “cherry-pick[ing]” which conflicts they “give a damn” about.

“I’m always going to start home first. And I will always join you all over the country and all over the world,” Williams said. “… The loss of life never should be politicized.”