A controversial plan for 117 new townhomes in southeast Durham was approved Monday night, but not without intense pushback from neighbors and a 4−3 division among City Council members.
The council approved the annexation and rezoning for the Heartland Park subdivision after nearly two hours of debate. The close vote again revealed a deep rift over balancing the city’s need for more housing against fears of environmental damage in the rural area.
The action lets developer Paul C. Schmidt of Ardent Building build on nearly 13 acres along Doc Nichols Road…