The Durham City Council approved a controversial project Monday night, expanding the city’s footprint at its eastern end.
Council members voted 5-2 to annex 2.3 acres at 5502 Wake Forest Highway in eastern Durham County. The project was presented as a commercial opportunity for a local family who owns the property, but it drew sharp criticism from neighbors who argued that the area is being crushed by rapid growth without adequate infrastructure.
The split vote came after over an hour of discussion and public hearing where a handful of residents spoke against the annexation…