Neighbors in Durham are turning up the heat on City Council, demanding it undo a controversial rezoning that cleared the way for a 140-unit apartment complex beside Sandy Creek Park. Petitioners say the March 17, 2025, 4-3 vote was taken in “bad faith” and puts flood-prone backyards, a prized birding corridor and pedestrian safety near Durham Academy on the line.
Earlier this month, residents filed a formal petition asking the council to rescind case Z2400001. They argue the developer leaned on inadequate flood studies, squeezed down required riparian protections and played down traffic and safety risks on Pickett Road. The filing highlights worries about Emerald Pond, the New Hope Creek corridor and the lack of sidewalks or shoulders for both new residents and students. The full complaint and requested remedies are posted on Change.org.
The Durham Planning Commission had already weighed in, voting 8-2 to recommend denial in November 2024. Even so, the council signed off on the rezoning in a narrow 4-3 roll call on March 17, 2025, according to reporting from The Duke Chronicle, and the case appears in the city’s meeting portal as Z2400001. City records and the meeting packet describe a roughly 6.12-acre site that could hold up to 140 apartment units…