Growth opponents, growth drivers both on tonight's City Council agenda

There's little doubt that the subject of growth will be on the agenda at tonight's City Council meeting, in all kinds of interesting ways.

First off, tonight's is the meeting at which the incipient group New Hope for Durham plans to have as many as 20 residents attend to speak out against growth in the Bull City, notably on the Garrett Road multi-family complex proposed for the Garrett family's former farm. The New Hope folks have couched this as the starting point for a proposed growth moratorium for Durham, though no firm proposals for such have been seen and it's unclear what direction the group will take after this project is approved or rejected.

Ironically, the agenda for this week also contains a draft agreement with Toll Brothers, renowned builders of McMansions in "exclusive" communities that replicate themselves Xerox-style in suburbs and exurbs across the country. The agreement would allow Toll Brothers to be reimbursed for the major sewer system infrastructure investment the developer is making on a 143-acre luxury home development just south of the Streets at Southpoint; this reimbursement would come not from the City, but from other developers that could leverage the infrastructure for their own neighboring projects.

As the City's staff note on the deal points out, it's an idea used in other cities (since it lets developers rather than tax dollars and utilities collections front the cost for new development.) But it is ironic that the Council is taking up an item to support further growth on the same night another group wants to tamp down growth's prospects in Durham. (Should be noted that there's also a utility item on the docket for Davis Park's western component; as we've noted here before, this project is a classic example of the kind of smart growth which we need more of, not less of.)

Interestingly, the list of attachments for tonight's agenda contains two items dealt with at a recent work session that aren't (apparently) on this evening's full Council docket: the Amtrak-West Village deal and the proposed lease of the Old North Durham park to Central Park School for Children for $10/year, at which price CPS would implement significant improvements to the public park while retaining general access to the facility. The latter issue caused fireworks at a recent Council meeting; expect a bigger hubbub when it comes before a Monday night session.

Speaking of which, tonight is the penultimate appearance of Mr. Stith before his final at-bat in early December -- and his first since his election defeat. Will we see a subdued backbencher or a Councilman looking to score some final points before riding into the sunset -- or, as Barry suggests, back to the John Locke Foundation or its off-shoots?

As it happens, Stith will be in attendance when Chief Lopez delivers the third quarter crime report to Council -- his first such report since being appointed as Durham's police chief a few months back. We'll see how the numbers stack up for the quarter, and how Lopez does on this Council hot seat. Look for some discussion of the recent travails over officers suspended in an alleged sex-with-prostitutes scheme, too.

Speaking of enforcing the laws, if the Council adopts a measure tonight from acting water czarina Vickie Westbrook, your bank account should be prepared for a steep hit. Westbrook's proposal for the Council tonight would add a $400 reconnection charge for customers disconnected due to non-compliance with the conservation order. Additional reconnections after the first one would carry an $800 fee.