Finley Glen rezoning approved, with bike lanes added on

The Finley Glen rezoning passed City Council last night, after a discussion with the applicant that led them to reverse themselves on bike lanes.

The Raleigh-based applicant who had proposed changing a previously-approved site plan to mix in apartments with townhouses along Moreene Rd. near Neal Rd.

Although no residents signed up in opposition, the matter kicked along on the Durham bike/ped listservs, with a call from local bike/ped activist Dan Clever for bike advocates to push for the inclusion of bicycle lanes -- an element called for in the 2006 city bike plan -- as a committed element to the project.

The representative of the applicant initially opposed adding bike lanes to Moreene Rd., talking about current economic challenges and the idea that they wouldn't be feasible within the price point considered for the apartments and townhomes (the latter of which are aimed at a $160k-200k range.)

After pressing from Councilfolk Brown, Catotti and Woodard, though, the applicant quickly backed off that stance and agreed to add four feet of asphalt along Moreene to allow for a future bicycle lane. The developer also committed to a $6,000 proffer to the Durham Public Schools and to increasing buffer opacity along Whitfield St. to 60%.

Comments

[Derek]

Way to go Council members on bike lanes! Thank you. Will be great when we get the whole piece along Moreene and part of Neal completed. This route gets a ton of bike traffic (especially to Duke) and is overdue for lanes.

[Ben Greene]

One thing I would add to this case is that the above suggestions were made at the Planning Commission public hearing and were surely passed on to council members through written notes. Kudos to council for successfully encouraging the applicant to head them.