Medlin Hired as Planning Director: A Breath of Fresh Air

This article was first published by Bull City Rising on 4 March, 2008..

With regard to the announcement that Steve Medlin has been hired as Durham’s new planning director. All I can say is Whoooo-Hooooo!

Since former City/County Planning Director Frank Duke left the post last summer (for a similar job in Norfolk, VA), Steve Medlin has been the interim planning director, and he has quickly demonstrated his commitment to the long-term health and viability of ALL of Durham -- urban, suburban and rural.

The announcement of Medlin’s permanent position as planning director is certainly timely, as it occurred only days after the News and Observer posted an article on the “Morreene Rd. zoning fiasco” (Saturday, 1 March, 2008), highlighting the mess left by former planning director Frank Duke.

“The heart of the matter is former planning director Frank Duke's interpretation [‘regarding setback, buffer and surface requirements’] of Durham's Unified Development Ordinance, which allowed SunRay to construct its building, and his explanation of that interpretation in an e-mail exchange with some of the building's neighbors,” explains the article.

Toward the end of his post and since his departure, Duke’s pro-development planning approach -- at the cost of Durham citizen communication (if in opposition), adequate infrastructure, and environmental resources -- has been difficult to dispute. Demonstrating this point is a statement from George Stanziale (the applicant for the recently controversial Jordan at Southpoint in rural S. Durham), printed in the Independent Weekly (20 Feb, 2002), in which he says of the planning staff: "Their job is to protect and legislate the ordinance. But when someone wants to get something done on a piece of property, and it doesn't meet the ordinance or a particular plan, say, a small-area plan, they're going to always work with us to see how we can get it done."

Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 5, 10 AM), the Joint City County Planning Committee will review amendments to the Conservation subdivision section of the UDO, providing stronger language ensuring its intent – to protect Durham’s environmental resources. Medlin, with extensive help from Planning Department Staff Julia Mullin and Helen Youngblood, took on this task almost immediately upon becoming interim planning director. Furthermore, Medlin’s planning department worked with the Jordan at Southpoint development team and ensured that they not only committed to the intent of Conservation Subdivision requirements when the project was submitted, but also committed to the amended guidelines not yet presented to the JCCPC.

As further demonstration of their commitment to uphold Durham citizens’ intent of the UDO and the comprehensive plan, Medlin’s planning department recommended denial of the comprehensive plan amendment requested by Epcon development on Farrington Road (at last week’s Board of County Commissioners’ meeting). Among other reasons, and in agreement with the Planning Commission, the Planning Department stated that Epcon’s proposed density increase is inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan. (The BOCC approved the amendment with a 3-2 vote).

It’s no surprise that Duke’s replacement by Steve Medlin has many Durham citizens breathing a sigh of relief. And there’s no doubt they are now breathing more deeply, in the knowledge that Medlin is here to stay.

After all, it’s easier to breath when the air is clean.

.