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In a public vote this evening, final approval for the Durham Comprehensive Plan, a 17-chapter document which includes future land-use maps, was granted by the Durham City Council and the Board of County Commissioners.

The most significant change from the prior plan is the recognition that Durham's development has three major forms - urban, suburban, and rural - and that each require a unique policy to guide development within that designation. "The Comprehensive Plan is a living, growing document," said Frank Duke, the City/County planning director. "This is not an end-all document, but is designed to grow and reflect the changes within the Durham community." The next step for the Durham City Council and the Board of County Commissioners is to adopt the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which is the primary implementation tool for the Comprehensive Plan.

City councilmembers voted 6-1 and County commissioners voted 3-1 (with one member absent) to pass the plan with the recommended changes proposed by the City/County planning staff along with a minor addition to the language regarding the ultimate authority of the elected, governing bodies. In general, the Durham Comprehensive Plan, a statement of how Durham wants to grow and develop, guides where and how private development should occur. It also guides how the City and County should provide public facilities and services to support future growth.

The plan update gave citizens and elected officials an opportunity to take stock of the community's growth and development policies to see if they still made sense after several years of change. This update replaces the Durham 2020 Comprehensive Plan that was adopted in late 1995.

Public involvement in the Comprehensive Plan update was significant. The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, a panel of community leaders who guided the plan's development, worked to ensure that the needs of citizens were reflected in the plan's goals, objectives, policies and programs. The planning process also included two sets of open house meetings as well as updates through cable TV programs, a website dedicated to the plan, and public notification.

The Planning Commission, City Council, and Board of County Commissioners each conducted public hearings as they considered adoption of the updated plan. A joint public meeting of the boards was held January 31, 2005. Elected officials closed the public hearing at that time, but postponed a final vote on the plan until a meeting at 4 p.m. today at City Hall.

Copies of the Comprehensive Plan can be reviewed at local libraries or the City's website.

About the City/County of Durham's Planning Department
City/County Planning Department is involved in many aspects of community growth. The department's duties go beyond reviewing development plans. In addition, the department seeks to protect Durham's natural and cultural resources. Planners meet regularly with citizen groups to discuss specific issues and to talk generally about Durham's future. The department is charged with developing Durham's Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance to direct future growth. To learn more about this department, visit the City's website.