How to Protect Your Neighborhood & Preserve Its Unique Character

Protect your home and neighborhood by rezoning your neighborhood the way you want it to be in the future. You’re invited to attend this important meeting on creating a Neighborhood Protection Overlay (NPO) to enact the zoning conditions that will help protect your neighborhood from commercial and other unwanted developments such as dormitories, stadiums, high-rise apartment buildings and other unwanted types of development.

What is a Neighborhood Protection Overlay (NPO)?

It is a zoning classification that enables neighborhoods to preserve their character by regulating certain development details. Once approved by the Durham City Council, it carries the force of law just like your current zoning classification.

What Will I Learn?

· How It Can Help Protect Your Neighborhood from Over Building and Over Development

· How It Can Slow the Pace of Gentrification and Rising Taxes

· How It Can Empower You to Work with Your Neighbors to Preserve Your Neighborhood’s Unique Features

Why should I participate?

Durham is growing and there is pressure on predominantly single-family neighborhoods to change into other types of neighborhoods with apartments and commercial areas. This type of change can be drastic and make your neighborhood so different that it is no longer desirable or affordable to live in. Imagine a multi-story apartment building across the street from your home. These changes can happen on your street — unless you get involved and have a say in how your neighborhood will look in the future.

What’s involved in creating the NPO?

Neighbors get together, talk and decide how they want their neighborhood to look in the future. We write down what we want and what we don’t want in our neighborhoods. This information is submitted in the form of a petition to the City of Durham Planning Department who then passes it on to the city council for approval. Once approved by the city council, it becomes law.

Enjoy light refreshments at the meeting !

Host or Publisher Fayetteville Street Corridor Planning Group