{"id":174,"date":"2026-05-14T20:36:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=174"},"modified":"2026-05-14T20:36:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:36:05","slug":"55-housing-in-rural-durham-and-an-rtp-north-3-rezonings-get-1st-thumbs-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=174","title":{"rendered":"55+ housing in rural Durham and an RTP North? 3 rezonings get 1st thumbs up"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

Three rezoning cases that could reshape some of Durham\u2019s rural residential and industrial landscapes now have the backing of a key city advisory board.<\/p>\n

Read more Michael Malone lands third high school recruit for upcoming UNC season<\/a><\/p>\n

The Durham Planning Commission reviewed the projects Tuesday night. They included a new 55+ development and a project aimed at creating an area like Research Triangle Park.<\/p>\n

The nine-member commission makes recommendations to the Durham City Council, which will hold public hearings and vote on the projects at a later date.<\/p>\n

The first project was the Courtyards at Leesville, which requires rezoning 34.5 wooded acres at 4801 and 4721 Leesville Road in southeast Durham.<\/p>\n

Epcon Communities, represented by Nil Ghosh of the Morningstar Law Group, wants to change the area\u2019s zoning to build 117 single-family homes and townhouses for a 55-plus community.<\/p>\n

Epcon\u2019s communities are popular among older adults looking to downsize, be closer to family or who are empty nesters.<\/p>\n

The plan includes 20% tree preservation, a $100,000 donation to Durham\u2019s Dedicated Housing Fund and $10,500 to Durham Public Schools. Ghosh said there would be a 10-foot-wide multi-use path along Leesville Road and a 50% limit on impervious surfaces like roads, roofs and parking lots that contribute to flooding.<\/p>\n

Members of the Preserve Rural Durham advocacy group asked the Planning Commission to delay the vote due to concerns about the environment and slow emergency service response times. The Courtyards would be covered by Fire Station 17 on Leesville Road.<\/p>\n

Pam Williams, a resident near the property, said the proposal is another example of \u201ccar-centric development\u201d that provides no parks, greenway trails or sidewalks.<\/p>\n

The commissioners voted 6-3 to recommend the City Council approve the project.<\/p>\n

The Planning Commission also recommended approval for a 4.69-acre development at 323 Andrews Chapel Road in southeast Durham. The property is off Brier Creek Parkway.<\/p>\n

Courtney McQueen of Qunity, an engineering firm behind the Landing at Southpoint and Alamance Crossing, wants to build up to 28 townhouses. She called the project \u201cthoughtful, small-scale, infill development\u201d that introduces a new housing type to an area predominantly made up of single-family homes.<\/p>\n

Read more Man arrested on murder charge for April stabbing near American Tobacco Trail<\/a><\/p>\n

Key commitments for this project include:<\/p>\n

One neighbor, Susan Kinser, raised questions about the impact on a local pond and creek near her house. Tim Sivers of Qunity said the pond would be replaced with a stormwater control measure.<\/p>\n

The commissioners voted 7-2 to recommend the City Council approve the project.<\/p>\n

The largest project involved the expansion of the Parmer Edge industrial plots of land.<\/p>\n

Attorney Patrick Byker, representing Los Angeles-based Karlin Real Estate company, requested the rezoning for 57 acres along Glover and Rigsbee roads, and a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the development category from \u201curban\u201d to \u201csuburban\u201d for over 141 acres.<\/p>\n

The goal is to create \u201cRTP North,\u201d a planned industrial campus that revitalizes land once occupied by GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical company that was once the city\u2019s largest taxpayer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is for Parmer Edge to be more like RTP and less like downtown Durham, which means more green space, more trees, [less] impervious surfaces and less asphalt,\u201d Byker said. \u201cWe envision Parmer Edge to be RTP North, but with more flexible zoning.\u201d<\/p>\n

To keep this vision, there would be 26 prohibited uses on the site, including adult establishments, bars, car washes, bus terminals, schools and recycling centers. Housing development was not listed as one of the limitations, but nursing homes and hotels were.<\/p>\n

Trina Himes of the Grove Park neighborhood expressed concern about potential sediment from future construction running into local watersheds. Specifically, she was concerned about a 750-foot ridge line in Parmer Edge that prevents such runoff not being protected.<\/p>\n

Byker said the neighborhood is five miles away from the project site, which is isolated from freeways and railroads.<\/p>\n

Commissioner Juan Montes said he was \u201csuper, super excited\u201d about the request.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t be more excited to see a development like this, the potential investment that\u2019s going to come for potential college graduates here at Duke University, State, Chapel Hill, NC Central,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope the [City] Council looks at this and sees the opportunity that is here to replicate or put another potential RTP here that really attracts talent and investment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Design details for the property are unknown. The Planning Commission voted 8-1 to recommend approval for the rezoning.<\/p>\n

Read more NC State grad, astronaut Christina Koch cheered for Flyers over Canes. What now?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three rezoning cases for new developments, including a new RTP North and 55+ townhome housing in Durham got the Durham Planning Commission\u2019s backing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\n55+ housing in rural Durham and an RTP North? 3 rezonings get 1st thumbs up - Durham Moving Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=174\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"55+ housing in rural Durham and an RTP North? 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