PAC2 Meeting Minutes: August 11, 2003
PAC2 elections
Latta Springs development
Town Hall with Chief of Police Chalmers
Neighborhood college
ABC permit applications
In order to save time, we skipped the usual opening introductions of those present.
PAC2 elections: Tonight we voted on a new co-facilitator for PAC2, replacing Newman Aguiar whose term just concluded. The one nomination presented last month was for Glennis Jones. Glennis’s wife Grace was one of the early co-facilitators, along with Mike Shiflett, and he has been involved with PAC2 for a long time. His election was unanimous.
Latta Springs development: PAC2 was requested to review the designs for a project in North Durham. The project is the proposed Latta Springs development, a shopping center intended to go on the southeast corner at the intersection of Latta Road and Guess Road. The plans for this project were presented by George Stanziale, president of the design firm Hayden Stanziale. Stanziale has worked in Durham for 20 years; his past projects include the Washington Duke Inn, the new ballpark, and the Streets at Southpoint mall. He has been the chair of the Durham Appearance Commission for the past two years. He is also on the Mayor’s task force to develop CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) principles.
Stanziale showed us the designs for the Latta Springs shopping center, and talked about its advantages. It’s intended to be very walkable, similar in appearance to the outdoor part of the Streets at Southpoint. The buildings are accessible from all sides, so there are no back alleys. The area is well lit, with wide sidewalks and outdoor seating. There will be specially textured pavement for the crosswalks and intersections. The shopping center is intended to be very high quality throughout. Shops will include coffee shops and newsstands; there will be an upscale restaurant, but no fast-food establishments. Stanziale stated that there is no shopping center in Durham that includes all these elements in a neighborhood shopping area.
Stanziale was accompanied by a few neighborhood residents who spoke in support of the project. First was Doris Tilley, who has lived at 4620 Guess Road for 55 years. Tilley said she believes that the project will be a "tremendous asset" to the community. She has watched the engineers and technicians conduct an environmental study and do soil testing of the area. The proposed site currently includes a small wetland; the state has approved the plans regarding it. Tilley said that the developer building this project has an excellent reputation in the Carolinas. She described the surrounding community as like a village; it has churches, convenience stores, etc., but lacks the shopping opportunities this development would offer. Within a three-mile radius, there are ten new subdivisions being constructed and another in the planning stages.
Someone asked whether the wetland would be preserved. Stanziale replied that it would not, but that they were slated to rebuild a new one adjacent to the shopping center that would have three times the area of the wetland that would be destroyed. The existing wetland is of the type termed an ‘isolated wetland’. They have worked with the Corps of Engineers and other environmental agencies at the state level.
Another question was posed about the additional traffic that would be generated at what is already a busy intersection. Stanziale replied that the intersection currently operates at level of service F, and that new state construction will bring it up to level B. There are few, if any, B-level intersections extant in Durham. The intersection will be five-lane. Stanziale explained that the level of service designations are based on the average amount of time it takes for a vehicle to get through the intersection during peak hours. The average for this intersection is currently more than 180 seconds; it will be reduced to 18 seconds.
Stanziale was asked about his relationships with the surrounding neighborhood organizations and their views on the project. He responded that opinion was mixed, and that the Lattamoor neighborhood was strongly opposed to the project.
The next resident to speak on behalf of the Latta Springs development was Dewey Davis, who has lived on Pine Valley (between Guess & Roxboro, and about a mile to the east) for 34 years. Two years ago, Davis spearheaded a crime prevention effort to get the Dept. of Transportation to install 41 more street lights on Latta Road. In 1997, the area was annexed to Durham and became entitled to police protection. Prior to this, Davis had been the chief of their volunteer fire department. He said that the Latta Springs project will be village-like, rather than being a strip mall, and he thinks it will be very popular. Davis argued that if this development is not approved, there may be multi-family housing built on the site, which might be worse for the neighborhood.
The next question asked was whether the shopping center will be connected to surrounding neighborhoods, so that people can walk or bike. Stanziale said that there will be sidewalks all around the perimeter, and pedestrian crosswalks, so it would be as connected as possible.
The same resident also asked whether there would be enough rooftops in the area to support the shopping center--that is, whether the surrounding area had enough residents to generate sufficient business to justify a shopping center. Stanziale said he thought there would be.
Then someone asked about the service roads that would be needed for deliveries to the shopping center, and how the tractor-trailers consequently drawn to the area would be accommodated. Stanziale said that all of that would have to meet required standards in the final plan.
Referring back to Stanziale’s assertion that the development would be the first of its kind in Durham, someone asked how it was different from the Streets at Southpoint. Stanziale clarified that Latta Springs would not be a regional mall, but a neighborhood shopping center of 100,000 square feet.
The next questioner asked whether there would be changes to Latta Road, and how many new restaurants would be located in the shopping center. Stanziale said they would extend Latta Road and create a left turn lane. As for restaurants, he said there would be one 5000-7000 square foot restaurant, and possibly some smaller sandwich shops.
Neighborhood resident Donald Hoover then spoke in opposition to the Latta Springs project. Hoover informed us that a petition has been circulated in the neighborhood and has garnered 1,530 signatures of residents opposing the development. He contrasted this with the number of local supporters, which he estimated at around seven. Hoover argued that if this development were allowed, more malls could spread throughout the neighborhood.
Someone then asked about the implementation of CPTED principles in the design. Cheryl Sweeney responded to this, saying that the design had not come before the appearance commission, but that it looked conducive to foot and bicycle traffic. Officer Scott Baker also addressed this question, saying that the plans would be reviewed by Crime Prevention Officer Eric Hester and that this would include a CPTED assessment.
At this point, when the discussion seemed to be leading up to a vote on the matter, another resident pointed out that PAC2’s usual approach on such matters is to delay a vote until the following month, to give people time to take the issue back to their neighborhoods. Katherine offered a counterexample relating to this very matter: in March, when Lattamoor residents brought this issue before PAC2, we voted on the spot to support their opposition to the Latta Springs development.
Newman then pointed out that there is an underlying zoning issue. Part of the proposed site of the shopping center is currently zoned residential, and would have to be rezoned commercial in order for Latta Springs to be built. A change from residential to commercial, per se, tends to increase crime rates, regardless of the precise nature of the commercial development. Newman also pointed out that it isn’t merely the Lattamoor subdivision that is fighting this development; there’s significant opposition in eight or nine other surrounding neighborhoods.
Katherine suggested that the issue at hand was the nature of the design plan, rather than a final acceptance or rejection of the project. Another resident disagreed, arguing that regardless of the particular design, the project was too controversial to put to an immediate vote. A motion was made to table the matter until we had more information; it passed unanimously.
Town Hall with Chief of Police Chalmers: Durham Chief of Police Steven Chalmers was tonight’s featured speaker, appearing as part of a series of town meetings he’s holding in each district. Chalmers reminded us that he had made a commitment back at the beginning of the year that the police department would make an effort to communicate better with the community, so that information can be shared in a timely manner and so that we know what crime issues Durham is facing and what the DPD is doing about them. Most importantly, this meeting was also to give the community a chance to talk with him about what’s most important to us. The principal topic tonight was crime trends in Durham, especially in District 2.
Chalmers introduced other DPD personnel who were in attendance. Among those present were Major B.J. Council, chief of the uniform patrol bureau; Lt. D.C. Allen, assistant district commander; Capt. Ed Sarvis, recently appointed District 2 commander; Capt. Duane Clark, the prior District 2 commander; and several other officers from District 2.
Chalmers said that one of the city council’s top priorities for the police department was to reduce violent crime. In the first six months of 2003, violent crime in Durham has declined. Over the last five years, overall crime has consistently declined, but property crimes have gone up, not down.
As for District 2 specifically, the crime trends in our district largely mirror the citywide statistics. Violent crime in District 2 is down 3% since last year, about the same as for the whole city. However, violent crime is proportionately higher in District 2 than in the city as a whole. Property crime has increased relative to 2002, with burglaries up 61%. The problem is not centered in any one area, neighborhood, or street, but throughout the district.
Some significant property crime arrests have been made recently, including that of one person suspected of around 70 smash-and-grab B&Es. This arrest was the result of a CATT initiative. B&Es in the first quarter of 2003 were mostly business; in the second quarter, they were primarily residential.
Chalmers spoke about the DPD’s violent crime initiative, explaining that they targeted the individuals responsible for violent crime and went looking for them. The police have consequently been able to make some critical arrests.
District 2 has taken the lead in applying the same model to property crime. Each district will identify their top five property crime suspects. Those individuals will be targeted and every effort will be made to get them off the streets. Chalmers emphasized that community involvement was important; the police need residents’ knowledge and observations of what these people are up to.
Another initiative is focused on curbing armed robberies and home invasions, which have mostly targeted Hispanic residents.
Another concern is speeding; in recent weeks, police have written over 250 tickets, targeting areas including Duke St., Gregson St., Cole Mill Rd., Duke Homestead Rd., and the Watts-Hillandale neighborhood.
The DPD will continue aggressively targeting crime problems through various strategies, including a concentration of police visibility in areas with high rates of violent crime. Alluding to his recent article in the Herald-Sun regarding police vigilance and traffic stops, Chalmers explained that the purpose of doing traffic stops was not to write more tickets, but to be vigilant and proactive in the neighborhoods. In May and June of 2003, there were 8,627 traffic stops done, a 75% increase over the figure of 4,917 from May and June of 2002. The feedback police are hearing from residents are that they’re seeing police officers more often in their communities, and they’re feeling safer. Chalmers said that he wants people to feel safe, but the bottom line is that he wants us to be safe.
Another new DPD initiative, devised by Major Council, is the creation of a "power squad". Funded by the department’s overtime budget, the power squad consists of officers from other squads who are working off-duty time; it is used to concentrate on problem areas. So far the power squad has made 76 felony arrests and 1,052 misdemeanor arrests. Power squad officers have issued over 1,800 traffic citations, done 51 knock-and-talks, made 54 drug arrests, and seized six guns. The power squad has logged a total of 3,956 officer hours.
Whatever the police do is done throughout the department; these initiatives involve not just uniform patrol, but also the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). CID officers have been conducting Operation ID, which addresses violent crime. Officers go door-to-door talking to residents, in order to get information and to provide the community with a sense of security. This operation has been quite successful, leading to the solution of armed robberies and vehicle B&Es; it has even resulted in the police solving crimes they didn’t even have reports of. This shows how much information is available from the community if the police will get out and talk to people.
The flagship initiative currently underway is Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is addressing gun violence in Durham. In the first six months of 2003, seven of the twelve homicides committed involved guns, as did 41% of the aggravated assaults and 69% of the robberies. Police arrested 104 adults and nine juveniles for gun possession. Weapons confiscated included 279 handguns, 42 rifles, and 44 shotguns. Chalmers said they want to identify gun trends and how guns are getting into our community. As part of PSN, Violent Incident Reviews are held; these involve reviewing all homicides and analyzing the data on victims, offenders, and locations. This allows police to better understand why crimes occur, why the people involved are involved, and how to stop them.
Chalmers said that the DPD plans to continue its aggressive approach to crime; they’re asking for our continued support and partnership. He passed out information and crime statistics, but cautioned us that the numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Not all crimes are committed on the streets—for instance, domestic violence.
Chalmers then opened the floor to questions. A River Forest resident asked about a problem house in their neighborhood that had previously been boarded up; it’s now open again, and has become a center of drug activity. Chalmers replied that Capt. Sarvis was making a note of the address and would check it out.
An Old North Durham resident made the point that property crimes were up because people were reporting them more. The community’s faith and confidence in the DPD have increased, and consequently people are reporting property crimes that a few years ago they might not have felt there was any point in notifying the police about. He argued that property crimes may really be on the decline. Chalmers agreed that numbers aren’t everything and we should always interpret statistics with caution. He said that increased crime numbers can sometimes be caused by an increase in reporting rather than an actual increase in crimes, but that in that case, the rate should be expected to level off.
A South Durham resident asked what we should do when we report crimes and the investigating detectives never call us back. She said she had never received a response from the police when she reported the theft of her lawnmower by a neighborhood youth; subsequently, the same kid stole a police car and jumped off a bridge. She wanted to know what more we can do once we’ve reported the crime. Chalmers explained that there is one person in each district who is ultimately responsible for the satisfaction of district residents, and that’s the district commander. If you’re dissatisfied or feel that you’re getting the runaround, you should call the district commander directly.
The next speaker, a 15-year resident of her neighborhood, praised the effectiveness of bilingual police officers; at their Neighborhood Watch meeting, there were several officers present who were able to translate for Spanish-speaking residents. She said that despite considerable residential turnover in the neighborhood, the word had spread, so that even newly arrived residents knew that if they needed help from the police, they could get someone who would be able to communicate with them. Chalmers said that five years ago, the DPD had created a Hispanic Outreach Team, which then consisted of three civilian employees. Now the team includes three civilians and two sworn officers, who are available for community meetings. In a further effort to reach out to the Hispanic community, the DPD recently held their first Hispanic Citizens’ Police Academy, the only one of its kind in the state. The purpose of the program is to inform Hispanic citizens and empower them to be more active in their neighborhoods. The first one graduated a class of over 40 people; Chalmers said there had been requests for more, and the department intends to continue the program.
Cheryl Sweeney of the Inter-Neighborhood Council called on Chalmers to support reduction of plea bargaining, which she argued was an important component of crime reduction efforts. Chalmers agreed that there must be zero tolerance in gun-related cases.
A Trinity Park resident asked about a recent case in which video surveillance done by residents had allowed the police to identify and apprehend the person who had been coming onto porches and committing petty thefts. The questioner said he had gone to the suspect’s first court appearance, but that he now couldn’t find out from the DA what the status of the case was. He was aware of the Courtwatch program, and suggested that a useful additional resource would be a website on which citizens could track the status of these cases; he asked whether grant funds might be available to establish such a site. Chalmers said he didn’t know, but would look into the possibility of finding resources for it. The DPD is currently striving to come together and share information with the sheriff’s office and the DA’s office. Chalmers promised that someone would check up on this particular case and let him know what was going on with it.
Another resident asked about how to get speed bumps, saying it was unsafe for kids to ride their bikes in her neighborhood. Chalmers said that what the PACs are for is to work with district police on quality-of-life issues like this one. Officer Baker took the questioner’s address. However, another resident who had served on a Department of Transportation committee said that there was no money for speed bumps for at least the next two years. Chalmers said he had been told that some traffic calming funds had been made available, but he wasn’t sure whether that was only for projects that had already been approved, or also for new requests.
A resident of the Parkwood subdivision said he had lived there for twelve years, and in that time, had more stuff stolen from him than ever before in his life. He complained about police handling of the case when he recently had a van stolen. When the van was recovered, police wouldn’t fingerprint the exterior because it had rained in the meantime. However, when he got the vehicle back, it contained debris presumably discarded by the thief, including playing cards, filled-out unemployment forms, and prescriptions. He wanted to know why no better investigation of this evidence had been done. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the van had been stolen in one city and recovered in another; the owner said that the Durham police had been quick to pass the buck to Raleigh, and the Raleigh police wouldn’t return his calls. He said that his experiences had been similar with all the thefts he had been the victim of; the police didn’t fingerprint, didn’t investigate, and didn’t return his phone calls. Chalmers said in response that every crime and every victim is important--not just violent crime, although that is their top priority. He spoke of the need to hold department personnel accountable and make sure they provide the best possible services. Chalmers said that if investigators in this case didn’t follow up on the stuff found inside the van, they were in the wrong, and that was unacceptable.
Trinity Heights president Risa Foster asked for more information on the collaboration between the DPD and Duke police--for instance, what neighborhoods will be involved, what jurisdiction will Duke police have, etc. Chalmers said that he wasn’t sure of the details yet, and that talks with Chief Birkhead were still in progress. They’re thinking of having four or five Duke officers involved, which will amount to about the equivalent of one extra officer 24/7. He emphasized that the extended jurisdiction of the Duke police would not replace DPD coverage, but complement it. The areas involved will be those around Duke, such as Trinity Park. Chalmers was then asked about how the final decision would be publicized, and whether there would be some opportunity for citizen input into the process. He said that they definitely wanted feedback from the community.
Trinity Park crime czar Kathy Friedl asked what percent of time patrol officers spend patrolling vs. responding to calls for service. In recent weeks, there has been a surge in vehicle B&Es in the neighborhood, yet she said that despite working at home and being up late at night, she never sees officers patrolling. Chalmers acknowledged that patrol officers do spend most of their time on calls, and that such patrolling as they are able to do is usually while en route from one call to another. When possible, they try to take routes that allow them to pass through problem areas. Chalmers pointed out that the department is also very short-staffed; there are currently about 23 or 24 vacancies for sworn officers. That’s including in the number of sworn officers those in the current academy class that’s about to graduate; without them, we’re more like 35-40 officers short. He suggested that she contact the district commander about her concerns. Capt. Sarvis then spoke up and said that he was aware of the problems with vehicle B&Es in Trinity Park, and that they had recently made three arrests. He assured us that his officers are patrolling in Trinity Park and will continue to do so. Friedl pointed out that the B&Es have mostly occurred between 1 am and 5 am. Sarvis said that the police beat was about three square miles, while the Trinity Park neighborhood is only about one square mile. He suggested that that’s where Neighborhood Watch could play a part. Friedl responded that Neighborhood Watch is more effective when people are up and about; these crimes are occurring in the dead of night when most neighborhood residents are asleep. Sarvis acknowledged that Trinity Park already has the most active Neighborhood Watch in the city, and promised that the police would be patrolling proactively. Chalmers added that he was very optimistic about the COP (Citizen Observer Patrol) program. Again, this will not be a replacement for the police, but a supporting effort. Similar programs have had a great impact on property crimes elsewhere. Chalmers promised a concerted effort to identify and get rid of these criminals.
Another resident commented that District 2 was fortunate to have had a series of great captains. Referring to the various inquiries Chalmers had referred to the district commander thus far, he said he didn’t want Capt. Sarvis spending all his time answering the phone, and asked whether the substations have administrative or clerical support around the clock. Chalmers responded that the District 2 substation had excellent administrative support, and added that the secretaries often know almost as much as the commanders.
He was then asked about the possibility of a crime lab in Durham. Chalmers said that in the last four years, they had looked at three possible locations for a forensic unit, but didn’t have the funding to make it happen. Now they have a location on Broadway; they’re working there now, but it needs renovation. He’s hoping that money may become available through the capital improvement program.
Someone from the Old Farm homeowner’s association raised the issue of increased crime and gang activity in their neighborhood. The problems at the Carriage House apartments have spread out into the rest of the neighborhood. They wanted to know what they as a citizens’ organization can do to help get rid of the gang activity. Chalmers said that they’re doing some of the things that would help, such as Neighborhood Watch. He said Durham has taken the most active stance against gangs of anywhere in the state. They’re taking a comprehensive approach that involves the whole community, not just law enforcement. Chalmers said that the gang problem in Durham is real, and advised residents to stay involved in the community, in Neighborhood Watch, and in the PACs, and that the police department would let us know when there were other ways we could help. Katherine asked whether there are trainings available for Neighborhood Watch to recognize signs of gang activity. Chalmers said yes, and that they are working on training for their own officers as well as for the community. Last Friday, he met with the principals of all Durham’s middle schools and high schools about gang issues. Capt. Sarvis added that he was aware of the problems at Carriage House; he said they had been working with the management there and found them very cooperative. They are arranging for police officers to move into three of their apartments.
A Trinity Park resident asked about the department’s capacity to do sting operations; Chalmers replied that they are able to.
Another resident asked about the status of the recent shooting at Club and Roxboro. She also asked about the gang house on the corner, next to the former Don José. She said she calls whenever she hears shots. She also checks with the secretary at the substation, and reads the crime reports, but sometimes there’s no report. Chalmers explained that not every call for service generates a police report, but the information is still put to use. He also said that it takes time to solve these problems. The police can’t arrest someone just for hanging out or being in a gang; they must be connected to specific crimes.
A Sparger Springs resident asked about a recent robbery at Campus Walk. Capt. Clark said the victims, who were Asian, were playing cards when someone broke into the house and robbed them. A resident commented that it seemed similar to the recent Juniper Street robbery. Clark said that the police had noted the similarities and are working on it.
A Walltown resident raised the issue of ‘liquor houses’ where people sell illegal drinks; there’s one in her neighborhood that’s doing a very lucrative business selling alcohol to minors, and she hopes to see it cleaned up soon. She added that Onslow St., for example, is fine, but Berkeley St. is littered with trash. The condition of the streets and the neighborhood is such that when she has visitors she has to advise them which streets to use and not to use, and some people are afraid to come into her neighborhood at all. Chalmers asked her to supply the addresses of the liquor house and any other problem areas, saying that the most important thing citizens can do is to pass on this sort of useful information.
Another resident reported that when walking her dogs in the middle of the night, she has been seeing a suspicious-looking man dressed in dark clothes peering into parked cars. When he sees her, he turns away and hastily walks off. Chalmers said that the district officers would make a note of the information and check it out, but also advised her to call 911 whenever she saw the guy.
Finally, Newman took a moment to thank all our District 2 officers, and to thank Chief Chalmers for all he has done to engender a sense of community in Durham. He thanked Chalmers for his leadership, saying that there had been great changes since he took office, of which the biggest change he’s seen has been an increased sense of safety. Two years ago, residents were really afraid. Newman said that he’s looking forward to better police visibility and more crime reduction.
Chief Chalmers thanked PAC2 for our support, and said that the main reason the police department’s budget hadn’t been cut was the support we had shown at the Coffee with Council.
Neighborhood college: Katherine asked how many of those present had applied for the neighborhood college; there were about 4-5 hands raised. The Neighborhood College, a joint city-county project starting this fall, is a training session that will teach participants how city departments work, what resources are available, and how to navigate the system. Its purpose is to allow participants to bring that information back to their communities and empower them to become more engaged.
ABC permit applications: Officer Scott Baker had three ABC permit applications to present tonight; all were for new permits for on-premises sales.
The first location was Gregory’s Gourmet Grill, whose owner was present to support the request. This is a restaurant located in Northgate Mall on the site of the former Café Carolina. The application is for on-premises sales of beer, wine, and mixed drinks. The background check on the applicant revealed only a few speeding tickets. The call history for the location is the call history for Northgate Mall, so it’s what one would expect for a mall. The application has the approval of the mall association and owners. PAC2 voted unanimously to approve.
The next application was from Camilla’s, an Italian restaurant located at 5110 N. Roxboro in the Riverview shopping center. The application is for on-premises beer and wine sales. The two applicants have no criminal record. The call history is very light; the only call in the past year was for a false alarm. The shopping center overall has a relatively light call history, although it adjoins the Carriage House apartments in the back. PAC2 voted unanimously to approve.
The final application was from China House, located in the Cross Streets shopping center at 3808 Guess Rd. The application is for sales of beer and wine. The restaurant is located in a shopping center, and the call history there is mostly from the Food Lion—shoplifting and the like. PAC2 voted unanimously to approve.
Baker also relayed thanks from Officer Hester to all who participated in National Night Out. He said that applications for the COP (Citizens Observer Patrol) program are now available, and should be posted to the PAC2 listserve this week. They plan to close applications by next Monday, and are hoping for a September 18th start to the program. Newman added that participants will be subject to a background check, and at some point a drug/alcohol screening by the Health Department.
A resident asked whether a business must reapply for an alcohol permit if the business changes ownership. Baker said yes. She pointed out that Don José has changed hands, and changed its name. Baker said that they had reapplied six months ago. She said that the establishment is right next door to a gang house, and that people are buying drinks at Don José and going next door to the gang house. Baker replied that the gang house was not active six months ago when they reapplied, but that they could lose the license at the next renewal. He said that the ABC commission would be unlikely to revoke a permit immediately except in the case of illegal alcohol sales, but that the gang house would certainly be ammunition for a denial of renewal. The renewal application will come before PAC2 as usual. The police are working with the ABC commission to address certain sites, such as this one, or the Town & Country, and either clean them up or close them down.
