Durham City Council Work Session - May 18, 2026: Crisis Transport, Safer Streets, and Rising Water Costs
The Durham City Council reviews changes to involuntary commitment transport that prioritize state-certified examiners and HEART or unmarked vehicles over police cars, and debates how to design safer streets and key corridors like Mangum–Roxboro while managing the high cost of roundabouts and pedestrian upgrades. Council members also weigh major water and sewer investments, rate increases, development limits in the Goose Creek basin, and the city’s ongoing recovery work after Tropical Storm Chantal. 39mins
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Original Meeting
Video Notes
Welcome to the City Council Work Session for May 18, 2026.
Agenda: https://www.durhamnc.gov/AgendaCenter/City-Council-4
How to participate: https://www.durhamnc.gov/1345
Contact the City Council: https://www.durhamnc.gov/1323
NOTE: Comments left on this livestream will not be read or entered into the meeting record
In This Video
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City Attorney staff clarified that state law allowed flexible use of unmarked and HEART vehicles to avoid defaulting to police transport, agreed to review ordinance language before the council meeting, and Ryan Smith stressed that the HEART program did not use involuntary commitment as a tool for moving people off the streets.
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In response to a question from Council Member Chelsea Cook, staff explained that the city extended an existing contract instead of issuing an immediate RFP due to overlapping funding processes and provider capacity, and planned to release a dedicated RFP in the fall to ensure a fair and manageable competition.
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Council Member Baker raised concerns about the high, recurring local costs of relocating utilities for NCDOT projects and, after a follow-up question about long-range plans for roundabouts, staff explained that roundabouts were considered case by case as part of a broader intersection design toolbox because of their significant expense to the city.
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Acting Assistant Director of Administration Carnegie explained that $750,000 in prior-year Community Development Block Grant funds had been allocated to resident-identified projects qualified through low- and moderate-income area analysis, while more recent allocations were focused on affordable housing activities.
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A speaker representing Bike Durham supported extending the Stantec contract for the Mangum Roxboro Street designs and urged the city to negotiate with NCDOT for safety-focused changes such as narrower crosswalks, a safe north–south bike route, traffic calming, and lower speed limits aligned with Vision Zero goals.
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Council Member Matt Kopac emphasized continuing to work with NCDOT so corridor designs aligned with Vision Zero goals, called for similar safety-focused changes on other high-injury streets, and asked staff about the MBE goal and the role of Just Cities and other MBE/AME firms on this and future projects.
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A Water Management representative reported that the project was moving into its spending and construction phase, described working with North Carolina Parks and Recreation on agreed‑upon upgrades to the Vintage Point boat ramp, and noted the ramp would be closed for two to three years but reopen with significant facility improvements.
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In response to a question about how rezoning for the project would intersect with city processes, Senior Engineering Manager Lori Montgomery explained that Chatham County approvals were expected to be mostly administrative unless tall structures triggered Board of Commissioners review, while a parcel on Farrington Road would need a 6–9 month rezoning through Durham City-County Planning that could involve either a special use permit or redesignation to a utility-focused use.
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A Water Management representative reaffirmed utility rate-setting goals of affordability, long-term sustainability, and conservation, reported that 844 households had used the hardship assistance program with spending below its $150,000 cap for a second year, and noted staff planned to review eligibility requirements over the summer to potentially expand the program and bring recommendations to the city manager’s office in the fall.
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A Water Management representative explained that modest rate increases supported a robust five‑year capital program to maintain existing infrastructure, meet new regulatory requirements including PFAS rules, expand capacity for growth, and fund major projects such as Jordan Lake and multiple creek system upgrades, with about $2.7 billion in project allocations anticipated over the next five years.
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A Water Management representative reported that water consumption had been growing, emphasized keeping Tier 1 and Tier 2 rates affordable for most customers even as capital program debt and CIP costs reached about half of utility expenses, and outlined modest across-the-board rate increases and continued tiered and outside-city pricing for the upcoming year.
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A Water Management representative explained that proposed rate increases would fully cover operating costs, debt service, and reserves while keeping the utility’s strong bond ratings, resulting in about a 12% monthly bill increase for a typical household and moderate commercial hikes, with comparison data showing Durham’s water bills slightly below state averages and well within accepted affordability thresholds.
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A Water Management representative reviewed how restrictions in the Goose Creek Basin were being phased, reported that most of the 104 submitted projects had been evaluated with many able to fully or partially proceed while a few remained on hold until construction was complete, and encouraged developers to continue directing inquiries to the department’s development inquiry email.
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A Water Management representative outlined the timeline for completing Phase 1 by 2029 and Phase 2 by 2030 while noting efforts to accelerate work, and described the need to secure easements from about 50 property owners and manage environmental impacts, particularly where Phase 1 crossed floodplain areas.
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A Water Management representative noted that much of the Phase 1 project area north of I-85 was city-owned, allowing fewer property negotiations, and described plans to accelerate work through multiple construction packages—including early bore work under I-85 and I-88—while committing to provide monthly progress updates.
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Mayor Williams urged staff to aggressively but carefully expedite Goose Creek improvements because delays affected more than just development, while a staff member clarified that projects could proceed fully when redevelopment kept wastewater flows similar to existing uses and gave an example of partial approvals where only some new units could be built until construction was complete.
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In response to a question about using emergency powers to fast‑track Goose Creek work similar to Denver’s approach, City Attorney Sophia Hernandez explained that North Carolina’s Emergency Management Act applied only to discrete events like storms and required state‑level declarations, while staff reiterated they were already expediting the project through existing on‑call contracts and would pursue any additional feasible acceleration measures.
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Mayor Williams remarked on limited local emergency powers, while Council Member Baker thanked staff for catching the Goose Creek capacity issue early and asked whether project costs could be shared with the private sector, with staff confirming the expenses were currently embedded in the utility’s capital program.
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Community Partnerships and Engagement Director Starla Tanner delivered a post–Tropical Storm Chantal recovery update for the Old Farm and River Forest neighborhoods, outlining resident outreach and resource referrals, coordination with the joint City–County Disaster Recovery Center, and multi-department response efforts including over 100 water rescues and debris clearing to restore public access.
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Director Starla Tanner reported that Tropical Storm Chantal left many homes with structural and systems damage, ongoing health risks like mold and poor air quality, and significant financial and process barriers to recovery as repair costs, limited assistance, and rising construction expenses outpaced residents’ resources.
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Director Starla Tanner summarized that recovery from Tropical Storm Chantal remained incomplete for some Old Farm and River Forest households despite ongoing multi‑department assistance and a sustained on‑the‑ground presence by the Community Partnerships and Engagement Department, which also highlighted broader community initiatives such as neighborhood events, participatory budgeting mini‑grants, and expanded language access, ADA, digital access, and youth services efforts.
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Mayor Leonardo Williams reflected on witnessing city staff, emergency responders, and neighbors working together during Tropical Storm Chantal, shared personal experience with past flooding, and urged stronger local, county, state, and federal collaboration to address increasingly severe storms and protect residents’ lives.
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