Durham Unites on Immigrant Safety, Hayti Street Closure Denied

The council affirmed support for immigrant neighbors amid heightened federal enforcement and urged residents to look out for one another. A proposed Hayti Lane closure drew concern over precedent and community voice. 10mins

Historic Preservation Planning & Zoning
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Original Meeting

Monday, November 17th, 2025
9211.0
Full Meeting on YouTube
Video Notes

Welcome to the City Council Meeting for November 17, 2025.

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.

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Wes Platt
Durham, NC
Neighborhood news guy for Southpoint Access in Durham.
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In This Video
  • Mayor Williams departs from usual order to deliver a joint statement with the school board chair and county commissioner chair regarding increased immigration enforcement presence, affirming Durham’s commitment to immigrant communities, human rights, safety, and being a welcoming community.
  • Council Member Cook urged residents to look out for neighbors, identify safe places, and support one another during challenging times.
  • Council Member Baker emphasized immigrants’ vital contributions to the city and condemned federal actions that had marginalized and terrorized immigrant communities.
  • Council Member Caballero affirmed that Durham’s elected officials were united in supporting immigrant rights and pledged that the city would again step up to protect its residents.
  • Council Member Freeman echoed support for immigrant communities, praised mutual aid among residents, and expressed gratitude for Durham’s welcoming character.
  • Council Member Rist pledged that the community would stand together and do everything possible to protect neighbors.
  • Erin Dooley urged officials to avoid adding to neighborhood instability and to ensure a proposed development aligned with longtime residents and community needs.
  • Vivian Dolores Gunn expressed relief that long-delayed Fayetteville Street and Fayette Place (Villages at Hayti) projects were finally moving forward.
  • Anthony Snell outlined project phases, noting 252 units in phase one, an anticipated 70 senior units in phase two with a 9% low-income housing tax credit application, and roughly 100-plus units planned for phase three.
  • Peyton Blanchard described a request to permanently close Hayti Lane east of Old Fayetteville Street to recombine it with adjacent HOA common area, noting it currently serves 19 townhouses without connecting public streets and that future development plans had not yet been submitted.
  • Rob Emerson clarified that privatizing the street would not affect neighborhood connectivity and was unrelated to rezoning, development plans, or demolishing the townhomes.
  • A speaker opposed permanently closing Hayti Lane, citing lack of community engagement and warning that further erasure of streets and history would harm preservation efforts in the area.
  • Angel Iset Dozier argued that the proposed closure of 229 feet of public right-of-way was a parcel assembly step preparing land for sale, framing it as a development deal rather than a transportation improvement.
  • Council Member Cook criticized comments about Hayti’s historic status and stressed that decisions should honor the voices of residents who have lived there.
  • Council Member Baker cautioned that approving a street vacation without sufficient information or planning would set an unhealthy precedent.
  • Council Member Caballero acknowledged divergent community views in the area and noted that, while residents were unified in rejecting past harms, decision-making was difficult because opinions about current direction varied.
  • Council Member Freeman criticized the use of the Hayti name by a private LLC and the practice of having a property manager speak in place of the owner, calling these actions offensive and belittling.
  • Rob Emerson noted a disconnect between the 1987-built context and current planning goals and community aspirations, emphasizing that no project had been proposed and that there was an existing property owner.
  • Mayor Pro Tem Middleton stated that street closures were typically straightforward administrative actions, while acknowledging the unique sensitivities in Hayti and urging transparent discussion about honoring the area’s history and determining its future.
  • The council considered a motion to permanently close 2,229 linear feet of Hayti Lane east of Old Fayetteville Street, and the vote failed unanimously.
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