The Durham County Board of Commissioners approved most of the SCAD (Simplifying Codes for Affordable Development) text amendments in a 3-1 vote Monday, greenlighting the same set of zoning code changes that the Durham City Council passed in November.

Only a small portion of SCAD’s many provisions, intended to remove barriers to new development, will impact the built environment outside city limits, planning staff said at the meeting. 

Residents in unincorporated areas will likely feel the effect of amendments that eliminate parking minimums and allow bigger accessory dwelling units. But SCAD’s central aims of creating more opportunities for infill housing and small-scale commercial development will be largely inconsequential outside Durham proper, according to planning staff.

Around 20 people, mostly opponents, spoke during the two-hour-long public hearing. Some argued that SCAD’s projected impact on communities like Rougement and Bahama had been downplayed and raised concerns around new development’s interference with wells and septic tanks. Other opponents took a different approach, questioning the point of approving the contentious proposal if, per planning staff, its countywide impact would be modest.

Commissioner Heidi Carter pushed for the board’s vote to be conducted “in a unified spirit with the city.”

“If we’re in favor of preserving rural Durham, we should be supportive of SCAD,” Carter said. “We should be increasing density in the urban tier and expanding housing choices by infill rather than sprawl.”

Despite previously criticizing the proposal, Commissioner Wendy Jacobs said that “voting this down wouldn’t address most of the concerns we heard” from speakers and ultimately voted yes alongside Carter and commission chair Nida Allam. Vice-chair Nimasheena Burns voted no. Commissioner Brenda Howerton had an excused absence.

Had the board not passed SCAD, the result would have been an unprecedented fracture in the Unified Development Ordinance, which enumerates zoning regulations for both the city and the county.

Follow Staff Writer Lena Geller on Twitter or send an email to [email protected]. Comment on this story at [email protected].

Support independent local journalism. 

Join the INDY Press Club to help us keep fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle.

Lena Geller is a reporter for INDY, covering food, housing, and politics. She joined the staff in 2018 and previously ran a custom cake business.