Triangulator

An appeal on the rezoning of land for the proposed 751 South development is on the calendar for the Durham Board of Adjustment's consideration on Monday, Dec. 6, according to Durham planning Director Steve Medlin. The case has not yet been added to the board's December agenda online.

The appeal was filed by Raleigh attorney Dhamian Blue on behalf of resident Kim Preslar and other land and property owners near the proposed site for 751 South, which is in the southwest corner of Durham County.

According to the Board of Adjustment webpage, the board typically meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. in the Committee Room on the second floor of City Hall.

The board is consolidating its November and December meetings, Medlin said, and holding the meeting on a Monday to accommodate the holidays.

We were prompted by some of the responses on the site to a story that ran last week about the Durham sheriff's race to provide some additional information on a few comments that have appeared on the story.

While Roy Taylor, candidate for Durham sheriff, did disclose to the Independent Weekly that his son has had trouble with the law (see full record here), critics are saying that in a You Tube video, he indicated that neither he, nor anyone in his family, had been "involved in any type of criminal activity." (Start watching at :41)

Taken as a direct quote without context, we see how this could be interpreted as Mr. Taylor saying no one in his family has committed a crime. But based on the context of the video, we interpreted this to mean Mr. Taylor is saying his family hasn't been victimized by crime while living in Durham. Here's the quote:

"Durham has had a reputation for as long as I can remember that it’s a dangerous place to go, that it’s crime infested. And I certainly don’t believe that’s true. … Having been a resident in Durham for 10 years, I have never had myself or my family involved in any type of criminal activity. So, just like in any other big city, there are places you know where you can go and it’s safe and there’s places where you don’t want to go."

• Roy Taylor

The Durham Board of Elections has scheduled a hearing on a complaint filed yesterday challenging the eligibility of Republican Roy Taylor to serve as Durham sheriff.

The hearing, which is open to the public, will be held at noon on Thursday, November 11, in the chambers of the Durham County Commissioners, elections Director Mike Ashe said. The chambers are located on the second floor of the old Durham Courthouse, 200 E. Main St.

The hearing was scheduled in response to a protest by former Durham sheriff Roland Leary on behalf of current Sheriff Worth Hill. Leary argues there is sufficient evidence to show Taylor has not lived in Durham County for the past year, which is a requirement under state elections law.

Taylor doesn't deny that he hasn't lived in Durham for a year, but says the state constitution indicates that candidates must only live in their base county for 30 days.

The hearing will be held only if Taylor earns more votes than Hill, who is seeking his fifth term in office. If Hill wins, the hearing will be canceled, Ashe said.

Early One Stop voting at the Board of Elections office downtown begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14. Election Day is Nov. 2.

• Roy Taylor

A citizen went to the Durham Board of Elections today to formally challenged the candidacy of Roy Taylor, a Republican candidate for sheriff who doesn't meet the one-year residency requirement to become sheriff, said elections Director Mike Ashe.

The citizen who is protesting happens to be former Durham County Sheriff Roland Leary, who is a financial supporter of incumbent Sheriff Worth Hill.

With Leary's protest, the Durham Board of Elections will now schedule a quasi-judicial hearing, likely in the days following the Nov. 2 election, Ashe said. At the hearing, the board will interview subpoenaed witnesses and examine evidence that would prove Taylor doesn't meet the requirement to be sheriff because he has lived in Wake County part of the past year.

The hearing will only go on as scheduled if Taylor earns more votes than Hill in the general election. If Hill wins, the hearing will be canceled, Ashe said.

The issue of residency arose last week after Taylor confirmed he hasn't lived in Durham County for a consecutive year, as required by state law. But Taylor said several attorneys have advised him that the N.C. Constitution only requires sheriff candidates to live in their base county for 30 days. He said he plans to defend this eligibility with this argument if he wins the election.