Grubb: Plan did not respect neighborhood

CHAPEL HILL -- The president of Grubb Properties said Wednesday night that his company's initial plans to redevelop Glen Lennox failed to respect the community's character.

"I do not think the plan was sensitive to the history of Glen Lennox. I apologize," Clay Grubb said. "That was a plan that was done hastily."

The Town Council voted Wednesday to begin a process that could lead to a Neighborhood Conservation District, rules designed to protect individual communities' character.

Grubb's initial plan proposed replacing the 440 apartment units and shopping center between N.C. 54 and U.S. 15-501 with a multistory mix of housing and commercial space.

Grubb defended his company's desire to modernize. Less than 10 percent of residents have lived there for five years or more, he said. The homes are not energy efficient and lack modern conveniences.

"Whether we like it or not, times change," he said.

But, he said, proposing to tear everything down was a mistake.

"Our current plan does not preserve the unique character that makes up Glen Lennox's heart and soul," he said.

After Grubb asked for a delay in the NCD process, Town Council member Matt Czajkowski suggested holding off to see whether Grubb and the neighbors could work out a compromise.

But other council members and a handful of residents said the planning process already gives the developer an opportunity to work with neighbors.

"The NCD process includes you," Rogerson Drive resident Mary Dexter told Grubb. "We are a neighborhood, and you are part of it."

-- Mark Schultz, 932-2003; mark.schultz@nando.com

Worker targeted by racist graffiti

CHAPEL HILL -- Jerry Neville stopped using the bathroom at work after someone wrote his name on a urinal calling him the "N-word." Someone also drew a noose on a sign on the wall.

Now he wants to know what police are doing about it.

Neville, a sign maker in the town's Public Works Department, said he reported the incident but the writing remained for months.

Wednesday night Neville and civil rights attorney Al McSurely told the Town Council they want to see the Police Department's full investigative file.

"Violated, man. Violated," Neville said, when asked how he felt.

Police Chief Brian Curran said that the investigation is ongoing and that the file is not a public record as defined by state law.

Neville is a past chairman of the Black Public Works Association. He said black employees make up 70 percent to 80 percent of the public works department.

"The last two months have been difficult and disappointing," he said. "We've allowed hate crimes to go unchecked. I've been singled out personally. My name was on that wall, and I was threatened to be hung."

Council member Bll Thorpe said he was appalled Neville had to come to the council to get answers.

"We're going to be away from this desk, but we're going to be in town, and I want a report before we meet again," Thorpe said, referring to the council's summer break. "Because this is nasty."

-- Mark Schultz, 932-2003; mark.schultz@nando.com

Yuhasz wins primary runoff for commissioner

HILLSBOROUGH -- Steve Yuhasz won Tuesday's runoff in the Democratic primary for the District 2 seat on the Orange County Board of Commissioners.

With no Republicans having filed for the seat, Yuhasz is certain of a spot on the newly expanded board.

Yuhasz beat Leo Allison, 56 percent to 44 percent.

Yuhasz, 57, a land surveyor and lawyer who lives in Hillsborough, had the most votes in May's primary with 37 percent, but he needed more than 40 percent to win. Allison, retired from IBM and former chairman of Legal Aid of North Carolina, got 28 percent of the votes in May.

This is the first year that Orange County commissioners seats are being decided by district.

-- Samiha Khanna, 956-2468, skhanna@nando.com