Sample Letters: To be used to provide ideas for emails to send to council members, as starting points for communications.
​Williams, Leonardo Mayor Email Mayor Williams 919-560-4333
Middleton, Mark-Anthony Mayor Pro Tempore Email Mayor Pro Tem Middleton 919-560-4396
Baker, Nate At-Large Council Member Email Council Member Baker 919-560-4396
Caballero, Javiera At-Large Council Member Email Council Member Caballero 919-560-4396
Cook, Chelsea Ward 3 Council Member Email Council Member Cook 919-560-4396
Freeman, DeDreana Ward 1 Council Member Email Council Member Freeman 919-560-4396
Rist, Carl At Large Council Member Email Council Member Rist 919-560-4396
1. Traffic & Safety Focus (Professional Tone)
Dear Council Members,
I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed Leigh Village development. Our neighborhood streets—especially Crossland, Old Farrington, and the surrounding residential roads—were never designed to support the volume of traffic this project would generate. Without a completed and transparent traffic impact analysis, residents are left without crucial information about how our safety and commute times will be affected.
Growth is inevitable, but growth without planning puts families at risk. I strongly urge the Council to pause this project until a full impact assessment is completed and reviewed publicly.
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2. Quality-of-Life Focus (Neighborhood Voice)
Dear Durham Planning Staff,
Please reconsider the Leigh Village proposal. Our community chose this area because of its quiet, safe, family-friendly environment. Allowing a massive development with no infrastructure improvements threatens everything that makes this neighborhood special.
We ask that you protect the character of our community by stopping or significantly revising the project.
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3. Environmental & Tree Loss Focus (Advocacy Tone)
To Whom It May Concern,
The Leigh Village project poses a severe environmental risk. Large-scale grading, tree removal, and impermeable surfaces will accelerate stormwater runoff, stress local wildlife habitats, and contribute to erosion.
We ask the city to reject this proposal until an environmental impact study is completed and mitigation strategies are clearly defined. Durham cannot afford another poorly planned development that harms our natural environment.
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4. Taxpayer Burden & Infrastructure Concerns (Civic-Minded Tone)
Dear Council Members,
I oppose the Leigh Village plan because it creates long-term financial burdens for Durham taxpayers. Roads need widening, schools will face overcrowding, and emergency services will be stretched thin—yet the cost of these upgrades falls on the community, not the developer.
Please protect current residents from higher taxes and insufficient services by stopping this development as currently proposed.
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5. Emotional, Family-Centered Letter
Dear Members of the Planning Commission,
As a parent, I am genuinely afraid of what Leigh Village would mean for my family. More traffic, more strangers cutting through our streets, and more construction noise make it harder to feel safe in our own neighborhood.
Our community works because it’s small, connected, and stable. Leigh Village would change that forever. I respectfully ask you to reject this development.
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6. Process & Transparency Focus (Firm and Direct)
Dear Council,
I strongly urge you to halt Leigh Village until the city provides transparency around key missing elements—specifically the traffic impact analysis and the environmental review. Approving a project of this size without these assessments in place is irresponsible.
We deserve clarity before decisions are made. Please stop this project until the proper steps are followed.
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7. Overdevelopment Concerns (Thoughtful, Big-Picture Tone)
Dear City Leaders,
Durham is growing quickly, but not all growth is good growth. Leigh Village represents overdevelopment without regard to long-term sustainability or community values. We need thoughtful planning—not high-density projects squeezed into areas without the infrastructure to support them.
I ask you to stand with residents and reject the current proposal.
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8. Public Safety & Emergency Response Focus
Dear Planning Department,
I am deeply concerned about the impact of Leigh Village on emergency response times. Our two-lane neighborhood roads already struggle with congestion. Adding hundreds of vehicles will make it harder for ambulances, fire trucks, and police to reach residents quickly.
This is a preventable risk. Please stop this project until public safety assessments prove the development will not endanger lives.
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9. Stormwater & Flooding Risk (Technical Tone)
To the Council,
The Leigh Village site sits in an area with known stormwater challenges. Additional pavement and construction will increase runoff and could worsen flooding for existing homeowners.
Until a hydrological study confirms that current residents will be protected, this development must not proceed. I urge you to deny or postpone approval.
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10. Strong, No-Nonsense Version (Polite but Firm)
Council Members,
Leigh Village is not compatible with the surrounding community, period. The roads can’t support it, the schools can’t absorb the growth, and the environmental risks are too high. We, the residents, strongly oppose this project and ask that you reject it in full. Durham deserves responsible development—not rushed, oversized projects that jeopardize our neighborhoods.