Almost three years after the Eno River Association joined neighbors in a legal settlement with Point Ridge LLC, 27.6 acres of Black Meadow Ridge adjacent to West Point on the Eno City Park are now under ERA ownership. ERA’s portion of the property will be permanently protected and could potentially become part of West Point on the Eno City Park in the future.
The remaining portion of the property will be developed as Eno Village townhomes. ERA’s advocacy helped significantly reduce the overall impervious cover of the development and secure more than 5 acres of protected land within the development area, including a 200-foot stream buffer and a 100-foot forested buffer between the development and the neighborhoods to the south. The developer also agreed to increase the number of affordable housing units to 3%, addressing a continuing need for the City of Durham. The parties have also committed to engaging appropriate professionals to help ensure the preservation of and limit access to the nearby Holman cemetery, which includes the remains of members of the Holman family and many other enslaved people. Dilsey Holman was a formerly enslaved woman who became a prominent landowner in Northern Durham.
ERA is excited about the protection of the 27.6 acres, which will include, as part of the legal settlement, an emergency access road from Eno Village to Stadium Drive. This access will be limited to emergency vehicles and, in the future, will be available for pedestrians and cyclists as part of the City of Durham’s greenway system. We look forward to working with the City and neighbors to develop a management plan for the Black Meadow Ridge property in 2026.
We extend special thanks to Thomas C. “T.C.” Morphis, Jr. for his guidance and support in helping ERA navigate this process.
Questions and concerns can be directed to our Conservation and Stewardship Director at chris@enoriver.org.
Read more about our conservation efforts: www.enoriver.org/conservation/
