Thus far, Tuscaloosa-Lakewood is one of only two neighborhoods in Durham to create and adopt a Neighborhood Protection Overlay (NPO). This is a special zoning district that, together with Durham's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), regulates development within Tuscaloosa-Lakewood's boundaries.
Adopted in 2006, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) contains the rules for the physical development of property and designates the zoning districts and their properties. It is designed to meet the goals of the Durham Comprehensive Plan (see below).
Tuscaloosa-Lakewood's NPO was approved in 2008. It mandates additional tree protection and special regulation of design features on residential and commercial structures to preserve the neighborhood's character. The text of our NPO can be found in Article 4, Section 4.6.5, of the UDO.
The Comprehensive Plan is the city's long-range guide for Durham's development. City-County planners use the Comprehensive Plan and the UDO together in approving development plans.