Allowing virtual public comments at in-person meetings would increase citizen participation
First, I would like to address a statement Councilor Stewart made at a recent meeting. She said that it’s the same people who participate in public comment time after time, but this simply is not true. I collected data from City Council minutes for September 4, 2018 to September 7, 2022 for a total of 64 meetings: 32 meetings before Council began meeting virtually and 32 meetings after. You can see this data displayed in the bar graph. During the virtual meetings, participation in public comments increased 17%, and the number of individuals that spoke only once before council increased 23%.
Text Change would eliminate residential zoning
The proposed text changes will put the safety and comfort of our communities at risk by bypassing all restrictions and neighborhood protections by allowing unregulated businesses and unwanted traffic, congestion, and visitors to enter our neighborhoods from 6am -11pm every day/night. I did not purchase a home next to a gym, nail salon, sweepstakes parlor, burger joint, manufacturing plant, clock shop, or art studio because I wanted to live in a bedroom community, not a strip mall.
In the Senate District 13 Democratic primary campaign, Patrick Buffkin stands out. In a bad way.
Livable Raleigh is not making endorsements in state legislative primaries. But we’re tempted in the N.C. Senate District 13 Democratic race. One of the candidates, Lisa Grafstein, is someone we know only by reputation, but it’s a stellar reputation. The other...
Atlantic Avenue Timber Harvest
Ted Van Dyk, AIA is principal of New City Design Group, a Raleigh Architecture firm. Mr. Van Dyk founded New City in 1996, and continues to work on a wide variety of retail multifamily, and mixed use projects throughout the region. Mr. Van Dyk submitted the following...
May 3 2022 City Council Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS Once again a last minute change from in-person to virtual meeting due to Covid outbreak among staff. All public hearings will be continued to May 10 at 4pm except for Floodplain Maps which is referred to Planning Commission with recommendations needed in...
Raleigh’s Future is in Voter’s Hands
Livable Raleigh Chair Susan Maruyama recently sent this opinion piece to the News & Observer. They published an edited version and we wanted to share the complete version here. Fifty years ago, when Clarence Lightner, Raleigh’s first and only black mayor, created...
WRAL-TV’s News coverage of North Hills rezoning was more of a promotion than news coverage – And now for the rest of the story…
On April 26 WRAL-TV featured a story about a proposed North Hills Rezoning case (Z-67-21) that took place at the Planning Commission meeting earlier that day. WRAL’s coverage was effectively a promotion for the project, as compared to an accounting of what actually...
Voting begins. But, not for Raleigh City Council
Early voting has started in North Carolina. Many cities are electing their City Council representatives. BUT NOT RALEIGH. The citizens of Raleigh will have to wait until November to elect their City Council. A full year AFTER the current council's term was supposed to...
Traffic Impact of Midtown Rezonings
Midtown Raleigh Resident Larry Helfant sent the following email to members of the Planning Commission: Commissioners, I have looked at the agenda for your planned meeting on Tuesday. I do appreciate the time that you take to hear each case but the agenda is very full...
Tiny homes coming to Raleigh and it’s a “Bait & Switch”
In December 2021 Mayor Baldwin and City Council approved "Tiny Homes" in Raleigh saying these would be one more method to build affordable housing and fight homelessness. Well, the first homes are coming and they will NOT be used for affordable housing after all....