If you weren’t able to attend our Community Conversation on January 7, 2026 for the discussion of Raleigh’s Election Changes and Polling Results, the video and slides are now available on our “Community Conversations” page where you can find all of our previous events as well.
The applicant is requesting height everywhere that is inconsistent with the zoning recommendation of the Midtown area plan, which recommends heights between 4 and 20 stories, inconsistent with the Future Land Use Map, which recommends heights between 2 and 20 stories, and inconsistent with Table LU-2, which recommends height for Regional Mixed Use at a maximum of 20 stories. So, how can the staff review determine that this application is consistent with the Future Land Use Map, the Urban Form Map, and the Zoning map of the Midtown area plan, when it clearly is not?
As the downtown Raleigh skyline continues to grow upward to meet housing demand, a group of downtown neighbors is asking a judge to step in, arguing the city ignored its own rules and residents’ concerns when they approved a controversial rezoning in Glenwood South in October.
The core issues with this rezoning remain excessive height and insufficient conditions. This request seeks more than double the recommended height for these properties without providing the significant public benefits required by the Comprehensive Plan.
This is not the first time that this case is being presented. The only thing that has changed is the composition of the Council and Mayor. You are again being asked to judge the elements of the application with the same guidance that was in place when this case was previously presented five years ago. The same inconsistencies exist now that existed then. It is not a complicated case unless you choose to create guidelines beyond those already clearly defined in the Midtown – Saint Albans area plan and 2030 Comprehensive plan.