City Council Meeting Highlights – September 6, 2022

Sep 6, 2022 | Blog

City Council Meeting – September 6, 2022

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Authorized acquisition of land for the New Bern Crossings affordable rental development project (192 units)
  • City Attorney reports that local governments can restrict public comments from being used to campaign for office. Mayor Pro Tem Stewart and Councilor Melton didn’t want to take any action. Councilor Knight introduced a motion to outlaw using public comments to campaign for office. Mayor Baldwin asked to hold for two weeks to allow for discussion.
  • Multiple speakers outraged about missing middle rezoning changes, community engagement, and homelessness.
  • Council will be looking at how to handle assessments from six projects that were begun before City stopped assessing residents for capital improvements that they didn’t request.
  • Rezoning Z-67-21: North Hills Assemblage, located at the intersections of I-440 at Lassiter Mill Road, and Lassiter Mill Road at Six Forks Road (District A) – lots of discussion about inadequate infrastructure to handle traffic and inadequacy of alleged affordable housing conditions. Councilor Cox read former Mayor Nancy McFarlane’s email to Council in opposition to this rezoning request. Mayor Baldwin suggested rescheduling for 9/20 meeting. New conditions would be due this Friday. Councilor Knight asked for a Traffic Impact Analysis before voting on rezoning request – motion failed 4 to 4.
  • Rezoning Z-5-22: Semart Drive, north of Peace Street between Capital Boulevard and Halifax Street (District C) – Council asking for stronger conditions to preserve the historic building. Rescheduled for 9/20 meeting with new conditions due this Friday.
  • Rezoning Z-11-22: Buck Jones, east side, between its intersections with Barclay Drive and Norman Place (District D) – Councilor Forte was prepared to make a motion to deny. Mayor Baldwin asked her to delay to allow for further negotiation. Forte’s motion failed 5 to 3. Mayor Baldwin will hold for two weeks.

AFTERNOON SESSION

  • Councilor Cox absent and excused for afternoon session. Councilor Forte running late and excused until she arrives.

CONSENT AGENDA – FULL LISTING AT END OF REPORT

  • Approved unanimously

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION

The following items are scheduled for public hearing at the City Council meeting on September 20, 2022:

  • Z-9-22 Cabarrus St & Davie St (District D)
  • Z-12-22 Dawson St & Martin St (District D)
  • Z-14-22 Glenwood Ave (District D)
  • TC-2-21 Parking Structure Screening & Lighting

The following items are scheduled for public hearing at the City Council meeting on October 4, 2022:

  • Z-62-21 Chester Rd (District D)
  • Text Change TC-21-20: Minor Administrative Permits – September 20 hearing date approved
  • Text Change TC-18-21: Accessory Structures Permits – September 20 hearing date approved
  • Text Change TC-5-22: Roadway Construction, Nonconformities, and Signage Permits – September 20 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-15-22: Washington Street, on the south side of Washington Street, adjacent to the railroad, approximately 550 feet east of Glenwood Avenue and Fred Fletcher Park (District D) – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-16-22: Boylan and Hillsborough, at the northwest corner of the intersection (District D) – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-17-22: Hillsborough and S. West Street, being the block bounded by Hillsborough Street, S. Harrington Street, W. Morgan Street, and S. West Street (District D) – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-20-22: Pleasant Valley Road, approximately 800 feet east of the intersection of Glenwood Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road (District E) Permits – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning TCZ-26-22: Olde Birch Drive, on the east side of Olde Birch Drive across from Southeast Raleigh High School, approximately 500 feet south of Rock Quarry Road (District C) – October 18 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-30-22: Lane Street, on the north side of Lane Street, between Dawson and McDowell Streets (District D) – October 18 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-31-22: Harrington Street, on the west side of S. Harrington Street, mid-block between Cabarrus Street and Lenoir Street (District D) – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-35-22 Crest Road, Varsity Drive, Collegeview Avenue, south of the intersection of Marcom Street and Varsity Drive (District D) – October 4 hearing date approved
  • Rezoning Z-36-22: 1801 Lynn Rd, at the southwest intersection of Lynn Rd and Ben Bur Rd (District A) – October 4 hearing date approved

SPECIAL ITEMS

  • Appropriation from Contingency – Gun Buy Back Event – approved $30k
  • Rezoning Z-81-21: Rock Quarry Road and Wall Store Road, on the west side of the intersection of Rock Quarry Road and Whitfield Road. (District C) – public hearing set for September 20
  • Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-6-22: Camelot Village Ave Extension (District C) – public hearing set for September 20

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER

  • New Bern Crossings Land Acquisition – authorized acquisition of land for the New Bern Crossings affordable rental development project (192 units)
  • Proposed Ordinance – Enabling Authority for Reimbursement Agreements
    • Reimbursement agreements are an important tool for P3s
  • NCGS 160A-309 and 160A-499 provide authority for such agreements that COR has not accessed
  • A local ordinance is required by 160A-499 and is a best practice for 160A-309 • Staff requests authorization to draft ordinances enabling the use of these two statutes
  • Enabling these tools does not obligate their use

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE

  • Next meeting on ARPA funding opportunities and Pathways Center investment on Tuesday, 9/27, at 1:30pm

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE GROWTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

  • Next meeting scheduled on 9/27 at 4pm but no agenda items currently set

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE SAFE, VIBRANT, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY COMMITTEE

  • Next meeting not yet scheduled

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT COMMITTEE

  • Reporting out Z-67-21 with no recommendation
  • Next meeting on 9/22

REPORT FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL

  • Councilor Forte raised issue about lack of minority participation in contracts
  • Councilor Branch asked that City make sure we are following federal guidelines for minority participation; asked about federal funding for ADA paratransit; Fisher Street Park dedication at 10am on Saturday
  • Mayor Baldwin acknowledged Stewart and Melton’s work with Campbell Law School on eviction prevention

REPORT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY

  • City Attorney reports that local governments can restrict public comments from being used to campaign for office. Mayor Pro Tem Stewart and Councilor Melton didn’t want to take any action. Councilor Knight introduced a motion to outlaw using public comments to campaign for office. Mayor Baldwin asked to hold for two weeks to allow for discussion.

EVENING SESSION

PUBLIC COMMENTS (limited to one minute each)

  • Ross Yeager in appreciation for Glenwood South trash receptacles and thanking Council for their service
  • Terry Henderson in opposition to Missing Middle Zoning Changes
  • Frank Hielema asking to Restore Raleigh Zoning
  • Christina Jones re Community Engagement failures and lies by this Council
  • George Venters re opposition to Missing Middle
  • Margie Case asking to Restore Raleigh Zoning
  • Lisa Hughet re Affordable Housing
  • Lillian Jones re opposition to changes in zoning protection
  • Malcolm Carroll re opposition to destruction of historic neighborhoods
  • Haley Kinsler re lack of community engagement and condemning influence of special interests
  • Octavia Rainey re issues with taxes and gentrification and engagement
  • Collin Bober re downtown social districts and plastic waste and asking to lighten regulations to make it easier for businesses to participate
  • Johnny Hackett asking for support for small business owners
  • Martha Brock re environmental issues
  • Joshua Bradley re housing
  • James Gruskin re restore Raleigh zoning
  • Bill Goodwin re new zoning laws
  • Steven Jesseph re concerns about Six Forks Road project
  • James Epps re Six Forks Road design adjustments
  • Donna Bailey re citizen engagement failures
  • Kristen Havlik  re housing affordability
  • Ashley Pierrot re housing affordability
  • Tim Niles re freedom of speech and CACs
  • Jeremy Gilchrist re homelessness
  • Clayton Robinson re affordable housing
  • Laura Harris re homelessness
  • Elder Mack re homelessness
  • Steve Markham re issues with Six Forks Road improvement project

PUBLIC HEARINGS

  • American Rescue Plan Funding – Allocation Plan – Federal HOME Program Assistance to Vulnerable Populations – no action taken
  • Buck Jones Road Assessment Roll – Confirmation – Donna Evenson spoke against the assessments that will harm a stable working class neighborhood. Staff will bring back a report on this and five other similar projects.
  • Petition Annexation – AX-18-22- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 12813, 12815 Strickland Road (District E) – unanimously approved
  • Rezoning Z-63-21: Hodges Street, primarily on the south side, beginning 125 feet east of Paula Street (District E) – approved unanimously
  • Rezoning Z-66-21: 3900 Mitchell Mill Road, located approximately 0.75 miles east of the intersection of Mitchell Mill Road and Louisburg Road (US 401) (District B) – approved unanimously
  • Rezoning Z-67-21: North Hills Assemblage, located at the intersections of I-440 at Lassiter Mill Road, and Lassiter Mill Road at Six Forks Road (District A) – lots of discussion about inadequate infrastructure to handle traffic and inadequacy of alleged affordable housing conditions. Councilor Cox read former Mayor Nancy McFarlane’s email to Council in opposition to this rezoning request. Mayor Baldwin suggested rescheduling for 9/20 meeting. New conditions would be due this Friday. Councilor Knight asked for a Traffic Impact Analysis before voting on rezoning request – motion failed 4 to 4.
  • Rezoning Z-5-22: Semart Drive, north of Peace Street between Capital Boulevard and Halifax Street (District C) – Council asking for stronger conditions to preserve the historic building. Rescheduled for 9/20 meeting with new conditions due this Friday.
  • Rezoning Z-11-22: Buck Jones, east side, between its intersections with Barclay Drive and Norman Place (District D) – Councilor Forte was prepared to make a motion to deny. Mayor Baldwin asked her to delay to allow for further negotiation. Forte’s motion failed 5 to 3. Mayor Baldwin will hold for two weeks.
  • Rezoning Z-7-22: Northeast corner of the intersection of Capital Boulevard (US-1) and I-540. (District B) – new conditions were submitted – approved unanimously
  • Petition Annexation – AX-10-22- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 6700, 7022 Capital Boulevard (District B) – approved unanimously
  • Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-5-22: 6700,7022 Capital Boulevard – approved unanimously
  • Text Change TC-21-21: Cameron Park NCOD — approved unanimously

CONSENT AGENDA

  • Disposition of Surplus Property – 118 Seawell Avenue – Negotiated Offer and Upset Bid Process
  • 2020 Affordable Housing Bond – Contract to Purchase 5508 and 0 Western Boulevard
  • Historic Overlay District Boundary – Alignment Adjustment Request by Shaw University Rezoning Application – Prince Hall Historic Overlay District – Agency Referrals
  • Watershed Protection Program – Old Creedmoor Land Conservation Project
  • 2022 BikeSafe (Motorcycle Safety) Coordinator Grant Application
  • 2022 Traffic Enforcement Grant Application
  • Contract Services – Off-Street Parking Deck Safety Ambassadors – Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Inc.
  • Contract Services – Fire Records Management System – Locality Media, Inc. dba First Due
  • Contract Services – Master Service Agreement – On-Call Pump Repairs – Various Vendors
  • Contract Services – 2015 Water Line Replacement Project 3 – Park Construction of NC, Inc. – Change Order Number One
  • Contract Services – Investment Advisory Services – Long-Term Funds – PFM Asset Management LLC – Contract Amendment
  • Street Closing STC-03-2022: Portion of South Bloodworth Street
  • Street Closing STC-04-2022: Flint Place Right-of-Way
  • Street Closing STC-06-2022: Portion of Peach Road
  • 5201 Brookhaven Drive – Privacy Fence and Landscaping
  • 3237 Blue Ridge Road – Bench and Bike Repair Station
  • Appropriation from Special Reserve – Police Department
  • Bid Award – Law Enforcement Training Center – Driver Training Classroom – Trend Construction Inc.
  • Bid Award – RCC Wall Finishes Upgrades – Berry Building Group, Inc.
  • Bid Award – Lambeth Drive, Latimer Road/Drexel Drive, Reynolds Road, W. Rowan Street, Hunting Ridge Road Sidewalks Projects – White Oak Construction Corporation
  • Bid Rejection – Oberlin Road Streetscape Improvement Project
  • Speed Limit Reductions – Collingdale Way, Emerald Creek Drive, Derbton Court, Dayton Court, Bayberry Hills Drive, Crooked Tree Lane, Carlyle Hills Way, Jordanus Drive, Aspenrose Drive, & Auldbury Way
  • Multi-way Stops – Fairview Road at Reid Street/Myrtle Avenue & Delta Lake Drive at Delta Vision Court
  • No Parking Zone – Pamlico Drive
  • Controlled Residential Permit Program “A” – Henderson Street – Extension