Full Agenda available at https://pub-raleighnc.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=8a486151-3dcb-4cd2-a03f-5604d6093086&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English
Highlights
o Six Forks Road project was abandoned due to escalating costs.
o Mayor Cowell will meet with RCAC representatives in July to find a way forward toward restoring CACs.
o Downtown projects are moving ahead.
o Fire Department needs additional resources to improve response times.
o Some changes will be made to Boards and Commissions with more changes under discussion.
o New ordinances to eliminate panhandling from medians go into effect November 1.
o Staff will present a proposal for a comprehensive review and community engagement around issues with noise and amplified sound.
Afternoon Session
o Consent agenda passed
o Z-48-24, Z-2-25, and Z-07-25 public hearings scheduled for August 19
o Z-52-24, TC-11-24, and TC-2-25 public hearings scheduled for September 2
o 45-day extensions granted to Planning Commission for TC-2-51 and Z-08-25
o Council contingency funds start out at $150,000 or $18,750 for each Council member. Approved Mayor Cowell’s request for $1000 to A’s for Kids, and Councilor Silver’s request for $7500 for North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre
Maybe there’s an opportunity for a council member to request contingency funds to provide hybrid technologies to the CACs.
o Public hearings set for September 2 for STC-05-23 and STC-01-25
o Received update on CARES program
o Scrapped Six Forks Road project despite having already spent $9M on it because of cost escalations and despite this having been approved by voters in a bond referendum. Instead the remaining funds will be used to close a sidewalk gap at Carroll Middle School and make safety improvements at some intersections in the District. Any additional remaining funds will go to design of Midtown Multi-Modal Bridge, and then completion of Barwell Road and Lake Wheeler Road improvements.
Councilor Silver implied that there was too much community engagement which delayed the project, thereby adding to the cost.
Mayor Cowell suggested coming up with a new process for road widening projects, especially as the General Assembly may no longer help with funding.
Midtown CAC Chair Larry Helfant was not permitted to speak.
o CAC update demonstrated that although a resolution was passed on February 6, 2024 to restore CACs to their “unique and historic role,” City staff seem intent on absorbing CACs into the Community Engagement Department.
Little progress has been made on providing hybrid technologies or a web presence. Staff said they will provide CACs with old email lists from 2020. It seemed that the City has taken no action to re-active the CACs that stopped functioning after the City withdrew support. It sounded like the City wants the functioning CACs to take that on even though the City is responsible for decimating many CACs, particularly ones in minority neighborhoods.
RCAC Chair Robert Rice was not allowed to address Council, but Mayor Cowell said she would be glad to meet with RCAC representatives in July so that they can take action in August.
o Staff presented updates on major downtown projects including the hotel and convention center (council approved new amendments to the original deal and the convention center is anticipated to open in 2029), the new City Hall (anticipated to open in March 2027), Red Hat Amphitheatre (expected to open for 2027 season), Chavis-Dix strollway (starting design phase which will include Fourth Ward in Phase 1), Heritage Park (demolition scheduled for this Fall), and a revised interchange concept which generated a lot of discussion.
Downtown Pedestrian Safety actions are in Phase 2 and several final reports are anticipated in Fall 2025, including a Downtown Mobility Study, Active Mobility Plan, Vision 0, and Micro-gap sidewalks.
o Fire Master Plan was presented. Raleigh is significantly underperforming compared to desired response times. Metrics will continue to deteriorate as the City grows unless action is taken to relocate 3 existing stations, rebuild 2 existing stations, and add 4 new stations, as well as adding more ladder trucks, frontline apparatus, and crews.
o AX-17-24 and Z-14-24 were approved by a 6 to 2 vote with Councilors Silver and Jones voting against.
o Plans for revamping Boards and Commissions were presented. Council approved several recommendations including standardizing bylaws, providing guidance to council liaisons, and renaming some of the boards. However several other recommendations were not advanced in order to get more feedback from the public.
o No reports or scheduled meetings for Economic Innovation and Development Committee or Growth and Natural Resources Committee.
o Safe, Vibrant, and Healthy Communities Committee will meet on August 26.
o Transportation and Transit Committee will meet on August 28.
o Councilor Harrison will not hold a District D meeting in July; next meeting will be on August 16 at the Crowder Center.
o Councilor Branch will not hold a District C meeting in July, but is planning one for August.
o Councilor Jones will have a District E meeting on July 9 and a District E Book Club meeting on July 12.
o Councilor Silver will hold a District A meeting on August 28 from 6-7pm at Millbrook Community Center.
o Council passed a resolution that will become effective on November 1 to prohibit standing, sitting, or loitering on City medians. Approaching cars will also be prohibited. A communications campaign will take place and will include placing signs on the relevant medians.
o Lengthy discussion about noise and amplified sound. Benchmarking with peer cities show that Raleigh is much more lenient than most. Many restrict noise after 10pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Decibel limits are the preferred measuring tools with many cities requiring private businesses to own their own decibel meters. Several councilors liked the model that Austin uses.
Councilor Lambert-Melton expressed concern about losing vibrancy and about effective enforcement. He pointed out that the City has tried unsuccessfully to address this issue and wants to make sure they get it right this time and are able to restore trust with both businesses and residents.
Mayor Cowell asked for a proposal by August 19 to perform a comprehensive review and community engagement plan.
Evening Session
o Public comments focused on Fourth Ward, Public Comment Process, Affordable Housing, Rezoning Z-12-25 (Peace Street Assemblage), Conflicts of Interest, Reparative Justice, Bus Drivers, Crime, 2026 Election, Rezoning Process, Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheatre, and the RDU Quarry.
o 7 people signed up for public comments and 7 people spoke.
o Z-43-24 public hearing – withdrawn by applicant.
o TCZ-3-25 public hearing – applicant asking for change to zoning conditions at RUSBUS to contribute funding for Affordable Housing in lieu of including units on the property because it costs them less. The developer claimed that including the Affordable Housing on site threatens the future of the project. It seems obvious that including affordable housing at a bus station would make sense.
Note that Councilor Branch is on the Board for the developer, but since he receives no financial compensation, the City Attorney has ruled that he doesn’t need to recuse himself.
Councilor Lambert-Melton said that Missing Middle is helping provide Affordable Housing in Raleigh, which is simply not true.
Approved 6 to 2. Councilors Patton and Harrison voted against.
If you appreciate the kind of reporting we bring to you
|
Please donate $10 or $20, Thanks for supporting |
 |