City Council takes the right first steps for New Bern Ave corridor

We want to thank the Raleigh City Council for taking a thoughtful and measured approach to beginning the process of applying the TOD to the New Bern Ave corridor.

As Matthew Brown, a long-time and visionary leader in Raleigh, put it in an email to his neighbors along the corridor,

“With this decision, Council has aimed to make the New Bern corridor more transit-friendly, but without displacing the residents of the historic neighborhoods along the corridor.” 

Well said. 

We are publishing his note with his permission:

Dear neighbors,

On March 5, the Raleigh City Council approved application of the Transit Overlay District (T.O.D.) along the New Bern corridor, but without changing the base zoning of properties, which would have increased building height limits. Council also excluded from the T.O.D. all properties currently within Neighborhood Conservation Overlay Districts (N.C.O.D.s), all Raleigh Historic Landmarks, and all properties that had requested exemption. 

The New Bern-Edenton N.C.O.D. includes the Hungry Neck neighborhood and the part of the Idlewild neighborhood west of Heck Street. The King Charles N.C.O.D. includes most of the Longview neighborhood.

Council did not approve the upzoning that had been proposed for 29 properties in the southern part of the Oakwood Historic Overlay District.

Council removed the large vacant lot at the southeast corner of New Bern and Swain from the N.C.O.D., added it to the T.O.D. and increased its building height limit to 5 stories with an option for 3 more stories. It is owned by a developer who has professed his intention to build affordable housing and a grocery store on the site. Council also upzoned “Duplex Village” and the city-owned lots at the corner of New Bern and Raleigh Blvd.

Council stated its intention to consider upzoning additional individual properties within the T.O.D. at future meetings beginning in April, after Council members have a chance to look at the properties. Focus will be given to vacant properties, and to the Tower Shopping Center.

With this decision, Council has aimed to make the New Bern corridor more transit-friendly, but without displacing the residents of the historic neighborhoods along the corridor.

Matthew Brown