HIGHLIGHTS
- Text change to reduce the distance between fuel sales and neighborhoods passed 6 to 2 with Councilors Cox and Forte dissenting. Self-proclaimed environmentalist Councilors Stewart and Knight voted to promote more fossil fuel sales.
- Rezoning Z-68-20 – Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Avenue – rescheduled to January 11 at 2:30pm – virtual; public hearing set for January 18
- Staff updating tree preservation and conservation ordinance.
- Councilor Buffkin asks staff to study feasibility of Municipal Service District in Midtown Area; approved unanimously.
- Mayor Baldwin wants to look for ways to relax mask restrictions in gyms and small businesses despite the fact that Covid numbers are headed in the wrong direction.
- Appointments to RDU Airport Authority will be made in January.
- The goal is to start in-person meetings again in February.
- During the evening session, six speakers made public comments largely focused on lack of community engagement and lack of affordable housing.
- In exchange for a $10 million gift from Pat and Tom Gipson, Council approved naming the Play Plaza at Dix Park the “Gipson Play Plaza.”
- Z-40-21 (adjacent to Horseshoe Farms Nature Preserve) passed 6 to 2 with Councilors Cox and Forte objecting due to environmental concerns. The rezoning was opposed by the Wake Audubon Society and Capital Group Sierra Club who had requested that it be sent to committee for further discussion.
- Text change to allow tiny houses approved unanimously, including option of manufactured homes.
- Text change to modify the use standards for Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, and Cideries and expands the districts where the use is allowed approved unanimously.
AFTERNOON SESSION
- The City Manager reported that the Midtown Small Area Plan was awarded the “Best Specialized Plan in Transportation” from the NC American Planning Association. Will City Council adhere to the recommendations of this award-winning plan?
- City Manager announced that City staff are 82.5% vaccinated
CONSENT AGENDA – passed unanimously
- Petition Annexation – AX-20-21 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 6500 Chapel Hill Road (District D)
- Annexation Petition AX-21-21 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 0, 4225, 4229, 4237 Macon Pond Road (District D)
- Petition Annexation – AX-22-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – Andor Place, Doran Place, Eck Drive- Various addresses (District B)
- Annexation Petition- AX-24-21 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 3095 Gresham Lake Rd (District A)
- Annexation Petition- AX-29-21 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 6350 Triangle Town Blvd (District B)
- Street Improvement Petition – Carolina Avenue (District D)
- Applications for Historic Landmark Designation
- Water Resources Development Grant Program – Stream Restoration, Durant Nature Preserve and Retrofit Adjacent Stormwater Control Pond
- 2021 Small Business Administration – Shuttered Venue Operator Grant – Performing Arts Center
- Request for Temporary Construction Easement – Harmony Landing Subdivision Roadway Improvements
- Easement Request – Duke Energy Progress, LLC – 0 New Bern Place
- Encroaching Improvement Easement – Dillon Parking Deck
- Johnston County Water Supply Agreement
- Professional Services – Nutrient Offset Credit Bank Establishment – Restoration Systems
- Professional Services – Parks Capital Maintenance Study – Facility Engineering Associates, P.C.
- Professional Services – West Neuse Interceptor Rehabilitation and Replacement Project – Black and Veatch International Company – Amendment No. 2
- Professional Services – Integrated Master Plan – HDR, Inc. – Amendment No. 1
- Contract Services – Independent Audit Services – Cherry Bekaert LLP
- Contract Services – Health Insurance Stop Loss/Reinsurance Coverage Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Inc.
- Contract Services – JACE Network Area Controller Replacements – Envirocon, Inc.
- Contract Services – Employee Performance and Learning Management System – SAP “SuccessFactors” Software
- Contract Services – Curbside Yard Waste Program
- 209 Fayetteville Street – Door Swing
- Bid Award- Neuse River & Smith Creek Resource Recovery Facilities Debris Drying – Carolina Civilworks, Inc.
- Bid Award – Bridge Structure Replacement Project (37 & 88) – Span Builders, LLC.
- Bid Award – Baileywick Park Improvements – Muter Construction, LLC
- Speed Limit Reductions – Baileycroft Drive, Banbury Road, Churchill Road, Hadley Road, Lake Dam Road, Lakepark Drive, Leonard Street, and Raleigh Pines Drive
- Multi-way Stops – Hadley Road at Fitzgerald Drive, Hadley Road at Bunche Drive, and Newcombe Road at Fitzgerald Drive
- Two Hour Parking Meters – Enterprise Street
- Two Hour Parking Meters – 301 Hillsborough Street Project
- Police Vehicle Parking Zone – 200 West Cabarrus Street
PLANNING COMMISSION
- Text Change TC-15-21: Towing Yards – PC recommends public hearing on January 4; Buffkin wants to delay for more discussion about proximity to S line; Cox expresses opposition regardless of hearing date due to desire to protect residences; public hearing set for February 1
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-11-21: Chapel Hill Road Street Plan –public hearing scheduled for January 4
SPECIAL ITEMS
- Request to Relinquish Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) – 54 acres in Swift Creek Watershed – public hearing set for January 18
- Omnibus Text Change Program – sent to Growth & Natural Resources Committee
- Text Change TC-13-21: Vehicle Fuel Sales Use Standards – passed 6 to 2 with Councilors Cox and Forte dissenting. Councilor Cox expressed concerns because this encourages a proliferation of gas stations, causing environmental harm, and infringes on residential neighborhoods
- Courageous Community Conversation Initiative Final Report – focused on six areas: Affordable housing, Transportation, Employment opportunities and economic stability, Criminal justice, Mental health, and Education. Will discuss in a work session. Councilor Cox asks for concurrent update on Disparity study.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF — THE CITY MANAGER
- 2022 Council Meeting Schedule; Mayor Baldwin recommends in-person meetings begin in February.
- Youth Conservation Corps Program Update
- Strategic Plan Year-End Update – Fiscal Year 2020-21
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE RALEIGH HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
- Annual Reports, FY 2019-20 and 2020-21 and Annual Work Plan; Councilor Branch asked about possibly saving the Ligon House.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE
- Next meeting January 25 at 1:30pm — virtual
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE GROWTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
- Next meeting January 25 at 4pm — virtual
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE SAFE, VIBRANT, AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE
- Rezoning Z-68-20 – Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Avenue – rescheduled to January 11 at 2:30pm – virtual; public hearing set for January 18
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT COMMITTEE
- Next meeting tentatively scheduled for January 20; will confirm at January 4 council meeting
INDIVIDUAL REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
- Councilor Buffkin asks staff to study feasibility of Municipal Service District in Midtown Area; approved unanimously
- Mayor Baldwin wants to look for ways to relax mask restrictions in gyms and small businesses despite the fact that Covid numbers are headed in the wrong direction.
EVENING SESSION
PUBLIC COMMENT
- Lisa Hughet on affordable housing. Mayor Baldwin doesn’t seem to understand that zonings don’t have to be approved if they don’t provide community benefit.
- Christina Jones on community engagement.
- Douglas Johnston on Dix Park.
- Richard Johnson on pay to play.
Adina Safta on Fayetteville Street- Terry Snyder on Affordable Housing.
- Leon Cooke on Redistricting Survey.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
- Dorothea Dix Park Naming Request – in exchange for a $10 million gift from Pat and Tom Gipson, Council approved naming the Play Plaza the “Gipson Play Plaza.”
- FY2022-23 Annual Housing Action Plan – Octavia Rainey asking for enforcement powers for Fair Housing Hearing Board. Mayor says staff will continue getting public input.
- Annexation Petition – Contiguous -Outside ETJ -2932, 2933, 3013, 3029, & 3033 Watkins Town Road; 1505 Old Watkins Road; and 0 Old Milburnie Road (District B) – approved unanimously
- Rezoning Z-28-21: Watkins Town Road, on both sides of Watkins Town Road, between Watkins Road and Old Watkins Road (District B) – approved unanimously
- Rezoning Z-30-21: 5904 Creedmoor Road, east of its intersection with Jeffreys Grove School Road (District A) – approved unanimously
- Rezoning Z-31-21: National Drive, at its north end (District E) – approved unanimously
- Rezoning Z-39-21: Whitfield Road, at the intersection of Whitfield Road and Battle Bridge Road, less than 1 mile from Battle Bridge Road’s intersection with Rock Quarry Road (District C) – approved unanimously
- Rezoning Z-40-21: Louisburg Road, on its west side, 950 feet south of Mitchell Mill Road (District B) – Councilor Cox expresses concern that condition to build greenway connection is only if it is not required to be ADA-compliant. 58 people signed up to speak in opposition with representatives of Capital Group Sierra Club and Wake Audubon Society asking that it be sent to committee to consider additional conditions largely focused on environmental protection. Councilor Cox asks that it be sent to committee and Councilor Forte supports that due to input. Rezoning passed 6 to 2 with Councilors Cox and Forte dissenting.
- Rezoning Z-44-21: 6525 Battle Bridge Road, located approximately 0.33 miles east of the intersection of Battle Bridge Road and Rock Quarry Road (District C) – passes unanimously
- Rezoning Z-49-21: Kyle Drive and Buffaloe Road, on the north side of Buffaloe Road, west of the Neuse River and south of I-540 (District B) – passes unanimously
- Rezoning Z-55-21: Forestville and Taylor Oaks, at the southeast corner (District B) – passes unanimously
- Text Change for Zoning Conditions TCZ-4-21: 8001 ACC Boulevard, at the northwest corner of ACC Boulevard and TW Alexander Drive (District E) – passes unanimously
- Text Change TC-6-21: Tiny Houses – approved unanimously, including manufactured homes.
- Text Change TC-14-21: Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, and Cideries in CX – approved unanimously