Bob Mulder, former Chair of Raleigh’s Planning Commission, sent the following letter to Raleigh City Council on January 16, 2026.
It was published in the N&O as a Letter to the Editor on Sunday, January 18, 2026.
We are publishing it here with his permission.
January 16, 2026
To: Raleigh City Council
The Declaration of Independence has a statement in it that all men are created equal. I would massage that a bit and rephrase it with “that all human beings are created equal” in this day and age.
For many people in this country today this statement in the declaration of independence is nothing but a suggestion. However, it’s an aspirational statement that we have not yet fully achieved. It’s important that any laws that are passed undergird this aspirational statement and propel our country towards really being a place where all human beings are equal.
Raleigh’s comprehensive plan is a similar type of aspirational statement for really good planning. The Comprehensive Plan creates a framework for the UDO.
For a lot of people though, it’s still a suggestion, and we’re not at the point yet where we have been able to fulfill the promise of the comprehensive plan. It’s the bright light of a planning candle that gets routinely snuffed out.
Please resist any suggestions not to take the Comprehensive into consideration, and that it is only a guide. Please vote to uphold the Comprehensive Plan on Z-34-25 and damn any torpedoes that may come your way as a result of your “No” vote.
Sincerely,
Robert Mulder, Former Chair
Raleigh Planning Commission
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