Highlights of City Council Meetings – January 18, 2022

Jan 18, 2022 | Blog

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Voted 5-3 to provide $10k in temporary funding to Iglesia La Semilla’s COVID efforts while the organization is vetted for a $56k request.
  • Public comments focus was on engagement, affordable housing, police, and priorities.
  • Community engagement related to Boards and Commissions will be on Council Retreat agenda (March 4-5)
  • Police Chief stressed the importance of community engagement; 5-day report on latest lethal police incident will be released tomorrow
  • Hearing for Z-68-20 Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Avenue, at the northeast corner of the intersection (District D) will be held open so applicant can resubmit a revised request; back on agenda for February 1 evening meeting. It was disturbing to hear staff and some Councilors trying to discount the importance of small area plans given how much time and money is spent in developing them.  We have small area plans because citywide policies are not good enough for the area. If citywide policies were adequate, you wouldn’t need area plans.

WORK SESSION

Neighborhood Traffic Management Program – Year End Report & 2020 Projects Update – Vote will take place at February 1 council meeting

Requested Council Action

  • Approve the 2022 Project Priority list
  • Waiving the participation threshold for the 10 streets on the 2020 Project list. This would equate to 15 of 19 streets moving forward
  • Approve the proposed policy revisions recommendations

Staff Proposed Policy Revisions Recommendations

  • Speed Limit Reductions: allow staff to use context instead of solely relying on a vehicular volume threshold (ex. Fairview Road)
  • Traffic Calming Balloting: remove the on-street and neighborhood participation thresholds to increase project output based on the participant’s approval ratings
  • Traffic Calming Awareness: increase awareness by placing temporary informational yard signs prior and during balloting periods
  • Allowance of traffic calming outside of the NTMP: work with various stakeholder groups to implement traffic calming solutions (ex. new subdivisions or Capital Improvement Projects with existing public engagement processes)

AFTERNOON SESSION

CONSENT AGENDA – APPROVED

PUBLIC COMMENT

  • Christina Jones on Community Engagement and why Dix Park is being prioritized over other parks and other needs, e.g., a village of tiny homes, increased parks staff, text/call notifications regarding meetings in addition to signage.
  • Leon Cooke on Affordable Housing and how council actions have made things worse. Also asked for increased community engagement.
  • Octavia Rainey on Redistricting’s negative impact on minorities.
  • Richard Johnson on CACs and survey results.
  • Edgar Vergara on $56k Funding Request for Iglesia La Semilla COVID efforts; agreed to provide up to $10k while the organization is vetted. Approved 5-3 with Stewart, Melton and Buffkin dissenting.
  • Adina Safta on Downtown Raleigh problems and accountability.
  • Kim Muktarian on police killings.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION

  • Scheduled for February 1
    • Historic Landmark Designations
      • Pitysmont (William Hand Browne House), 2822 Van Dyke Avenue (District D)
      • Moredecai Whitehall – 1322 Mordecai Drive (District C)
    • STC-11-2021 – Portions of Granit Quarry Drive Right-of-Way (District C)
    • Z-21-21 – 8916 Six Forks Road (District A, future)
    • Z-52-21 – 323 & 327 West Morgan Street (District D)
    • Z-53-21 – 2300 & 2310 Tryon Road (District D, future)
    • Z-69-21 – Bloodworth Street, David Street, Hargett Street, Martin Street, Person Street (multiple parcels) (District C)
    • TC-15-21 – Towing Yards
  • Rezoning Z-41-21: Bloodworth Street, at the southwest corner of the intersection of S. Bloodworth and E. Cabarrus Streets, stretching westward the entire width of the block to S. Person Street (District C) – 3/1 public hearing approved
  • Rezoning Z-43-21: Consisting of the majority of the block bounded by Hargett, Salisbury, Martin, and McDowell Streets (District C) – 3/1 public hearing approved
  • Rezoning Z-56-21: 2016 Cameron Street (portion), on its north side, being the portion of the parcel at the corner of Smallwood Drive and Woodburn Road (District D) – 3/1 public hearing approved
  • Rezoning Z-59-21: Wade Avenue, north side between the intersections of Canterbury Road and Hobson Court (District D) – 3/1 public hearing approved

SPECIAL ITEMS

  • Boards and Commissions – Update on Communication Resources
    • The Communications Department and the Office of Community Engagement outlined how they will support Boards and Commissions
    • Long discussion about social media accounts and free speech – Council will follow up on this at their retreat

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER

  • Midtown Commuter item not ready today; will be on upcoming agenda
  • Update on Homelessness Initiatives and Community Health Initiative Grant Follow-up
  • Update from the Police Chief
    • Stressed the importance of community engagement
    • Announced plans for a new Community Conversations initiative
    • Appointed Michael Ballen as LGBTQ+ liaison

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE ARTS COMMISSION

Annual Work Plans and Report – approved

PUBLIC HEARINGS

  • Public Nuisance Abatement – Property Liens – approved unanimously
  • Unfit for Human Habitation – asked for 30-day extension as property may have been sold; moved to second meeting in February
  • Petition Annexation – AX-20-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 6500 Chapel Hill Road (District D) – approved unanimously
  • Petition Annexation – AX-21-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 0, 4225, 4229, 4237 Macon Pond Road (District D) – approved unanimously
  • Petition Annexation – AX-22-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – Andor Place, Doran Place, Eck Drive- Various addresses (District B) – approved unanimously
  • Petition Annexation – AX-24-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 3095 Gresham Lake Road (District A) – approved unanimously
  • Petition Annexation – AX-29-21- Contiguous Inside ETJ – 6350 Triangle Town Boulevard (District B) – approved unanimously
  • Swift Creek ETJ Relinquishment Request – approved unanimously
  • Rezoning Z-68-20 Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Avenue, at the northeast corner of the intersection (District D) – hearing will be held open so applicant can resubmit a revised request; back on agenda for February 1 evening meeting
  • Text Change TC-17-21: Playset Structures – approved 6-2 with Councilors Cox and Forte dissenting.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE

  • Next meeting will be 1/25 at 1:30pm virtual – public realm study and mobile vending

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE GROWTH AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

  • Next meeting will be 1/25 at 4pm on wild and exotic animals  and omnibus text change

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

  • Rezoning Z-68-20 – Hillsborough Street and Bagwell Avenue – reported out with no recommendation; no meeting next week

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT COMMITTEE

  • No report and no pending items

REPORT FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

  • Councilor Cox thanked Christina Jones for her public comments and encouraged her to continue to report. Also thanked Octavia Rainey for her activism and defended her use of staff names if not a personal attack. Also wants staff to look into gerrymandering with regard to redistricting.
  • Councilor Buffkin made divisive comments and got away with making a personal attack on Councilor Cox in violation of the Code of Conduct. Asked that towing ordinance be brought back for minor tweaks at February 1 meeting – approved unanimously.

CONSENT AGENDA – APPROVED

  • Declaration of Surplus Property: Permanent Slope Easement at 4915 Lead Mine Road
  • Amendments to the Deferred Pay Plan – City Manager Authorization
  • FAA Grant Offers – RDU Airport Authority
  • Grant Application – NC Land and Water Fund – Upper Durant Lake Conversion to Habitat Wetland
  • FY22 Mid-Year Grant Ordinance
  • Professional Services – Water Quality Monitoring Program – Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant – Hazen and Sawyer
  • Contract Services – Solid Waste Fleet Services – Onsite Lubrication – Ferguson’s Truck and Tractor – Amendment No. Four
  • Office Space Lease – Raleigh Police Department Southwest District Station – 601 Hutton Street
  • Contract Services -Adult Softball Officiating Services – Fun2Ref, LLC
  • Contract Services – Youth Baseball Officiating Services – Fun2Ref, LLC
  • Pump Station Abandonment – Food Lion Rolesville, Highland Creek Subdivision in Raleigh
  • Multi-way Stops – Cooper Road at Little John Road and Old Buffaloe Road at Baugh Street
  • Speed Limit Reductions – Camden Creek Drive, E. Jones Street, Falls Church Road/Port Royal Road, Frinks Street, Grove Creek Lane, Oak Park Road, Promise Beacon Circle, Wexford Drive, & Wyncote Drive
  • Curbside Pickup Zone Codification
  • Two Hour Parking Meters – 200 West Cabarrus Street