More news…
Transit Overlay Districts – this generation’s Urban Renewal?
Now, as back then, the planners draw lines around parcels on a map. Now, as back then, what gets forgotten is the PEOPLE who live on those parcels. People who will get kicked out of their apartments because their landlord sells out to a developer. Homeowners who find their beloved home wedged between tall buildings. And people all over Raleigh who appreciate our historic treasures and hate to keep losing them. And most of these people still don’t realize what is coming.
Give respect, Get respect
Public meetings can be an unnerving experience for some people as they are appearing in an unfamiliar setting for something that is important to them. It’s important to treat every person with these courtesies: 1. Be welcoming to speakers no matter their point of view. 2. Be an active listener. The respectful thing is to pay attention. 3. Avoid debate and argument with the public. It is never appropriate to challenge a speaker.
City Council Afternoon Session – April 18, 2023
A summary of the City Council Afternoon Meeting for April 18, 2023
City Council Work Session – Election Reform – April 18, 2023
Council held a Work Session on the topic of changes to the Raleigh City Elections.
Bailey to Baldwin: “Your lack of leadership is an embarrassment.”
At the April 4th Council meeting Donna Bailey shared a video showing Mary-Ann Baldwin’s embarrassing style of governing. Bailey’s video shows Baldwin abusing her elected position to promote a big donor’s rezoning by suppressing fellow Councilor Jane Harrison’s participation in the rezoning discussion.
Livable Raleigh Named “Best Local Activist Group”
INDY Week Readers Name Livable Raleigh Best Local Activist Group - Wake County - 2023 Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the event. We pledge to continue bringing you the kind of local activism you appreciate. Livable Raleigh was started in the...
WHY demolish these treasures?
Please, City Council, save our historic treasures. Save our affordable housing. Save our old neighborhoods. We contribute a lot to this City. We are not ready to be sent to the landfill! Please leave us out of the T.O.D
Hillsborough-Wade CAC: Back Home after 3 Years!
The Hillsborough-Wade CAC held its first in-person meeting in over 3 years! The meeting and program was a huge success. We had over 50 residents in attendance, and the program included two City Councilors and staff from Raleigh’s Community Engagement Office.
Mayor Baldwin Caught Red-Handed Suppressing Free Speech
An email dated March 1, 2023, shows communication from the Raleigh City Clerk to the Raleigh City Manager detailing a timeline of events that resulted in two speakers being removed from public comment at Mayor Baldwin’s request. On June 6, 2022 Mayor Baldwin asked a deputy city clerk to remove two speakers signed up to speak about community reparative justice, under the guise that the city would schedule a public hearing on the matter “soon.” During the March 21, 2023 afternoon council meeting, Councilor Jones directly asked Mayor Baldwin if she had indeed authorized the removal of two individuals from public comment with the promise of a public hearing that, to this day, had yet to occur or be scheduled. Mayor Baldwin simply stated “no,” which is in direct contradiction to the email authored by the city clerk.
City Council Work Session April 11, 2023
Affordable Housing https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/CQSU5A6C24D8/$file/20230411HNAffordableHousingWorkSessionStaffPresentation.pdf Rental Vouchers o Public Housing Authorities are the primary provider for 30% and below AMI households o 3700 vouchers...
City Council Budget Work Session – April 10, 2023
o Agency Grants Recommendations
o Human Resources Update
o FY2024-2028 Capital Improvement Program Update
o Annual Fee Adjustments
o Parking Fee Adjustments
Supply, demand, and poorly focused density planning are causing a shortage of truly affordable housing – not zoning.
Missing Middle will not repair our history of racist redlining. With all the discussion of zoning’s racist past, there is surprisingly no discussion to ensure that zoning changes will result in more equitable and truly affordable housing choices. It appears that our racist past has been weaponized to support changes that in the end may do nothing to repair it other than providing more opportunities for the building industry.
April 4, 2023 City Council Meetings
HIGHLIGHTS Councilor Patton absent and excused Voted unanimously to appropriate $10,000 from Council Contingency to support the United Arts Council's Annual Gala Voted unanimously to approve $492,231 from ARPA funds for Legal Aid of North Carolina,...
Shaw University belongs to all of us
Several council members have been totally non responsive to our meeting requests. Mary Ann Baldwin has blocked our emails and the City Attorney for the planning commission has not responded to our concerns about a serious conflict of interest issue regarding a commissioner and Shaw University Board of Trustee member. We need to remind City Council about the importance of true community engagement.
Stick to the plan.
Contrary to comments by planning staff, the Comprehensive plan is the guide today, regardless of whether it gets amended in the future. The same is true for the Future Land Use map but, if this application is approved, the area zoning will be changed to accommodate the new building heights for anything being proposed in the future. As a local land use attorney has said, “you have the facts to come to a proper decision on this case without waiting for the details on a future Development Agreement that, in itself, will be controversial and an anchor on the City Budget for the next ten years.
Suppression, Displacement and Conflicts of Interest
When residents are telling you that your project is causing gentrification and displacement, your response should not be to double down and steamroll the people.
March 28, 2023 Safe, Vibrant, & Healthy Community Committee Meeting regarding Z-54-22 (Peace and West Streets)
Request is to go from 12 stories to 30 stories City Planning staff emphasize that they are providing guidance and context, but it is up to the Council, legally and otherwise, to make decisions on consistency with the Comp Plan. Council is not obligated to defer to...
Raleigh facing issues similar to Durham
As density increases, the need for conscious, deliberate stormwater and other utility planning also increases. Instead, three years ago, the city decided to allow individual developers to do as they please “as of right.” Now the city denies any responsibility for the predictable mayhem that is resulting. My neighbor’s flooding is just one real-world example of the problems that occur when the city abandons its responsibility for strategic growth planning and oversight, and instead deregulates development.
It’s time to reassess the impacts of BRT and TOD on neighborhoods
It’s time to step back and re-assess the likely impacts of BRT and TOD on established neighborhoods and identities instead of relying on the desired, but unproven outcomes pitched by those who stand to make a business profit.
March 21, 2023 City Council Work Session and Afternoon Session
HIGHLIGHTS Longtime City Clerk Gail Smith was honored at her last meeting upon her retirement Public Comments focused on negative impacts of Missing Middle and other rezoning actions that will harm existing neighborhoods, difficulties in engaging with the City,...