As part of our preparation for the upcoming City Council elections, we have been having conversations with City Council Candidates. One of the biggest issues facing Raleigh right now is the public’s desire to have reforms made to Raleigh’s Missing Middle policies that were implemented in 2021 and 2022.
We have listed several previously published blogs related to Missing Middle for your review that explain our position on the Missing Middle policies.
The ‘free for all’ Missing Middle policy implemented city-wide with no requirement or even incentive for affordability is part of what is creating the demand and the upward pricing pressure on Raleigh properties. If there were restrictions or incentives, the land would NOT be worth as much as it is now with developers having free reign.
The City Council and the Planning Commission tend to be willing to approve any zoning case, anywhere as long as someone notes it will add housing units. It’s the catch-all phrase used to mitigate all other deficiencies. That’s the mantra that was used to approve the Azalea Falls case you will see below.
Portland Measures Missing Middle for Success
Portland has metrics and measures them to make sure they are getting the results they want, Raleigh has no defined metrics and takes no measurements.
Details here: Read the full story
Missing Middle Unintended Side Effects
This project is an example of what is referred to as the biggest mistake you can make with Missing Middle development, slot homes. The neighbor who spoke to council in April 2023 noted that Councilor Branch admitted to him this development was an unintended side effect and he would do everything in his power to stop it. No changes have been made to date.
Details here: Read the full story
Daniel Parolek calls “Slot Homes” the biggest mistake of Missing Middle
The graphic illustration here is an example of what Daniel Parolek, the man who coined the phrase Missing Middle, calls “slot homes.” Parolek calls slot homes bad neighbors and identifies allowing this type of housing as the top mistake cities make in implementing Missing Middle policy.
Details here: Read the full story
What’s Missing from the Missing Middle?
Missing Middle could have been implemented with incentives for affordability as it has been in other cities. But, in Raleigh it was implemented with “all carrot and no stick”
Details here: Read the full story
Guidelines for Deciding Rezoning Cases
Livable Raleigh calls on City Council to reform their approach to rezoning applications. Raleigh’s Comprehensive Plan, if followed, offers a clear path to sustainable, equitable growth.
Details here: Read the full story
Vision for Sustainable Growth
Raleigh is growing rapidly. Where are we headed? Most Raleighites like the idea of growth that is more economical, environmental and equitable. To succeed, we’ll have to grow in ways and in locations that bring fewer cars, more trees and more equitable prosperity. Density is not an end in itself, but can either help or harm sustainable, affordable and equitable growth.
Details here: Read the full story
Adding Density for the sake of density in places like Azalea Falls only exacerbates sprawl
A walkability score of 6/100 should have put an end to this rezoning case. We have to build to grow, but anywhere and everywhere? While the concept of limiting the impacts of unsustainable sprawl development is valid as a general principle, the previous Council, except for Councilor Cox, simplistically transformed Raleigh’s Sustainable Growth Plan, which recommends density ONLY in locations near downtown, near transit and near walkable community centers, into a blanket justification for more density at practically ANY location requested.
Details here: Read the full story
Population Growth and Housing Deficits
There is no shortage of entitlement to build housing units based on rezoning cases that have already been approved. The actual growth rate in Raleigh has been less than what was anticipated and planned for in the 2030 Comp Plan.
Details here: Read the full story
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