Full agenda and attachments at https://pub-raleighnc.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=506b6ca0-daf4-43cc-933b-7015b61d1e95&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English
HIGHLIGHTS
- Councilor Lambert-Melton absent and excused.
- An online interactive dashboard will soon launch to track spending from the 2022 Parks Bond.
- Public comments focused on the Big Branch Greenway Connector, parking issues, and stormwater problems.
- Unanimously approved extending two-hour free downtown parking pilot through end of current fiscal year
- Unanimously approved Downtown Mobility Study and Active Mobility Plan which may cost at least $100M
- Staff provided an update on the progress of the implementation of the Raleigh CARES program.
- Big Branch Greenway Connector design – Parks Board could not come to agreement on all segment options and had serious environmental, safety, and fiscal concerns. Council approved Parks Board recommendation for segments 1A and 4 as well as Parks staff recommendation for 1B streamside West option by a vote of 5 to 2 with Councilors Jones and Branch voting no.
- Unanimously authorized the City to participate in the Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) Program.
- Unanimously approved all three nuisance abatement liens.
- Unanimously approved 90 day repair or demolish orders on 3 properties and allowed extra time on one property
- Petition Annexation – AX-27-25 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 8215 Leesville Road (District E) – unanimously approved
- Petition Annexation – AX-28-25 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 5910 Ponderosa Road (District A) – unanimously approved
- Rezoning Z-23-25: Gorman Street, at the intersection of Burt Drive and Gorman Street (District D) – deferred to December 2 to amend conditions
- Rezoning Z-25-25: 101 N. Bloodworth Street, at the northwest corner of the intersection of E. Edenton and N. Bloodworth Streets (District C) – denied by a vote of 6 to 1 with Councilor Silver being the lone vote to approve
- Text Change TC-3-25: Greenway Amendments – unanimously approved
- Councilor Harrison will host a DDNA (District D Neighborhood Alliance) on 11/22 from 9:30–11am at Carolina Pines and will focus on affordable housing and public safety
- Councilor Jones will host a District E meeting on 12/10 from 6-8pm at La Cucina and a District E book club meeting on 12/13 from 9:30-11:30am at Panera on Glenwood
- Mayor Cowell talked about the stress from having ICE in our community
11:30 A.M. WORK SESSION CALLED TO ORDER BY THE MAYOR
2022 Parks Bond Update
- There is an online interactive dashboard that will be published shortly for the 2022 Parks Bond showing $55.31M has been spent to date out of the total project budget of $325.40M (which includes non-Parks Bond Sources of $35.85M) with expected completion of all projects by December 2029.
- Mayor Cowell says the dashboard should be used to track future bond projects and the tool should also showcase the impact of inflation and other factors on budgets.
REGULAR SESSION CALLED TO ORDER BY THE MAYOR
- Mayor Cowell announced that ICE is in Wake County and Durham County and asked that people with concerns call Raleigh Police. She encouraged those wishing to exercise their First Amendment rights to do so peacefully
Interstate Renewable Energy Council “Charging Smart” Silver Designation
- The City has recently received designation as a Silver awardee for the Charging Smart program, achieving national best practices and policies that facilitate the expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.
CONSENT AGENDA
- Passed unanimously
PUBLIC COMMENT
- Comments focused on the Big Branch Greenway Connector, parking issues, and stormwater problems.
- Four of the twenty-six people who had signed up did not show up. Because 26 people had signed up, comments were limited to one minute each. If the four people who didn’t show up had not signed up, each speaker would have had two minutes.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
The following items are scheduled for public hearing at City Council on December 2, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.:
- Rezoning Z-9-25 — 4500 Western Boulevard (District D)
- Rezoning Z-11-25 — 2230 South New Hope Road (District C)
- Rezoning Z-28-25 — 2126 Sanderford Road (District C)
- Rezoning Z-30-25 — 2816 Hodge Road (District C)
Rezoning Z-20-25: Brier Creek Town Center PD, at the intersection of Arco Corporate Drive and Macaw Street (District E) – scheduled 12/2 public hearing
Rezoning TCZ-32-25: Jeffreys Grove School Road Assemblage, west of the intersection of Jeffreys Grove School and Creedmoor Roads (District A) – scheduled 12/2 public hearing
Text Change TC-3-24: Historic Preservation and Raleigh Historic Development Commission – scheduled 12/2 public hearing
SPECIAL ITEMS
Downtown Investment Opportunities – 2-hour Free Parking Pilot Update
- Losing more than $500k in revenue
- Mayor Cowell felt this was strategically important from branding, finances, and public safety perspectives.
- Will discuss parking during January retreat
- Unanimously approved extending pilot through end of current fiscal year
Rezoning Z-27-25: 721 & 725 Grove Avenue, at the intersection of Scarlet Maple Drive and Grove Avenue (District D)
- scheduled 12/2 public hearing
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY MANAGER
Downtown Mobility Study and Active Mobility Plan
- During the presentation, staff provided a brief overview of both plans and planning level cost estimates to deliver priority projects in the “Big Jump” network, as requested by the Council during the October work session.
- These estimates would total approximately $100M and do not include all required work.
- Unanimously approved
Crisis Alternative Response for Empathy and Support (CARES) Program – Update
- Staff provided an update on the progress of the implementation of the Raleigh CARES program.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND GREENWAY ADVISORY BOARD
Big Branch Greenway Connector Trail – Schematic Design
- Parks Board could not come to agreement on all segment options and had serious environmental, safety, and fiscal concerns.
- No information on easement acquisition costs currently available.
- NCDEQ approval would be required.
- Lengthy discussion about potential flooding concerns.
- Approved Parks Board recommendation for segments 1A and 4 as well as Parks staff recommendation for 1B streamside West option by a vote of 5 to 2 with Councilors Jones and Branch voting no.
MATTERS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) Program
- Unanimously authorized the City to participate in the Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) Program.
Public Nuisance Abatement – Property Liens
- 1417 E Martin St (C)
- 1700 New Bern Ave (C)
- 813 N West St (D)
- Unanimously approved
Unfit for Human Habitation 90 Days Repair/Demolish
• 116 Star Street (C) (90 Day Repair or Demolish) – voted to allow extra time for the property to be secured
• 4001 Virginia Street (C) (90 Day Repair or Demolish) – unanimously approved
• 4005 Virginia Street (C) (90 Day Repair or Demolish) – unanimously approved
• 4009 Virginia Street (C) (90 Day Repair or Demolish) – unanimously approved
Petition Annexation – AX-27-25 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 8215 Leesville Road (District E) – unanimously approved
Petition Annexation – AX-28-25 – Contiguous Inside ETJ – 5910 Ponderosa Road (District A) – unanimously approved
Rezoning Z-23-25: Gorman Street, at the intersection of Burt Drive and Gorman Street (District D) – deferred to December 2 to amend conditions
Rezoning Z-25-25: 101 N. Bloodworth Street, at the northwest corner of the intersection of E. Edenton and N. Bloodworth Streets (District C) – denied by a vote of 6 to 1 with Councilor Silver being the lone vote to approve
Text Change TC-3-25: Greenway Amendments – unanimously approved
REPORT OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
- Councilor Harrison will host a DDNA (District D Neighborhood Alliance) on 11/22 from 9:30–11am at Carolina Pines and will focus on affordable housing and public safety
- Councilor Jones will host a District E meeting on 12/10 from 6-8pm at La Cucina and a District E book club meeting on 12/13 from 9:30-11:30am at Panera on Glenwood
- Mayor Cowell talked about the stress from having ICE in our community