...days since Raleigh City Council discontinued Citizen Advisory Councils (CACs) with NO REPLACEMENT.
Time until the 2022 Raleigh City Council election:
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Read up on our latest news…
Mayor Baldwin bullies little girl to tears.
Mayor Baldwin shown here being advised by PNC Arena Security to stop harassing a ten year old child after the Carolina Hurricanes are eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin brought disgrace upon the office of Mayor and to the City of...
Raleigh beware: how greed turns good intentions into urban disasters
Bob Mulder, former Chair Raleigh Planning Commission recently wrote to the City Council about density: The comments and photos below are from my brother in Portland, Oregon. Letter from Portland Three adjacent buildings with no parking. One slab sided with no windows:...
The “Best” City Council Money Can Buy.
First we “Showed You the Money.” Then we “Followed the Money.” In this third of our series about the money in Raleigh’s politics, we examine the effects of Special Interest money pouring into the campaigns.
In a New Poll of Key Issues, Raleigh Voters Call for Change
As the NC primary election season comes to an end and the summer season arrives, it is time to start focusing on Raleigh's upcoming municipal elections. We are rerunning this release of polling data showing what Raleigh voters think of their local city government....
Who Does Council Serve? Part 1: Follow the Money.
72% of Raleigh voters say city government is too beholden to developers. City Council has tried to hide the corrupting influence of big money in a growing list of backroom decisions, but three out of four Raleigh voters see it and feel it every day – as rapid growth drives up their cost of living, drives down their quality of life and drives modest income families out of town.
Don’t Gut Zoning Protections for Neighborhoods
Raleigh’s zoning laws guided the growth of a city often found at the top of “Best Places to Live” lists. They protect us from inconsiderate neighbors. They give us the confidence to buy a house or sign a lease because we can roughly predict what the surroundings will be like in the future. Let’s continue to offer a variety of environments to call home, including vibrant mixed-use areas and quiet, family-friendly neighborhoods.
The People Have Spoken
There has not been a municipal election in Raleigh in over two and a half years. But as you know, this week there was a NC State Senate race involving Patrick Buffkin, a member of the Raleigh City Council. I view the outcome of this race as a proxy for the opinion that the people in Senate District 13, and more broadly across the city, have regarding the Raleigh City Council and its performance over the last two and a half years. Just as elections have consequences in the direction of the next council, so the actions of the council have consequences in the direction of the next election.
Patrick Buffkin – Rejected in Landslide
Raleigh City Councilor Patrick Buffkin asked the voters who know him best to promote him to a seat in the NC Senate. Their answer was a resounding NO! The Tuesday, May 17th primary was the first electoral test for a sitting member of Raleigh's City Council and the...
On Raleigh’s housing supply, actions speak louder than words.
This is a follow-up to a rccent Letter to the Editor published in the N&O. Here we are able to provide more details than can fit in a LTE. There is a copy of that letter at the end of this piece. City Councilor Stewart is quoted in the N&O saying "This...
5/17/22 City Council Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS Councilor Buffkin absent again for all of work session and some of afternoon session (many recent absences seem to coincide with his NC Senate campaign activities, showing his priorities) Several councilors express concerns about lack of transparency and...
This is what systemic means
Carmen Cauthen spoke at the Raleigh City Council meeting about the rezoning of property at the corner of New Bern, Poole Road, extending back to Bart Street. While the New Bern BRT is in process, the developer has asked for this property to be rezoned for a 4 story, 40 unit apartment complex. The neighbors are against the proposal for several reasons.
Plan the work; work the plan
To be clear, we support development, but we do not support the scale of development that would result from this Rezoning Application. At both of the neighborhood “meetings” held by Parker Poe on behalf of the Applicant, there was a consensus among residents that the Rezoning Application was simply too much. These comments have not been provided to the Commission in any materials I reviewed. However, the public comments included in the Staff packet echo many of these comments and concerns. In addition, I am a proponent of the idea that you “Plan the Work and Work the Plan.” In this instance – that “Plan” is the Walkable Midtown plan.
Kane Realty continues growth on steroids at the expense of safety, traffic, and quality of life; where’s the public benefit?
The Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of Z-67-21, located at the intersections of I-440 at Lassiter Mill Road and Lassiter Mill Road at Six Forks Road. This despite strong concerns expressed by area residents concerning the impact on fire safety,...
May 10 Council and Committee meetings round-up
Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of Z-67-21, located at the intersections of I-440 at Lassiter Mill Road and Lassiter Mill Road at Six Forks Road. This despite strong concerns expressed by area residents concerning the impact on fire safety, traffic,...
What’s really Missing from Raleigh’s Missing Middle policy?
City Council will hold a public hearing on Missing Middle policy updates on Tuesday, May 10th. So, we are re-running this blog from the first round of policy. Let's see if they fill in any of the missing pieces this time around. There has been a lot of talk about...
Allowing virtual public comments at in-person meetings would increase citizen participation
First, I would like to address a statement Councilor Stewart made at a recent meeting. She said that it’s the same people who participate in public comment time after time, but this simply is not true. I collected data from City Council minutes for September 4, 2018 to September 7, 2022 for a total of 64 meetings: 32 meetings before Council began meeting virtually and 32 meetings after. You can see this data displayed in the bar graph. During the virtual meetings, participation in public comments increased 17%, and the number of individuals that spoke only once before council increased 23%.
Text Change would eliminate residential zoning
The proposed text changes will put the safety and comfort of our communities at risk by bypassing all restrictions and neighborhood protections by allowing unregulated businesses and unwanted traffic, congestion, and visitors to enter our neighborhoods from 6am -11pm every day/night. I did not purchase a home next to a gym, nail salon, sweepstakes parlor, burger joint, manufacturing plant, clock shop, or art studio because I wanted to live in a bedroom community, not a strip mall.
In the Senate District 13 Democratic primary campaign, Patrick Buffkin stands out. In a bad way.
Livable Raleigh is not making endorsements in state legislative primaries. But we’re tempted in the N.C. Senate District 13 Democratic race. One of the candidates, Lisa Grafstein, is someone we know only by reputation, but it’s a stellar reputation. The other...
Atlantic Avenue Timber Harvest
Ted Van Dyk, AIA is principal of New City Design Group, a Raleigh Architecture firm. Mr. Van Dyk founded New City in 1996, and continues to work on a wide variety of retail multifamily, and mixed use projects throughout the region. Mr. Van Dyk submitted the following...
May 3 2022 City Council Meeting
HIGHLIGHTS Once again a last minute change from in-person to virtual meeting due to Covid outbreak among staff. All public hearings will be continued to May 10 at 4pm except for Floodplain Maps which is referred to Planning Commission with recommendations needed in...