I listened and watched the transportation presentation with the expectation of hearing the options to bring this project within budget. That is what I had been told for the last six months. I was wrong again on all counts. With a Council primed to go on summer hiatus, Council made a decision that will haunt this Council for many years to come – cancelling the Six Forks Road Improvement project. I tried to speak before that decision was made, as some of you saw, but I was denied.
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.
Livable Raleigh and other proponents of Missing Middle best practices have lobbied Council for years to engage in a community conversation toward adopting Missing Middle infill improvements on the books in other peer cities that actually promote affordability, compatibility and walkable transit access. The latest, and perhaps best rules so far, have been adopted by Sacramento, CA.
If Z-12-25 is approved, it sets a precedent that 30 stories can be built adjacent to any neighborhood in Raleigh. The policies are clear: no more than 12 stories is appropriate in this area. Anything more violates core urban planning principles and undermines the framework that protects Raleigh neighborhoods. The Planning Commission will hear the case in August, and City Council will vote soon after. Once this precedent is set, it cannot be undone. The decisions made now will define what kind of city Raleigh becomes, whether we uphold sound planning principles and protect neighborhoods, or open the door to unchecked, inconsistent rezonings. We must act now to protect Raleigh’s plans, values, and communities and demand development that respects the city’s long-term vision. Sign the Petition!
Highlights from July 1 City Council Afternoon and Evening Sessions
HB 765 is currently under consideration at the NC General Assembly. If passed, the bill would eliminate any local control over zoning. HB 765 was written by the Homebuilders Association and creates statewide mandates, eviscerates conditional zoning, and bars council from considering residents’ opinions. Please ask your representatives to OPPOSE HB 765
PACK THE ROOM! Developer Hosted Neighborhood Meeting. April 23 6pm McKimmon Center. If height and density of this magnitude can be forced here, without support, where guidance clearly stipulates a maximum of 12 stories and where the site is in a Transition Area, then BEWARE! It can happen anywhere. All neighborhoods in and around Raleigh are at imminent risk.
New developments on public property are the easiest opportunities to build this badly needed affordable housing, because it’s our land. And, we can choose what to do with it!
If a 30 story tower is approved at this location in a designated Downtown Transition Area, then ALL the other neighborhoods noted here and currently protected by Downtown Transition Areas are at risk. This is a dangerous precedent to set.
In a misguided attempt to reduce Public Comment meetings from 3 hours to 2 hours in length, what City Council has done is put in place new limits when in fact, no meeting in 2024 ever went over 2 hours. But now, based on the new rules, a majority of the meetings will run less than 45 minutes and speakers will only get 1 minute to speak.