City Council should set a tax rate that is revenue neutral

City Council should set a tax rate that is revenue neutral

As both a real estate appraiser and a broker, I have been fielding a lot of questions from friends and clients who are very worried about how much higher their property taxes might become. There are people in Wake County who can absorb a higher tax rate, but here are a lot of folks who will not be able to do so.

February 20, 2024 City Council Meetings

February 20, 2024 City Council Meetings

HIGHLIGHTS At work session staff outlined plan for adopting a new comprehensive plan. A robust community engagement process is proposed. Hopefully they will include presentations to CACs. Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-4-23: Downtown Transition Areas...

City Council Meeting February 13, 2024

City Council Meeting February 13, 2024

Highlights Work session focused on Downtown Economic Development; priorities and funding will be discussed at 2/27 meeting of Economic Development and Innovation Committee. Mayor Baldwin absent and excused from the evening meeting. Evening meeting was cancelled after...

Urgent SE Raleigh Issue

Urgent SE Raleigh Issue

We are on notice from the City of Raleigh. If you haven’t had the opportunity to drive through Southeast Raleigh and notice the change in the place – you need to do so.

New Bern Ave Public Hearing Comments

New Bern Ave Public Hearing Comments

Several members of the public spoke in opposition to the mass upzoning proposed for New Bern Ave through the city-initiated case Z-92-22. We are publishing a selection of those comments made by speakers who have given us permission to print their comments.

Don’t Ban Video Presentations

Don’t Ban Video Presentations

when I have used presentations, they have allowed me to better show the orientation of a townhome development proposed in the single family neighborhood of Woodcrest. I have used presentations to show where mixed-use development would be beneficial along major traffic arteries.

Z-92, a truly deceptive, destructive plan

Z-92, a truly deceptive, destructive plan

Please, ask yourself why staff is proposing to put the TOD overlay in place and then, head fake! Wipe it out in the same rezoning case with a totally unrelated and massive up-zoning of 744 properties. Ask yourself why Mayor Baldwin thinks that’s a good idea.

Property valuation increases come with a cost

Property valuation increases come with a cost

A neighborhood is most fortunate when it is somewhere in the middle: Prosperous enough that residents can live in safety, and find it worthwhile to maintain their homes, but not so prosperous that residency is determined only by income, and the soul of the neighborhood is lost.

CITY COUNCIL RETREAT – JANUARY 26 & 27, 2024

CITY COUNCIL RETREAT – JANUARY 26 & 27, 2024

HIGHLIGHTS Typical issues with transparency. Meeting start time initially reported at 1pm, then 12noon, then livestream was supposed to start at 12:40. It actually started at 1:18pm. Apparently a panel discussion occurred when they weren’t filming and no details were...

New Bern TOD – Redo the map – apply it strategically

New Bern TOD – Redo the map – apply it strategically

On January 30th, City Council should vote against the current rezoning case and send City Planners back to the drawing board to redo the map. Wide support of the TOD can be accomplished by strategically applying it to commercial properties and open lots.  You cannot reduce the displacement pressure on the existing neighborhoods when you include those very neighborhoods in the TOD!