Former Planning Commission Chair Bob Mulder highlights the need to improve Raleigh’s missing middle housing rules. Focusing debates on criticisms of pro and con stakeholders only diverts attention from what we all (except the greediest) agree on: Adding density in the right places is good, but the missing middle rules should be improved – with a more open, public engagement process about how to actually retain, replace and produce housing that’s affordable to current working families and households.
We need leaders, not developer talking heads
When our urban forests are gone, our streams are flooding from overgrowth, and Raleigh is one huge Urban Heat Island, Missing Middle Text politics will not save us.
Increasing density without building the support infrastructure serves only the development industry
Council’s sledgehammer efforts at planning have been both thoughtless and undisciplined. Density does not improve quality of life or lower housing prices.
City of Raleigh losing trees at an alarming rate
Your relentless drive to spread density everywhere is going to be the death knell for the remaining urban forests in our older subdivisions. You are riding the crest of the tree removal wave, as well as the steady progression towards increased traffic gridlock.
Another housing option?
After calling Richmond, Boston, Southern California and New Jersey/New York home during a financial services career, Bill Dix arrived in Raleigh 35 years ago. By far the most congenial place they’ve ever lived, he wants to keep it that way. Active for over two decades...
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:...
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,...
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.
Falls Lake Watershed – Our Drinking Water Source Must Be Protected
A zoning case to add density in the protected Falls Lake Watershed, an area with little to no access to public transit, threatens the safety of Raleigh's drinking water. Bob Mulder, a former chair of Raleigh's Planning Commission, sent the following...
Adding Density without Infrastructure Planning Makes No Sense; So Why Are We Doing It?
Midtown Raleigh resident Larry Helfant shares his insights and concerns about deficiencies in Raleigh’s planning for growth. The recently announced phase of the North Hills expansion (Z-67-21) will result in a further degradation of neighborhood quality to the people...