When a developer asks for support from council, there were to be significant benefits to the community, but we the voters get only Astroturf, artwork, and a bench? Other cities have received ice skating rinks and, at a minimum, public bathrooms. The council needs to get developers to provide infrastructure and get significant benefits as it says in the plan. It seems easy for you to say no to voters, so try exercising some of that courage with the developers.
Highlights from January 6, 2026 Council meetings
The rezoning case Z-11-25 (2230 S New Hope Rd) proposes development on a reforested, environmentally sensitive floodplain area. This forest is one of the last natural buffers remaining along New Hope Road, protecting nearby neighborhoods from flooding, erosion, and extreme heat. The Planning Commission has already recommended denial of this case, recognizing the significant environmental and community risks.
A concerned citizen who wishes to be anonymous emailed Livable Raleigh about the proposals currently being considered for the Big Branch Greenway Connector. I’ve heard a lot of statistics and technical data from City staff and others, and it reminds me of a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein: “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”
Raleigh is growing rapidly. Where are we headed? Most Raleighites like the idea of growth that is more economical, environmental and equitable. To succeed, we’ll have to grow in ways and in locations that bring fewer cars, more trees and more equitable prosperity.
Wake County zoned the Odd Fellows Tract back to low density residential in 1982 (Wake County R-40, 1 house per acre). The quarry (and the proposed “entertainment district” on the forested acres of Lake Crabtree) are not authorized uses in this Wake County zoning district. Unfortunately, the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (RDUAA) has chosen to ignore this Wake County zoning, and Wake County has thus far failed to enforce it. You can help by taking action!
Anderson Forest residents would like to join with Crabtree Heights residents in opposing all three proposed routes for the Big Branch Greenway Connector. Both neighborhoods share concerns about safety, privacy and environmental impact.
Highlights from the 4/7 Budget Work Session and the 4/8 Afternoon Work Session and Evening Public Comment Session
The long-planned expansion of one of Raleigh’s most heavily trafficked thoroughfares just hit a massive roadblock with the projected spend soaring from $56.1M to $93.5M, driven by rising construction costs and a thriving real estate market. Originally part of the city’s 2017 $206.7 million transportation bond, that hefty price tag pushes the project way over the originally allocated $60M budget. It is time to put this project—and maybe a few other CIP programs–on hold for a number of reasons.
Summary of the April 1 Raleigh City Council meeting.