As the downtown Raleigh skyline continues to grow upward to meet housing demand, a group of downtown neighbors is asking a judge to step in, arguing the city ignored its own rules and residents’ concerns when they approved a controversial rezoning in Glenwood South in October.
The core issues with this rezoning remain excessive height and insufficient conditions. This request seeks more than double the recommended height for these properties without providing the significant public benefits required by the Comprehensive Plan.
This is not the first time that this case is being presented. The only thing that has changed is the composition of the Council and Mayor. You are again being asked to judge the elements of the application with the same guidance that was in place when this case was previously presented five years ago. The same inconsistencies exist now that existed then. It is not a complicated case unless you choose to create guidelines beyond those already clearly defined in the Midtown – Saint Albans area plan and 2030 Comprehensive plan.
On January 6, 2026, rezoning case Z-34-25, the rezoning of North Hills, will again be presented to Council for approval. The previous submission in 2021 was withdrawn due to concerns from City Councilors and considerable public comment that did not support the request without further addressing the inconsistencies with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan for building heights, density transitions, and affordable housing. CBS 17 spoke with Larry Helfant about the case and the lack of attention paid to both community input and local infrastructure that is falling behind.
An Area Plan drafted by residents and approved by Council. This Mayor and Council need to be reminded that they unanimously supported the Midtown – Saint Albans Area Plan in December 2020 and have a contractual obligation with the public to support adherence to that policy!
The Glenwood-Brooklyn Legal Fund has been established and opened a GoFundMe account to support professional and legal efforts related to land-use, zoning, and community-impact issues affecting the Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood.
This Fund operates independently from the plaintiffs and from legal counsel. Please donate what you can now.
At the October 7, 2025 public hearing at 7 PM there were a few comments made during the hearing on rezoning request Z-12-2025 to which I would like to respond, in addition to general comments on the overall procedure of the public hearing process.
The Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood group has hired The Brough Law Firm, PLLC to challenge this rezoning case. The firm is investigating what we believe are several defects in how the City has handled the situation. The City has laws and policies that are designed to create gentle transitions from slow, quiet neighborhoods to the busy downtown area. We believe that the City has ignored basic principles and is overrepresenting developer interests. There is no precedent for this rezoning at all. You can’t find a single high-rise this close to a historic district ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
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.
Every day of the year, tourists visit Oakwood to see our old houses that we work so hard to take care of. There are guided tours several times a week, and even tours by horse and carriage. We work very hard to be an amenity for the whole city. If you want a vibrant city, we are vibrant! This is only possible because we are a neighborhood, with people living in these old houses. Yet the Planning Department has been gradually rezoning our homes into office and commercial use. It’s no longer vibrant; it’s dead most of the time.