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.
Livable Raleigh, a citizens group advocating for effective community engagement on city issues, congratulates City Council for its decision today reinstating Citizens Advisory Councils. The decision pushed by Mayor Baldwin four years ago to cut off the CACs was a mistake, and the vacuum it created has been apparent in the years since then. Today’s decision begins to rectify that mistake.
Like a child who is told no by one parent, this council now wants to go ask the other parent to see if they can get what they want. Do they just plan to keep asking the question until they get the answer they want?
The Raleigh Citizen Advisory Council board is looking forward to a City Council vote on Tuesday, February 6 to correct a mistake that was done to Raleigh residents 4 years ago. See full press release
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.
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.
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.
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!
Video from our New Bern Avenue Public Forum is available! If you weren’t able to attend, you can watch the video here NOW!
There are no changes or tweaks to the language that will make it acceptable. This change request by the Planning Department, not property owners, has the flavor and appearance of a public taking. If you vote in favor of this, you will be remembered as a partner in Urban Renewal.
An overflow crowd turned out Sunday afternoon for Livable Raleigh’s public forum to discuss a proposed upzoning of more than 700 properties along the New Bern Avenue corridor. The resounding message was to ask City Council to deny the rezoning request (Z-92-22) and to put the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) into committee for modifications. Panelists and audience members alike expressed concern about the displacement of an entire minority community. Attendees were encouraged to attend the upcoming public hearing on January 30 at 7pm at the Raleigh Municipal Building.
Despite having received two surveys showing lack of support for 4-year terms, council wants to ask the residents again. No District, No Age Group and No Racial or Ethnic Group show majority support for 4-year City Council terms. What part of NO are you having trouble with? Are you just planning to keep taking votes until you get the results you want?
Raleigh should not have needed the US Marshals help. Raleigh should not be where it is today. But, Baldwin took pride in wanting to be Mayor of Drunktown.
Raleigh city staff is now entering Year 2 of not knowing how to allow a real parade — that is, a parade like those held in every major city in America. Not only do we not have anything concrete from the City Manager, she doesn’t even have a timeline for bringing something forward for Council to consider. Meanwhile, our parades are limited to walkers and horse-drawn wagons.
it’s possible the details for the Council Retreat may NOT be published until Thursday, January 18, 8 days before the first day of the Council Retreat. We believe the fact that the Council Retreat has been published on the City’s Events Calendar with the dates and identified as both the City Council Annual Retreat and a City Council Meeting qualifies as formal notice of the meeting and it is past time for the details of time of day, location and virtual attendance opportunities to be given to the public so interested parties can have adequate time to make plans.
Livable Raleigh’s position is that while adding density along BRT corridors is a desirable goal, the impact of the $97M New Bern Avenue BRT project alone will create a tremendous incentive for dense organic redevelopment that incentivizes economically viable affordable housing height bonuses up to 5 stories – and not above. The effect of the proposed 744 parcel upzoning, Z-92-22 (which ironically leaves out the zero-density Raleigh Country Club) will not only eliminate most opportunities to incentivize and negotiate affordable housing units, but will also accelerate the displacement of all low wealth and Black households in the corridor – in direct conflict with the city’s adopted ETOD vision to reverse displacement.