May 4, 2023, SECAC held our first in person meeting since covid and it was a packed house. The interest is still there and CAC’s are needed. Why? Because it keeps you connected with City, RPD, Wake County Sheriff and everything that’s happening in y(OUR) community.
There are a lot of attacks on democracy, freedom, and human rights that are coming out of the General Assembly these days. Attacks on reproductive health care (including abortion), trans youth, fair elections, education, etc. What are you as our elected City Council going to do to resist this acceleration into fascism that is happening in the state?
There has been no discussion about the potential negative impact of these zoning changes on generational wealth in Southeast Raleigh. Please consider these factors as you assess whether the TOD is ready to move forward. My observations as a Planner and my gut instincts say that it is far from ready to fly.
Wouldn’t that be something to celebrate? As part of the initial team working to get this resolution in front of City Council and approved, we had hoped to see this Resolution adopted for Juneteenth in 2022. I think Juneteenth 2023 is now time for the City of Raleigh to adopt the Reparative Justice Resolution and begin the work the resolution asks.
Updates on Transportation Bond Implementation and Recommendations on Parks Bond Implementation
They say politics makes strange bedfellows. Not so strange, however, when the thing they have in common is big-money backers like our good friend developer John Kane.
On April 19, 2023 the News and Observer ran a story on mayors calling for action on gun control. But, Mayor Baldwin is conspicuously absent from the list of three NC mayors and over 150 mayors nationwide calling for action.
Two weeks ago, a group of young men were parked on a Cameron Park Street and at 3AM one of the group tried to kick in the front door of a house. The house just happens to be the personal home of Governor and Mrs. Cooper. I want to read to you how the First Lady of North Carolina closed her listserv post: “This is not what “vibrancy” looks like to me.”
They say we can’t have “self-selection” (aka opposition). They say we need to do polling and let others not affected by their proposed development make the decision.
Is it worth it to devastate a neighborhood and deviate from the comprehensive plan because we have a developer that wants to build but needs to go big to make it economically viable and conveniently has a willing partner that is unfortunately in bad financial shape (St Marks UMC)? Raleigh can con5nue to be great and growing but it cannot be at the expense of our exis5ng neighborhoods and our quality of life. Our neighborhoods matter, the families that call these neighborhoods home matter.
People want to believe that eliminating single-family zoning restrictions will significantly increase housing supply for middle and lower-income families. But the building body of real-world experience and increasing research is showing this simply isn’t true or the effects are minor and often just benefit the most well-off.
Should the 30-story zoning case at Peace and West (Z-54-22) be approved by city council? Is it needed? Is it good for the surrounding residents of an historic residential neighborhood? Is it good policy for the city and its residents? The simple and most straight-forward answer is, no. It is not reasonable and it is not in the public interest. City council should vote to deny Z-54-22.
Now, as back then, the planners draw lines around parcels on a map. Now, as back then, what gets forgotten is the PEOPLE who live on those parcels. People who will get kicked out of their apartments because their landlord sells out to a developer. Homeowners who find their beloved home wedged between tall buildings. And people all over Raleigh who appreciate our historic treasures and hate to keep losing them. And most of these people still don’t realize what is coming.
Public meetings can be an unnerving experience for some people as they are appearing in an unfamiliar setting for something that is important to them. It’s important to treat every person with these courtesies: 1. Be welcoming to speakers no matter their point of view. 2. Be an active listener. The respectful thing is to pay attention. 3. Avoid debate and argument with the public. It is never appropriate to challenge a speaker.
A summary of the City Council Afternoon Meeting for April 18, 2023
Council held a Work Session on the topic of changes to the Raleigh City Elections.
At the April 4th Council meeting Donna Bailey shared a video showing Mary-Ann Baldwin’s embarrassing style of governing. Bailey’s video shows Baldwin abusing her elected position to promote a big donor’s rezoning by suppressing fellow Councilor Jane Harrison’s participation in the rezoning discussion.
Please, City Council, save our historic treasures. Save our affordable housing. Save our old neighborhoods. We contribute a lot to this City. We are not ready to be sent to the landfill! Please leave us out of the T.O.D