Let’s stop demolishing our historic Black neighborhoods
Let’s just stop doing the things that will require more apologies and reparations. Let’s stop demolishing our historic black neighborhoods.
May 16 Council Work Session and Afternoon Session
Election Reform, City budget, housing, crime, and rezoning requests
Election Reform for Raleigh
City Council will meet on Tuesday, May 16 for a second work session on election reform. Here are our recommendations
Frequent Transit Areas have greater potential to destroy affordable housing
You should apply the Frequent Transit Area text changes to only New Bern Avenue, and be very cautious that the TOD not destroy NOAH for citizens making as low as 30 percent AMI without taking responsibility for replacing it.
Dist C – Successful CAC Comeback
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.
Protect Democracy, Freedom & Human Rights
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?
The Great Sinkhole of Oakwood
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.
Let’s celebrate Juneteenth with a Reparative Justice Resolution
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.
May 9 Council Work Session
Updates on Transportation Bond Implementation and Recommendations on Parks Bond Implementation
Strange Bedfellows? Baldwin, Robinson are the Indy’s “Worst” for a Reason
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.
Mary-Ann Baldwin, proud to be Mayor of Drunktown, now concerned and “working diligently” to stop the drunks. Except …
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.
Vibrancy kicking on the wrong door!
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.”
The term for today is “Self Selection”
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.
What’s the point of a Comp Plan if you don’t follow it?
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.
May 2 City Council Meetings
HIGHLIGHTS Unanimously approved moving public comments to the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm, following a 4-6pm work session, starting in September Unanimously approved funding for 292 affordable units at $7.05M Fund reallocation and donations for Dix Park...
Studies Show that Eliminating Single-Family Zoning only Benefits the Most Wealthy
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.
Why would the city do this?
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.
Transit Overlay Districts – this generation’s Urban Renewal?
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.
Give respect, Get respect
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.
City Council Afternoon Session – April 18, 2023
A summary of the City Council Afternoon Meeting for April 18, 2023