This Week/Next Week at City Hall -- May 29, 2017

This Week/Next Week at City Hall

May 29, 2017

Community SCALE wants you to be aware of what’s happened/what’s coming up at City Hall each week.  

Please feel free to forward this email.  If someone forwarded it to you and you want to be added to our email list, please email communityscale at gmail

Week of May 29

Here are some of the events planned for the week of May 29.  It’s always helpful to have community members attend to show interest in these topics, ask questions, etc.  If you plan to attend any of these meetings, we’ll be glad to include your meeting report in future articles.

Tuesday, 5/30

• 7pm, Jaycee Center – joint meeting of Wade and Hillsborough CACs to discuss community engagement.  All are welcome to attend.  Several City Council members are expected to attend. This meeting is in response to the report of the Mayor’s Citizen Engagement Task Force.  There are concerns about what the report’s recommendations might mean for the future of the CACs, especially in light of the proposal to create a new Citizen Engagement Board that would be appointed by Council and not led by community members.

Wednesday, 5/31

• 4 – 6pm – Growth & Natural Resources Committee.   Agenda will include TC-15-16 (Building height limit/tall buildings) and TC-15-20 (Construction Safety Barrier Fences)

All meetings at Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, unless otherwise noted.  

Go to RaleighNC.gov to find links to latest meeting agendas and materials.

Week of May 22, 2017

• More than thirty citizen petitions were filed by the 5/23 deadline for people to speak at the 7pm June 6 City Council meeting.  We encourage anyone who can attend the June 6 meeting to do so and show your support for the CACs.

• At the 5/25 meeting of the Planning Commission Committee of the Whole (COW):
• Z-9-17 request to rezone approximately 8 acres on Edwards Mill Road from R-4 to Rx-4-CU was deferred to June 22 COW meeting after June 13 CAC meeting
• Z-10-17 request to rezone approximately 22 acres on Freedom Drive from R-6 and IX-3 to IH-CU was held at the table.  Petitioner was asked to refine conditions and bring back to June 22 COW after June 13 CAC vote
• Cameron Village and Hillsborough Street Small Area Plans and CP-3-16 were discussed at length

Looking Ahead

• Tuesday, June 6, 7pm – City Council meeting on budget and community engagement

• Comprehensive Plan Update – The City of Raleigh is updating the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the key policy document that shapes the physical development of the city. Residents are invited to attend one or all five public meetings to learn about how the Comprehensive Plan addresses five areas: resiliency, housing, development transitions, transportation and sustainability.

The following is the schedule for the five public meetings, with the theme for each meeting: 

• Wednesday, June 7, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center, 5611 Jaguar Park Drive. The theme is resilience, an operational philosophy that seeks to identify challenges before they arise and effectively prioritize strategic investments and community capacity building . The goal is to better adapt to, respond to, and recover from unforeseen events;

• Wednesday, June 14, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Tarboro Road Community Center, 121 N. Tarboro St. The theme will be housing or specifically increasing the supply of affordable housing, revitalizing neighborhoods, and enhancing  the homeless-to-housing continuum;
• Tuesday, June 20, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Marsh Creek Community Center, 3050 N. New Hope Road. The theme is development transitions. As many people continue to move to the region and as interest grows in walkable urban living, Raleigh is beginning to grow up as much as it grows out;
• Tuesday, June, 27, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pioneers Building in Method Road Community Park, 514 Method Road. The theme will be transportation. Provided will be a  vision for future development of the city’s connectivity network for all modes of transportation, public transit systems, greenways, and bicycle and pedestrian networks; and,
• Tuesday, July 11, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Durant Nature Preserve, 8305 Camp Durant Road. The meeting’s theme will be sustainability or focusing on the interdependent relationships of environmental stewardship, economic strength, and social integrity. These three elements define the vision for sustainability.

City of Raleigh staff will be in attendance to discuss these key themes and provide guidance as to how citizens can comment and provide feedback about the Comprehensive Plan Update. The Comprehensive Plan addresses 13 elements of physical development including land use, transportation, housing, environmental protection, and economic development. Other sections focus on quality of life topics from open space, parks, recreation, and historic preservation to arts and culture. Area specific policy guidance for rezonings and a framework for implementation are also key pieces of the document. 

The Comprehensive Plan Update is being released in installments during May and June. Visit the City’s website at www.raleighnc.gov and search for “Comprehensive Plan Update” to see published chapters. Raleigh residents are asked to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan by sending an email to Bynum Walter.

This Week / Next Week at City Hall -- May 19, 2017

This Week/Next Week at City Hall -- May 19, 2017

Community SCALE wants you to be aware of what’s happened/what’s coming up at City Hall each week.  

Next Week – Week of May 22

Here are some of the events planned for the week of May 22.  It’s always helpful to have community members attend to show interest in these topics, ask questions, etc.  If you plan to attend any of these meetings, we’ll be glad to include your meeting report in future articles.

Tuesday, 5/23

• Noon deadline for submitting Citizens Petition to speak at June 6 City Council meeting
  
  
• 9am – Planning Commission, Council Chambers, Agenda includes a number of rezoning cases – Z-42-15 (Lake Wheeler Road), Z-40-16 (Oak Forest Road), Z-7-17 (Paint Rock Lane), Z-5-17 (Blue Ridge Road), Z-8-17 (Fox Road), and Z-20-16 (Request for waiver of 24-month waiting period for reapplying for rezoning)

Thursday, 5/25

• 4pm – Planning Commission Committee of the Whole, Room 305, Agenda not available at this time.

All meetings at Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, unless otherwise noted.  

Go to RaleighNC.gov to find links to latest meeting agendas and materials.

Last Week – Week of May 15, 2017

At the May 16 meeting of the Planning Commission Text Change Committee:

• Members voted to move TC-3-17 regarding Accessory Dwelling Overlay Districts to the June 13 Planning Commission meeting with a few clarifications and modifications regarding parking, adherence to building codes, and setback provisions.
  
  
• Members discussed TC-11-17 regarding changes to Senior Housing Facilities, especially for developers with a particular interest in developing smaller infill sites.  Requestors were advised to file a citizens petition to City Council and ask Council to authorize Planning Commission to explore further.
  
  
• A number of text changes were presented for advancing Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development in Raleigh.  The Text Change Committee members wanted additional time to study materials.  They will take up the discussion either at a special meeting or as the first agenda item at the 6/20 meeting, with a possibility of extending the meeting time as needed.

At the May 16 City Council afternoon meeting highlights included:

• The 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update is already underway.  Community meetings are planned in June, so be on the lookout for more information.
  
  
• 2018 Proposed Operating Budget and five-year capital improvement budget will be discussed in upcoming budget work sessions.
  
  
• Work session on community engagement has yet to be scheduled, but resources to support this are in the proposed 2018 operating budget.
  
  
• Denial of rezoning Z-6-17 – Charles Drive (North CAC).
  
  
• Approval of TC-9-2017 to extend variance expiration time period from six months to one year, consistent with special use permit timeframe.
  
  
• 2017 Transportation Bond Proposal must have finalized total amount by 6/6 in order to include on 10/10 ballot; will be voted on at next meeting.

This Week/Next Week at City Hall -- May 12, 2017

This Week/Next Week at City Hall -- May 12, 2017

Community SCALE wants you to be aware of what’s happened/what’s ahead at City Hall each week.  

Week of May 8, 2017

May 9:  Planning Commission Meeting

Report from Marsha Presnell-Jennette:  Planning Commission approved the project on Wake Forest Rd where the Weigman's Grocery and a hotel will be located...beside the shopping center where Trader Joe's is located.  Great discussions among Commission members about pedestrian crossings and safety for walkers, green space and attractiveness of the upper story of the parking deck.  I made my plea for permeable paving of the streets and an on-site catchment pond that would be an attractive feature.  The plan calls for the underground holding and filtering stormwater system that gradually releases rainwater.  I was proposing methods of reducing water to be released into the streams and rivers.


Commission members were attentive and some comments followed about the importance of recognizing there will be more intense rain events and project planners and the City should be re-calculating their storm markers for increased capacity.

The project moves to City Council.

·      May 10: Indy Week article

Is Raleigh Plan to Revamp Citizens Advisory Councils a Boon for Residents—or Developers? | Wake County | Indy Week

Interesting read – follow the discussion on FaceBook and the comments at the IndyWeek site.

Week of May 15

Here are some of the events planned for May 15.  It’s always helpful to have community members attend to show interest in these topics, ask questions, etc.  If you plan to attend any of these meetings, we’ll be glad to include your meeting report in future articles.

Tuesday, 5/16

9am – Planning Commission Text Change Committee, Room 303

Agenda will include

• TC-03-17 – Accessory Dwelling Overlay District
• TC-11-17 – Senior Housing
• TC-04-17 – GI/LID (Green infrastructure/Low Impact Development)

City Council

• 11:30 am – 12:30pm – Work Session, Room 305
• 1 – 3:30 pm, Council Chambers
• Agenda includes rezoning cases, an NCOD petition, an update on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Police Body-Worn Cameras and In-Car Camera Systems, Proposed Operating Budget, Capital Improvement Program, and Compensation Study Recommendation

Wednesday, 5/17

UDC Talks 2017 bold Ideas for Dix Park

• 12 noon – Inventive Culture & Raleigh’s Future
• 6 pm – City Building:  A renewed focus on the public realm
• Raleigh Citizens Advisory Council, 7 – 8 pm – Council Chambers

All meetings at Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, unless otherwise noted.  Go to RaleighNC.gov to find links to latest meeting agendas and materials.

How to Advocate for YOUR Neighborhood

Keeping Growth in SCALE with our Neighborhoods

Are you interested in influencing the future of Raleigh?  

Do you prefer growth that enhances neighborhoods and that doesn’t run the risk of overwhelming existing infrastructure like roads, water and sewer, and schools? 

Would you like to see costs of infrastructure expansion shared fairly?

Then please contact Community SCALE to join the SCALE-Forum, a group of like-minded Raleigh residents who support growth that: 

·      accommodates and encourages compatible development in existing residential neighborhoods, 

·      while reinforcing the established character of the neighborhood, and 

·       mitigating adverse impacts on adjacent homes.* 

And please consider taking the following additional actions.

·       Make sure you and your family and friends are registered to vote. Mark your calendars for City Council elections on 10/10/17.  The power of one vote – your vote – is magnified because turnout is historically low for these elections.  In 2015 Raleigh City Council elections, one district race was decided by just 237 votes.

·       Go to RaleighNC.gov and sign up to get notifications of meetings and other topics of interest (subscriptions tab on the top right page menu of many service pages). 

·       Write and call City Council members and Planning Commission members whenever you see/hear about an issue of interest.

·       Attend meetings of the City Council, the Council’s Growth and Natural Resources Committee, and the Planning Commission when you can.  Meeting dates and agendas at City Council at RaleighNC.gov. Planning Commission details can be found here. 

·       Attend your Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) meetings. If you live in Raleigh, you automatically are a member of a Citizens Advisory Council. The City of Raleigh has 19 CACs, each representing a different geographic region of the city.

·       If you're in District D (or even if you're not), go to DDNA meetings on the 3rd Saturday of most months. 8:30 a.m., at the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center, 5611 Jaguar Park Drive, Raleigh, NC. 

Community SCALE (Streets that connect people under a Canopy of trees with Architecture of different types and Land preserved for a neighborhood Everyone can enjoy) formed in 2007, and in 2009 incorporated as a nonprofit to help keep the citizens of Raleigh informed about a variety of development-related topics. 

Among Community SCALE’s most important projects has been advocating for the development of Residential Infill Compatibility Standards; these are a now a component of the Unified Development Ordinance code and regulations.  SCALE continues to play a role in advocating for responsible growth.

*From the City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Infill Compatibility Standards intent statement.