City Council Update (June 4th, 2024)
AFTERNOON SESSION - 1:00 PM
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Recognition of Awards
2023-24 Executive Development Program
2023 Employee of the Year Awards
Employee of the Year : Jennifer Cordova
Elizabeth Bass Customer Service Award : Preston Gasser / Laurie Shumpert
Consent Agenda
Consent Agenda Process
All items under consent agenda was approved en bloc with the exception of the Downtown MSD Boundary Expansion - which passed with Council Member Jones in opposition.
Downtown Municipal Service District Boundary Expansion - Ordinance - Second Reading
Council Member Jones pulled this item from the agenda to ensure that she is able to vote against it for the second reading to be consistent with her vote for the first reading.
Passed 7-1 with Council Member Jones opposed
Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Memorandum of Understanding
Corporate Entity Revision - Professional Services Master Agreement - Geosyntec Consultants of NC, P.C. - Professional Engineering Services at Wilder's Grove Landfill
Police K9 Service Dog Retirement and Donation
Consent Agenda - Petition Annexations
AX-37-23 Contiguous, Inside ETJ - 4900 Old Poole Road (District C)
Consent Agenda - Grants
Federal Aviation Authority Grant Offer - Raleigh Durham Airport Authority - Acquisition of Zero Emission Vehicles and Associated Charging Infrastructure
Consent Agenda - Contracts and Consultant Services
Interlocal Agreement - New Hanover County - Public Safety/911 Communications
Interlocal Agreement - City of Fayetteville - Public Safety/911 Communications
Contract Services - Risk Management Insurance Portfolio - Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
Consent Agenda - Encroachment Requests
3000 Platte River Drive - Landscaping
Consent Agenda - Right-of-Way Items (Condemnation Requests)
River Towne Development - Easements - Extension of Offsite Utilities
Consent Agenda - Bids
Bid Award - E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant Clarifier Improvements Project- English Construction Company, Inc.
Bid Award – FY23 Traffic Calming & Wildwood Forest Elementary School Sidewalk Projects – Lanier Construction, Inc.
Public Bid Waiver – Water Treatment Polymer (Chemical) – Solenis LLC
Consent Agenda - Traffic
Speed Limit Reductions
Multi-way Stops
Police Vehicle Parking Zone – 200 West Cabarrus Street
No Parking Tow Away Zones – Hillsborough Street and Youth Center Drive
No Parking Zones – Ligon Street
Two Hour Parking Limits – Dupont Circle
Report and Recommendation of the Planning Commission
Planning Commission Report
Two items that are coming out of the Planning Commission - both of which are related items.
Rezoning Z-59-23: 6900 and 6950 Blue Run Lane, 1/4 mile southwest of the intersection of Buffaloe Road and I-540 (District B)
Zoning change from CM and AP to R10 with conditions
Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-6-23: 6900 and 6950 Blue Run Lane and 4844 Pine Drive, 1/4 mile southwest of the intersection of Buffaloe Road and I-540 (District B)
Would modify the street plan, creating North-South circulation between 540 and the Neuse River.
Council Member Patton questioned the unanimous recommendation from the Planning Commission, expressing concerns about the staff report's opposition to the proposed amendment and the lack of substantial benefit to the city as a whole.
Motion to approve passed unanimously.
Special Items
Rezoning Z-92-22: New Bern Station Area Planning, 744 properties along New Bern Avenue between Downtown and Hedingham Boulevard / Freedom Drive (Districts B & C)
Discussions focused on changes to base and height in the middle stations.
The council considered proposals for residential, mixed-use, office, and commercial zones, with a height map showing three, five, seven, and 12-story buildings.
Passed unanimously.
Petition Annexation - AX-04-24 Contiguous, Inside ETJ - 4216 Holden Road (District B)
Approved to move forward with a public hearing on July 2nd - Unanimously approved.
Rezoning Z-05-24: 4216 Holden Road, 500 feet west of the intersection of Holden Road and Forestville Road (District B)
Approved to move forward with a public hearing on July 2nd - Unanimously approved.
Appropriation from Council Contingency
The council approved appropriations from the contingency fund for various causes, including youth and leadership development, domestic violence programming, and the LGBTQ Center of Raleigh.
The remaining contingency fund balance was approximately $6,986.
Blue Ridge Corridor Municipal Service District - Ordinance - First Reading
The council members debated the importance of the 900,000 requirement and whether to raise the tax rate or exclude more properties.
Council members also discussed bringing residential units back for consideration in the future.
Council Member Harrison made a motion to exclude all residential properties within the MSD - approved unanimously.
Council Member Harrison made a motion to approve the first reading of the Blue Ridge MSD - Passed 7-1 with Council Member Patton opposed.
Transit Fare Strategies
The Council discussed the potential of bringing back bus fares in the future or remaining fare free.
Report and Recommendation of the City Manager
Lease Extension - State of North Carolina, Department of Health and Human Services - Dorothea Dix Park
The council intends to lease the Scot building, the Cottages, and the Dick's Park Chapel to the Conservancy, removing the city's operational responsibility for these buildings. The Lineberger building will be upfitted for staff use with funding from the bond and the FY2 budget.
Motion to approve - passed unanimously
Leases and Agreements with the Dix Park Conservancy
Motion to approve - passed unanimously
Contractual Services - The Great Raleigh Cleanup, Inc. - City of Raleigh Beautification Program
Council Member Jones recused herself from the vote due to the fact that she serves on the Board of the Great Raleigh Cleanup.
The program received positive feedback, with participants reporting valuable support and the removal of 7,670 pounds of litter.
The council unanimously approved the contract and budget amendment to continue the program.
Donation of Equipment - The Great Raleigh Cleanup, Inc. - Vehicle Donation
Approved unanimously.
Human Resources Policy 300-9A: Employee Leave
Passed unanimously.
Report and Recommendation of the Design Review Committee
Annual Report and Annual Work Plan
The Design Review Commission's work plan was adopted unanimously.
Report and Recommendation of the Economic Development and Innovation Committee
No Report
Items Pending
Report and Recommendation of the Growth and Natural Resources Committee
Item 22-11: Rezoning Z-40-23 - 13120 Strickland Road (District E)
Discussed conservation efforts in the Falls Lake Watershed, with requests for information on conservation priorities, criteria for acquisition of conservation properties, and an analysis of properties protected by conservation easements.
Additionally, there were requests for information on the average impervious area development in R4 and R2 zoning districts, building and development practices for single family and multifamily development, and alternative options to limit grading and parking impacts on the Strickland Road rezoning case.
Items Pending
Report and Recommendation of the Safe, Vibrant and Healthy Community Committee
No Report
Items Pending
Report and Recommendation of the Transportation and Transit Committee
No Report
No Items Pending
Report from the Mayor and City Council
Individual Reports from the Mayor and Council Members
Appointments
Design Review Commission - One Alternate Vacancy
Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board - One Regular Vacancy
Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Centers Authority - Three Regular Vacancies
Raleigh Historic Development Commission - Two Regular Vacancies
Substance Use Advisory Commission - One Regular Vacancy
Nominations
Arts Commission - Two Regular Vacancies
Design Review Commission - One Regular Vacancy
Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau - Four Regular Vacancies (Various Categories)
Hispanic and Immigrant Affairs Board - Three Regular Vacancies (Community Member Category)
Report and Recommendation of the City Attorney
Report and Recommendation of the City Clerk
Minutes - Various
Closed Session
Open Session
Return to Open Session
Recess Meeting
EVENING SESSION - 7:00 PM
Matters Scheduled for Public Hearing
Statutory Public Hearing - FY2024-25 Proposed Operating and Capital Budget
Council Member Jones made a motion to increase public hearing time to 1 minute and 30 seconds per speaker
Motion failed 4-4 (Patton, Black, Jones, and Harrison in opposition)
Rezoning Z-40-23: 13120 Strickland Road, south of Interstate-540, near the Exit 7 at Leesville Road (District E)
The request is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan and future land use map designation for the site, which is rural residential.
Policies regarding density transition, adding to the buffering that would be required on the site, and several other policies were also touched upon in the policy analysis.
There is the potential to produce a significant increase in housing supply but may conflict with policies regarding environmentally sensitive development, road connectivity, and land preservation.
The Planning Commission made no recommendation (6-0)
Growth and Natural Resources referred item with no recommendation (3-1)
Council Member Jones made a motion to approve - Passed 7-1 with Council Member Harrison opposed.
Rezoning Z-60-23: Tryon Road, approximately 400 feet from the intersection of Tryon Road and Lake Dam Road, having frontage on both roads (District D)
Planning Commission recommended approval 8-0
Council Member Harrison made a motion to approve - passed unanimously.
Rezoning Z-61-23: 2210 Spring Forest Road, ¼ mile west of the intersection of Spring Forest Road and Atlantic Avenue (District A)
Planning Commission recommended approval 6-2
Council Member Black made a motion to approve - passed unanimously.
Rezoning Z-02-24: 3400 Barwell Road; 1/2 mile north of the intersection of Rock Quarry and Barwell Roads (District D)
Planning Commission recommended approval 8-0
Council Member Branch made a motion to approve - passed 6-2 with Council Members Patton and Jones against.
Text Change TC-3-23: Clean Transportation Ordinance
Council Member Black made a motion to approve - passed unanimously.
Text Change TC-6-23: Streetscape Plans and Custom Signage Plans
Council Member Forte made a motion to approve - passed unanimously.
Adjourn