ComingUP: Raleigh City Council Returns from Summer Recess with Updates on BRT and the Affordable Housing Bond Referendum

This is our weekly series highlighting important public events, meetings, and forums happening throughout Wake County during the upcoming week. For a full listing of events, check out the WakeUP Community Calendar. And if you know of any events or meetings coming up that we might have missed, feel free to let us know, either by commenting below or by emailing us at info@wakeupwakecounty.org.

Here’s what’s ComingUP in Wake County this week, Monday, August 19th – Friday, August 23rd. To add an event listed below to your Google Calendar, just click on the calendar icon above the event description.

Monday, August 19th

What: Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission, in Raleigh

Where: Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC, 27601

When: 6:00pm

What’s Happening:

The following items are on the agenda for Monday’s BPAC meeting. Click here to view the full agenda.

Staff Reports

Council Update
Bikeshare Update
Projects Update

Committee & Member Reports

Chair’s Report
Bicycle Planning Committee Report
Community Outreach Committee Report
Pedestrian Planning Committee Report — Streetscape Candidate Projects and Prioritization

Old Business

Bicycle Parking Standards – Travis Crane, Raleigh Planning Department

New Business

2019 Resurfacing Program Review – Paul Black, Raleigh Transportation Dept
Walktober Planning – Paul Black, Raleigh Transportation Dept.

Tuesday, August 20th

What: City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting, in Raleigh

When: Work Session at 11:30am; Regular Meeting at 1:00pm

Where: Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC, 27601

What’s Happening:

The following items are on the agenda for Tuesday’s Council Meeting. However, this is not a complete listing. To view the entire agenda, click here.

11:30am Work Session:

New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Update
Geographic Distribution of Art Programs within the City

Regarding the update on BRT, transit staff will discuss continuing coordination with the Equitable Development Around Transit (EDAT) planning work, provide an update on current BRT design options and review a summary of public engagement activities and feedback. Staff will also discuss the design option to be included in the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Small Starts ratings application. This is meant to serve just as an update, and no action from Council will be requested.

1:00pm Regular Session:

Planning Commission Report

Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-3-19: Various parcels
Text Change TC-10-19: Willow Run South Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (additional info. below)
Rezoning Z-15-19: Six Forks Road and Industrial Drive, at the northeast corner of the intersection (Atlantic CAC)
Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-9-19 Deboy Street
Rezoning Z-13-19: 8211 & 8225 Louisburg Road, near the intersection of Louisburg Road and Leland Drive (Forestville CAC)
Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-8-19 Brier Creek Parkway Street Plan
Rezoning Z-6-19: Davie, Harrington, Martin, and West, in the block bounded by Davie Street, Harrington Street, Martin Street, and West Street

Regarding TC-10-19, residents in Willow Run South are making a request for a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD) to be applied to their neighborhood in order to “add neighborhood built environmental characteristics and regulations that set a minimum lot size of 32,670 square feet (.75 acre).” The Planning Commission reviewed this request at their August, 13th meeting and recommended approval by a split vote of four to two, highlighting concerns that the NCOD could limit opportunities for additional housing and density in the area.

Special Items

Crabtree Creek Trail Alignment at Structure #106 (additional info. below)
Zoning Conditions Case TCZ-2-19: 4501 Duraleigh Road – Revision to Conditions of Rezoning Z-40-01
Cameron Village Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District – Update
Cross Link Traffic Calming Project – Proposed Transit Stop Relocation
Affordable Housing Bond Referendum Calendar Options (additional info. below)

Structure #106 is a portion of the Crabtree Creek Greenway in East Raleigh, near Capital Boulevard, that has been closed for over a year due to storm-related damage and significant erosion along the Crabtree Creek banks. Throughout the time of its closure, the City has been unable to establish a safe and reliable detour. So, residents of neighborhoods in North and East who regularly use this section of the greenway to commute by bicycle have been effectively cut-off from surrounding neighborhoods.

The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is requesting approval to authorize staff to proceed with the design recommended alignment (Option #1 North Bank Alignment) of the Crabtree Creek Trail to reestablish connectivity of the trail corridor at mile marker 7. City Council has already approved two-thirds bond funding for this project in the amount of $1.5 Million.

The image below shows the plans for the new trail alignment (in yellow).

Regarding the Affordable Housing Referendum, City Staff will present to Council the following calendar options for a possible Voter Referendum on March 3, 2020.

While October 5th is the latest date for Council to take the first procedural step toward putting an Affordable Housing Bond on the ballot for Spring 2020, Council could decide to take action earlier, at the August 20th, September 3rd, or September 17th regularly-scheduled meeting.

Report and Recommendation of the City Manager

Wake County Room Occupancy and Prepared Food-Beverage Tax Update
Blue Ridge Road Widening Project – Design Update
Poole Road Widening Project – Design Update
Highwoods Property Owners Association Sidewalk Cost Sharing Proposal Feedback Request

Report and Recommendation from the Stormwater Management and Advisory Commission

Mandatory Green Stormwater Infrastructure – Implementation Plan

Also on Tuesday…

What: Grigsby Avenue Improvements Open House Meeting, in Holly Springs

Where: Holly Springs Town Hall, 128 S. Main St., Holly Springs, NC 27540

When: 5-7:00pm

What’s Happening:

Learn about proposed improvements to Grigsby Avenue from Raleigh Street to Sugg Farm. The Grigsby Avenue Improvements project is among the transportation bond projects Holly Springs voters approved last November.

The project involves widening the existing road for bicycle share lanes and on-street parking, and adding sidewalk connections, curb and gutter, and pedestrian crosswalks. The purpose of the project is to improve traffic flow and safety on a well-traveled gateway road that leads to neighborhoods and premiere parks – Womble Park and Sugg Farm – where games and events are held throughout the year. The project is in the early stages. Design and permitting have not begun.

Drop by the first-floor Holleman Room at Town Hall anytime between 5-7 p.m. to talk with Town staff, view project maps and provide feedback about the project.

Visit the project website for more information.

Wednesday, August 21st

What: NC Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Executive Board Meeting, in Raleigh

When: 4:00pm

Where: One City Plaza, 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 203, Raleigh, NC 27601

What’s Happening:

There will be a public hearing at Wednesday’s CAMPO Executive Board meeting to consider adoption of the Locally Preferred Alternative for the New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor, shown below.

Click here to view the full agenda for Wednesday’s CAMPO Executive Board Meeting.

Also on Wednesday…

What: WakeUP Wake County’s Raleigh City Council District C Town Hall, in Raleigh

When: 6-8:00pm

Where: Passage Home, 513 Branch St, Raleigh, NC 27601

What’s Happening:

This will be WakeUP’s first in a series of district-focused candidate forums for Raleigh City Council, where we bring to you the candidates hoping to represent you in City Council. Our goal is for this to be a more personal approach to the traditional forum, where residents will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance to the candidates. To submit a question for the District C Town Hall, click here.

Spanish interpretation will also be provided.