With a lot of talk about Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and rezoning around New Bern Avenue as the City Council moves towards a vote on adopting a Transit Overlay District (TOD), it can be easy to forget that these plans have been in the works for years – and following a policy from beginning to end can be tough due to the amount of time it takes and the changes that are made to adjust for public input, funding, and more. While many are excited about the new transit line and the economic boost it will bring to this area, others have concerns around how this large-scale public investment may impact existing residents who are vulnerable to displacement. While these are valid concerns, WakeUP has been encouraged by the policies, actions, and budget priorities that are being engaged from the city, county, and federal levels, in large part as a response to community needs and concerns. Here, we highlight how the city’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan is in the process of being amended to include support for transit-oriented growth while also creating protections for existing residents. If you are also eager for the City to adopt these policies, see how you can engage directly at the end of the post!
What is the 2030 Comprehensive Plan?
The 2030 Comprehensive Plan is a long-term planning and policy document adopted by Raleigh City Council that lays out a vision for the city and includes actionable strategies to meet the stated goals and objectives. The Plan can be thought of as the City’s guide for priorities and spending across departments – and this coordination from ALL departments is one of its strengths!
The Plan is developed around six major themes:
- Economic Prosperity and Equity
- Expanding Housing Choices
- Managing Our Growth
- Coordinating Land Use and Transportation
- Greenprint Raleigh – Sustainable Development
- Growing Successful Neighborhoods and Communities
How is this relevant to the New Bern Avenue Transit Overlay District and future TODs?
Any zoning amendments (rezonings) are evaluated based on consistency with the Comprehensive Plan – but while the Comprehensive Plan paints with a broad brush in terms of city zoning, “Area Specific Guidance” is more like a fine paint brush, allowing the application of policies on a smaller scale based on current conditions and community input.
Community engagement for the development of Bus Rapid Transit along New Bern Avenue began in 2021, and input from over 1,000 residents, business owners, students, and transit users was incorporated into the New Bern Station Area Planning. With this public feedback, the city included the following focus areas for growing around transit:
- Allowing more housing and employment opportunity along New Bern Avenue
- Ensuring housing is available to households at a wide range of income levels
- Improving community health and reducing carbon emissions by investing in walkability and connecting people to transit stations
- Telling the story of Black neighborhoods along New Bern Avenue through art, community facilities, and ongoing partnerships with institutions such as St. Augustine’s University
- Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The City initiated an amendment to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan in order to make the Plan supportive of the necessary rezoning around the coming Bus Rapid Transit line. But understanding that rezoning alone can have unintended consequences, they developed, with community input, a suite of policies, actions, and budget items that will work in tandem to better meet the needs and address the concerns presented by the community.
What are the New Bern Comprehensive Plan Amendments and how do they apply to this area?
“Area Specific Guidance” already exists within the Plan for New Bern, King Charles, and Olde East Raleigh – this amendment aims to combine and update these chapters into a single plan for this area in response to adoption of the New Bern Station Area Planning. The full amendment can be found here, but here we highlight a few important policies and actions that align with WakeUP’s goals: promoting affordable housing while minimizing displacement.
SA Transit Station Areas
Policy AP-SA 4 Neighborhood Stabilization
Neighborhood stabilization projects should have the highest priority for receiving grants from the Public Project Community Support Fund and other sources. This includes new affordable housing production and preservation of existing affordable housing.
Preventing Displacement
Policy AP-SA 11 Affordable Housing Funding
Dedicate 20 to 40 percent of current and any future housing bond funds to this corridor until at least 2032. This should include projects affordable to households with incomes below 30 percent AMI.
| What is AMI (Area Median Income)? |
| Check out this resource from the City of Raleigh for a breakdown of Area Median Income, and our recent affordable housing spotlight to see examples of affordable housing projects in Wake County! |
Action AP-SA 10 Affordable Housing Production
Increase the supply of subsidized rental units affordable to renters with incomes below 30% AMI by working with Wake County to identify and provide gap financing for LIHTC projects located along the corridor.
(LIHTC stands for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. This is a federal program that gives state and local agencies funding and authority to issue tax credits for the construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for lower-income households.)
Though the Comprehensive Plan has been a key feature of the City of Raleigh’s planning for decades, they continue to make adjustments and accommodations to the policy by engaging public input and addressing concerns with amendments like the ones above. While there are lingering concerns along New Bern and other historic neighborhoods about gentrification and displacement, the policies and actions outlined in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and Amendment, which incorporate a lot of public input, are an attempt to protect communities from the rapid change and growth we are facing. Without it, these protections are not guaranteed and New Bern residents are more likely to be impacted by the whims of the private market.
Here’s how you can SpeakUP:
- Public Comment is an opportunity for anyone to speak for up to 3 minutes to the Council. Speakers are called up to the podium in order of when they signed up. Sign up to speak here.
- Voicemail public comment is an alternative to public comment for people who can’t attend the meeting in person. The comments are transcribed and posted to the public record prior to the start of the Council meeting. To leave a public comment for the City Council, call 855-925-2801 and enter code 3362.
- New Bern TOD and Comp Plan Amendment Public Hearing (January 30th, 7pm) – this meeting will hear public comment from people in support and in opposition of the case. The amount of time each speaker will have will depend on the number of people signed up.
- Email public comment is always open, and you can send a letter of support to your Council representatives.