RaleighForward Roundup

Sunday, January 14th

Hello,

This week, we have another update on the process behind approval of the New Bern TOD Rezoning, including some local voices and their reasons for supporting it. There is plenty of information from trusted sources in the community below, and a full explainer of how this process will play out in the coming months.

Also, mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7. Our next RaleighForward Happy Hour will be that afternoon, at a location to be determined. Reach out if you have a suggestion for a good spot!

As always, please reach out with any comments or suggestions, and consider making a donation to support our continued efforts to inform policymakers and the public.

Eric Braun, Founder

New Bern TOD Rezoning

On January 2, 2024, Planning Commission submitted its formal recommendation to deny Z-92-22 (New Bern Avenue Transit Overlay District rezoning) by a 4-3 vote. At the same time, it recommended approval of related Comprehensive Plan Amendments (CP-7-22) by a 7-0 vote. During deliberations, all Commissioners expressed support for building the proposed New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit route but seemed to disagree about whether to apply the Transit Overlay District now or at some point in the future after the completion of a displacement study.

After receiving the report, City Council set the public hearings for these matters on January 30, 2024. These public hearings are the start of the formal review by City Council. Though Council could vote on Z-92-22 and CP-7-22 at the close of each public hearing, that’s highly unlikely for a complex policy like this. Instead, Council will put these matters into the Growth and Natural Resources Committee for further review. Council committees typically meet once each month, so it may be several months before the Committee completes its review. All Committee meetings are open to the public, though public comment is not always allowed. Councilor Harrison is the Chair of that Committee. While under review, residents are allowed to contact Council members to communicate their views about the New Bern TOD Rezoning.

The outcome of this process will largely determine how Raleigh accommodates population growth for decades to come. As one of the most important decisions this Council is likely to make, it’s critical that they hear input from a broad and diverse cross-section of residents and businesses. Like most policies that alter the status quo, opposing voices are mobilizing.

In the coming weeks, please consider letting the City Council know how you feel about the New Bern TOD Rezoning. RaleighForward recently published a guide on ways to engage with City Council. If you are interested in reaching out to Council during the January 30 public hearing (or any time in the coming months) but need assistance in determining when and how to be most effective, please reach out to Eric Braun directly at eric@raleighforward.org. He’d be happy to help.

To catch up quickly on what is at stake, here are some links to consider:

The Triangle Business Journal published an article by Eric Braun and Phil Veasley on Friday about the importance of enacting the New Bern TOD Rezoning.
Leo Suarez (Downtown Connoisseur) published an excellent post detailing why he supports the New Bern TOD Rezoning.
Phil Veasley (Urban Connector) has great information explaining why this rezoning is critical to the future of Raleigh and its transportation network.
RaleighForward has also written about the importance of the TOD Rezoning.
WakeUp also has a wealth of information about the TODs.
Here is a recent Bloomberg article discussing how past transit projects across the country are struggling financially because they failed to enact land use policies that encouraged sufficient density. Raleigh is trying to avoid this outcome by enacting the New Bern TOD Rezoning.

Articles we found interesting this week:

Several years ago, Wake County decided to conduct its revaluation process every 4 years rather than 8 years. The County recently completed the revaluation and property owners will be able to access their new real estate assessment on January 18. Here is more information about the process here. WRAL reports some property owners' valuation will increase by more than 50%. However, that does not mean property taxes will go up by that amount.
Some municipalities have imposed a “McMansion Tax” on larger homes as a way to fund more affordable housing. However, this CityLab article discusses how Los Angeles’ McMansion Tax is bringing in far less revenue than expected.
Pew Trust has an interesting analysis of the results of Minneapolis land use reforms that are somewhat similar to what Raleigh recently enacted. It discusses how rent remained flat as new apartments construction accelerated.
Austin Takes a Big Bet on Tiny Homes to Ease Homelessness, via the New York Times.
Can converting old hotels into small apartments help address Raleigh’s housing affordability crisis? A developer recently completed such a conversion in the heart of Midtown.
As the US population ages, there will be a dramatically higher need for people to age in place. This ShelterForce article argues that all new housing should be built with accessibility in mind.
Many affordable housing advocates cite Vienna’s “Social Housing” as a model worth emulating. This article discusses how to try to do just that in the United States.

Meetings of interest in the week ahead:

City Council meets on January 2, 2024. Here are some items of interest:

Council will consider a proposal worked out between staff and a developer building affordable housing along New Bern Avenue where the City agreed to buy the property and lease it back to the developer for $10.00 per year. Click here for the agenda materials.
Council will conduct a public hearing for Rezoning Z-26-23 for property located at 301 Glenwood Avenue, 617 West North Street, and 612 West Lane Street. The property is currently zoned for a mixture of Office and Downtown Mixed Use. The request is to rezone all of the property to Downtown Mixed Use-20 stories. Conditions include the payment of $400.00 per unit to be used by the City for affordable housing (but not less than $100,000), a public art installation and an easement for a future bikeshare station. Click here for the agenda materials.
Council will continue a public hearing rezoning Z-34-23 that seeks to rezone property located on the western half of the block bounded by Hillsborough, N Harrington, Morgan, and Dawson Streets from DX-20 to DX-40 Conditional Use. Conditions include dedication of space for bike share and an art installation, as well as a requirement that 1% of all units be reserved for renters making 80% AMI and below.

Other meetings and events of interest:

The City recently agreed to invest $5 million dollars to support the construction of 200 units of affordable housing.
On January 18 and 20th, the City will host an “Ask a Planner” event for the New Bern Avenue BRT Station Area Planning effort. For more details, click here.
On Friday, January 19, the City will host a “Pop Up” meeting to engage with residents on developing an alternative response program outside of the police department for people in crisis. Click here for details.
Throughout January, the City is hosting several events and engagement opportunities in recognition of January 16 as the National Day of Racial Healing. Click here for more information about these events.

Articles we found interesting this week:

Meetings of interest in the week ahead:

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