July 2: The week ahead in Raleigh
Here’s what we’ll be watching this week:
Due to the 4th of July holiday, City Council will hold its regular meeting on July 5, 2023. The agenda is unusually light, but there is a rezoning case worth keeping an eye on. Z-88-22 involves approximately 6.7 acres located at 130 Kindley St. near the intersection of S McDowell and Martin Luther King Blvd. The applicant is requesting a zoning change from Downtown Mixed Use 20-stories to Downtown Mixed Use 40-stories with Conditions. The conditions relate to bike and pedestrian access, along with on-street parking limitations. The case was deemed consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Planning Commission recommended approval of the case with a 7-0 vote.
The Board of Adjustment met on June 29th and 30th to continue hearing the Hayes Barton Neighbors’ appeal of the recently approved preliminary subdivision for 18 townhomes. After 2 full days of hearings, the appealing neighbors completed putting on their evidence and the City and developer’s team completed examining 1 witness. The case will likely be heard again sometime in July and possibly again in August. This lengthy hearing process is typical of appeals where the goal of the opposition is to delay the project for as long as possible, hoping to saddle the developer with so much additional costs that they are forced to walk away or capitulate to the neighbors’ demands. For background, click here.
The Planning Commission’s Committee of the Whole discussed the pending New Bern Avenue BRT Transit Overlay District Comprehensive Plan Amendments and proposed TOD Rezoning on June 29. The COW will continue its review of these issues at its next few meetings before voting them out to the full Planning Commission in the Fall. Click here and here for background.