How to Advocate for the New Bern Avenue TOD

Mark your calendars! January 30 is the public hearing date for the pending New Bern Avenue Transit Overlay Rezoning (Z- 92-22) (“New Bern TOD Rezoning”).  Your support has become even more critical given the recent vote by the Planning Commission. On Tuesday, December 12, PC voted 4-3 to recommend DENIAL of the New Bern TOD Rezoning, but voted UNANIMOUSLY to recommend approval of the accompanying Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CP-7-22).  Despite each PC member stating unequivocal support for BRT, several members voted no on the New Bern TOD Rezoning because they feared its effects on displacement and housing affordability.  Click here to watch a replay of  the PC meeting. 

Interestingly, PC Committee of the Whole (which is a committee made up of the full PC membership) voted to recommend approval of the New Bern TOD Rezoning 6-2.  However, 2 PC members that voted in support of the rezoning at the Committee of the Whole meeting on November 29 were absent from the Planning Commission’s final vote that occurred on December 12.  Had they attended the December 12 meeting, the vote would likely have been 5-4 in favor of the New Bern TOD Rezoning. Unfortunately, opponents of the rezoning will likely take this vote out of context and use it to amplify messaging directed at Council encouraging them to vote against the New Bern TOD Rezoning.  

As we said in a recent post, passage of the New Bern TOD rezoning is critical because it increases the likelihood that future development along the corridor will achieve sufficient density to justify taxpayers’ investment in the BRT system.  Passing the New Bern TOD Rezoning and addressing concerns about displacement are not mutually exclusive.  Even if the rezoning is approved, development is not going to occur over night.  It will take place over years.  To ensure that the City remains vigilant after passage of the rezoning, Council should direct staff to monitor all new development within the corridor and report back on a quarterly basis.  These reports would give the public real time information about the impact of the New Bern TOD Rezoning.  More importantly, it will help staff and Council quickly identify emerging areas of concern and craft refinements to the TOD ordinance to address those concerns.  

Recognizing that substantial changes to the character of the corridor will not occur overnight, the City should also consider increasing funding for existing City programs  that support those most threatened by displacement.  It could also fund a displacement study as recommended by several PC members who voted against the rezoning. The findings of the study could help inform the City’s evaluation of emerging development patterns arising from the New Bern TOD Rezoning.   Additionally, Council could pair passage of the New Bern TOD Rezoning with the establishment of a “displacement and land banking fund” using a dedicated funding stream.  A predictable funding stream would allow staff to be more opportunistic when it comes to identifying and acquiring land along the corridor for affordable housing.  Currently, the City mainly uses bond proceeds to acquire land for affordable housing. Bond funding is less predictable and is only available for a finite period of time.

Since the City broke ground on the New Bern Avenue BRT line and has the funding to build it, development is going to occur, particularly on vacant and underutilized properties.  In the absence of the New Bern TOD Rezoning, owners are more likely to develop properties along the corridor at lower densities that will not generate sufficient BRT ridership to justify taxpayers’ investment in the BRT system. There is research suggesting that increasing diverse housing types near transit through upzoning can improve the economic prospects of lower income residents.

If you agree, please consider letting City Council know you support the Transit Overlay District Rezoning.  Here are some ways to do that:

1. Email City Council and let them know why you support the New Bern TOD rezoning.

2. Meet with the City Councilors individually to express your support.  You can find each Council member’s official email address here.  

3. Leave a public comment remotely via voicemail by calling 855-925-2801 and entering code 3362.  Voicemails are accepted between 5 p.m. Thursday and 5 p.m. until the Monday before a Tuesday Council meeting and are reviewed by City Council prior to the meeting. The limit for these public comments is 3 minutes. All public comments remotely submitted will be transcribed and become part of public record. Comments are posted to BoardDocs 30 minutes prior to the City Council Meeting. 

4. Attend the January 30 public hearing. To do so, you must sign up in advance using the online form. The form will be available starting Wednesday January 17.  You may also call the Clerk’s office at 919-996-3040 to sign up. You are required to sign up by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 29. If you intend to utilize a presentation to accompany your remarks, you must submit presentation materials by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting.  Your presentation file should be emailed to councilpresentation@raleighnc.gov. 

There is no “best” way to express support.  But, if we want Raleigh to build an effective transit system that justifies the investment in the BRT system, now’s the time to ask Council to approve the New Bern TOD Rezoning.