Fayetteville City Council Work Session - February 6, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Fayetteville City Council Work Session - February 6, 2023
The Fayetteville City Council held a work session on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chamber. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including the state legislative action plan, homelessness coordination, transit rebranding and fare reinstatement, text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance, criminal enforcement of ordinances, and several councilmember-initiated items. Key decisions included approval of the state action plan with a modification to advocate for a direct flight to Washington, D.C., direction to reinstate transit fares effective July 1, 2023, and consensus to move forward with studying a co-located 911 call center, commercial building certification, PWC board appointments, and an analysis of the public cost of gun violence.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda was approved unanimously after a motion by Councilmember Ingram and second by Councilmember Hondros.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Councilmember Banks McLaughlin provided a personal testimony about losing her daughter to gun violence, urging support for the proposed cost analysis study. Her statement influenced some council members' positions.
Discussion Items
- State Action Plan FY2024 (Item 4.01): John Eastland of KTS Strategies presented the proposed legislative priorities, including public safety, transit, affordable housing, and economic development. Councilmember Jensen pushed for a specific line item advocating for a direct flight from Fayetteville to Washington, D.C. The council gave consensus to accept the plan with that modification.
- Continuum of Care on Homelessness (Item 4.02): Debbie Brown, COC chair, outlined the COC’s structure, coordinated entry system, and funding needs. She requested city-county collaboration, a focus on using 100% of affordable housing funds for the chronically homeless, and funding for an executive director. The council directed the homelessness and mental health committee to continue discussions and work with the county.
- Transit (FAST) Rebranding (Item 4.03): Transit Director Tiffany Neal presented new logo, bus stop signs, and shelter options. The council received the report and gave consensus to proceed with community feedback and rollout.
- Reinstatement of Transit Fare Collection (Item 4.04): Staff recommended reinstating fares on July 1, 2023, noting that federal relief funds for fare-free service had been exhausted. Council debated the impact on riders. A motion to direct staff to reinstate fares effective July 1 passed 8-2, with Councilmembers Banks McLaughlin and Ingram opposed.
- Proposed Text Amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (Item 4.05): Staff presented 19 amendments categorized as cleanup, development community requests, and policy issues (including separation standards for bars and churches, and an airport entrance corridor overlay). The council accepted the report, forwarding all items to the Planning Commission. Councilmember Ingram opposed, expressing concern over potential changes to separation standards.
- Criminal Enforcement of Ordinances (Item 4.06): Assistant City Attorney LaCelle Puliam reviewed the state law changes requiring explicit council authorization for criminal enforcement. She highlighted cases where civil remedies were insufficient. Council debated balancing enforcement with support services. A consensus motion passed to amend the relevant ordinances to include criminal enforcement language, with direction to the city manager to incorporate resources like the Continuum of Care.
- Co-Locating 911 Call Center with Cumberland County (Item 4.07): Councilmember Hondros requested staff explore co-location to potentially save funds. The council directed staff to study the feasibility, costs, and benefits, with a vote of 9-1 (Councilmember Thompson opposed).
- Commercial Building Certification (Item 4.08): Councilmember Hare asked to align commercial abandoned properties with residential rules, limiting boarding-up to three years. The council unanimously directed staff to gather information and bring back options.
- PWC Appointment (Item 4.09): Councilmember Benavente moved to schedule a vote on appointments to the Fayetteville Public Works Commission at the next regular council meeting. The council unanimously agreed.
- Cost of Gun Violence in Fayetteville (Item 4.10): Councilmember Benavente requested a study analyzing the public cost of gun violence from 2012 to 2022, referencing a similar study from another city. A lengthy debate ensued, with some members supporting data-driven prevention and others questioning the city’s role. Councilmember Banks McLaughlin offered emotional testimony. The item was discussed but no formal vote was taken; the meeting adjourned shortly after.
Key Outcomes
- State Action Plan: Approved with modification to include advocacy for a direct Washington, D.C. flight.
- Transit Fare Reinstatement: Staff directed to reinstate fares effective July 1, 2023 (8-2 vote).
- Text Amendments: Accepted and forwarded to Planning Commission (1 opposed).
- Criminal Enforcement of Ordinances: Consensus to amend ordinances to enable criminal enforcement, with supportive services to be included.
- 911 Call Center Co-Location: Staff directed to study feasibility (9-1).
- Commercial Building Certification: Staff directed to develop options aligning commercial and residential boarded-up time limits (unanimous).
- PWC Appointment: Vote scheduled for next regular council meeting (unanimous).
- Cost of Gun Violence Study: Discussed but no action taken; council moved to adjourn.
Meeting Transcript
Standards and continues to do what it's a good thing. Well, good evening, everyone. We'd like to call our Monday, February sixth, twenty twenty-three uh Fable City Council work session meeting to order. At this time, we'll have the invocation. We'll ask that Mayor Pro Tim give us the prayer. All right, if we could uh we'll do the prayer and follow on which we'll stand for the uh Pledge of Allegiance. Okay. Let us pray. Thank you, Lord, for all your many blessings, and we ask that you keep your your hand over this city at all times, Lord, and and we pray for our servicemen and women downrange uh doing doing good things for our country and protecting us so that we can serve here in this uh this city. And Lord, um we uh we ask uh uh special guidance on tonight's meeting and that you uh uh bless each and every one of us here tonight in the sound of my voice that we know that you are Lord and that you are in charge and lead us and guide us in your way. And this I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Reverend Mayor Pro Team Douglas. All right, council. Uh moving along tonight, uh I have a few important items. We have some guests that are with us tonight from several organizations as well as the uh state lobbyist, so we'll move quickly to respect the time. Item three point oh is the approval of the agenda. Can we have a motion to approve the agenda? All right, Councilmember Ingram is seconded by Council Member Hondros. Uh any discussion on the motion? All right, council look to you for your votes to approve, show of hands. Uh Councilmember Banks McAlaugh. Good afternoon, Green. Green, good afternoon. Item uh Madam Clerk, this is unanimous. Item four point oh one, uh state action plan twenty twenty-four. Mr. Reading, Mr. Eastland. Good evening. Good evening, Mayor and Council. That is not lighting. Okay, while we're getting that presentation pulled up. So this evening we've got John Easterlink from our state lobbyist uh group, they're from KTS strategies. We're going to be covering the state action plan. You know, over the past month and a half, we've been developing this plan with the mayor and council in small groups as well as with city staff. So once we get the presentation brought up, I'll turn it over to John. John, if you want to go ahead and open remarks. Yeah. Um well uh thank you, Mayor, uh members of council. Always a pleasure to be here uh with you all. Um as Brooke said, as soon as we get this pulled up, we'll present the state action plan that we've worked um for the past month and a half, two months on developing as the legislature gets now underway in session. We had a few committee meetings last week, a few this week already. And so as the business of Raleigh starts to commence, uh it is important and imperative that municipalities such as the size of Fayetteville, um a part of those metropolitan coalitions uh begin to present their legislative agenda and priorities uh to the General Assembly. So looking forward to uh this presentation, going over a few things with you on what's changing here in Raleigh and the delegation and some of the uh action items that you all have propose, and hopefully we can after some more conversation narrow those things down. Mayor, if I could, while we're waiting on our um your presentation pop up. Could you just tell everyone in here in the public just who our common county delegation is? Say their names, please. So um that's excuse me.
openpublica.com