Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - January 8, 2024
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Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - January 8, 2024
The Fayetteville City Council held its regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2024, in the Council Chamber at 433 Hay Street. The meeting included recognitions, a consent agenda, a 14-speaker public forum, two public hearings, an evidentiary hearing for transitional housing, and policy votes on advisory board removal procedures, public forum rules, and council meeting times.
Announcements & Recognitions
- Mayor Mitch Colvin and Councilmember Thompson recognized Kwame Molden, co-founder and president of Spring Break Watches, with a proclamation dated December 21, 2023, noting his Fayetteville roots, donations of over $35,000 in watches to teachers and staff, and retail distribution in more than 250 stores including Nordstrom, Macy's, and Belk. Molden dedicated the honor to his great-grandfather Thurman J. Andrews Sr.
- The Council presented the Key to the City to retiring radio host Jeff Goldie Goldberg, recognizing more than 40 years in radio and his work on WFNC's Good Morning Fayetteville.
- The Council recognized members of the Triple Nickel veterans group, including Patricia Jackson, for wreath-laying through Reese Across America. Jackson reported 9,900 wreaths laid at Sand Hills Cemetery this year, up from 8,000 last year, and 10 wreaths at Lafayette Cemetery.
Consent Calendar
The Council approved the consent agenda unanimously after pulling the October 9, 2023 minutes for separate consideration. Approved consent items included:
- Meeting minutes for December 6, 2023 (Special - Inauguration), December 11, 2023 (Discussion of Agenda Items), and December 11, 2023 (Regular).
- SUP23-08 findings of fact for a special use permit allowing a school in the SF-6 zoning district at 4502 Rosehill Road (Bethel Christian Assembly Inc.).
- Capital Project Ordinance Amendment 2024-9 for Orange Street School renovations.
- Capital Project Ordinance 2024-11 appropriating NCDOT grant funds for environmental and design phases of Taxiways Foxtrot and Golf rehabilitation.
- Budget Ordinance Amendment 2024-8 appropriating the 2023 Motiva First Responder Grant.
- Budget Ordinance Amendment 2024-9 moving Cape Fear Regional Theater funds to Economic and Community Development.
- Special Revenue Fund Project Ordinance 2024-12 for the FY23 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
- Award of the Terminal Renovations Phase III construction contract to Daniels & Daniels Construction Company, Inc.
- Engineering services contract for the Buckhead Creek Phase 1 Watershed Study.
- Municipal agreements with NCDOT for the Blanton Road Extension project, the Fayetteville Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan update, and landscaping/irrigation at Bragg Blvd and Rowan Street.
- PWC bid recommendations for sewer manhole rehabilitation (polymeric epoxy and CIP fiberglass reinforced epoxy).
- PWC resolution authorizing tentative award of the P.O. Hoffer Water Treatment Plant re-advertisement bid contract.
Public Comments & Testimony
Fourteen people signed up for the public forum. After reaching the 30-minute limit, the Council voted to extend the forum by 12 minutes to hear the remaining speakers.
- Joseph Wheeler and Lizette Rodriguez criticized the December 20, 2023 busing of unhoused residents to Durham Rescue Mission, saying the one-way trips were arranged by Deanna Braggs, that the shelter was not vetted, and that requirements such as no jobs for seven months, work at $1.25/hour, mandatory religious participation, and no cars were not disclosed. Rodriguez requested contact information for those sent to Durham, funding for a white-flag shelter at the Day Resource Center, hiring of an Office of Community Safety director, and approval of a county shelter permit.
- Angela Malloy said she left home after the busing call, criticized the lack of vetting and organization, and asked for full funding for an OCS director.
- Joel Cook called on the Council to adopt a ceasefire resolution for Palestine, stating that at least 2,000 additional Palestinian civilians had been killed in the past month and that 80% of the nation supports a ceasefire. He also supported funding for the Office of Community Safety and dignified treatment of unhoused residents.
- Sharon Moya asked the Council to use $85 million in public safety and infrastructure bonds to paint crosswalks at major intersections and bus stops, noting missing crosswalks near the mall and Westwood Shopping Center.
- Marjorie McLean, a teacher and nonprofit founder, petitioned to have 901 Person Street removed from the demolition list, saying she had received inconsistent guidance from city staff. The City Manager said the violations were more than cosmetic and that staff would follow up.
- Elizabeth Troubaugh, a military spouse, requested traffic calming near parks and neighborhoods after her dog was killed by a car going 30 mph near her home.
- Chilenko Hurst and Tiana Melvin asked for more investigators and communication regarding missing children of color. Melvin said her son Ivante McNeil had been missing since November 25 and the family had received no updates in almost two months.
- Andrew Bryant and Felice Lockamy expressed concerns about Fayetteville Block's expansion in District 2, including dust, stormwater, noise, and lack of air-quality testing.
- Rudy Edwards, a tenant at BJ's Used Books on Murchison Road, described the demolition process as nontransparent and said the building was on the demolition list despite the business having uninterrupted utility service since 1981.
- Lewis Graham, a homeless resident, requested help obtaining birth certificates and IDs, transportation, and income-based 24-hour daycare.
- Steve McMillan urged the Council to listen to District 2 and provide parks, splash pads, and reinvestment in the North Street area.
Public Hearings & Evidentiary Hearing
- P23-47 Rezoning (Hawley Lane) – A legislative hearing was held on a request to rezone 1.86 acres at 344, 348, 352 Hawley Lane and unaddressed Plummers Lane from Mixed Residential 5 (MR-5) to Downtown 2 Conditional (DT-2/CZ). The property is owned by Cumberland County Board of Education, Michael J Carpenter, and Helen Kelly Heirs, represented by Jimmy Kizer and Jermaine Walker. The only proposed condition was increasing the maximum street front yard setback from 20 to 70 feet. Staff and the Zoning Commission recommended approval. Jimmy Kizer said the county wants to combine the site with the adjacent Pauline Jones School property for future programs, and Walker said the proposed facility would comply with UDO standards. Pamela Carter, B Street Community Watch contact, and Kevin Carter opposed, saying a 24-hour homeless shelter should not be placed in the small B Street residential neighborhood and that many questions remained unanswered. The Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning, with Councilmember Davis making the motion and Councilmember Benavente seconding.
- P23-49 Rezoning (North Street) – The public hearing item for a conditional rezoning of 1.42 acres at 1009, 1015, and 0 North Street from MR-5 to Heavy Industrial (HI/CZ) on behalf of DRA LLC was tabled by Councilmember Davis to the January 22, 2024 meeting. The motion carried unanimously.
- SUP23-09 Transitional Housing Special Use Permit – The Council held an evidentiary hearing for a special use permit for transitional housing on the same Hawley Lane property. Witnesses were sworn in, including Jimmy Kizer, Jermaine Walker, and opponents Pamela Carter and Kevin Carter. County Commissioner Glenn Adams testified about the county's plans, including a shelter with pods for single men, single women, and families, 24/7 security, card access, county monitoring, partnerships with FTCC and Cape Fear Valley, and future affordable housing in the area. Adams said estimated capacity was about 70-75 people, with an anticipated construction cost near $15 million and a timeline of about two years. Opponents reiterated concerns about the location in a struggling residential neighborhood and concentration of homeless services. Councilmember Benavente moved to approve the special use permit subject to conditions, submitted site plans, and UDO conformance, and read six findings of fact. The motion was seconded by another council member and carried.
Policy Reviews and Other Business
- The Council approved a revised Boards and Commissions removal process. The approved language allows a complaint to be filed with the City Clerk, requires the appointment committee to hold a special meeting, and adds a step to notify the appointee and allow an opportunity to resign before the City Council makes a final removal decision.
- The Council approved an amended Public Forum Policy, changing the forum from two 15-minute segments to a single 30-minute period, with any remaining speakers placed at the beginning of the next month's public forum list. The policy also restates the three-minute per speaker limit, order of speakers, no yield of time, and restrictions on topics.
- The Council approved a resolution and ordinance changing City Council meeting times starting February 1, 2024: work sessions at 2:00 p.m., agenda discussion meetings at 5:30 p.m., and regular Council meetings at 6:30 p.m. The vote was 6-4, with Councilmembers McNair, Green, Banks McLaughlin, and Benavente opposed.
- The Council separately approved the October 9, 2023 regular meeting minutes that had been pulled from the consent agenda.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously.
- P23-47 rezoning approved unanimously.
- P23-49 rezoning tabled to January 22, 2024.
- SUP23-09 transitional housing special use permit approved.
- Revised advisory board removal process approved with notification/opportunity to resign.
- Public forum policy revised to a single 30-minute period with speaker carryover.
- Council meeting times changed to 2:00 p.m. work session, 5:30 p.m. agenda discussion, and 6:30 p.m. regular meeting, effective February 1, 2024 (6-4 vote).
- October 9, 2023 minutes approved.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good evening, everyone. We'd like to call our January 8th, 2024 Fedville City Council meeting to order. Thank you all who are joining us in person and those who are joining us remotely. At this time, we will begin with the invocation. We would ask that Pastor Blake Benji from Snyder Memorial. If you would, Pastor, how are you, sir? If we could all please stand for the invocation immediately following, if we could repeat the Pledge of Allegiance together. Pastor. Thank you for Fayetteville. Thank you for a place where we pause and just recognize you and recognize our dependence upon you. And in light of that, Father, we ask that you would give to these council members the thing that you give, the things that you give to every great exceptional leader leader, that they would think more about others than themselves, that they would think more about what we could and should be rather than just what we are right now. And we ask these things, knowing that we're dependent upon you. Amen. Pastor, welcome to the to the meeting tonight. Thank you for the prayer. Uh, you want to spend just a moment and tell us a little bit about yourself and your ministry. Uh well, I'm I'm Blake, and I'm from uh I grew up in South Alabama, moved here from North Florida, and uh been here for about a year, and it's been a lot of fun. Real real honor to be here, be a part of Fayetteville, be a part of Snyder Memorial Baptist. Our church is uh is a church that just like this council, we want to continue to see Fayetteville become better and better, and we want to be a part of making it a better and better place to live. Um, it's an honor to be a part of a uh uh community is so well connected to the military. Uh I did not have the privilege of serving, so it is great to be in a community that serves those who serve. Um, our church is focused on leading people to discover God and to develop faith in that God and to display Christ like love in our attitudes and our actions. That's our aim, that's our hope. Thank you again for allowing us to be here tonight. Thank you, sir. At this time, I'll ask that Mr. Kwame Molden, if he could meet me at the podium and uh turn it over to Councilmember. Uh or if he can meet Councilmember Thompson at the podium and special presentation. Good evening, Fairville. Uh, before me, we have one of our own, Mr. Kwame Molden, who has done a lot of great things in the city of Fairville. I'm not going to go too much into detail because he's going to have a small presentation to show you exactly what it is he does. But unbeknownst to some of us, Fedville name is being blown up all around the country by the product that he distributes throughout the country. So without further ado, uh Mr. Mayor, would you please read the proclamation? All right, Mr. Molden, again, congratulations. And a proclamation has been prepared, and it reads as follows. Henry Molden and Sabrina Watson. Whereas Mr. Molden received his formal education from E. E. Smith High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society, soccer and football teams, and graduated with honors. Mr. Molden graduated from North Carolina AT in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in information technology and obtained a Master's of Business Administration and Marketing from UNC Charlotte in 2012. Whereas Mr. Molden is the co-founder and president of Spring Break Watches, a designer watch company that provides an amazing variety of impactful and affordable watches. Spring Break draws strength and inspiration from their community and their culture, their beautiful childhood experiences growing up in Fairville, and their strong passion for education. Whereas Mr. Molden, ardent ardent devotion to charity and his community has enabled him to donate over $35,000 of watches to teachers and staff across the nation, including bestowing the entire staff of his alma mater, E.E.
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