Fayetteville City Council Work Session - May 6, 2024
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Fayetteville City Council Work Session - May 6, 2024
The Fayetteville City Council held a work session on May 6, 2024, at 2:00 PM, covering 14 agenda items ranging from crime prevention and zoning to transportation, stormwater, financial updates, parks agreements, a day resource center, housing assistance, tourism development, and city branding. Mayor Colvin presided and was excused at approximately 3:30 PM. Most items passed by consensus or unanimous vote, with a few receiving opposition.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda as amended (swapping items 4.07 and 4.08) — unanimous.
- Received the report on the Improper Towing Ordinance amendment (4.03) — no objections.
- Received the FY 2024 Financial Update (4.09) — unanimous.
- Received the update on the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Operations Agreement amendment (4.010) and directed staff to have it ready before budget season — unanimous.
- Provided consensus to select MANA Dream Center as the Day Resource Center operator (4.011) for a one-year contract — unanimous.
- Provided consensus to expand the Down Payment Assistance Program (4.012), removing the match requirement and increasing to $30,000 for public service employees — unanimous.
- Provided consensus to promote the All-America City brand with banners (4.014) — unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were recorded during the session.
Discussion Items
- 4.01 Crime Deterrent Opportunities with FMHA: Police Attorney Aaron Swinney presented data from the Neighborhood Improvement Team (NIT) showing lower crime rates on FMHA properties compared to the city overall. Council members questioned the data, citing media reports of shootings at Cross Creek Point and Rosemary community. The police chief noted the NIT partnership is working but agreed to provide more detailed breakdowns of calls for service. The report was received.
- 4.02 Text Amendment to Chapter 30 – Tobacco and Hemp Retail: Staff proposed a 1,500-foot separation requirement, adding religious institutions, and exempting convenience stores. Discussion centered on definitions and enforcement. Councilmember Hondros criticized the policy for focusing on supply rather than demand and noted peer cities do not have such bans. Consensus was reached to send the proposal to the Planning Commission for further refinement, with Councilmembers Hondros, Banks, McNair, and Benavente opposed.
- 4.04 Storage of Heavy Trucks, Trailers, and Recreation Equipment: Councilmember Thompson requested a change to ban buses in residential areas. Four options were presented. A motion to direct staff to prepare a text amendment banning buses from residential zones failed 5–5. Extended debate occurred over enforcement and the specific case of a school bus in a backyard. No action was taken.
- 4.05 Fayetteville Comprehensive Transportation Plan Update: Consultant Zach Bug (Kittelson & Associates) presented the CTP, identifying 17 priority street connections to address single-access subdivisions and improving corridor performance. Council discussed specific neighborhoods (e.g., Rayconda, Robin Hill). The report was accepted by unanimous consensus.
- 4.06 Supplemental Fayetteville Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan Study: The supplement focuses on 65 K–12 public schools, aiming to develop 20 additional sidewalk and crosswalk projects within a mile of schools. Councilmember Thompson stressed “connectivity to schools” rather than just proximity. The scope and fee were approved by unanimous consensus.
- 4.07 & 4.08 Watershed Master Plan Solutions (order swapped): First, staff presented 28 proposed solutions for Little Rockfish Creek One and Bones Creek ($90 million total), then 83 solutions for Cross Creek ($380 million total). Each set of solutions was approved by consensus to be programmed into the CIP prioritization process. Council commended the data-driven approach.
- 4.013 FCEDC Recruitment of Amusement and Attractions: Robert Van Geons discussed the need to define a “win” (e.g., water park, theme park, adventure park) and noted that a feasibility study would cost $75,000–$100,000. Council debated whether to first gather stakeholders or proceed directly to a study. A motion to have staff facilitate a meeting of stakeholders (e.g., TDA, CVB, Crown Complex) passed, directing staff to organize the meeting.
Key Outcomes
- The tobacco/hemp retail text amendment will be refined by the Planning Commission with input from council.
- The motion to ban bus parking in residential areas failed (5–5).
- The Comprehensive Transportation Plan, Pedestrian Plan supplement, and two sets of watershed solutions were accepted for further action.
- Staff was directed to finalize the Parks Operations Agreement amendment before the FY2025 budget.
- Staff was directed to convene a stakeholder meeting to define the scope for a potential amusement/attraction feasibility study.
- All other items on the consent calendar were approved without dissent.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome those who are joining us in the audience and those who may be uh join us remote at this time as with every meeting we always begin with invocation and we'll ask that uh councilmember Thompson. Where'd he get off to? Oh there. Councilmember Thompson, you mind giving us an invocation, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Let us pray. Heavenly dear Lord, we thank you for this day, another day that you have given us. Let us be joyful in all the things that you do, Heavenly Father. Bless these proceedings that we're about to attend to today, Heavenly Father, and let our minds be open to the suggestions in the movement and the future of the city of Fairville. Bless all those who are here in attendance and all those who are listening uh around the city. We ask you for all these things in your son Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Councilmember Thompson and Council, as we move to uh Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic from which it stands, one nation under God and the visible with liberty and justice for all. All right. Well, thank you. As we move to the agenda approval, Council, I may I have uh a work commitment at four, so I may ask uh for a motion to be excused about three thirty. Um, but so we'll cover as much ground as we can, but I'll I'll circle back to you for that if you could consider um consider that at the appropriate time. So as we move to 3.0, uh was noticed uh notified by staff that four point oh seven and four point oh eight need to be reversed. Um four point oh eight needs to be heard before four point oh seven is considered. So if we approve the agenda, can we swap those two items out? All right, so it's a motion by Councilmember Hondro, second by Councilmember Hare, uh to approve changes that were made with 4.07 and 4.08. Uh excuse. Okay, can we wrap that up in this one? All right, so all right. So just for simplicity's sake, I appreciate it, Councilmember Hare. I'll I'll uh we'll we'll do a separate motion for that just for the clerk to have accurate minutes. So any any discussion on the motion? All right, council, I'll look to you for your votes. Would we vote on screen for the agenda approval? All right, we're missing one. All right. All right, motion carries unanimous. Uh and council now, I'll go to councilmember here for uh I'm I move that we excuse the mayor at the appropriate time needed for him to take care of his uh professional business. Uh all right. There's a motion by councilmember here. Is there a second? Second by council member Andros. But I heard green. I saw Hondra. All right. All right. So any discussion on the motion? All right, Councilor, look to you for your votes. I appreciate that. All right. Motion carries nine to one. Those voting opposition isn't you, Councilmember McNair.
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