Fayetteville City Council Regular Meeting - April 27, 2026

The Fayetteville City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, April 27, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 433 Hay Street. Council heard a financial literacy proclamation, received updates on a hotel fire response and the city fleet, approved street closures and a federal grant action plan, received board reports and the GO Bond project update, and took action on appointments, an ordinance amendment, and a data center moratoria study.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved a consent agenda that included meeting minutes from March 12, 2026 (Special), April 6, 2026 (Work Session), and April 8, 2026 (Special); the rezoning requests P26-06 (Pritchett Road), P26-07 (Blount, Chase and Gillespie Streets), P26-08 (Covey Drive), and P26-09 (Black and Decker Road); demolition ordinances for 1299 Bingham Drive and 5329 Murchison Road; a bid award to T.A. Loving Company d/b/a Pipeline Utilities, Inc. for Sewer Lift Station 29 at the airport in the total amount of $3,325,000; and a resolution calling a public hearing for June 8, 2026 on the permanent closing of a portion of Fargo Drive.
• The Dogwood Festival funding item (7.0A2) was pulled from consent and approved separately as a one-time $75,000 support and operations grant for the 2026 Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, with staff directed to return with a multi-year funding framework tied to defined performance metrics and annual reporting.
• Three Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) consent items (7.0A10, 7.0A11, 7.0A12) were pulled and later tabled to a work session: the Clinton Road water tank coating repair bid ($600,500), the Construction Ops and Storms materials contract ($264,700), and the sole-source distribution transformer purchase from ERMCO.

Announcements and City Manager Report

• Mayor Colvin read a proclamation designating April 2026 as Financial Literacy Month. Crystal McLean, founder of Money Box Academy, accepted and said the organization served 69 participants in its first months of 2024, nearly 3,000 people in 2025, and already reached over 300 people in 2026. She cited an average American financial literacy score of 48 percent, a $246 billion cost of financial illiteracy in 2025, Fayetteville's median household income of $58,407, nearly one in five residents below the poverty line, and more than half of residents not owning their homes.
• Mayor Pro Tem announced May as Lupus Awareness Month.
• City Manager Hewitt announced the city fleet division's recognition as one of the top 100 public fleets in America.
• Fire Chief Dove and Police Chief Joyce described the response to a Sunday morning hotel fire on Sycamore Dairy Road: 65 rooms rented, 94 occupants, first unit arrival in 4 minutes 31 seconds, five people removed by ladder, and only one person treated for smoke inhalation. They highlighted coordination with the Red Cross, Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, OCS, Fazoli's, and others to shelter and transport displaced residents by early afternoon.

Public Hearings & Testimony

• Permanent street closures (items 8.01-8.03): Staff recommended closing unopened portions of Maxwell Street, McDonald Street, and an unnamed street off Cedar Street in the Cedar Creek subdivision. Applicant Sanjay Kazanchi spoke in favor of all three closures, saying the streets were platted in 1924, never built or used, and that closures were needed for his development plans without harming access. For McDonald Street, resident James Winder spoke, stating he supported keeping the road closed because he bought his house for quiet and did not want traffic. Council adopted each closure resolution unanimously.
• 2026-2027 HUD Annual Action Plan (item 8.04): No public speakers signed up. Chris Collie of Economic and Community Development presented the proposed plan. The budget includes approximately $2.7 million in federal entitlement grants, $750,000 in program income, and a $250,000 local match. Highlights included $300,000 for home repairs serving 30 homeowners, assistance for affordable housing units, small business technical assistance for 49 businesses, and nonprofit funding. Nonprofit demand totaled 30 applications requesting $6.2 million; after filtering, $1.1 million in valid high-priority requests remained, with $661,000 available, leaving about $500,000 in unmet need. Council discussed program capacity, down payment assistance, and unmet needs before approving the resolution unanimously.

Reports and Staff Updates

• Planning Commission Annual Report 2025: Staff noted the commission recommended on five UDO text amendments and one alternative sign plan. Council accepted the report.
• Zoning Commission Annual Report 2025: Council accepted the report without presentation.
• Public Infrastructure GO Bond Project Update: Public Works staff reported on the $25 million public infrastructure bond program. More than $13 million has been expended and about $3.5 million is under contract. Resurfacing projects used almost $14.5 million across three phases, adding about 40 miles and 5 percent of the 760-mile street network. Cost increases since fiscal year 2017 include binder course up 32 percent, base course up 66 percent, and utility adjustments up almost 200 percent. Numerous sidewalk, bike lane, bridge, intersection, lighting, and safety plan projects were described. Council received the report.

Other Items of Business

• Board and Commission Appointments (item 11.01): Council approved appointments of Coesha Brown to the Historic Resources Commission and Julia White and Sherelle Golden Thomas to the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee for two-year terms ending March 31, 2028.
• Parades, Motorcades, Special Events and Demonstrations Ordinance (item 11.02): Mayor Pro Tem moved to table the proposed amendments so the city attorney could gather recommendations from peer cities. Councilmember McMillan opposed the motion, arguing the original ordinance targeted a specific group and violated First Amendment rights. The motion to table carried 7-2, with Green and McMillan opposed.
• North Carolina Development Moratoria (item 11.03): Assistant City Attorney Victoria Curtis explained state law requirements for development moratoria under G.S. 160D-107, including findings, hearings, notice, and exemptions. Council discussed data center development concerns. Mayor Pro Tem proposed a 120-day study period, including work with the county, public input, and recommended site visits. Councilmember McMillan offered an alternative motion to direct staff to prepare a moratorium ordinance immediately. After debate, the 120-day study period motion carried 6-3, with Jones, Green, and McMillan opposed.

Administrative Reports

• Downtown Municipal Service District FY26 Third Quarter Update (item 12.01): Council moved the report from Cool Spring Downtown District, Inc. to the May work session.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda except the pulled items.
• Approved the 2026 Dogwood Festival grant 7-2, with Ferguson and Hondros opposed.
• Tabled PWC items 7.0A10, 7.0A11, and 7.0A12 to a work session.
• Adopted all three street closing resolutions unanimously.
• Adopted the 2026-2027 HUD Annual Action Plan unanimously.
• Accepted the Planning Commission and Zoning Commission annual reports.
• Received the Public Infrastructure GO Bond update.
• Approved board and commission appointments unanimously.
• Tabled the parade/special events ordinance amendments 7-2.
• Approved the 120-day data center study period 6-3.
• Moved the Downtown MSD report to the May work session.