We are in the Katie Dorset Council Chambers and let the record reflect that all members are in attendance and council member Black is on Zoom.

And Crystal, are you there?

Is she there?

Yes, she is there.

Okay, great.

Please uh we will begin the meeting with a moment of silence, please.

Thank you.

Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Councilmember Marshall, will you lead us, please?

Thank you.

Please silence any and all electronic devices.

The City of Greensboro strongly encourages input from all residents, and the council chambers serve as a welcoming and safe environment for all.

The council rules of procedure and decorum are posted on the city website under the city clerk tab, and all speakers are expected to read and adhere to the rules when addressing the council during any speaking opportunity.

To address the council this evening, participants must have completed speaker sign-up by 5 30 p.m.

And this is pursuant to the rules prior to the council meeting.

Those who registered online should confirm their attendance with Mr.

Canapino, and all handouts must be given to the city clerk for distribution prior to the start of the council meeting.

Speakers may address specific consent or business agenda items with three minutes allocated for remarks.

All speakers are expected to adhere to established rules of decorum, and any inappropriate or disruptive conduct will result in immediate removal.

A first removal carries a three-month suspension from in-person participation.

A second violation results in a six-month suspension, and a third violation or any instance involving physical altercations results in a 12-month suspension.

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And those suspended from in-person participation will retain the ability to attend virtually via Zoom, ensuring their right to free speech.

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Any videos, media, or supplemental documents utilized by speakers during this meeting, are not reviewed nor verified by the city for accuracy, completeness, or authenticity.

Speakers may not transfer their time to others, and the mayor or presiding officer will determine the speaking order.

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Speakers may not address the audience, nor employees of the city of Greensboro.

The public comment period is for speakers to address council members only with their comments and an opportunity for council to listen and take notes.

Any violation of this protocol and the speaker's time shall be surrendered.

State statute requires council members to vote on all matters unless a direct financial interest exists, or if the council member serves on the board of a nonprofit organization that receives city funding.

All motions will be moved and seconded, and the presiding officer will announce the vote tally.

The consent agenda covering items F1 through F7 consists of routine and non-controversial matters that are approved with a single vote, and any council member may request the removal of an item due to a conflict of interest or to vote in opposition.

Items withdrawn for discussion will be carried forward to the next business meeting agenda.

And then if an item is found to be time sensitive, the mayor may request that a vote be taken.

Closed captioning is provided for this meeting, and depending on the duration of proceedings, a brief recess is anticipated around 7 30 p.m.

Council, I would like you to know that the applicant has withdrawn their application for item H9, 2026-443, public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 4701 Hickory Valley Road, 0.79 acres.

Joyce and Kilmer P.

Fisher Jr.

And item H10, 2026-431.

Public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for property at 4701 Hickory Valley Road.

Colby Fisher for Joyce and Kilmer Fisher Jr.

And no further action is needed to be taken at this time.

Now we will have our ceremonial items, and this is the time for our presentation.

I'm happy to introduce item E1, recognition of 2026 student scholarships on the Mayor's Committee for Disabilities.

Representative Johnson.

On behalf of the Mayor's Committee for People with Disability, we would like to thank Mayor and the City for your continued support with Shopard's Day as well as your contribution that makes this scholarship opportunity possible.

The Mayor's Committee, excuse me.

The Mayor's Computing for Persons with Disabilities, a 501C3 nonprofit coalition of business human service agencies and individuals of all levels of abilities with the mission to create a barrier-free community.

The committee works to enhance awareness, education, social and employment opportunities in an effort to promote inclusion and reduce barriers.

It is also active in many community boards and committees advocating for the rights of people with disabilities.

Every spring, the mayor's committee accepts nominations for the Stephen L.

Nyer Memorial Scholarship to support high school seniors with disabilities who plan to pursue a higher level of post-secondary education.

The scholarship is named in the memory of Stephen L.

Nyer, former executive director of Life Span Inc., longtime member of the mayor's committee, and a community advocate for person with disability.

This year we had five amazing individuals.

I'm going to call them up.

I'm going to read a very little bit about them and then we'll present them.

Zakia Abdun's dad is going to come up.

There we go.

Zakia is a 2026 graduate from the Academy at Smith.

She plans to continue her education by attending college, pursuing a degree in computer science.

Zakir reports her family and faith are central to who she is and that it is what keeps her grounded during difficult moments, which inspires her to move forward.

Zakia Abdusmat.

Joy Norman.

Joy Norman is a 2026 graduate from Westland Christian Academy.

Joy's post-secondary goal is to attend Anderson University with a focus on career with a focus on a career in public relations, which she hopes will lead her to a life of becoming an independent and responsible young adult.

Joy Norman.

Violet Gordon.

Violet is a 2026 graduate from Cornerstone Charter Academy.

Bot's post-secondary goals to continue her education by attending college pursuing a degree in elementary education to become an elementary school teacher.

It is her hope that she will help shape the future generation and have a big impact in their lives as her teachers have done in hers.

Ballet Gordon.

Farlo Jackson.

Barlow is a 2026 graduate from Southeast Guilford High School.

Bardo's post-secondary goal is to attend Randolph Community College, where her focus will be early childhood development that will lead her to a career in nursery or daycare center.

Barlow has persevered through many challenges in her life, and she hopes to utilize her leadership skills to become vice president of civilians.

Barlo Jackson.

J.Beyne Stevens.

J.B.

is a 2026 graduate from Grimsley High School.

J.B.'s post-secondary goal is to attend Guilford College, pursuing a bachelor's of science in cyber and network security.

J.B.

expresses his application, the impact of the last four years of high school, and how it has learned how it has led him to resilience, thoughtful decision making skills, and grown through many of life's challenges.

JB Yon Stevenson.

And to your family, advocates, your teachers who are here.

It's just amazing how everyone comes together and wants to make sure these young people have the opportunities to thrive.

So thank you all so very much.

That is all of our ceremonial presentations.

If it's council's pleasure, I would like to go ahead with that.

Everybody good.

All right, super.

So are there any boards and commissions?

Anyone?

All right, Mr.

Marshall.

Yes, I would like to appoint Mary Herbernick to the Commission for the Status of Women.

Do I hear a second?

Okay.

Seconded by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor, please say aye.

That passes unanimously.

Anyone else?

I have a couple.

I am asking to appoint Ronald Bailey to the GHA board.

Second by Mr.

Holston.

All in favor, please say aye.

Is everyone good with that?

Yes.

And I would also like to appoint Kay Brown to fill the vacancy on the GC Jack Executive Committee.

And I need a second on that.

I'll make the motion.

Seconded by Mrs.

Crawford.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

That takes care of that.

Thank you all so much.

No one else had a board or commission, correct?

All right.

So for council comments, Mr.

Holston, I'll start with you.

Are you good?

You want to just a couple of comments.

One is I want to say congratulations to the men of Cap Office of Fraternity, the Greensboro Alumni Chapter.

The chapter celebrated its 80th anniversary this past week commemorating June 11th, 1946.

Also, looking forward to this upcoming weekend.

Want to celebrate Juneteenth as a holiday that we uh here at City Council and former council members bearheaded.

Um it's an it's an uh an awesome recognition of uh the day and time when uh the date or the information about uh the emancipation proclamation was shared in the state of Texas.

And then also I want to share that um I'll hold off.

I'm good.

You good, you good?

Um Mrs.

Crawford.

Um so over the weekend in the last two days, uh well, actually the last two months, um I've been approached by community and environmental organizations uh who are worried about um AI data centers.

And so, and my community is less than two miles from one that is coming.

Um, and I think that before Greensboro completes legislation around AI data centers, uh, we need to take some time and learn how they are going to affect our neighborhoods, our water supply, our power systems, roads, and other city services.

So I know the word moratorium can sound scary, um, but what feels even scarier is making decisions today without fully understanding how they're going to affect our communities for years to come.

So many communities across the state have already adopted temporary moratoriums or pause periods to study the impacts of large data centers before moving forward.

And Greensboro should take the time to do the same.

So I'm asking that we're brave enough to look at what it takes to build out a six-month moratorium ordinance.

Um I want to uplift the fact that this is not about stopping growth, it's about making sure we understand the benefits and the challenges before making decisions that could affect our communities.

Um so we owe it to our residents.

Um I want our residents to know that we hear them that we support them in making sure that community has a say that we actually get to hear from them as we are building out these uh long-term decisions about how our land and public resources are used.

Um I want to make sure that the community and stakeholders are a part of this process, and I think that six months gives us time to ask questions and gather facts here from residents and make sure any future decisions reflect Greensboro's values and long-term goals.

Uh so um I just want, especially my community, um, and anyone that's going to be around two miles from any data center for them to know that we take this seriously, we take and value uh their lives and um and that's what I'm asking for.

I know that uh there is not full will for this, but I'm hoping that we can move to hear from our community and really take this seriously.

That's it.

Thank you.

Any discussion?

I do have a question, Madam Mayor.

Just uh wanted to ask the city attorney we took an action to ask that they actually direct that the city manager and forums council and sort of flag any uh requests for data centers or data center related items.

I guess the thing that I am confused with with the moratoriums is if the council has the um sort of policy direction for the city, why is there a need for moratoriums as well?

I'll think that we hear yes, and thank you.

Thank you both for the questions and the reference.

We do have a a discussion coming up with staff uh and council to talk through uh the path forward to make sure that uh one we're we're adhering to the the request from council collectively, uh, but also exploring the right thing, uh the right approach for our city.

So city attorney um is talking about what we're talking about, thank you when you're talking about the concerns that has been addressed by the council as well as the community, take some in-depth research, and we're looking at pure city ordinances, we're trying to compare them with what the law says here in North Carolina and as well as other things, and so it's going to take time to get that ordinance in place.

It's gonna take a legal process to get that ordinance in place, which would encompass community meetings as well as some other things that the council has requested.

Um there are certain leas legal aspects I believe that the public should know as well as the council should be should reiterate when you have your community meetings is whether a moratorium gets put in place or not, there are certain things it cannot do.

Um at this point, any applications would not necessarily have to come through legal, but I'm sure legal will be aware of them, and we are not aware at this point of any data centers that are new applicants.

However, if there's any data centers that have been approved up to the point that a moratorium is put in place, even if they have not broken ground, if they've been approved in any in any, I guess, aspect of their coming into fruition, a moratorium cannot stop those.

We cannot deny them water, we cannot we cannot do anything to um prohibit them from coming if this council or prior council has already approved them.

So, what a moratorium can do is it it can give us a pause to stop and do the study.

However, we're already we are already doing that, and again, I can't remember the council meeting that council asked the city manager to flag um any data centers that were coming to the area and let's do an in-depth research on them, but we have not gotten any that are coming into the area since that um request.

So I hope that answers your question.

It does, thank you.

I guess the suggestion um I just wanted to be clear that a we are working on a policy that will be inclusive and engage the community and communicate what we're thinking and working on along the way.

Um, but secondly, I I just I I guess I want to be clear as to whether a an answer honestly, you know, is there something we're missing by not having a moratorium in place?

Is there something that we are at risk of?

I worry that I don't want to um I worry that some of the actions with some of the communities have been more symbolic than they have been effectual.

And so the real question is if the question is we want to make sure that we're taking time being considerate about uh creating data center policy, which I do believe we need to, and we need to evaluate it from a number of perspectives, um, it is if that action is underway currently and there isn't something that I think the concern is that something can happen in the meantime while we're taking those steps.

My understanding is with what we've asked the manager to do in terms of flagging if there if there is a risk, this council will be informed.

Moratorium or no moratorium.

And so I just I'm just trying to sort through where is it, what is it that the moratorium give that doesn't that we don't already have in place?

From a legal perspective, uh Mayor Pro Tim, the moratorium would not give anything that this council has not already put in place to city manager and myself in any event that that a data center would apply or either even come into the city of Greensboro, we would have to know about that.

And you all have already put us under some restrictions as far as what we need to flag and what answers to questions that we need to bring you before a data center moves forward.

Okay, thank you.

So I think that what I'm hearing is maybe we need to um communicate with the public a little more on what we are doing, and that we have come this far on this, and we are certainly uh wanting to listen to the community as we move along this.

Is that fair to say?

Yes, ma'am, madam mayor.

And in and as we continue this series of discussions internally with staff and with council uh in the near future, we will plan to have uh different sessions that will be you know viewed can be viewed by the public, such as a work session, we have different uh subcommittee working groups, uh, and this is a very important topic uh to the community broadly.

And so we're very aware that this needs to happen sooner than later to make sure that people can understand and see you know the measures that we're taking place internally.

I do think it's worth saying from my seat that uh we have taken strong direction uh that the flagging of anything that's coming in uh of the nature of a data center uh will be raised to the level of of our council and and we'll continue to work on those things uh that ensure we we're at its core.

I think everybody just wants to make sure that our community is safe and that our community is not harmed, and specifically speaking to uh spaces in our community that historically have been harmed, and those are some things that we're definitely uh taking into consideration and looking at.

Thanks.

And I'll just round it off, Madam Mayor Mayor, by saying that um in the in legal, one of the um things that we do is we're watching litigation, um, not just across the state, but across our region and across what we call our appellate our federal appellate district and um some of our peer seats.

And so um all of the most of the 99% of the moratoriums that's been enacted in the state of North Carolina has been fashioned after a leading town, and that moratorium is now in litigation.

And so part of what we're doing also is watching to see exactly what the courts of North Carolina have to say about moratoriums and the restrictions they will put on them and you know what they will allow to take place under a moratorium.

So we are indeed watching that extreme close.

Thank you.

And then one other thing, um, I wanted to can you explain the data center that is currently on track, that is already a done deal, um, that that is not what we are talking about.

What we are talking about is future zoning and litigation, I mean zoning and ordinances.

Yes, ma'am, you you're correct.

And then and I will clarify if if anyone's listening, uh the direction from council and what staff is working on is is from the city collectively.

How do we establish our policies and ordinances and what we want to see and what we will uh receive into our community?

So, yes, ma'am.

Great, thank you.

Did you have anything further?

Mayor for Tim Roth, since you were.

Um thank you.

Yes.

Um, since our last uh meeting, uh, the mayor and I and the city attorney uh attended the U.S.

Conference of Mayors and Long Beach Um California had a great opportunity to confer with other cities, but even more spectacular, we got a chance to visit uh the Jet Zero location that is in uh Long Beach and it has some of their original RD efforts uh and actually maybe less than an hour from where we were is the Mojave Desert where they're actually testing a lot of the uh technology that they're working on.

We did not put it to go to the desert, but we did get to see the RD facilities at the Long Beach Airport, and it was just truly amazing.

Um, and it was wonderful to be a part of the uh ribbon cutting yesterday, and just very excited about where that investment and those efforts will take us.

Um secondly, I wanted to just say obviously there some know that I had an op-ed in the news and record on Sunday talking about data centers, and I just want to be clear because I I were worried that my point this may be missed or lost.

Um is it was not a pro-data center uh article.

Um my overarching point is one, we as a community need to be very diligent about what we're asking, understanding the impact uh of uh of data centers.

As uh Ms.

Crawford said, as um as communities are as data centers are being placed in communities, we want to understand the harm and ensure that we are protecting our residents.

My message really is and continues to be that AI is here today.

And you know, we had a speaker in our community last week who really sort of suggested that we could get rid of AI and um really sort of do away with the industry, and I think that's harmful.

I really do.

And I honestly think it's harmful because of the fact that this is a AI industry is an economic driver for not just an economic driver, but also sort of changing the way that we are working as a community, the way we do business, the way we research and finance.

It is showing up in everything we do.

And I think it's really important that we ensure that our communities, our young people, are trained, informed, understand what's happening, and actually encouraged into these industries.

And that is not the message that I'm hearing with all the other subtext that is happening.

I also want to address directly, it was suggested that I was not being transparent with my conflicts of interest, and uh and wanted to just clarify a couple of things in that regard.

I have not received, nor do I receive money from any data center companies, any AI companies or the like.

I do advise companies in a number of capacities.

Commonwealth ventures, common will ventures.

I I am an advisor, non-paid advisor amongst dozens of advisors across the country, uh mostly former administration effectuals.

I led the GSA under President Obama.

And uh it's they advise startups that are creating government solutions, typically tech-based solutions.

Apparently, there was early on some of the earlier um investors or maybe the starters of Commonwealth invested in AI companies.

I don't benefit from that.

That is not my motivation.

Um the other was CEG.

CEG is an energy retrofit company, ESCO projects that they do.

They look to make buildings more efficient.

They bring um they do quite a bit of retrofitting for federal as well as local governments across the country.

Um, and in fact, they have and are innovating on data centers.

What I will say is data centers are, have been, will be a part of our lives.

The thing that you want is for the technology to improve to reduce the harm that it's having on communities and individuals, and that's what these companies are doing.

I am a part of what's called the AI Trust Foundation, and it's people who understand that AI is a part of our future and how to adopt and bring AI into our lives in a way that is that that is uh beneficial and that is responsible.

So I have in and all of these things are on my LinkedIn page, so it's not like someone found it and sort of dug deep and figured out something that I was trying to hide.

Um so any other questions about that, I'm happy to talk about as well.

But I will tell you that my my intentions are very sincere.

I come from an underprivileged and underinvested community.

Having access to the future, having access to opportunities is absolutely the thing that makes the difference.

And I will never be deterred from encouraging people to in fact look for those opportunities to improve their circumstances.

Thank you.

Yes, thank you.

Mrs.

Stern.

Um just two quick things.

Number one, I want to congratulate um Freeman's Pubbing Grub who celebrated their 11th anniversary a week or so ago.

Um that was a lot of fun, and congratulations to them.

As we all know, it's a hard time to be a local independent restaurant right now, and to make it 11 years of saying something, and it's to be congratulated.

So kudos to them.

The other thing is I just want to remind folks of the state of the city.

Um that's coming up next week.

I believe it's the 23rd at 4 p.m.

Um, and that'll be held at the Pearl.

And the last thing is that I didn't write down the date, I'm scrambling.

Monday uh June 2nd uh will be a meeting with Chief Osall, a community meeting for District 5, and anybody else that was will be held at 6.30 at Leonard Recreation Center.

I'd like to invite anybody that's interested that hasn't had a chance to hear him speak yet to come out and join us that evening.

Thank you.

All right, uh, Mr.

Allen.

Uh just a quick thing.

I was able to uh attend uh a uh the arts weekend program at the cultural arts center, and they've been uh really putting on some stellar uh shows uh over the past few weeks.

So if you haven't had a chance to go by and visit uh the cultural arts center, uh they have a lot of things coming up over the course of the summer, uh but I do encourage folks to get by there uh and check out some of the programming there, some of the vendors that they have over there that are doing some great work.

All right, Mr.

Marshall.

Parker Happy Juneteenth I'm so grateful for all the curators and the community leaders that are creating space uh to continue the traditions of our city um it's powerful to see so many people working together to activate space uh this weekend so please go on to the City of Greensboro's Facebook social media and you'll be able to get a full lineup across the city.

And as we celebrate Pride Month I also want to highlight that we have relaunched our LGBTQ task force and so we'll be out in the community um this weekend is especially active um so we're excited to continue showing up and building community I think we'll um uh June 20th we'll be at the Pearl um for Pride uh we also want to recognize World Refugee Day on June 20th on the liaison for the International Advisory Committee so we'll be stopping by there so please join us and thank you for the contributions of all the refugees in our community and around the world I'm also grateful uh that our at large council members uh they're also joining me as we activate uh this summer's coffee with council series an opportunity to connect with in District 3 with me and um several at large folks so join us at Deep Roots Market at 6 p.m on June 30th July 20th August 31st so wishing everyone a meaningful Juneteenth a joyful Pride month and a safe and connected summer um I also attended uh two of the of Chief Assall's uh community meetings and he committed to working with our local colleges and university partners to review our desegregated data and examine racial disparities over the course of four to six months but I I know that there's no perfect time frame that will not echo that structural and systemic oppression exists I would argue that there's no institution that racial inequity does not exist.

In fact in Greensboro black people live 16 years less than white people and that alone should alarm everyone and equity is in our city's mission.

So to stay on mission I propose that we reinstate the Greensboro Community City Working Group.

One of my constituents who knew me for a really long time to what would Reverend Nelson Johnson do.

So I thought um as a response 10 years ago my elder with the City of Greensboro started the doing our work series as a city we read the new Jim Crow together we welcome Michelle Alexander the author and we started hosting a monthly community education project.

I think that we should start examining the data and the context of history not necessarily each individual case this working group should include experts and we welcome community organizers to discuss the history and the modern realities of systemic racism.

So city manager please with city leadership our police chief and GC Jack I think that is a perfect work space that could anchor this necessary work going forward.

Yes ma'am all right I have just a few comments will you finish Kathleen oh Crystal yes well she was I kind of missed she was having difficulty crystal are you on Crystal okay are you there?

Oh great great because I knew you weren't early earlier you're going in and out a little bit so um do you have some council comments for this evening I did you have a few comments I wanted to uh one uplift the gaps that you all have been filling since I have been um under the weather and I wanted to thank you all for that I know that there were two police meetings um in district one that I heard went well and I appreciate the uh council members that filled in the gap for that um let community know that I had a small surgery and I'll be back on my feet soon all right but I also wanted to speak to uh what council member crawford um talked about with the AI data centers and just trying to center how I I feel as a district one representative um that we may can move forward um elephant in the road center that has been and we both with transparent that what what was on the end of how we were and I think if we can create spaces where we bring um the people um included again including uh the the orbit um be us leading conversation

But I also wanted to speak to uh what council member Crawford um talked about with the AI data centers and just trying to center how I I feel as a district one representative that we make and move forward um elephant in the room center that has been and we both was transparent at what was on then it's just a matter of how we were and I think if we can create spaces where we bring um the people included in the including uh see the org and um be us leading conversation.

Crystal, you you're going out too much of freezing up.

Well, you maybe turn your video off.

Well, we can allow that because we know you're there and we see you, but turn your video off because your your voice is not your word.

Yeah, we can only hear every other word, so there you go.

How is that?

Is that better?

Thank you.

That is so much better.

Yeah.

Go ahead.

So I just think that instead of kind of dodging the elephant in the room, that we can um have a community conversation around the data center that has been approved.

I don't think that anyone should carry the weight of the decision.

It has been decided.

So as leaders, I think we should lead the conversation on how do we guide a healthy situ a conversation around this so that community can feel comfortable because right now what I hear is yes, we are working toward legislation that will talk about future data centers without us discussing the elk in the room.

And so I know that there's plans to have some conversations.

I'm hoping that we can do that going forward, working with community, being transparent with community, so that hopefully there's a result that everyone can support.

Um but I do think that since this is already decided, um, we need to bring community in and be transparent so that we don't have stories being created, but that we are look being leaderful in this situation and telling the story of what is truth.

All right, thank you.

Anything else?

Thank you.

All right, I have just a few things.

I do like uh doing the council comments at this time so uh the people who are here can hear everything that is going on in the community and also uh make sure that that our comments are heard.

A lot of times at the end of the meeting there's no one here, and we don't even know if people are on, but a lot of important things coming up do need to be said.

Um yes, the state of the city is on Tuesday, June 23rd, four o'clock.

Uh, you do need to register.

There's limited space.

So please uh if you need a registration, then reach out and we will get one to you.

Uh but registration registration is uh we are saying required.

We understand a few people may just show up, but it it the space is limited, so we wanted to make sure that we could let everyone in who signed up.

I wanted to take a moment because one of the things I've been getting uh in my inbox quite a bit are compliments on city staff, and I think it is incumbent upon me to relay some of those to the community.

Um everyone has given me permission to give their names.

Uh they want the community to know that some of the city employees or all of the city employees that I that people are contacting me about have gone above and beyond.

Um here's one from uh Miss Katzenstein.

She wanted to take a moment to recognize city employees uh for their outstanding responsiveness and professionalism.

There was a potentially dangerous trench issue on West Friendly Avenue left by a private construction company.

Uh the employees quickly connected the residents with Sharon Sawyer, who immediately went into action, went out in the site in extreme heat and worked to ensure the issue was addressed the very same day.

So uh Bryce Carter and Sharon Sawyer for representing the city of Greensboro so well and for showing the dedication that they show to our residents every day.

Another one was about solid waste.

Uh residents shared appreciation for the sanitation operators who go above and beyond while collecting trash.

Uh she came outside at the last minute with her trust bin after the truck had already passed, but the operator noticed her and actually on his way back was able to pick up her trust bin.

So she wanted to recognize uh the the caring and attentives that made positive impacts.

And for police department, a resident, Mr.

Patrick Davies shared heartfelt appreciation for members of the GPD after his wife, who has cognitive issues became lost during a walk.

He expressed gratitude for the effort that officers put into locating her and safely returning her home.

And that he was absolutely in awe of the skill professionalism, determination, and compassion during a very stressful time for the family.

So, you know, just a few every time, because I do think it's important to see that our employees do go above and beyond quite often.

Don't want anyone to forget about refugee day, which has been mentioned Saturday.

It starts at 11 o'clock, and it is something that you know, if you if you go out there, you will see what we're talking about and learning about all different cultures.

So it's it's just amazing.

Um now, unless there's anything else pressing, we will move on to our consent agenda.

And if council, is there anyone on council who wishes to remove any item from the consent agenda due to a conflict of interest or for the purpose to vote?

No or discussion.

Anyone?

Hearing none, I would accept Ms.

I'm sorry.

Mr.

Holston made a motion.

Do I hear a second?

Second, council please vote.

Councilmember Black, did you vote online or your vote?

Okay.

All right, her vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Thank you so much.

Now is the time for our public hearing items, and we have item H1, public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property located at 3704 Liberty Road.47 acres, Antonio Rodriguez Segundo of Trio R and Gens LLC, and item H2, public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for 3704 Liberty Road.

Jamie Goodman for Trio R and G Investments LLC.

And we have staff.

Good evening, Council members.

I'm Luke Carter at the City Planning Department, and I'll be summoning for Mike Kirkman tonight.

As the mayor read, this item is for uh 3704 Liberty Road.

This is an annexation and original zoning.

So there will be two motions with this request.

The subject property contains approximately 0.47 acres and is located west of Liberty Road and north of Wiley Lewis Road.

This again is an annexation and original zoning requests.

The current zoning district is County RS40, and the request is to annex it and zone it to City R 3.

North and North of the request is zone City R3.

East of the request is zone County Limited Office and County RS40.

South and west of the request are zoned County RS40.

This is the aerial map of the subject property showing that it is currently undeveloped.

North, south, and west of the request contains single family dwellings.

East of the request contains a single family dwelling and undeveloped land used for agricultural uses.

This is the future land use map, which designates the property as residential.

This is the future built form map, which designates the property as urban general.

And in recommending approval, staff notes that the GSO 2040 Comprehensive Plan designates the site as urban general on the future book format and residential on the future land use map.

The proposed original zoning request supports both the comprehensive plans creating great places goal to expand Greensboro's citywide network of unique neighborhoods, offering residents of all walks of life a variety of quality housing choices.

It is also supported by the filling in our framework, big idea to arrange our land uses for where we live, work, attend school, shop, and enjoy our free time to create a more vibrant and livable Greensboro.

The proposed original zoning request allows uses that are similar to existing uses in the surrounding area.

I will also note that the Planning and Zoning Commission heard this request and made a positive recommendation for both the annexation and the original zoning at their May 18th 2026 meeting, and their vote was 9 to 0 to approve, and there were no speakers on this item.

I can answer any questions that you have.

Alright, are there any questions from council?

Any discussion?

There's no one signed up for the public hearing portion.

So if no questions from council, I would accept a motion.

Moved by Mr.

Marshall, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

And this is on item H1.

And that carries 9 to 0.

Now we'll need a motion to adopt the ordinance item H2, which will also need this requires a statement of consistency.

Moved by Mr.

Marshall, seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Mr.

Marshall, Council can vote.

The Greensboro City Council believes of its action to approve the original zoning request for the property at 3704 Liberty Road from County RS40, residential single family, to city R3 to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

It considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan's feature built floor map and future land use map.

The proposed city R3 zoning district permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

The request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and the surrounding community, and approval is in the public interest.

Thank you.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 9 to 0.

Thank you.

All right.

Moving on to item H3, public hearing for an ordinance annexing territory into the corporate limits.

For the property identified as a portion of 1202-A rank and mill road, 0.14 acres, 0.14 acres, I'm sorry, buying Griffin, and item 8's 4 public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for property at a portion of 1202-A rank and mill road buying Griffin.

Go ahead, Mr.

Carter.

Thank you, Mayor.

This is the zoning map of the subject property, showing that it contains approximately 0.14 acres and is located east of Rankin Mill Road and north of Huffine Mill Road.

This is a rather small property.

This is due to a mapping error.

We noticed the CD R3 property that you see to the north there came through a couple months ago.

And in doing the research for that and writing the legal description for the city, we noticed that it was mapped incorrectly for the southern property.

The owner has submitted the annexation request for the remaining portion of the property, and that's the substance of this request.

You will notice that north of the property is CD R3 and south and west of the property and east of the property are zoned city R3.

There's city HI to the west as well.

The property, this is the area map of the subject property.

There is a single family dwelling on the property.

North of the request also contains a single family dwelling.

East and south of the request or single family dwellings and west of the request contains undeveloped land.

The future land use map designates the property as residential.

Future built format designates the property as urban general.

Let me note also that Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this annexation and original zoning with nine to zero votes on both, and there were no speakers.

Thank you.

And I appreciate that we are making sure it is correct.

That's that's great.

Are there any questions from anyone on council?

Hearing none, and there's no one signed up to speak.

I would accept a motion.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mayor Pro 10.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 9 to 0.

I would also accept a motion to adopt item H4, and that does require statement of consistency.

Here a second.

Second by Mr.

Allen.

Mrs.

Thurm?

The Green First City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the property at a portion of 1202A ranked mill road from County RS30 to City R3 to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan's future belt form map and future land use map.

The proposed city R3 zoning districts permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

And their request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community and approvals in the public interest.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 9 to 0.

Thank you.

Item H5, public hearing for an ordinance to annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property identified as 1818, 1820, and 1830, Andrews Farm Road, 83.22 acres.

Mr.

Nick Blackwood for Kenneth Avalas of KZT Acquisition LLC and others.

And item 86, public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for 1818, 1820, and 1830, Andrews Farm Road.

Nick Blackwood for Kenneth Avalos of KZT Acquisition LLC and others.

Mr.

Carter.

Thank you very much.

This is the zoning map of the subject property.

The subject property contains approximately 83.22 acres and is located west of Andrews Farm Road and north of McConnell Road.

Just for transparency sake, notice and said looking at the county zoning maps, that recently this property, at least according to the county maps, was shown to be rezoned from County AG to County CZ RS40.

So just noting that that that's the existing, the existing zoning district has changed, at least according to county zoning maps.

The important part is that we're still hearing an annexation request and an original zoning request tonight for a city zoning district.

So I just wanted to point that out for clarity's sake.

Again, this is an annexation and an original zoning request from County CZ RS40 to City C D R M 18.

North and East of the Request are zone county CZ RS40.

South of the request is zones County CZ RS40 and County AD with a special use permit, and west of the request is zoned County AG with a special use permit.

This is the aerial map of the subject property showing that it currently contains single family dwellings and undeveloped land.

North of the request contains a solar farm, undeveloped land, and single family dwellings.

East of the request contains single family dwellings and undeveloped land.

South of the request contains single family dwellings and a solar farm, and west of the request contains a solar farm.

The future land use map designates the property as residential.

And the future book form map designates the property as exurban.

These are the conditions that were proposed by the applicant.

And since the planning and zoning commission meeting, the applicant has requested an addition to condition number four.

And I'll read that entire condition into the record.

And then if you choose, you need to accept that condition.

Shall be state shall be installed adjacent to the northern property line of 1824 Andrews Farm Road, which is identified as parcel number 120670.

The addition is also a type B buffer yard type B buffer planting yard shall be installed adjacent to the western and southern property lines of the same property.

Move to approve the condition.

Move by Mrs.

Thurm, seconded by Mr.

Marshall.

Council, please say aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

Hearing none, the conditions passed.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

In recommending approval of this request, the planning department notes that the GSO 2040 conference of plans future built format map designates the property as ex urban.

If this request is approved, the future built form map designation for the subject site is considered to be amended to urban urban general.

The subject property is designated as residential on the future land use map.

The proposed original zoning request supports both the conference of plans created in great places goal to expand Greensboro's citywide network of unique neighborhoods, offering residents of all walks of life a variety of quality housing choices.

And the filling in our framework big idea to arrange our land uses for where we live, work, attend school, shop, and enjoy our free time to create a more vibrant and livable Greensboro.

The proposed conditional district RM18 zoning district as condition would offer a range of residential uses that are compatible with surrounding uses.

Care should be taken with respect to building orientation, building materials, building height, and visual buffers to ensure to ensure an appropriate transition to lower density residential on adjacent properties.

With that, I can answer any questions that you have.

Yes, I just have the question.

Can you uh speak very quickly to what it is currently?

The Z, is it C Z CZ RS40?

Yes.

That is the that is the current, at least according to city to county zoning layers on their GIS.

That's the current zoning classification.

And I want to specify when the original zoning application was filed with the city, it was county agricultural.

Recently, in looking at county zoning layers, it showed something else.

Okay, so when we do our statement of consistency, it needs to say the CC RS40.

That's correct.

Super It's it's conditional zoning.

Um RS40 is their zoning district that allows the that requires the largest lot sizes for residential, so 40,000 square foot lots is what uh the county would require on that.

Great, thank you.

Um we do not have anyone signed up in opposition.

Mr.

Blackwood, did you want to briefly speak or it's up to you?

Madam Mayor, members of council, my name is Blackford Order for Green Valley Road here in Greensboro here on behalf of the applicant.

I'm just wanted to make myself available for questions.

Uh Sydney Larson, our civil engineer with Kimley Horn is also here to address any technical questions you might have.

Are there any questions?

Hearing none, I would accept the motion.

By Mrs.

Thurm, do I hear a second?

Second by Mr.

Marshall.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Um I will ask for a motion to adopt item 86, which will require the statement of consistency.

So moved.

Do I hear a second?

Second by Mr.

Marshall, Mrs.

Thurm.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the original zoning request for the properties at 1818, 1820, and 1830.

Andrews Farm Road from CZRS40 to City C D R M 18 to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plans, future built form map and future land use map.

The proposed city CDRM 18 zoning district as condition permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

And three, the request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community and approvals in the public interest.

Great, thank you.

Council, please vote.

Thank you all so much, and thank you.

All right, item H7 and item H8.

Item H7, public hearing for an ordinance, annexing territory into the corporate limits for the property identified as 4800 Westgate City Boulevard 0.83 acres, palid ISA of SKNC trading LLC, and item H8, public hearing for an ordinance for original zoning for 4800 Westgate City Boulevard, Isaac Perez on behalf of SKNC trading LLC.

Mr.

Carter.

Thank you.

This is the zoning map, which shows that the property is approximately 0.83 acres and is located north of Westgate City Boulevard and south of Kitty Hawk Road.

This is an annexation and an original zoning request from County Highway Business 2 City Conditional District Commercial Medium.

North of the request is zoned County RS40.

East, south, and west of the request are zoned county highway business.

And this is the aerial map of the subject property showing that is currently undeveloped.

North of the request contains single family dwellings and undeveloped land.

East of the request contains a veterinary hospital.

South of the request contains retail and vehicle sales and service.

And west of the request contains undeveloped land.

And in recommending approval of this request, staff notes that the GSO 2040 Comprehensive Plans Future Built Form map currently designates the property as urban general and within an urban mixed-use corridor and a reinvestment area and corridor.

The subject property is also designated as commercial on the future land use map.

The proposed original zoning request supports both the comprehensive plans filling in our framework.

Big idea to arrange our land uses for where we live, work, it's in school, shop, and enjoy our free time to create a more vibrant and livable Greensboro and the growing economic competitiveness big idea to build a prosperous resilient economy that creates equitable opportunities to succeed.

The proposed city CDCM zoning district as condition would permit uses that are similar to those that are existing in the surrounding area.

Also note that on May 18th, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval with a 9 to 0 vote for both the annexation and the original zoning, and there were no speakers at that meeting on this request.

Thank you.

Are there any questions from Mr.

Carter?

Hearing none, we do have uh one person signed up in favor, but uh seeing that there is no opposition.

I I don't know if you'd still like to come up, Mr.

Khalid Issa.

Okay, thank you.

All right, I would accept a motion from council.

Moved by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Marshall.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

And uh let's see, item H8 public hearing.

I mean, I'm sorry, we need the statement of consistency, and I would accept a motion.

So moved.

Move by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Second by Mr.

Marshall.

Uh Mrs.

Thurm.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve their original zoning request for the property at 4800 Westgate City Boulevard from County HB to City C D C M is consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan's future belt form map and future land use map.

The proposed city CBCM zoning district as condition permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

And three, the request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes, attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community and approvals in the public interest.

Council, please go.

And that carries nine to zero.

All right, moving on to uh item H9 and H10 were can were uh taken off of the agenda.

So moving on to item H11.

Public hearing for an ordinance for rezoning for properties at 1701 New Garden Road and 2702 Wildoski Drive.

Amanda Hodiern for Eddie Cruz of CM CBM GP LLC.

Um I do have two in favor, one opposed.

Uh Amanda Hodiern is coming up.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr.

Carter, you go first.

That's okay.

Thank you very much.

This is the zoning map of the subject property uh showing that it contains approximately 1.08 acres, and uh there's two properties associated with this.

Um they are totaled 1.08 acres, and they are located north of New Garden Road and east of Will Dosky Drive.

This is a rezoning request from R3 to Conditional District Commercial Medium.

North, east, and south of the request are zoned R3 and west of the request is zoned conditional district commercial high.

This is the area map of the subject properties.

Um they contain single-family dwellings, uh, one on each property.

North and east of the request are zoned.

I'm sorry, uh, containing single family dwellings, south of the request contain stormwater infrastructure, and west of the request contain uh restaurant with a drive-through facility.

The uh future land use map uh designates the property uh as low residential, and that future land use map um comes from the New Garden Road Strategic Plan.

The future built form map designates the property as urban general uh adjacent to a district scale activity center and within an urban mixed use corridor.

This is the condition that was proposed by the applicant and advertised with the case.

And in recommending approval of this request, staff notes that the comprehensive plans future built form map currently designates the property as urban general and bordering and district scale activity center.

Uh and it is also designated as low residential on the future land use map that is referenced in the New Garden Road Strategic Plan.

It's important to note that approving this request uh would amend the New Garden Road Strategic Plan, uh, amend that future land use map uh to designate the property as mixed use commercial.

The proposed original zoning and rezoning request supports the GSO 2040 comprehensive plans, filling in our framework, big idea to arrange our land uses for where we live, work, attend school, shop, and enjoy our free time.

Uh and it is also uh supported by the creating great places goal to create a citywide network of unique neighborhoods offering residents of all walks of life or quantum.

That should be um economic development.

That is not a uh uh creating of like great places goal.

Um so that supports the economic development uh big idea.

The uh CDCM zoning district as conditioned limits proposed uses to those that are similar to the existing uses on the surrounding area, and uh again the change in the zoning would also is also appropriate given its location and proximity to a major thoroughfare.

And with that, I can answer any questions that you have.

At the planning and zoning commission meeting, funding and zoning commission recommended approval of this request uh with a vote of nine to zero.

There were two speakers in favor and one in opposition.

And I can answer any questions that you have.

Any questions from Mr.

Carter?

Hearing none, we will go on to our speakers.

Ms.

Hodiern.

15 minutes in favor, 15 minutes in opposition, and then five minutes each for rebuttal.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the council.

It's nice to see you this evening.

Amanda Hodiern, my offices are at 804 Green Valley Road, Suite 200 here in Greensboro, and I'm here tonight on behalf of the applicant property owner, CBM GP LLC.

I have with me tonight Mr.

A.

Cruish, who is the principal of that entity.

Thank you, Mr.

Carter, for the presentation.

I do want to just lift up a few things and go into a little bit of detail on some of our comprehensive planning guidance for your consideration tonight.

Before we get into the summary for the request, I want to point out for you this is a little bit unique that you're hearing this request tonight.

It's not an annexation and it's not on appeal from the planning and zoning commission decision.

We're here strictly by virtue of the planning process and the directive of the New Garden Road Strategic Corridor Plan.

So that's by design.

We're going to talk about that.

But I wanted to point out that that is the basis of this coming before you tonight, and that's a big deal as we'll talk about when we look at that plan.

So the summary of the request, it's just over an acre comprised of two separate parcels.

Existing zoning is R3, proposed zoning is conditional district commercial medium, and of course, the condition that you saw and you've seen your packet prohibits many uses out of that commercial medium district to address uh compatibility appropriateness and scale both for the area and the size of the property.

So that is the zoning condition there.

The subject property here, this is just a Google maps image.

You can see an aerial, the red star shows this corner at uh Newgarden Road and Will Dosky Drive, a couple of things in the vicinity.

Uh this is New Garden Road corridor, uh Brian Boulevard to the south there.

You've got the Harris Teeter Anchored Shopping Center, um, just to the uh just to the left, if you will, as you look at this.

Um, if you were to move right down New Garden Road, you eventually get to Battleground Avenue.

Um, other uh things you may know from the area.

There's the Target Anchored Shopping Center, uh, further towards uh Guilford College Road, the Lowe's Foods shopping center, um, several multifamily uses, some medical office uses, and uh single family and town home uses in the area as well.

Here we see uh the uh area in a parcel-based format, so you can see all the parcel lines that comprise uh the area.

You'll note the two subject parcels there outlined in red and how they interact with the other parcels and the proc uh the proximate area we've just discussed.

Looking at our existing zoning pattern, um the shopping center that I've mentioned, that's the uh the uh garden shopping center, garden creek shopping center, excuse me, is that CDCH zoning district.

You've got uh uses to the south of New Garden just above Bryan Boulevard include Sheets Gas Station, a car wash, a Chase Bank, um, Verizon store, that's C D CM.

We've got uh some office across uh across the street on our side of Will Doskey, uh lots of uh multifamily, lots of other uh C D C H as we as we move it some to some of those other shopping centers, and of course residential.

So uh vibrant patchwork quilt of zoning here that you would expect in this type of activity center, a major corridor, as you've heard described by Mr.

Court, uh Mr.

Carter.

Uh, this is a photograph of the intersection and the site located there on the right hand side.

You can see the the Z for the zoning sign, and uh you'll note it's a signal S intersection, a fully improved Will Doskey.

Uh, you note on the left-hand side uh the nice sidewalk, uh, the grass strips and that the heavy landscaping there for the street yard, all of that lining uh the shopping center that exists on the other side of Will Goske.

You see the white Jeep there turning into that uh entrance into the shopping center, and you see that this the site there uh mirrors that extent of what's developed there on Will Doskey would utilize this improved uh widened portion of Will Doskey and would look very much like you see on the left-hand side of your screen if this were to be approved and that and uh the site was developed.

It would also have that sidewalk, that street yard buffering, um, and that type of uh improved frontage that you see here.

You also will note three uh yellow diamond signages signage postings that note that there's no outlet and no through traffic as you go up Will Doskey.

So just noting that as we'll talk about it momentarily.

Uh the uh origin of this request for my client, he's owned the property uh the front parcel for about 30 years, the the secondary parcel for about 15 years.

So why now and why why come now is because there's an evolution of new garden road that we'll talk about, of course, and a good user, a good match, not only for core planning principles of transitional uses, for the factors that we'll talk about in both the New Garden Road Strategic Corridor Plan and our GSO comprehensive plan, but also for just basic purposes of compatibility and use and thinking what makes sense logically to go here.

So this is uh this is the that user that came forward.

This is a bank, they've signed a 15-year lease on the property.

Uh, this is the site plan for that user that's gone through the TRC sketch plan review process.

And I show it here simply to just point out the use and how that would drop in were this zoning to be approved.

This is this is the reason, and this is what uh what you would see come forward.

We can look at that as needed.

So moving uh into our comprehensive plan guidance.

I want to spend some time here.

Um you may have picked up on from Mr.

Carter.

There's there's a couple things going on here.

There's some layering of the strategic corridor plan, and then there's our overarching uh Greensboro comprehensive planning that you hear about with every zoning.

And as I mentioned, the new garden road strategic plan is the whole reason that we're before you this evening.

That's why this zoning comes to City Council and has that extra layer of review and time to uh to look at these matters.

So just a couple things lifted out here from that strategic corridor plan.

Uh the first thing I want to show there is from page seven, the corridor background.

It talks about the new garden road corridor process is not here to encourage or discourage rezonings.

That's not its purpose.

It's a visionary document.

It is a forward-looking policy-based goals-driven document that is there to help advise upon and give guidance to yourselves, the city staff, uh, would be developers and property owners, and the community at large to understand how do we analyze all the various factors and bring it together into a cohesive and well-founded decision as we look at rezonings.

So it's not off the jump saying yes or no to any given rezoning, it's saying let's be thoughtful and intentional and well informed about how we analyze.

That is the whole reason for the corridor plan, born out of years of many contentious zonings in this corridor and the uh that community coming together and saying, hey, there's got to be a better way.

And part of that better way that was decided upon was for these cases to come to City Council and to have more structured process for for consideration.

Uh the plan up front talks about addressing change.

So again, it said we're not here to say yay or nay to rezonings, we're here to say, hey, they should be thoughtfully considered because we know they're going to come.

We know change is going to happen, and we think that there should be some intentionality to how we approach that.

That's from page 14.

Page 26 I've highlighted here.

Um the plan tells us the corridor plan says the land uses designated in the future land use plan are the current or from the current comprehensive plan.

That's our previous plan, GSO 2025, because the new garden plan was done in 2019.

So this is where it gets a little bit circular.

So it is saying, hey, it's 2019, we're just simply going to reference the 2025 plan until they are superseded by amendment or six or succeeded by adoption of a new comprehensive plan.

It then goes on to say, we know Greensboro has just announced they're about to do a new a new plan.

So what this plan very smartly did was say we're not going to try to take a static snapshot in time and memorialize uses forevermore.

We're going to say, we know it's changing, we know that the city is already about to adopt a new plan.

What we want to do is arm our community with the factors and things that should be considered and things that are important to us so that we can inform that new comprehensive plan and thereby have the factors to help balance us the future decision making.

So the map that you see here on this slide, this is that 2025 plan.

When you hear about low density residential as the current existing land use plan designation, that is from 2025.

The plan that the 2019 corridor plan already acknowledged and said we know is about to change, and we really just want to be thoughtful about how it changes, not reserved this moment in time.

So determining future land uses, uh, this paragraph on in uh in the corridor plan circled here during the process and planning of our strategic corridor plan.

The city initiated and is pursuing a new comprehensive plan update, including planning for future land use.

This strategic plan presents an opportunity for the community to influence that comprehensive planning process and the regulatory decisions, so that as I've said, we can be thoughtful about it.

So again, the plan was very eyes-wide open about the fact that we understand land use is going to change, we understand there's going to be development requests.

So we're not here to say what they should be.

We're here to say how we want to analyze them.

And what it does is go on to set about seven factors that it wants the community and the decision makers and staff to consider the land use decision factors.

So as we look at those physical site features, this I would uh submit to you is about fit.

You know, kind of a common sense factor.

Can it fit on the site feasibly?

It's not a square peg round hole.

We showed you our site plan that's been through the TRC vetting process, so we do know that this can fit.

We're not trying to cram something on here that can't uh can't make use of the site.

Access.

This is looking at accessibility in context.

New Garden Road is a huge thoroughfare, a four-lane median divided facility.

So there's a there's frontage on most of these sites, but do they make sense?

You saw that this site is accessed off of Will Dosky Drive where there's already a signal, there's already the lane turning geometry, there's already uh cars coming in here to access the commercial shopping center.

So very much this fits into that existing accessibility context to make use of that existing infrastructure.

Connectivity or isolation from adjacent uses.

This is asking future land use decisions to look at how does the site and its future use, its location fit into that larger context of connectivity and adjacent uses.

We've just talked about this.

This fits right into the edge of the existing activity center that uh overlays this entire intersection, uh, makes use of the existing traffic improvements, the captured trips, uh, filling in our framework, making use of where people already live, work, and play, and keeping people where they already are, keeping traffic on the facilities that already exist so that we're not overburdening you know further outreaches of the city or adjacent uses with introduction of new trips and new traffic that doesn't already come there.

You saw it in the photo.

We've already got use of this road for this purpose.

Number four, off site impact and transition to adjacent properties.

When you read this one, you'll see it's all about can the site handle an appropriate mitigation of impact.

Does it have enough space for buffering?

Does it have enough space for good landscaping?

Can it make sense when you look at compatibility arrangements and particular things with conditions that we use to massage those compatibility factors?

We've done that.

You saw it on our on our site plan.

We have a type B, it's an average 25 foot width buffer on the front edge, it's actually over 30 feet.

You saw all the green on the other three sides, it's a street yard buffer, just like what you saw on the other side, heavily landscaped and improved, more so than what exists today.

Number five is about corridor character and scale.

It's saying, hey, let's be thoughtful about what we put here.

Don't overbuild, don't introduce things that aren't compatible and make sense.

It acknowledges there's not one homogenous look of the new garden corridor.

However, don't try to create something new and uh you know reinvent the wheel.

This plan very much drops in with a one-story building that sits on the site already at a heavily improved intersection.

Carrying capacity, we've talked about the existing road facility, the signal, the stormwater pond that's in place, Brian Boulevard, the activity center.

So we've already got the public infrastructure, the utilities, the investment that makes this site appropriate for commercial use and balanced growth.

This is saying, again, we're not here to be blind to changing conditions and a fluidity.

We're here to say balance that.

It's not picking a winning land use and a losing land use, it's about trying to find a balance and an appropriate transition so that everybody can have something that makes sense.

And in fact, if I could just uh quote a little bit from that section, it says implementing the comprehensive plan.

We don't wish to be so narrow or unsympathetic to changing conditions that no rational use of the site may be made under the zoning.

I would submit to you that as R3 single family zoning is not a rational use of this site given the changing conditions.

That home was those homes were developed in the 60s when our population was around 100,000 if that, looking at the entire outside city limits, we're now hovering what around 330,000 just inside the city limits.

We have the built-up corridor, the activity center, the improved new garden, Brian Boulevard.

So we certainly cannot sit here and say that this is not a changed condition that that this exact number seven factors is telling us to be mindful of as we as we consider these uh decisions.

Now, when we look at the 2040 plan, the plan that the corridor committee knew was coming down the pipeline and said, hey, we know this is coming, we know it's gonna inform, the factors should inform it.

It shows us that there's an activity center on the intersection and that this entire area, the blue circle is an urban mixed-use corridor.

So when we layer all this together, what we have is not a static directive to stay low density residential.

We have a very thoughtful and well-informed directive as to how to analyze and weigh these types of decisions and fold it in to what is a fluid and visionary document of the comprehensive plan.

Neighborhood communication, we did uh have a neighborhood meeting back in May.

Had to send out two letters.

Uh my first one failed to include the date, so we corrected that the next day, got a letter out with the right date.

We had uh 11 attendees there.

Also sent it out to all the members of the strategic planning committee.

Uh had engagement with them that resulted in a letter of support, and you'll hear from the others who uh attended.

I'm happy to go into more detail.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are there any questions?

Hearing none, we will move on to our uh opposition.

Miss Crystal Early.

Council Member Black, did you have a question?

It came up from my it defaulted to her.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Good evening, Council Mayor.

My name is Crystal Early.

I live at 3800 Plantation Drive, and I am here representing the high acres neighborhood that would be affected by this change.

Recently, Mayor Abizader stated, for me, sustainability has always been about creating a healthy, thriving city where families can truly live, work, play, and stay.

May I agree, and that's it.

That's exactly why I'm here tonight.

So I want to ask you to do two specific things.

One, I want you to ask you to vote no and deny the request to resonate 1701 New Garden and 2702 Wildowski from residential R3 to a commercial use.

And I want you to refuse to amend that the New Garden Road strategic plan from low residential to mixed use commercial.

Council members, unlike the rezonings you've heard earlier tonight, this request asks you to do something more than move lines on a zoning map.

It asks you to rewrite an entire corridor plan that two of you and your predecessors adopted to bring predictability and trust back to New Garden Road after years of conflict over contentious rezonings.

When council adopted the plan in 2019, it did so because residents and property owners were exhausted by case-by-case battles.

The plan was meant to give everyone, developers and residents, a clear shared playbook.

It promised more predictable land use, more transparency, and a stronger voice for residents.

The plan also speaks directly to amendments.

It says rezonings inconsistent with the plan should be treated as treated as amendments with community input.

And that plan should not be subject to continuous revision if it is to remain meaningful over time.

Your agenda packet admits that this rezoning is an amendment.

In other words, if you vote yes, you are not just approving a bank, you are rewriting the plan.

The new garden plan deliberately distinguishes between two very different halves of the corridor.

Page 26 states that northeast of Jefferson Road, where high acres is located, is described as residential in character and not compatible with commercial use.

Southeast Southwest of Jefferson Road is where the more intensive commercial mixed-use activity is, Garden Creek Center.

That distinction was deliberate.

That line was intentional.

Tonight, they want you to move that line.

And once the line moves for these two houses, the next request becomes easier.

Our entire neighborhood becomes vulnerable.

As you saw on the packet, we have a very aggressive developer, several, harassing residents about selling their homes, the very homes where they're raising children.

This plan is in place to protect us from bullies like that, not to erase our neighborhood one parcel at a time.

Your staff did something very important in your packet for this case.

They gave you complete, ready-to-use findings for denial.

The statement by City Council and consisting consistency and reasonableness for this zoning lists both sides.

On the denial side, it speaks to almost everything except our well water infrastructure, and I'll get to that in just a moment.

I think we all can understand that a no vote tonight is not extraordinary.

It's not risky, it's fully contemplated, supported, and it's right for citizens.

The question that no one has really answered is why here.

Why put a bank on the corner of the plan that flagged it as not compatible with commercial or office use, especially when the same owner already controls commercially zoned property inside Garden Creek Shopping Center and in the activity center where the plan actually wants commercial intensity?

Your own management of the planning and zoning commission spell out some history.

The developer told the commission that he was part of the original New Garden Road Focus Group and that he entered into a 20-year moratorium on the corner lot at 1701 New Garden.

That moratorium, a recorded restrictive covenant, said residential use only until 2017, so that's recently expired.

For years, we residents relied on that assurance given by the developer.

Now we rely on the plan to keep this stretch a low resident category.

Aside from that assurance, not to build on the new garden lot, neighbors were given many other assurances by the developer when the shopping center was built.

The biggest of those, though, was a park to be implemented at the land at 2724 Horse Pink Creek Road, which is just around the corner from the shopping center.

That park space was indeed gifted to the city by the developer, and through recent records research, I'm still going through 162 emails that have been shared with me most heavily redacted, just to try to understand about this park and the gifting.

But we have learned that the park dedication was quietly withdrawn, the land almost four acres with a two million dollar valuation was taken back by the developer without neighbors ever knowing.

I'm struggling to understand the tax implications and hoping the tax department can help me with that.

Yet instead of bringing this bank to the commercial land that he leveraged when he reclaimed the city, he's asking you to push commercial across the line and into the residential edge that the plan promised to protect.

So I'm going to say this plainly.

If there is commercially zoned land already in hand in the exact places the plan designates for higher intensity uses, why are we sacrificing the low residential edge to make room for a bank?

If parkland can be given and taken back when it suits a business purpose, how can neighbors trust that the next promise will last longer than the lease?

Trust is not built on promises alone, it is built on track records.

The record, the record in your own minutes, shows a pattern of promises made and not kept.

When that is the history, residents are not wrong to ask what is the next promise that will be reinterpreted once the rezoning is in place.

When neighbors ask for restrictive covenant on this rezoning, the developer emphatically stated, no, I'm not going to paint myself into a corner.

That refusal tells us that this isn't about a single bank, it's about obtaining commercial zoning on the residential edge and letting future uses evolve later once neighborhood resistance has been overcome.

Sorry, this land, this is not about a land map issue.

It is about a water issue and long-term quality of life.

On our side of New Garden Road, there is no city water or city sewer service, and your documents list no current plans to extend those utilities into our neighborhood.

We rely entirely on private wells and natural groundwater recharge.

Your staff report acknowledges that this site lies in a water supply watershed and that any development must treat the first one inch of rainfall and reduce it over years after storm events back to pre-development levels.

This requirement exists because the runoff risk is serious.

It is not hypothetical.

And the materials that I provided, I identified homes with known wells, showed you an aerial imagery of the tree canopy that currently supports recharge and explained how wells get water.

I did that for one reason.

What happens on these two lots does not stay on these two lots.

Once wells and groundwater systems are disrupted or contaminated, you simply cannot mitigate that away.

And if something goes wrong, it's not the developer and it's not a future bank tenant that lives with the consequences.

We cannot gamble with drinking water to add one more bank to a corridor that already has viable commercial options.

The Greensboro 2040 plan is full of language about protecting neighborhoods, preserving communities, safeguarding natural resources, and evaluating the long-term impacts of rezonings on adjacent residents.

This request cuts against those goals.

The request to remove two existing homes from Greensboro's housing inventory at a moment when this council is emphasizing the need for more housing choices and new businesses are demanding it.

Do you think the leadership at Jet Zero wants a bank?

I think they want homes with yards for their families so they can plant roots.

This request pushes commercial zoning into the low residential side of the corridor that will that the new garden plan was explicitly written to protect, and it amends that plan in a way that will make future edge parcel rezonings harder to resist.

If the low residential designation was not intended to mean low residential, then why was it placed there at all?

If adopted plans can be reinterpreted every time development pressure appears, what exactly are families supposed to rely on when they buy a home?

As a resident, I understand that developers, attorneys, and council members will talk.

I'm learning that this is how the process works.

Why, only one out of nine commission members admitted that they had no relationship with the developer or his legal team.

Developers and their teams have months, years to prepare private meetings with city staff, professional advocates, neighbors.

We get a sign in the yard, a few moments at a microphone, and even less time to understand and comprehend deeds, zoning, and city plans.

From a resident's perspective, it underscores the imbalance of this process.

That is why the integrity of your adopted plans and the integrity of the findings you choose tonight matters so much.

They are the one place where ordinary citizens can still see themselves on equal footing.

Council members, your own agenda gives you everything you need to say no tonight.

You can find that this request is inconsistent with future land use and built form mass.

But even as conditioned, it does not limit it, limit negative impact, nor fit the context of the surrounding area, and it would be a detriment to our neighbors and neighborhood and the community, making denial in the public interest.

You can also send a clear message.

The New Garden Road strategic man still means what it says, and that citizens' voices really do matter.

Park commitments and neighborhood protections are not bargaining chips to be traded with, and that groundwater, wells, and long-standing residential neighborhoods are not where we experiment with corridor creep.

On behalf of High Acres, we respectfully ask you to choose to uphold the New Garden Road strategic plan to protect our neighborhood and our water and our voices.

Vote no on this rezoning and the associated plan amendment.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

And now we have five-minute rebuttal, please.

If you so wish.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, and thank you, Miss Early, for those comments.

So a couple things in our five minutes.

This is not a request to rewrite the entire uh strategic border plan.

It is a request to put it to use and use its framework and its guidance for evaluating land use decisions, which invites you to make adjustments based on your outcome of balancing those seven factors that it requests be used.

It uh is very uh clear and express in its acknowledgement that that's going to happen, and that not only is the comprehensive planning changing, that's why they didn't commit themselves to a distinct future land use map, but that it's going to keep changing past the 2040 plan beyond.

And so it's it's gift and it's its uh purpose and real legacy is process and what that evaluated uh analysis should look like.

It's not a finite uh snapshot in time of land use.

Um, there is uh not language that it's not compatible on this corner.

It says that at that time, this is what it is, maybe not likely to be compatible.

So, even in that directive, talking about that moment, it's acknowledging that there is always going to be change and change circumstances which uh it can't uh uniformly and manifestly say is yes or no black or white.

It has that likely qualifier in there.

Um, comments about an aggressive developer harassing homeowners.

I have no knowledge of that.

We have absolutely not sent any letters uh to homeowners uh harassing them.

We sent the one letter, two letters that I showed in the packet uh advertising our neighborhood meeting and inviting folks to call us about this request.

Uh so to the extent that that has occurred, it has nothing to do with uh this property owner, this applicant, or this request.

Uh, the water issue, uh, this site will be on public utilities.

It will utilize public water, public sewer, and it will uh thank you for bringing this up.

It is actually um already already piped and ready to have an inlet that everything will drain to this front corner here, uh, right at New Garden Road, drop into an inlet, a pipe under New Garden Road into the detention pond that sits on the other side of New Garden on the east side of Will Dosky.

That was also developed by Mr.

Krush when he developed the shopping center and the properties on the south of New Garden to handle the entire intersection for stormwater management because, as was mentioned, and as you know, um, yes, there are stormwater management requirements and regulations uh that are in place.

The site does, of course, have to abide by those, and so that's why it will drain and be treated and uh comport with all of those regulations pursuant to that existing stormwater pond, part of that shared infrastructure investment that um we're we're supposed to analyze and evaluate when we look at the ability for sites to accommodate different land uses.

Um, there's the comment about housing and you know, should is this the right land use?

Um I would ask or submit to you that that it's not black and white housing or a bank, it's more about the land use pattern, the appropriateness and reasonableness of that land use pattern, which the corridor plan gives you a framework to make that decision, and then yes, we need housing.

Yes, we have users like uh Jet Zero, but what that means is that we have a lot of people who need goods and services, so you can't just have housing along with that housing and the people who live there are the the need to have more than one bank in an area, the need to have uh choice when you go to get that home equity line to remodel your kitchen.

So that's exactly why we want to be um uh aware and thoughtful about how we provide opportunities for those commercial users to also come in and be a part of our growing and thriving community that needs not just housing and new employers, but all the goods and services that come with um with that growth.

So uh it's it's it's all synergistic when we think about land use, and that that's why we have to look at these uh factors, the analysis that the plan gives us and say, we know it's coming, we know we're growing.

So, how do we balance all that in such a way that everyone can coexist?

Uh, this neighborhood gets to coexist with a corner that gets to be an appropriate land use to fit into that transitional pattern and utilize that commercial intersection in an activity center in a meaningful, uh meaningful but compatible way.

Um I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Any questions?

Hearing none, Miss Early, you have five minutes.

Um I have someone pull some data for me.

Uh we have Jet Zero coming in.

How exciting is that?

I'm just so beyond thrilled that this is going to happen for our community.

Uh our community is a bit of an older one, our neighborhood is a bit of an older uh neighborhood.

Um, but I just learned that uh um Long Beach, California, the average age of homes is 67 years old uh as well.

So wouldn't it be nice to have some nostalgia for uh some of those jet zero folks to come into?

So I'm not gonna argue about the homes.

Um we need as much housing as we can get, and we need to build up as much as we can.

We need to have great offerings, we need to have great spaces, we need to make this available for our future of Greensboro.

Um I just want to remind uh Ms.

Durham and Mayor Abzader that you folks uh helped bring in the New Garden Road Strategic Plan.

Thank you for that.

Thank you for speaking on behalf of citizens.

Um, and now thank you for speaking on behalf of citizens.

And so I hope it sets a precedent precedence for the rest of you folks uh that uh you know these leaders of our community uh have the foresight to think about um the long term, the broader scope, and the folks that live and pay taxes out here in in town.

Um I'm grateful to be a lifelong citizen of Greensboro, go earlies, um, and I just appreciate the time here tonight.

Thank you so much.

Does anyone have any questions for me?

Are there any questions for Ms.

Early?

All right, thank you.

Thank you so much.

All right, council.

Um second by Mr.

Holston.

Um Ms.

Burm made the motion.

All in favor, please say aye.

All right.

Any discussion concerning this, Mrs.

Thurm?

Mr.

Marshall first.

Uh I'll start off.

Um, you know, this is a district for property.

I want to thank everybody for coming and speaking out.

I mean, that the arguments were well thought out, respectful, I appreciate the input.

Um, this is one of those areas where you know you don't really know how growth is going to shake out over the years, and um plans are put in place.

Plans are amendable, it's not the ordinance, it's not state law, and there are processes for amending, which is why we're here tonight.

Um I think this is a pretty low intensity use to go from a shopping center to residential property.

Um it does transition.

There is uh some pretty pretty significant buffering that that's on this property as uh the sketch plan shows.

Um I think this tracks on a on a pretty busy corridor because A R three is is not the highest best use in my opinion.

I think this offers that transitional uh land use uh that will be good for the neighborhood, and that is um appropriate and an appropriate use of the land in this area.

Um like I said, the these plans do get amended.

I was on the zoning commission for six years.

I chaired it.

Plans get amended all the time.

Um they're not meant to be static, they're meant to be guidelines.

So I think we can that this is a reasonable amendment to make given the proposed use of this property.

Uh I I certainly understand the kind of the what if and the slippery slope arguments.

Um again, I heard those all the time when I was on zoning also, and we have to look at the property and the application that is in front of us, and we can't make decisions today based on you know what may happen or what might happen down the road.

So I'm gonna support this.

Uh I think this is a good uh a good transitional use of this property, and I'm in favor of it.

All right, Miss Crystal Black, you have a comment.

I did not have a comment, but um I am in favor.

Great, thank you, Mrs.

Thurm.

Um yes, uh you're right.

I was a part of the corridor plan uh back in 2018, and it was one of the first plans that I really had contact with, and it was a learning for me.

And one of the things that I asked a lot of questions about at that time to our planning and zoning staff, um, and we had a lot of very frank discussion is a plan a promise, and is a plan a commitment that this is what it's going to be because I didn't understand because this area was growing so fast, I didn't understand how we would know where is housing going to be, where's residential going to be, where's commercial going to be at that point in time.

And we have very frank discussions about this isn't going to be forever, and we can't count on this forever, and that what we could do is identify what's there now and identify how to make decisions in the future.

And I think that is what Ms.

Hodiern was was talking about is the options that we left open for decisions for the future.

Um I want because I've worked on this plan as well as the Fleming Road Prime Plan, we've got other plans in the committee, and that constantly comes up, and it's one of my fears, quite frankly, when we agree to do a corridor plan, is that people are going to think this is a commitment and hard and fast rules, and really it's just parameters and kind of how we look at an area.

Um, you mentioned Ms.

Early that the owner didn't keep his promises about the restrictions on this land.

He kept his promises for this number of years and then some another decade probably.

Um so it's not as if I have a hard time believing that it's all a conspiracy and he was planning and acting against this.

Um also mentioned your concern about your wells, which I understand because I I'm very keyed into the water and water quality.

Um however, this property is downhill from the it slants on a hill and slant slants away from the neighborhood.

Water we know runs downhill, um, and with it already piped and the retention that will go into it, um, and the water mitigation that will automatically be required, that water is going to travel away from the neighborhood.

This area is far more build up than I ever expected.

I lived on New Garden Road 42 years ago when my son was born.

It was a two-lane road that we had to constantly stop in the middle of if you came home after dark because there were deer standing in the road.

Um we still see deer standing in the riddle of Pinehaven Road and walking around my neighborhood.

Um this area has changed and it's changed dramatically, and it will continue to change.

Um I when I first looked at this zoning request, um, I thought, no, I don't like it.

I would much rather see condos here because it's it's a clear delineation of residential and commercial on one side of Wildosky and residential on the other side.

And then I got to looking at well, what traffic impacts would condos put or apartments put on Wildowski.

And I realized that this is far less impactful than what could go on this property.

Um if it stayed residential, you could have an apartment complex, a town home community, something of that nature going on to there, and have far more trips, uh lose much more ground cover and green space than what's proposed.

Um as much as I almost hate to say it, um I'm gonna support this, and I think in terms of intensity of use, I think it's compatible, it's far better than the Zach Spees that it's directly across the street from, um, and the credit union and you know the the um the sandwich shop and ice cream place, and I mean it's it's just a changed area.

All that was not there, all that was not built up when this plan was was going into effect.

It's changed, and change is hard.

Um change was hard when we built six doctors' offices right in front of my neighborhood.

So I understand how hard that is because I live in the neighborhood behind where the IDoctor and the new atrium and all the brand new three new buildings going up, or two one large and two smaller buildings are going up.

So I understand how hard it is to have that change on the edge of your neighborhood.

But change is necessary, we're a growing community, infill is necessary.

I I think this is an okay project for this piece of property.

I will be supporting it.

All right, anyone else?

I'm just wanting to go ahead.

I'm sorry, thank you.

Um I'm really thankful for how you showed up today.

Your arguments were super compelling.

Um I am wanting to go on record just to express why I'm in favor of this.

Uh, I did have the um I was it's also on record for everybody who wanted to look at the minutes.

I watched the planning and zoning, and I did want to say that I do affirm there was probably two people on record that had uh acts uh they were a part of the initial new garden corridor plan and they voted in favor or they were in favor of.

So I just wanted to assure you that there's always going to be a um you know diversity of opinions.

Um, but I hear that there was a resident of the area, Miss Majid, who's a commissioner of planning and zoning, um, and and she went on record in affirmation and just described her experience as a neighbor.

And then also I believe it was two original people who participated in the corridor planning.

And so I just wanted to let you know that we are listening, um, even if there's uh a disagreement, uh, but there I am informed by those folks as well, and considering the growth and evolution of these plans, I'm gonna vote in favor.

Great, thank you.

Anyone else?

I have a few comments.

Yes, uh, Ms.

Early, you are correct.

I always talk about Greensboro being the place we want to live, work, play, and stay.

So you you are definitely correct on that.

Along with that, I am concerned about sustainability, but in sustainability and in the activity centers we are trying to devise in Greensboro, like for instance on that corner, we're looking for walkability as well.

Walkability to activity centers is one of the ways that we can encourage our community to become even more involved and to uh be able to walk to places to walk to parks, uh it says if you're within five, ten minutes of an activity center.

This makes this an activity center that what you have is basically on the four corners, and it is not to my knowledge ever considering creeping further.

If that were the case, then we would need to address that then.

But this will be a low impact um rezoning for this corner because there are so many other things that could be built there that I I can assure you would draw crowds and crowds and crowds.

So yes, and I was in on the strategic corridor plan uh very prominent in that actually, and I still support that, but we are in a changing economy, a changing uh area of Greensboro.

We didn't have jet zero 20 years ago or 25 years ago.

I I do know we are wanting to grow, but we also need this walkability.

We also need to where people can get to places like this.

You know, there's some townhomes being built just down the street.

And those things, I'm sorry, you've had your time.

And those things are coming along.

So we knew it would change.

We knew that the plan would change.

We've seen plans change before, so I will be supporting this.

I will be watching to make sure that you know, I as much as I can that make sure that you know that this is stays on the four corners.

That that's my my goal.

Now I can't promise for my council.

I can't promise for future councils.

I'm just telling you that's my opinion that I I will be watching this.

So I will be supporting as well.

Do I hear a motion at all?

I'll make a motion.

All right.

Mr.

Marshall makes the motion seconded by Ms.

Parker.

Council, please vote.

Need to make sure that uh we read the consistency statement as well.

Yes, thank you.

Yes, so we need we do need the consistency statement as well.

Okay.

Mr.

Marshall?

The Greensboro City Council believes that its actions to approve the rezoning request for the properties at 1701, New Garden Road, and 2702 will Dosky Drive from R 3 residential single family three to CD CM Conditional District Commercial Medium and amending the new garden road strategic plan and associated future land use map to be consistent with the adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent with the conference of plans, future built form map and future land use map.

The proposed CDCM zoning district as conditioned permits uses that fit the context of the surrounding area and limit limits negative impacts on adjacent properties.

The request is reasonable due to the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area.

It will benefit the property owner and surrounding community, and approval is in the public interest.

Great, thank you.

And that carries nine to zero.

That is unanimous.

Thank you so much.

All right, moving on to item H12, public hearing to receive public comments on the fiscal year 25-26 justice assistance grant.

Is that the correct year?

Yes, ma'am.

I I can go back and check.

It may be that we're receiving the grant that was yes, and I do want to clarify for council that that is for traffic enforcement vehicles.

The community has been asking for this for a long time.

So I just want to assure the public and my fellow colleagues this is for traffic enforcement vehicles.

Yes, ma'am.

We've confirmed that's for three uh patrol vehicles which were being used for traffic enforcement.

Yes.

Great, thank you.

Do I hear a motion?

Moved by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mayor Pro Tim.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

All right.

Um this is our last item before the general business agenda.

So we will take a 10-minute break after.

All right, public hearing for spring 2026 general text amendment.

Yep, there we go.

Thank you so much.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, uh, members of the city council.

My name is Chris Andrews, Deputy Director with the planning department.

Uh, tonight this item is uh what we've kind of labeled as the spring 2026 um general text amendments.

Uh this is a collection of regular amendments that the planning department wants to make to the city's land use or land development ordinance.

Uh it's our routine maintenance, or since this originated in the spring, we'll call it our our spring cleaning efforts.

Um this is a collection of amendments that staff initiated as uh there were changes in state statutes, maybe changes to other city ordinances or city code, challenges observed in the development process, or from discussion and approvals at the Board of Adjustment.

There are nine sections related uh or included in this amendment.

It's all all one um motion, but but nine different sections.

The first one speaks to just some removal of uh kind of some remnant language uh attributes uh special use permit decisions to city council.

That's that's not the case, it's held at the Board of Adjustment, so we're just gonna clean that up.

Sections two and three relate to where are called uh waiting period for successive applications.

Previously, an applicant could not come back with multiple bites of the apple if they were denied a zoning um application, and so we had some um waiting periods in there.

Uh state law says that you cannot do that anymore.

So if somebody wants to attempt and fail and and be disapproved uh multiple times, uh we can we cannot stop them.

Uh section four talks about uh the removal of the open space requirement for multifamily development only within the central business district.

Uh this aligns with um the central business district as uh not requiring parking, uh certain you expect a more intense development standard downtown.

Uh that doesn't mean there can't be open space or provision of of parkland or something like that, but if a a um developer were want to take an existing building and retrofit it into additional um apartment units, uh there would not be a requirement to add additional open space on a property that you know you you may not really be able to do that.

Uh section five talks about removing criminal penalties from the zoning enforcement procedures.

Uh, this again is driven from state statute, and uh by our recollection we did not lock anybody up for zoning uh in you know, zoning enforcement cases, so uh we're gonna remove that from the LDO as well.

Number six talks about uh what's called the removal of good repair standards.

This was um for buildings within the central business district, and uh really this is being or has been replaced by your efforts earlier this year uh to adopt changes to the commercial building code.

So this is really just kind of repetitive um redundant language, and so we're gonna we're gonna remove that.

Number seven, it talks about the removal of the entertainment facility use standards, and uh really this needs to be extracted for the fact that it relates to uh privilege licenses, which are are no longer uh something that are allowed in in the state, so uh staff really does not have any enforcement teeth related uh to that section anymore.

Number eight talks about uh the placement of swimming pools.

This has been a hot topic at the Board of Adjustment.

Uh one of the standards is that swimming pools uh you know cannot be viewed or viewable from a corner property.

That's very difficult if you're trying to cite anything on a corner uh parcel.

And so uh we're proposing to um to allow pools to be visible from a corner property, but not from the front, and also not within setbacks.

And that just tracks with the approvals that have been granted by the Board of Adjustment.

So again, one of those routine maintenance things, if you see continuous approvals by a body like BOA, that should tell us perhaps we just need to change the standard as a whole.

And then the last um amendment section talks about signage standards specifically related to plan unit developments.

Um it set some standards about signage and and kind of what the most intensive thing can be for certain types of uses, and within there, residential uses were limited really to banners, uh, which if you're a multi large multifamily development within a plan unit development, you you probably want some way or there's some reasonable expectation that you would be able to show uh you know the brand of your um of your apartment complex.

So uh we are proposing that to be amended to allow wall signs instead of just banners, um, and that would be the least intensive uh signage allotment that would be permitted.

So yeah, so that those are the nine different sections.

I will say that staff provided a draft of the approposed amendments to TreeBick uh in early April and gained their support so they didn't have any comments.

Um staff does request recommendation of this uh amendment.

The planning and zoning commission reviewed the item at their May 18th hearing with a favorable vote of nine to zero.

Uh and again, as this is a text amendment, the statement of consistency and reasonableness would be required.

I'm happy to answer any questions uh of council.

All right, any questions?

I don't have a question.

But in section seven, I understand that the state law changed, but it says that the city implemented a separate safety plan group under the management office.

I'd like to request that we get an update um to the safety subcommittee group coming up about um that plan from that amendment, if that's okay.

Thank you.

I might call on management uh put names on the spot.

Yeah, no one's I was looking at trying to do that.

Okay, fantastic.

All right, anyone else hearing none, I would accept a motion that will require this statement of a consistency.

Motion to move.

Move by Councilwoman Parker.

Do you're second?

Seconded by Mr.

Marshall, Councilwoman Parker.

The Greensboro City Council believes that its action to approve the spring 2026 general text amendment to be consistent with adopted GSO 2040 comprehensive plan and considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest for the following reasons.

The request is consistent when allowing development that supports the comprehensive plan future built form map and future land use map.

The text amendment better supports the Greensboro City Council's strategic goals of being an easy place to do business and also supports the goals of GSO 2040, the city's comprehensive plan and creating great places and filling in our framework.

The request is reasonable due to the fact that the proposed amendments provide administrative clarity for both staff ordinance readers.

Other factors raised in the public hearing, which is not applicable.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, counselor please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Um, we will be taking our 10 minute break, and we shall be back by um 75.

Thank you.

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When you go through the museum as a whole, you see just how incredibly rich and diverse the history is of this city, which, in some ways, a microcosm of the nation as a whole.

I love that the museum is here because it gives me a chance to step in the world and be able to create and understand and to analyze and to criticize, to judge, just to do all the things that we should be doing as citizens.

It's a place where people can always come to see what was it like and what used to be here.

We have treasures here.

To have them be open and accessible and free is one of the greatest benefits.

People are in the same room listening to a speaker because the museum has brought them in, and I see that I'm like, you know what?

This is a way to foster embridge understanding.

The Greensboro History Museum is very vital to Guilford County in Greensboro that takes care and covers every bit of the city's history.

The public-private partnership is a beautiful relationship with the city and the museum.

There's lots of value in that relationship.

It's a very special place, and it's really where you can come to learn about Greensboro's past, but you can learn also about where Greensboro is going.

Together with our community, the Greensboro History Museum collects stories and objects, connects generations, and challenges people to think about the past, the present, and the future.

Our archive consists of around 700,000 individual items, including documents, photographs, maps.

It's important to collect materials from our local history to provide our community with an identity.

Everything from archaeological material to military material to pieces of fine art.

It's a little bit of everything, and it really shows you the breadth and history of Greensboro.

And they range and date from about 14,000 years ago to very recent.

It is incredible to see a dress worn by Dolly Madison.

So seeing these artifacts, getting a sense of their size, their color, how incredible it is that they even survived.

That is the value of the Greensboro History Museum.

I so much enjoy the log, the buildings in the park.

I so much enjoy being able to go into those spaces and see how a family of nine managed to survive in a three-room house.

And so I thought this is something that I would like to see restored.

Future generations are going to be able to look back and marvel at how, you know, how different it was or how cool it was, or maybe even how innovative that we were.

It evokes the sense of wonder in them that this is a piece of history, and this is what fire trucks came from over a hundred years ago.

And being really able to see that, it just makes them overjoyed, and they talk about it for the rest of the field trip.

The value of this history museum for the community is how much history is here.

One of the first parts of the exhibit that starts off with the settlers coming to Greensboro and all the way to the end where you can see Lime scooters.

It is a truly all-encompassing history.

People who come here to the museum will be very surprised at the connections that they will make.

There will be something that will connect you as an individual to what you're seeing.

The thing that gets me most excited about the museum and the offerings here is that it's not just about the past.

We're creating memories, we're creating history every single day.

I think the museum has inspired connections among the public by trying to make sure that different kinds of histories are exhibited.

There's nobody who would feel excluded.

I experienced the museum as very inclusive of different perspectives and ways of being.

I need the museum to keep cobwebs out of my brain.

And the museum needs me to volunteer.

I say it's free, just though it's open all week, you know.

It's a really fun time.

And putting those little roots of community into the museum and say, come back, we're always here.

The Greensboro History Museum is an investment in the future of future generations.

The museum has transitioned to be a World Clay museum.

I know that those things are true.

Valuable exhibits and valuable collections.

It is a remarkable place.

We're gifted with it being a Smithsonian affiliate.

That makes it extra special, too.

Then museums are like a spaceship.

You walk into the museum and you feel like you're moving through time.

I leave museums feeling both a combination of inspired, but also feeling that things are possible because other people went through them.

As long as our museum can feed the curiosity, keep that sense of wonder.

We will have an important role in our community.

We are the gateway for being able to tell them the story of the city.

We have item I one.

We've already done boards and commissions.

Item I two ordinance and the amount of nine million two hundred thousand dollars amending the general insurance fund, employee insurance fund, and general fund budgets for health claim payments and year-end adjustments.

All right.

Do I hear a any discussion?

Comments?

I would extend.

Move by Mr.

Holston.

Do I have a second?

Seconded by Mayor Pro Tim.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

I know that's we still have a voting process.

It's showing the old vote.

Excuse me.

Hold on a moment.

And that carries nine to zero.

All right, moving on to I three.

Preliminary resolution to file an application with the local government commission for a November 2026 referendum for general obligation bonds.

Is there a motion or any discussion?

Move by Councilwoman Thurm.

Second by Councilwoman Crawford.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I-4, ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026-2027, annual operating budget of the City of Greensboro, except for our subsequent recuses, which will come in a moment.

Do I hear a motion?

Moved by Mayor Coach and I hear a second.

Seconded by Mr.

Marshall.

Council, please vote.

Just confirming, Madam Mayor.

We're voting on A, B and C separately.

Separately.

We are voting separately on A, B, and C, correct?

And that passes nine to zero.

Item I for A, ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026-2027, annual operating budget for the Greensboro Sports Foundation.

And Madam City Attorney, I need to recuse myself.

Yes, Madam Mayor, you do.

All right.

Council, please vote.

Oh, yes, we need to move my recuse.

No, do we?

Need to move a recusal.

No.

Okay.

I just need to announce it.

And I have announced my recusal.

All right, Council, please vote.

Mayor.

Yes.

May I please have the motion?

Who moved it and who seconded it?

I'm sorry.

Oh, do we need the motion as such?

Yes.

We do need a motion.

Yes, we do need a motion.

May I have a motion?

Moved by Mr.

Marshall.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurm.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 8 to 0.

Item I-4B, ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026-2027, annual operating budget for the Greensboro Housing Coalition.

Mr.

Holston.

All right.

Do I hear a motion?

Move by Mr.

Marshall.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mayor Pro Tim.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 8 to 0 with one recusal.

Item I-4C, ordinance establishing the fiscal year 2026 annual operating budget.

Downtown Greensboro Parks Incorporated.

Madam Mayor, I need to recuse.

Mrs.

Thurmans recusing.

Do I hear a motion?

Move by Mr.

Marshall.

Second by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

Madam Mayor, we have three speakers for I-4.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Let me pull that out.

Oh, yes, I do.

For the the first uh I-4, yes.

I apologize.

Um what is Council's pleasure?

Should I open up the public hearing, Madam City Attorney?

Yes, you can see that.

Yes.

All right.

And would we need to go back and revote?

Did you all take a vote on I-4 about this?

Yes.

Yes, we did.

Yes.

So we will go back and re vote on I-4.

And I apologize.

That sheet was was over there.

Um I do have one person in favor and two people opposed.

Mr.

Coker, you are in favor of I-4.

Madam Mayor.

Can we finish the vote for I-4C, please?

I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

I'm missing the vote for I-4C.

I need Mayor and Councilmember Crawford to vote.

For I4C.

Okay, so we're gonna go ahead and vote for I-4C and then go back and open the public hearing for I-4.

Great.

Okay.

Council, please vote.

And that carries 8 to 0 with one recusal.

And I apologize for the mix-up.

This has been an interesting budget season, so I apologize.

Go ahead, Mr.

Coger.

You have three minutes.

Good evening.

Uh I'm Dave Coker.

I live and work in District 2.

I've been a firefighter in this city for 21 years, and I'm speaking tonight on behalf of the professional firefighters of Greensboro.

Madam Mayor, Council members.

Every day, Greensboro residents place calls to 911 because they're facing what may be one of the worst moments of their lives.

They don't ask how old the fire truck is.

They don't ask how many years of experience the firefighter has.

They don't ask whether a behavioral health specialist is available.

They simply expect that to arise.

The public safety investments included in this budget help ensure that it does.

Firefighters recognize that residents have differing opinions about the proposed tax increase in this budget.

Those are profoundly important discussion.

But firefighter responsibility we feel is to speak about fire protection and emergency medical care in our community.

There are three items in this budget we want to highlight this evening.

First, we support the implementation of special separation for Greensboro firefighters.

This investment is it is about recruitment and retention.

Across the state, fire departments are competing for qualified personnel and experienced firefighters.

Separation allowance helps Greensboro recruit talented firefighters and retain the experienced professionals our community depends on every day.

Second, we support the budget's investment in replacing aging fire trucks and purchasing new ones to meet the needs of our growing city.

Across the country, cities are facing an unprecedented fire truck shortage.

This sounds ridiculous, but but consolidation within fire truck manufacturing, private equity firms, and supply chain challenges have created serious delays nationwide.

Today, when a city orders a fire truck, it can literally take two to four years before it is delivered.

The fire trucks funded in this budget are not simply an investment in equipment, they are an investment in fire protection and emergency preparedness.

The decisions made tonight will help determine the level of fire protection Greensboro has for years to come.

Finally, we support expanding Greensboro's behavioral health response team.

Not every emergency can be solved with a fire engine or police cruiser.

Sometimes what a person needs most is a trained behavioral health professional.

I've been on those emergency responses when the B heart team was unavailable at 3 o'clock in the morning.

This investment helps ensure those resources are available when our neighbors need it most.

Debate about taxes and budgets will continue long after tonight's meeting.

But when a resident dials 911, none of those debates matter to firefighters in that moment.

What matters is that the right people with the right training and the right equipment arrive when help is needed.

The investments in fire protection, firefighter retention, and the behavioral health response helps make that possible.

On behalf of Greensboro Firefighters, we respectfully support these public safety investments and ask council to support this budget.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And now I have two people in opposition.

I have Robert Isner and Jason Hicks.

You will each have three minutes.

Hello, I'm Bob Isner.

I live at 1707 Willow Garage.

And I'm not really against the budget, but I have a check and box.

But I'm against a trend.

And I can't understand the increases in budget versus the increases of growth in Greensboro.

In 2015-16, our city budget was 461 million.

Ten years later, 25, 26, it was 830 million.

This is an 80% increase over 10 years, probably compounded about 6% a year.

I understand you have inflation to deal with, which was 39% that period, but you had a growth in budget of 40% if you take out inflation.

Now the population in Greensboro between those years went from 285 to 309,000, 24,000 people or 8% population growth.

So you have 8% population, 80% increase in budget.

I understand needs and wants.

City budgets a lot higher than you have population growth right now.

And it said it's an issue I think you can should consider.

And I think we're going to continue to have problems with the state subsidizing items, the federal government giving grants, but I think all of you need to be knowledgeable and be good stewards of the public money.

And that's a big concern when the city budgets go up drastically higher than our growth.

That's it.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And Mr.

Hicks.

Good evening, Council.

Seems a little pointless now that you've all voted, but I guess I began by saying tonight is a little bit historic in the fact that we have actual recusals, multiple recusals, in fact.

And I have to be honest with you, after months of residents uh standing at this podium, raising concerns, filing ethics complaints, and being told they were confused, misinformed, or simply being political, seeing those recusals on tonight's agenda genuinely move me.

Uh I do want to ask, just out of curiosity, if we're still giving 10% increase to the police because what was made available online doesn't detail that.

Um it just doesn't, and you know, I I want to just get some clarity on you know how two weeks ago there was no recusals.

Um, but the relationships didn't change, the conflicts didn't change, and the money was always public.

The stakes were always real, but suddenly, right on schedule, everyone's conscious showed up.

Um speaking of things that showed up late, the agenda for tonight's meeting was posted at 5 50 p.m.

yesterday.

Uh after the deadline to sign up to speak had already passed online, the only way to sign up was to be here by 5 30 today.

Um I want to ask council directly uh how's residents supposed to review a $900 million dollar budget, understand what's being voted on, and show up and be prepared to speak in less than 24 hours.

And maybe you all have that same issue.

Uh maybe you got it at the same time we did.

Um, but how is that public participation and how is anything other than a deliberate barrier between the people of the city and the residents being made in their name?

And the decisions being made in their name.

Uh seems as though money goes out on track.

Um multiple requests uh have come back from the internal audit office, uh no responsive records to your request.

Um, and it seems that residents ask questions, they go unanswered, conflicts get raised, they're dismissed, two weeks pass, recusals appear.

Uh 900 million dollars is being approved tonight in the name of the people of Greensboro.

The agenda seems that uh it was unavailable to the public.

Um, and and quite frankly, if the city seems to be discomfortable hiding information from the public when we're engaged and we're watching, what exactly is happening when we're not thinking.

Thank you.

And I must clarify two points.

We did not vote on the budget two weeks ago, did we?

No.

And uh I since the law came down from the state, I have always recused myself from the Greensboro Sports Foundation.

And Mr.

Holson, you've always recused yourself from the housing coalition.

So I just want to make those as clarifications.

Um let's go back to I4.

I think this would be the perfect time for Mr.

City Manager to present a few things that will show the reason we are where we are today.

Mr.

City Manager.

Thank you, Mayor.

If you all would give me just a moment to pull the presentation up.

You know, this is uh an unorthodox time uh in our budget season with some of the recent changes.

Uh normally we do not have a representation, uh, but we thought it fitting to make sure that the public was aware uh of the work that we've done over the last couple weeks in the really the last couple months to get to this place, some of the changes that have come up.

So I'm gonna provide you with a short presentation, uh, and there will be additional details that that I can provide for you.

So again, good evening, thank you.

Tonight I bring forward the budget that reflects both challenges, but I also want to say opportunities that Greenswell is facing.

Uh, over the past several months we've worked to develop a budget that maintains the services that residents rely on every day, while also addressing the reality of costs across nearly every area of operation uh that we have in the city.

This recommendation is grounded in three priorities: uh protecting core services, investing in our public safety and in infrastructure, and ensuring that Greensboro remains financially and fiscally strong for the future.

As we look at an overview of our budget, the overall budget is approximately 910 million dollars, including a general fund that's about 485 million.

The proposed total property tax is 79.85 cents, reflecting a 12.6 cents adjustment on the current property tax values.

Now at the at its core, this budget is about maintaining service levels.

I do want to take a little moment to talk about, and it is important to talk about the tax rate.

So what I mean is that what the community and what people have heard, the public has heard, the staff and council discuss and deliberate whether it's in the previous recommendation or whether it's in our work session sessions, those things have not fundamentally changed.

But what has changed is the tax base.

So when initially recommended the budget in May, that was developed in the assumed counties property reevaluation, and that that rate would occur following an action that was recently taken by our General Assembly.

We now are working with from the current property values that were previously in place.

Now this means that the penny of the tax rate generates significantly less revenue than it would have under a reevaluation.

So the result is that a higher rate is necessary to support the same level of services, personnel, infrastructure, and operations that council has already identified in the priorities that we're looking to continue.

So what is council choosing to support?

When we talk about this budget, we're really talking about what services Greensboro residents expect us to provide.

This budget supports additional police positions as we just as we've discussed.

It supports the expansion of our behavioral health team or otherwise known as BHART.

It upgrades different public safety technologies.

It addresses critical emergency infrastructure systems.

It addresses things like support for our staff, like our fire separation allowance.

That is a direct response to community feedback from our previous year.

It continues investments that are meaningful to communities like our roadways, facilities, our water quality, utilities, the infrastructure, and the support for daily life across our city.

And these investments are not about adding unnecessary programs, but they are about maintaining the capacity that's required to serve a truly growing community.

Another thing that council challenged us to do is to make sure that we're fiscally responsible.

And I do want to give our city council members credit for ensuring that they dug into our budget, they rolled their sleeves up to ensure that we were budgeting and managing in a responsible way.

And I need to emphasize that this recommendation that's before council is not simply about increasing revenues.

We spent a considerable amount of time looking at internal source internal departments for efficiencies and different cost savings.

Departments have renegotiated contracts, streamlined operations, consolidated different resources.

We've controlled spending and identified opportunities to reduce costs wherever possible.

Our responsibility is to be good stewards of taxpayers' dollars, and those efforts will continue every day.

This budget reflects a disciplined approach that balances fiscal responsibility with again the services that our community expects us.

I want to talk a little when you talk about tax rate, it's important to look beyond the rate just itself.

So a property tax bill is determined by both the tax rate and the assessed value of a property.

Using current values changes how the tax burden is distributed compared to a re-evaluation scenario.

For some homeowners, this approach results in a lower increase, as you can see, compared to others.

But for some it may not, and it may be different.

The broader goal is to create a more balanced approach while ensuring the city has the resources necessary to continue providing again the essential services that our community expects.

So the key ordinances that we're discussing tonight.

Tonight's actions include several ordinances, as you will hear and you you heard some that work together to implement the city's financial plan.

And these include the annual operating budget, the capital improvements program, grants and project funds, ordinances, and user adjustments.

Now taken together, these ordinance provides the authority necessary to deliver services, maintain infrastructure, and leverage external funding.

They represent the framework that allows us to execute the service plan reflected in this recommended budget.

The bottom line, the bottom line is simple.

This budget is about maintaining services that our residents count on every day while Greensboro is moving into the future.

As I said throughout this process, these are not luxury services, they are essential services that we must provide every day.

This budget is about allowing us to maintain those services, responding to the growth that our community is experiencing.

I'm sure many of you saw the announcements with Jet Zero and others that are happening in our community, the investments that we're making in our community to strengthen them and continuing to build a stronger Greensboro while remaining mindful of the financial realities that our residents face every day.

Again, thank you, council, and for the community and for the public watching, wanted to provide a quick update of where we are with the changes that are happening.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are there any questions for council?

For Mr.

Mr.

Davis, any questions?

I just wanted to say I appreciate you doing that because I think it explains quite a bit.

So we will go back.

Yes, Madam City Attorney.

Yeah.

Comments?

So Trey, I saw that some folks were saying that the actual percentage, the tax rate percentage was 25%.

Can you tell us what the actual percentage increase is?

The new proposed, I think it's around, and again, I'm doing math in public.

I think it's about 18%.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Mr.

Holmes.

Mr.

City Manager, thank you so much for the explanation and for the diligence and persistence for you and your team as we had these changes come through, primarily at the from the action from the state legislature.

Looking for looking down the road a little bit.

Are those valuations frozen or are they going to be potentially recalculated?

And if recalculated, uh given what we're seeing with the dispersion of percentages from the different types of properties.

Are we going to have any input into the future calculations if they're going to be updated and changed?

And will that also include the commercial properties?

So I this is an ever-evolving scenario.

And at some point, our our city attorney is going to update us as that conversation levels out.

However, I will tell you that there are some things currently the moratorium is what we're working with.

There's a potential for other proposed legislation that may come forth later in the fall that could impact future opportunities as it relates to our ability to address the tax rate.

Thank you.

And I probably should have addressed that question to both Madam City Attorney and also you, Mr.

City Manager.

But just one more question.

Yes, sir.

The appeals that our residents apply for, I believe it's maybe 20, 21,000 of the appeals.

Are they moved?

Again, with the revaluation not being in place, those will not be part, those are not part of the calculation.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Uh any other questions.

And now are there any comments?

Mr.

Marshall?

Yeah, I'll make I'll make a few.

Um obviously a lot of work has been put into this budget.

Um six of our first time uh crack at a budget, and this is not a normal year.

Um, the reevaluate re-evaluations brought large increases, the state who can't seem to pass their own budget, and says that we can't use the uh values that they in fact made us or made the county uh do.

So what we've tried to do in this budget is to address the critical reality that prices and the costs of doing business in the city have gone up dramatically.

Health insurance for city employees has gone up, materials have gone up, all costs and prices have gone up as they've gone up for all of our citizens.

And so we're trying to be cognizant of the fact that we are trying to provide the level of service that our citizens expect, and also be cognizant of their pocketbooks.

We have looked to tighten our belt.

We've looked to reorganize, and many of us up here had demanded some of that action be done.

Maintenance that this council didn't defer.

And we are trying to address some critical need in our communities that have been ignored, frankly, for some time.

Many of them are here today.

And I want to thank them for being here.

And if for those that don't know, you know, this is a benefit that grants payments to those that have 30 years of service as kind of a gap until they reach the age of 62.

And that's so important for the folks that are part of their lives on the line every day and who bear continued health risks from the job that they're doing.

So I'm extremely proud of us for including that extra benefit in the budget, and obviously I am in support of the budget.

I think it's tough, and nobody likes to raise taxes, but we have to prepare ourselves for the moment that we're in so that we can position Greensboro to succeed going forward.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Following up on a comment from Mr.

Marshall, I really feel like we tried to strike a balance between the deferred maintenance and the investing for our future.

Mr.

Isner, you commented on the fact that how much the budget had gone up without the growth in residents and the growth in the city.

But infrastructure unfortunately has to come first.

The roads, the water system, the water treatment, sewer treatment, all of that has to come before we can add more buildings, more housing.

You know, we we have to have if we want neighborhoods and to grow into new neighborhoods, and though by the way, we want to keep our ISO rating for our homeowners insurance, then we have to make sure that our fire department can respond in the appropriate amount of time within their limits.

That means new fire stations will need to be built.

If it takes four years to get a fire truck, we've got to order those now so that four years from now, when those neighborhoods are up and running, and those extra you know, neighborhoods that we've recently had rezonings for with 800,000, 800 homes, 400 homes, 500 homes.

We've got to have the infrastructure in place so that as those homes are being built, we've got we can service those homes, and that takes a lot of front loading on the infrastructure side, whether it be water, fire, um, you know, we can hire new police officers, but once we hire them, it's a good year, a year and a half before they're really out there on the streets on their own because there's training time, and then they have to ride with another officer for so many months.

So all of these things as the city grows, so much has to be front loaded, and that's part of what's driving this big increase.

We have talked about wanting to turn around our inspections and our plan inspections faster and be able to grow more quickly.

Part of that means we need to train and and and bring on staff now so that they're ready to inspect those plans, and all of those kinds of things.

We just recently passed two new ordinances, which we've been working on for a while, and thanks to this new council, we were able to move forward with improved building codes and improved uh for not only residential but for commercial.

Those codes are great, but if we don't have inspectors that can go out and inspect, they're they're worthless.

And we have to think of a lot of the folks that we've got on our staff have been with us a long time.

We have people retiring, and you know, you replace a one-to-one, somebody new coming out of college, doesn't handle things, doesn't inspect the same way, doesn't understand the realities of on the ground.

You need a little bit of duplication and training runway to make sure that the next generation of fire inspectors and building inspectors and plan reviewers are all up and running, and all of that unfortunately requires front loading.

Um I wanted to offer that as a little bit of explanation of some of the positions we added, some of the positions that were frozen previously that we added back into the budget that aren't really ads, they were just frozen losses, and why that's setting our budget so hard this year.

And to Mr.

Picks, who talked about recusals, um, I wanted to address the fact that the recusals that we did tonight are the recusals that we are required to do by law.

Some of the complaints and some of the questions that and challenges of conflicts were because you're on a third-party beneficiary, and they're two steps away, and those are not required by law, and in fact, we have been advised by ethics at the School of Government that we should be voting on some of those.

So I don't think it's a massive change on how we found ethics as you proposed.

We have we have followed ethics and followed our legal advice for as long as I've been on council.

Some of the rules have changed.

Um, but I know we have recruit recusals throughout the year, and so I just want to say that that is not newfound religion, so to speak, about recusals, but that's following the rules.

And because the three of us sit actually sit on a board for those that were receiving direct funding, it is the ethical thing to do for us to recuse.

So I just wanted to address those couple of areas and say this budget is not what any of us ideally wanted to have happen, but it's what we need to do to keep the city whole and to keep us moving forward because of that anticipated growth.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Crawford.

Yeah.

Um, I want to uplift the fact that one is to have some of the highest rate of 911 calls and uh public safety needs.

Uh, and when you have uh the firefighters showing up first for every call, uh, we knew that in this budget we needed to take care of the folks who take care of us.

Um, and so we did push really hard for that separation, uh and I'm really proud of council for sticking to that and trying to and and staff for trying to accommodate our requests that that be uh included.

Um staff did a really good job uh in listening to us and um balancing the budget for what was a priority for us, which was infrastructure, infrastructure and taking care of our employees.

Um last year I was a part of the movement from parks and rec to get deferred maintenance.

Uh I'm glad that we are definitely looking at that and increasing the hours that were reduced last year at our rec centers and our lakes.

Uh we knew that there would be consequences for not being open during the times that we really need kids off the street and um not having idle hands but having um some kind of instruction and engagement uh from really wonderful park rec uh parks and rec staff that becomes mentors for a lot of these kids.

Um one of the other things is yes, we we worked really hard to get the commercial and the residential codes uh so that we could give our inspectors teeth, but we absolutely needed the two new um code inspectors that will be coming coming in from this budget.

Uh but I really want to uplift that we spent a lot of hours, probably got on staff's nurses, asking a lot of questions, really kind of demanding some of the things that we knew our communities needed, and um you know we didn't kill each other.

Uh and I I think that I think that's great.

Um the last thing is um I know that raising taxes uh is hard to hear.

Uh under the re-evaluation, my property tax was looking like it was gonna go up over a thousand dollars, well, over a thousand dollars.

Uh and I don't know if people know, but this is a working class council for the most part, um, and I really was struggling to pay my taxes last year, got them paid, but it took me a little extra time.

Uh this tax increase this year um will raise taxes uh far less than the re-evaluation.

Um but one of the things that you know I think that we're all watching the state for is what does it look like um if this moratorium doesn't go through uh and the reevaluation or the reavaled uh tax uh increase comes back at us.

So if if the budget was out a little late, we we really are looking at um unprecedented um times of not knowing what's gonna happen at the state and how will we ban balance the budget.

Um so I hope that the uh community will give us grace.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Hugh Holston.

Madam Mayor.

You want to be on the list?

Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't see you.

So you thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um from my perspective, and and I hate to speak for my fellow council members, but none of us woke up this morning or over the past couple of weeks and thought, you know, let's raise some taxes.

Um we take very seriously being the financial stewards for the city of Greensboro.

At the same time, and I've said it before, we are still a customer service organization.

And when you're a customer service organization, you have to have a customer services team to make it happen.

And if you look at this budget, you'll see that there's a lot of investment in the team that's going to be serving our customers over the long haul.

We talked about the fire separation, making sure that the team, you know, it's not just about work, it's also about home and family.

Look at BHR, the investments there.

Look at the investments that we have in code compliance to go along with the ordinances that we've brought along.

The investments in our general employees, you know, we still have to drive to 25.

When I first joined this council, the minimum was $15 an hour.

And now we're driving to 25, and we've taken it with this budget from $20 per hour to 21 25.

We're driving to 25.

We're taking care of our employees.

We're also looking to the future.

We can't just rest on uh our laurels.

We have to also make investments that are going to take us down the road that are going to serve us as investments for the future.

Uh Sammy talked about front loading.

I'm sorry, Councilmember Thurm talked about front loading.

Councilmember Parker talked about take care of home.

These are foundational things.

Um if you don't make those investments now, then you'll look at us and look at us as a collective and say, why why they take their eye off the ball?

Why didn't they keep focusing on recognizing that there are going to be some pain?

There's going to be some pain.

And that pain is probably going to be spread amongst more than we possibly think when it comes to actually paying the taxes.

But if we don't have that pain now, we're going to have even more pain down the road.

And so my support of this budget is with my eyes wide open, knowing that there's going to be some pain, but we're making the investments in our employees, in our infrastructure, and in our future.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Parker.

Yeah, this budget season was hard.

It's our first budget as a new form council, but also I think that this was maybe the first in institutional history that the staff had to present to budgets.

I do believe that this is the better version.

So thank you to staff and management for all your hard work over the season.

And yes, in this time with with state and federal economic hostilities and uncertainties, we do have to take care of home in the form of our budget investments.

And our local government, y'all, is really our front line for essential services.

And there's so much good care in our collective investment in the city.

And there's so much to be proud of in our city.

So thank you for the city of Greensboro for also being brave in this moment and being leerful in this moment because we are in unprecedented times that we're going to collectively invest in our city.

This council, thank you so much for your work.

You all we met a lot of consensus during this time, and that's something to be proud of as a newly formed council.

I believe that this budget is restorative.

We had a consensus around B heart, the fire fire benefits.

This is a Greensboro that we want to live in, one that believes in the investments of libraries and parks.

And Greensboro has also, I was I was in the audience as a community leader with Raise Up 15 with Council Member Alan.

And we are the local government, particularly Greensboro.

We're leaderful in the way that we raise the livable wage and minimum wage.

And so we're the example for rest of the city and arguably the state in that way.

So I'm really proud that we're investing in our employees in that way.

And yes, nobody had the desire to vote on a tax increase, but I do want to tell y'all what I've learned now that I'm on council, all that deferred maintenance, inflation costs, the cost of doing business.

But there are also, I just want to explicitly say there's unfunded mandates from the state.

So not only do you have the inflation and the cost of doing business rising, um, some of the things like our water and the PFOS regulations, and even with the body worn cameras and the police technology that has advanced, those are state mandated, and the state and federal don't always give us the tools to negotiate that, and so we do have to take care.

So I wanted to also say uh we're charged tonight with making a hard decision, so hopefully, in the next year or two, um, we're in a better place.

That is the greatest hope for all of us.

Um of our primary roles with council is to question the effective use and strategic investment of taxpayer dollars, and we are taking that seriously, and we're gonna continue working really hard every day after today.

I think that this is a critical time in the next coming months for this council and for this community to think about the diversification of revenue funds and really be expansive and creative.

So we're not here again.

Um I also would be interested in the next year considering how we reinstate the participatory budget as a part of our process.

And so that's something in council that I look forward to working on uh with this council going forward, and I give great thanks.

Great, thank you, uh, Mayor Putin.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you to the uh my colleagues in terms of your comments.

I think there's been a lot of really important points and strong points made tonight, and I'll just add my voice to this.

You know, as we started this budget process, especially looking at the revaluation, a primary concern that I have, and I continue to have is the how we approach strategy related to the costs that we are burdening on the community overall, not just in our in our four corners at the city level, but also from the county and our partner cities as well, as well as the request for bonds that we will put on the agenda, as well as quarter cent sales tax and others.

And I think those items are still relevant.

I do recognize and it was important to recognize as we were looking at this moment where we still had revenue needs and didn't were not in the moment of or at least potential moratorium on revaluation.

The question of do we raise taxes to get there?

And ultimately, through discussions and continued dialogue, it was clear that there were some very significant costs, some of it borne by inflation, some of it borne by just the realities of managing a large organization that we still needed to meet for.

Something I'll say secondly is that this is not a luxury budget.

This isn't a budget with a bunch of frills and bells and whistles.

The reality is that there were a lot of fundamentals to manage for, and that our fund balance has to be replenished as well.

That's something that's been tapped, i.e., our savings account in a way has been tapped at a level that it needs to uh we we needed to find other places and ways for us to create and uh manage um uh additional income that unfortunately at this time is limited in our sources for it.

So it's uh it's not a perfect budget.

It definitely is necessary in terms of the costs that we face, just like every other organization in terms of especially personnel costs as well as some of those fundamental items like restoring hours at the parks and rec facilities and others.

Um I certainly was very supportive of the um our public safety and adding additional officers as well as our separation allowance for our firefighters.

There are, as we have a growing community ensuring that public safety and infrastructure can meet those needs really become paramount.

Um, with all of that being said, I don't think Mr.

Eisner is still here, but I think that oh he is here.

Okay, so what he was pointing out, I do think is really significant in the charge for next time.

If you think about the fact that we are a new council, pretty much have only been in office for maybe six to five to six months once we started really digging into the budget process.

It does not give a lot of time, nor for staff as they're trying to accommodate new council, new efforts, etc.

and manage for the long-term management going forward.

Doesn't give us a lot of time to evaluate what we would do differently, how would we meet those efficiencies, and some of that work takes time.

But the points made in terms of the growth of our community compared to the growth of the budget of the organization are significant.

We've had discussions in the manager point has pointed out there are some core areas that he is charging the staff to look at in terms of how we find more operational efficiencies.

I do think it's very um important and encumbered upon us as leaders to look at where have been where which part of the budget has seen the highest cost of growth over the past 10 years.

Where is it that we're anticipating growth to accurate in the future and making some strategic decisions about how we can reduce that burden?

Um, some of it will come in the form of technology, some of it will come in the form of a of um of staff efficiencies and how we manage attrition, um, and some of it will come in the form of how we just do our business in our work.

So there is more to come, um, and I just think it's important for us to recognize that and give it um give it voice as well.

But um I appreciate all of the work of the staff.

I think they have been super great in responding to multiple multiple levels of requests and requests on requests and trying to do that and turn it around as quickly as possible.

So it very much appreciate your work in long hours, including weekends when I know that you have been working diligently as well.

So thank you.

All right, I have just a very few comments.

I think council has uh pretty much gone over everything, but I too.

Alan, did you want you want to say anything?

He's he's fine.

I couldn't hear you.

Oh, uh, Councilmember Black.

I'm so sorry, I didn't get a text.

Did you want to say anything?

I I think that uh council members have covered everything.

Um I just want to thank staff for the hard work that they've uh put into this.

I want to thank council.

Uh we've put some hard work into this, and I hope that uh as we build this out, community can see that the choices that we've made around this budget was part of taking care of home.

I am proud of us for supporting the separational.

I am proud of us for support the code enforcement positions, and I think our community in the long run will see those changes and how they impact ON Yay Park Center.

Yes, yay.

But thank you, council, for coming together to create a collective product.

Great, thank you.

And I've got a very few brief comments.

Um so I you know, everyone has pretty much stated everything that we need to talk about.

Um I too want to thank staff, and I do know that you work nights, weekends, early mornings, late nights, because many of us were on the phone with you at those times, or we were sending emails back and forth.

So thank you all so much for that.

And I know that the council has worked hard, and it's been day night, I know weekends have been spent.

So thank you all, and I I do appreciate the fact that everyone has taken that deep dive.

Um, I did want to just very briefly state, you know, some of the percentages that our supplies have gone up.

Uh some of them have gone up 66%.

Uh that's for rock asphalt and all of those areas.

Accessibility rents have gone up 60%.

Uh things doing with transportation and infrastructure have gone up 60 to 70 percent.

So we have all those figures, you know, just with the upgrades that we are having to do for the PFOS and the PFOA, 450 million dollars.

So things are are rising rapidly on on this city, and we've got to make sure that we have clean water.

We've got to make sure we have uh strategic wastewater facilities.

We've got to make sure we've got everything, um, and just taking water, you know, chemicals have gone up 50 percent.

So a lot of the cost is factored into things like that, and that's one reason our budget has gone up.

And I think with this, this really helps relay to the public why.

And so thank you, Mr.

City Manager and your staff and everyone, Mr.

Davis, everyone who has been involved in this.

So um now, madam city attorney, would we need to go back and vote on I 4?

That would be Madam Mayor.

No, you don't, but I do want to acknowledge that as Mr.

Hicks stated, normally speakers are heard before council takes action.

But I want the public to make sure that they know and understand that while the um legislature that does require a public hearing before the budget, that was held at a prior council meeting, and while they also require a public comment period at least once a month for 30 minutes in a regular council meeting, that was also held at the June 2nd.

And so this really was form over substance, and that the budget has been will have been legally adopted.

I four has been legally adopted, even though we it it kind of went a different way due to a mistake that you acknowledge that you did not see the paper where we had three speakers, so it's perfectly fine.

Great, thank you.

And I will apologize to the speakers.

I honestly it was buried under a lot of paper up here, so I apologize.

Um what is council's pleasure?

Should I ask what council's pleasure is or we just can move on?

Yes, yes, correct.

So we have already done uh let me catch my place.

We are on I 5 item I 5 item uh that now I've got item 4B.

I've got item 4C.

Okay, we've done that.

Item I5 uh resolution adopting the fiscal year 2027 to 2036 capital improvements program.

I would take a motion to adopt the resolution.

Moved by Mr.

Marshall, can I hear a second?

Second by Mayor Pro Tim.

Council please vote.

I don't have a screen, but I am I'm a yes.

I don't have a screen but I am I'm a yes that passes nine to zero thank you so much um moving on to item I six ordinance amending the state highway capital projects fund moved by Mrs.

Thurm do I hear a second second by Mr.

Holston Council please vote I am a yes and that carry that carries nine to zero item I seven ordinance amending the streets and sidewalk capital projects fund moved by mayor by councilwoman crawford seconded by mayor pro tim council please vote I'm a yes and that carries nine to zero second item I eight ordinance amending the technical services projects fund do I hear a motion moved by Mr Holston do I hear a second second second by mayor pro tim council please vote and that passes nine to zero item I9 ordinance amitting the water resources capital improvements fund I will I will uh take a motion to adopt the ordinance moved by councilwoman crawford do I hear second second by councilwoman marshall council please vote and that carries nine to zero item I 10 ordinance amending the water and sewer extension reserve fund do I hear motion motion Mrs.

Thurm do I hear a second mayor pro Tim Council please vote and that passes nine to zero item I 11 ordinance amending the stormwater management capital improvements fund may I have a motion to adopt moved by mayor pro Tim do I hear a second seconded by Mrs.

Thurm Council please vote and that carries nine to zero item I twelve ordinance amending the parking facilities capital project fund I would accept a motion moved by Mr.

Marshall do I hear a second second by mayor pro Tim council please vote and that passes nine to zero item I thirteen ordinance in the amount of two million two hundred and twenty three thousand five hundred dollars establishing the budget for fiscal year twenty twenty six-2027 for the Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning organ organization MPO activities moved by Mayor Pro Tim seconded by uh councilwoman Thurm city attorney I should ask I serve as chair of the TAC

Item I-13, ordinance in the amount of two million two hundred and twenty-three thousand five hundred dollars, establishing the budget for fiscal year twenty twenty-six-2027 for the Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organ Organization MPO activities.

Move by Mayor Pro Chim.

Seconded by Councilwoman Thurm.

Madam City Attorney, I should ask.

I serve as chair of the TAC.

Should I recuse myself?

Oh, is it?

It's the Transportation Advisory Committee.

Yes.

My understanding, Mayor, is that we we don't give money to the to the MPO, we receive money from them.

Great.

I don't believe you'd have any conflict of interest concerning that budget.

Thank you so much.

I I apologize.

I just did want to double check, yes.

Um, so I would uh accept a motion.

Oh, a vote move by Mayor Pro Tem, second.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Mrs.

Thurm was the second.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I-14, ordinance amending chapter 25 solid waste of the local code of ordinance for fiscal year twenty twenty-six-2027.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tim.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I-15, ordinance amending chapter 29 of the Greensboro Code of Ordinances, amending water and sewer fees and system development fees.

Do I have a motion?

Moved by Mayor Pro Tim.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mayor.

Mrs.

Thurm.

Yes.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I 16.

Ordinance amending land development ordinance.

Article 12, amending stormwater fees.

May I have a motion to adopt the ordinance?

Moved by Mayor Pro Tim.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by that was a time.

Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I seventeen.

Sure.

The last four items on your agenda are all federal grants that are received by and administered by housing and neighborhood development.

Great, thank you.

All right.

Item uh I seventeen, ordinance and the amount of two hundred and eighteen thousand eight hundred and six dollars.

Establishing fiscal year twenty-six-27 grant project budget for the ESG grant.

May I have a motion?

Moved by Councilwoman Crawford.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurm.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I-18, ordinance and amount of one million three hundred and sixty-seven thousand one hundred and eighty-nine dollars establishing fiscal year twenty-six twenty-seven.

Grant project budget for the Hoffworth grant.

Move by Mr.

Holston.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded uh by Mrs.

Thurm.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I nineteen, ordinance in the amount of two million four hundred and ninety-two thousand five hundred and ten dollars, establishing the fiscal year twenty-six twenty-seven grant project budget for the CDBG grant.

Do I hear a motion?

Moved by Mrs.

Thurm.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mr.

Holston.

Council, please vote.

And that carries nine to zero.

Item I twenty ordinance in the amount of one million seven hundred and two thousand two hundred and fifty-nine dollars establishing fiscal year twenty-six twenty-seven grant project budget for the home grant.

Moved by Mr.

Holston.

Do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mayor Food Sam.

Council, please vote.

To review our budget business.

No.

Madam Mayor.

Madam City Attorney.

Recess, not adjourned.

Oh, Madam City Attorney, put yes.

Adjourn to reconvene to a time date and place certain to review our budget business.

I need a motion.

And that is second.

The date and time.

And do I hear a second?

Seconded by Mrs.

Thurmond.

A motion has been made and seconded to adjourn this meeting to reconvene on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026, at one fifteen in the Katie Dorset City Council Chambers to review the budget ordinances and potential levy.

Is there any discussion?

Hearing none, this meeting stands adjourned to reconvene.

Uh no.

It says adjourned.

You want me to do reset?

Oh, yes.

All in favor, please say aye.

I would like to go ahead and go down the road.

Mr.

Allen, Mr.

Holston, Ms.

Thurm.

Mayor Pro Tim?

Ms.

Crawford?

Mr.

Marshall?

Ms.

Parker.

And I am an aye.

And Ms.

Black.

Hi.

She is an aye as well.

Thank you.

We will reconvene this meeting June twenty-third at one fifteen p.m.

In the Katie Dorset chambers.

You too.