This was an evening public comment session held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the City Council Chamber in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mayor Janet Cowell presided. The council listened to 17 speakers on a variety of local and national issues. No votes or formal decisions were taken.
All right, everybody, welcome to the public hearing. Public comment. Public comment, sorry, I always get those words. Um tonight, and as you know, we um generally are just listening uh tonight. This is your time and uh three minutes each. So we will start with the sign-ups, and we have Olivia Cisneris. Hi. I I didn't know I was gonna be first. I'm a little nervous. Uh so yeah. Okay, tell me when the clock starts, I guess. As soon as you start talking about it, it already started. So we're still on three. Okay. Ready. All right. Umlivia Cisneros. I'm a resident of Brookside Drive. I'm here today to address the proposed bike lanes that are set to be implemented on our street this summer. While I understand you already heard from myself and several of my neighbors regarding our concerns, I'm speaking on behalf of myself and six other households along Brookside to ask you to reconsider the current plan for bike lanes. At the March 18th council meeting, the Transportation Department presented a compromise proposal, which included a cycle track for con elementary students to safely bike to and from school while also allowing for parking along Brookside for residents. We are asking that you take another look at this option. We feel that this plan offers a safe route for cyclists while also preserving the parking spaces that are essential for Brookside residents. While we are not opposed to bike lanes and fully support the idea of providing a safe and accessible route for cyclists, we believe that it's equally important to consider the needs of those who rely on street parking and drive cars. Removing all street parking parking on our street would create a hardship for many residents, especially those who do not have extended driveways. The current proposal seems to prioritize one group of users at the expense of another, and we believe that a more balanced approach is needed. We believe decisions regarding our street should benefit everyone who uses it. The current proposal to promote to remove all street parking in favor of bike lanes creates an unfair situation for those of us who live here. Thank you, Ms. Cisneros. Okay. Next we have Ezekiel Snyder. That is nearly 80% of Raleigh's population. From the destruction of Hurricane Helene this fall to increasing rates of wildfires and heat waves, it is clear that climate change is not some far-off threat. It is here now, and it is harming Raleigh residents. And yet, in the face of this destruction. And many other uh consequences of climate change, our city's climate goals still fall short. Our city council's climate action plan aims for an 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by twenty fifth twenty fifty. This is not leadership. This is a delay. As the capital of North Carolina, we have the opportunity to set an example for the rest of our state. Every year that we delay bold action, more lives are lost to rising temperatures, flooding, and air pollution. Vulnerable, vulnerable communities pay the price for our inaction. Extreme heat is killing thousands every year. Flooding is swallowing homes and infrastructure. Air pollution is worsening asthma and heart disease. Climate action cannot wait. If our federal government is not going to stand up for us, we need Raleigh City Council to be our advocates. It is your responsibility to lead us to where our nation, national leaders will not. Now is the time for action.