Raleigh City Council Regular Session: June 17, 2025
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Raleigh City Council Regular Session: June 17, 2025
The Raleigh City Council met on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, for a work session at 11:30 AM and a regular session at 1:00 PM. The council approved consent agenda items (except one pulled), heard public comments on diverse topics, deferred a controversial rezoning, authorized financing for affordable housing, adopted a new strategic plan, and conducted multiple public hearings on annexations and rezonings.
Consent Calendar
- Approved as a block all consent agenda items except G1 (Lichtin Plaza at the Performing Arts Center Renovations – bid award to Berry Building Group, Inc.). Councilor Silver, after reviewing a revised illustration, moved to approve G1, which passed unanimously.
- Consent items included: Federal 2026-30 Consolidated Plan; City Code revisions on street activity; several annexations; contracts (Wake Transit Plan, John Chavis Memorial Park, Hillsborough Street MSD, Downtown MSD, janitorial services, Oakwood Cemetery lease); budget amendments (Dix Park Conservancy donation, FY2025 year-end amendments); bid awards (Lichtin Plaza, Glenwood Avenue at Washington Street intersection improvements, DE Benton Water Treatment Plant carbon); traffic schedule updates; parking codification for Oberlin Road; mixed-use loading zone at 200 North Harrington Street; Glenwood South Safety Pilot parking modifications.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mama Kai Sanders advocated for family-friendly downtown businesses and youth entrepreneurial accelerators, proposing pop-up shops at the convention center and a new activity center at Triangle Town Center.
- Nikki W. raised concerns about Juneteenth celebration cancellation at Dix Park (citing weather assumption) and called for rescheduling; also demanded reparations for Fourth Ward, public toilets for unhoused residents, and criticized governmental agendas.
- Octavia Rainey accused the city of systematic discrimination against Fourth Ward in District D, alleging that 25 projects were funded elsewhere while Fourth Ward received only three urban renewal projects; requested a work session with churches and funding for the Fourth Ward reunion.
- Misa Saltari condemned the bomb threat against a synagogue and argued that conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism allows Israel to commit atrocities; called for condemning Israeli military actions.
- Hanadi Ali urged the council to pass a ceasefire resolution and sanction Israel, citing a death toll of 39,000 and ongoing war crimes.
- Athena Wallon requested traffic calming and bike lanes on Brookside Drive and advocated for creek erosion rehabilitation as part of stormwater management and green infrastructure.
- Brian McGuinness (firefighter) expressed support for the fire department and drew on his Marine veteran experience to condemn the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Discussion Items
- Planning Commission Report – Z-70-22 (Glenwood Avenue, Lake Anne Drive, Winchester Drive): Staff recommended deferral to July 1, 2025, to allow the applicant to submit signed conditions. The condition creating a third-party "ombudsman" for stormwater oversight was debated. Chair Blanny Miller noted Planning Commission approved 8–1 despite staff enforceability concerns. Councilor Silver questioned whether the condition mitigated an impact; applicant Isabella Maddox said it was a neighborhood-requested stormwater engineer role. Council voted to defer the case to July 1.
- Special Items – Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds: Montessori School of Raleigh withdrew its public hearing request after deciding to pursue alternative bond refinancing.
- City Manager Report – Triangle Square Predevelopment Bond Issuance: Staff presented a request for local approval of bonds from the Public Finance Authority of Wisconsin to finance 468 affordable units (180 senior, 288 family) at 60% AMI, with $9.3 million in bond financing for predevelopment. Council approved the mayor executing a local approval letter (unanimous).
- City Manager Report – 15 Summit Avenue Affordable Housing Development: Staff recommended CASA as developer for an 11-unit veterans housing project (with Operation Coming Home) using tiny-home design, with a city subsidy of $368,573 in gap financing. Units: 4 at 30% AMI, 4 at 50% AMI, 3 at 60% AMI. Council approved unanimously.
- City Manager Report – FY26-29 Strategic Plan Adoption: Christina Leos presented the plan with seven key focus areas (Community Safety, Economic Development & Innovation, Environmental Resilience, Housing, Organizational Excellence, Quality of Life, Transportation & Transit) and 49 initiatives. Councilors discussed metrics, committee alignment, and connection to big-picture projects. Council adopted the plan unanimously.
- Public Hearings:
- Public Nuisance Abatements (3 properties): Approved liens for cleanup on 3423 Marsh Lane Way, 2928 O'Kelly Street, 3605 Satellite Court.
- Unfit for Human Habitation – 5716 North Hills Drive: 90-day repair-or-demolish ordinance adopted.
- Petition Annexations: AX-05-25 (Barwell Road, 27.7 acres, 216 townhomes) – District C; AX-07-25 (Mitchell Mill Road, 14 townhomes) – District B; AX-11-25 (Corporate Center Drive, 237 apartments) – District D; AX-17-24 (Tarheel Clubhouse Road, 225 single-family homes) – continued to July 1; AX-11-24 and AX-08-25 (Globe Road parcels) – both approved.
- Rezonings: Z-14-24 (Tarheel Clubhouse Road, R6 with conditions) – continued to July 1; Z-44-24 (Avent Ferry Road, R6 with conditions, 19 units) – approved; Z-54-24 (Louisburg Road, R6 with conditions, added stub street condition) – approved; Z-16-24 and Z-06-25 (Globe Road, R6 with single-family per lot) – both approved.
- Employee Highlights: City Manager highlighted Nikki Jones (new ACM) as ECU Distinguished Alumnus and Carrie Painter receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Venue Management.
- Council Reports: Councilmembers noted Juneteenth events, condoled the drowning death of Adrian Basilio, recognized Gun Violence Prevention Month, and discussed the need for communication on the leaf collection program change.
- Appointments: Rachel Boone appointed to Human Relations Commission (regular); Ariel Co-Correct appointed to Raleigh Historic Development Commission (regular). Other vacancies carried over.
- Closed Session: Council entered closed session to discuss public safety plans and an honorary award; no actions reported out.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: All items approved except G1, which was later approved unanimously.
- Z-70-22 (Glenwood Ave): Deferred to July 1, 2025, for signed conditions.
- Triangle Square Bond Authorization: Approved (vote unrecorded, unanimous).
- 15 Summit Avenue (CASA): Approved conditional gap financing of $368,573 (vote unrecorded, unanimous).
- Strategic Plan FY26-29: Adopted (vote unrecorded, unanimous).
- Public Hearings: All nuisance abatements, unfit housing, annexations (except Tarheel Clubhouse continued), and rezonings (except Z-14-24 continued) were approved by recorded voice votes, generally unanimous with occasional one dissenting vote on a few annexations.
- Deferrals: Z-70-22 and Z-14-24/AX-17-24 (Tarheel Clubhouse) continued to July 1, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
Hey, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the council session. We will start with the Pledge of Allegiance and Councillor Jones will lead us. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for the United States. Which it stands one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Thank you. Next we have the consent agenda, and we had one item pulled, G1. Is there anything else? Uh yeah, I mean, up to you. Do you want to make a motion on the remaining items and we can approve those first? I'll move approval of the remaining items. Second. Second from Counselor Patton. Um other discussion? If not, all in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. All right. So that passes, and now uh Counselor Silver on G1. Yeah, just for the city manager, I appreciate I sat down with uh both Kerry Painter and the Assistant City Manager Evan Raleigh. Um I there wasn't an illustration in the packet. Uh I sat down with the assistant city manager earlier. I'm satisfied with the illustration. I understand it's just an illustration, but I am voting to be consistent with what was in that design, knowing there may be some minor modifications. Uh just want to make sure that is how it's going to go forward with that. I move that we approve that item to go out to bed. Um we've had a first and a second. Any other conversation? If not, all in favor of the motion. Aye. Aye. All opposed. All right. And that passes. And that brings us to public comment. Good afternoon, uh, Madam Mayor, members of council. Uh I'm Rand Northam with the communications department. Uh just want to welcome folks to our council chamber and give a couple quick tips for using our microphone and podium in case especially if anybody hasn't been here before. But um please, as you get up to the podium, take your time, adjust the microphone so that it is just below your mouth and you speak over top of it. Um please don't move your head from side to side because uh while we might be able to hear you in the chamber, those who are listening at home will not be able to hear you, and we definitely want to make sure you're heard clearly. And also we do have a handheld microphone for anybody who is not able to stand up at the podium, we'll be happy to bring that to you as well. Um, and please don't lean in real close to the mic either. Thank you very much. All right, thank you. Uh first speaker is Mama Kai Sanders. Good afternoon, y'all. It's another amazing day in paradise. Thank you for this forum. Um, I appreciate your service to our city and fulfilling your requirement to listen. Last week I ended my comments by saying, Do you know what makes a safe, vibrant, and healthy city?
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