Raleigh City Council Regular Meeting - July 1, 2025

The Raleigh City Council met on July 1, 2025, for its first Tuesday afternoon and evening session. The meeting covered a wide range of topics including consent agenda items, planning commission recommendations, special presentations on the CARES program, Six Forks Road project, citizen advisory councils, the fire department master plan, a restructured convention center hotel deal, downtown major projects, and public hearings on rezoning and zoning text changes. Key decisions included approving the consent agenda, setting public hearing dates, directing staff on the Six Forks Road project, approving the Omni hotel restructuring, accepting the fire master plan, advancing some advisory board reorganization recommendations, and approving a controversial zoning text change for the Rust Bus overbuild allowing a payment in lieu of on-site affordable housing.

Consent Calendar

• Approved all consent agenda items including resolutions for revised human resource policies, affordable housing funding commitments (Grosvenor Gardens, Southeast Raleigh Promise), Raleigh Housing Authority bond issuance for The Averie, utility service extension, contract awards for ADA paratransit, Marsh Creek Greenway planning, school resource officers, janitorial services, chemical root control, architectural services, odor control, City Hall project amendment, fire station lease, encroachment requests, condemnation for Valley Drive sidewalk, FY2026 employee compensation and benefits, bid awards for Pullen Park electric train, Wake BRT New Bern Avenue corridor, large diameter valve replacements, Pullen Park electrical upgrades, bid rejection for UV channel improvements, and traffic modifications (no parking zones, accessible parking).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Octavia Rainey (public comment afternoon session) expressed strong support for the Fourth Ward park and thanked Councilor Harrison for her work on Smoky Hollow. She also spoke during the evening session against the TCZ-3-25 text change for 200 West Street, arguing that allowing a buyout for affordable housing perpetuates segregation and violates fair housing and transportation equity principles. She demanded to see racial demographics of the downtown area.
• Lisa Hewitt criticized recent changes to public comment procedures, including reduced speaker caps and publication of speakers' home addresses, calling for transparency. She also opposed the rezoning Z-54-22 at Peace and West Streets, arguing that a 30-story tower violates the comprehensive plan's transition area designation and undermines neighborhood character.
• Mary Thompson urged the council to form a task force on reparative justice as previously promised, and raised concerns about contracted bus workers not receiving city wage increases, questioning if the city requires contractors to pay living wages.
• James Bledsoe declared his candidacy for City Council, criticizing the council for rising crime rates (rape, human trafficking), loss of small businesses, lack of progress on accessory dwelling units, and pay disparities between police and fire departments.
• Tim Niles argued that the second neighborhood meeting for the West Street Tower was inadequate because the planning department's report was not available, and that the developer continues to claim a transit station at West Street despite transportation staff confirming it has been eliminated. He called for staff-controlled meetings.
• Mamakai Sanders thanked city employees, questioned the downtown convention center and amphitheater expansion data, and suggested building new facilities at Triangle Town Center instead. She also raised concerns about noise and traffic impacts.
• Natalie Liu alleged that RDU Airport suppressed history regarding Oddfellows land, claiming the airport took land it didn't need in the 1970s and is now claiming zoning does not apply. She invited the council to a Wake County zoning hearing.
• Molly Stewart (applicant for TCZ-3-25) spoke in support, introducing Gary Tober (GoTriangle) and John Florian (Hoffman) who explained the need for flexibility due to market conditions. They highlighted that GoTriangle's bus station is on time and on budget, that Hoffman has invested $5.7 million, and that a payment in lieu of $1.56 million (10 times the standard per-unit amount) would support affordable housing citywide, potentially producing more deeply affordable units than on-site.

Discussion Items

• Six Forks Road Improvement Project Update: Staff reported that the current scope (from Rowan Street to Millbrook Road) costs have escalated to $93.5 million. Total available funding is $60.1 million, with $14 million in federal funds that must be returned if road widening is abandoned. Staff recommended either spot safety improvements (sidewalk gap closing at Carroll Middle School, intersection improvements, signalized crossings) costing about $7 million, or total project cancellation. Councilor Lambert-Melton made a motion, seconded, to adopt the spot improvements and allocate remaining funds to the multimodal bridge design, Lake Wheeler Road, Barwell Road, and finally Old Wake Forest Road. The motion passed unanimously.
• Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) Update: Assistant City Manager Nikki Jones presented progress on the February 2024 motion to provide free meeting space, city technology (Zoom business licenses at $200 each), and a succession plan including leadership training. Additional items like email lists and website presence were also proposed. Council took no action, receiving the report as information, with agreement to hold further discussions in August and allow CAC chairs to provide input.
• Fire Department Master Plan: Consultants presented a comprehensive 25-year plan. Current performance: first unit arrival within standard time 54% of the time (target 90%), effective response force 48%. Recommendations include replacing/relocating stations (Station 23, 9, 8; rebuild 10 and 17), adding four new stations, four new front-line apparatus, increasing daily staffing by 18 firefighters (6 per shift), aiming for 4-person crews, and implementing traffic preemption and improved call processing. Total 25-year cost was not specified, but staff will bring a phased approach for FY27 budget. Council accepted the report as information.
• Convention Center Hotel Restructuring: Staff announced an amended deal with Omni Hotels: room count increased from 550 to 600, ground lease replaced with fee simple sale (generating property tax revenue), a project completion guarantee added, room block agreement extended to 50 years, and city investment remains $75 million. Proceeds from land sale will offset environmental remediation and public infrastructure costs. Council approved the staff recommendation unanimously.
• Downtown Major Projects Update: Updates on new City Hall (25% complete, topping out), Fire Station One (concept design), Raleigh Convention Center expansion (schematic design in budget, 2029 opening), Chavis-Dix Strollway (design negotiations, focus on western portion honoring Fourth Ward), and transportation improvements (interchange concepts, pedestrian safety upgrades). Council discussed the importance of placemaking at the MLK/South Saunders interchange and expediting the strollway.
• Boards and Commissions Reorganization: The special committee recommended standardizing bylaws, adopting liaison guidance, renaming the Fair Housing Hearing Board, merging several commissions (Historic Cemeteries into Historic Resources, Human Relations with Hispanic/Immigrant Affairs, Substance Use, African American Affairs; Transit Authority with Bike/Ped and Mayor's Committee on Disabilities). Council voted to approve recommendations 1 (bylaws), 2 (liaison guidance), 3 (renaming Fair Housing), and a separate motion to rename the Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities to reflect full council appointments. The mergers were deferred for further community input, with a work session or public hearing to be scheduled.
• Noise Ordinance Review: Staff presented benchmarking data showing Raleigh allows outdoor amplified sound much later than peer cities (most end at 10 p.m., Raleigh has no end time). Austin's model with district-specific decibel limits and sound impact plans was highlighted. Council directed staff to conduct a comprehensive review including engagement with stakeholders and return with a first reading proposal by August 19.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
• Rezoning Public Hearing Dates: Set for August 19 and September 2 as detailed, with specific items moved to balance workload.
• Street Closings: Public hearings for Woodside Drive and Willow Street set for September 2 evening.
• CAC Update: Received as information; further discussion in August.
• Six Forks Road: Approved motion to proceed with spot safety improvements and reallocate remaining funds to multimodal bridge design, Lake Wheeler, Barwell, and Old Wake Forest Road projects. Federal funds will be returned.
• Convention Center Hotel: Approved restructured transaction with Omni (6-0 vote).
• Fire Master Plan: Accepted as information; staff to bring phased implementation plan for FY27.
• Boards and Commissions: Approved standardized bylaws, liaison guidance, and renaming of Fair Housing Hearing Board and Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Merger proposals deferred for public input.
• Noise Ordinance: Directed staff to complete comprehensive review and present draft ordinance by August 19.
• Tarheel Clubhouse Road Rezoning (Z-14-24): Approved annexation (effective immediately) and rezoning (6-2 vote), including condition for fire station land dedication or $50,000 contribution.
• Text Change TCZ-3-25 (200 West Street): Approved by 6-2 vote, allowing payment in lieu of on-site affordable housing ($40,000 per unit, 10% of total units). The condition opens an option but does not eliminate the possibility of on-site units.
• Appointments: Centennial Authority (Latanta McCurman), Civil Service Commission (South Wood), Human Relations Commission (Stacey Lynn Webb, Daphne Moore), Police Advisory Board (Carlin Ashford) – all appointed.
• City Code Revision: Second reading approved for regulating activity in streets and rights-of-way, effective November 1.
• Closed Session: Entered closed session for attorney-client consultation and public safety briefing.