Okay, okay.

All right.

Welcome everybody.

We are back from summer break.

We appreciate you joining us.

First, as always, we will say the Pledge of Allegiance, and uh Counselor Silver, will you help lead us?

Which stands?

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Yeah.

Uh Mayor Pro Tem Fort is out.

She may be joining us later, but uh for the moment she is excused.

Uh and then next we have recognition and special awards.

So I will turn that over to the city manager.

So on this agenda, we don't have any special recognition on today's agenda.

I thought there was something big coming, but okay.

Um consent.

I'm gonna hold tight on that one before I get the okay to publicly announce that one.

Okay.

Uh next we have consent agenda, and there were two items pulled for discussion.

Uh D1 F and D five J, I believe insert is that correct.

Uh if there's any other items, um otherwise we can move approval of the remaining.

Second.

Okay.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Right.

So that passes.

And uh next I'll turn it to the city manager for the Randley tract discussion.

Um I had the opportunity to speak with David Ellis, the county manager on this item, and just for a point of clarification that it is not their intent to use that entire um entitlement on that land for the development of an animal shelter, but they don't know what else at this point.

And I just want to remind that this is the first step in the process to be able to get the application through the process.

The actual rezoning will go through the regular rezoning process through the planning commission, and then ultimately to council for a final decision.

But this just allows them to file the application for the process to begin.

Okay.

Yep.

Counselor Harrison.

Yeah, I just wanted to note there was a request um for affordable housing at the Ranley Tract, and it is co-owned currently by the city and the county.

And so simply wanted to bring that up.

I know there are other opportunities out there to find um suitable sites, and we are going to look at that at the council retreat in September.

Yes.

Um that'll be a really good opportunity to think about what is appropriate here.

But yeah, at the appropriate time, I'm happy to motion this forward.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

All right.

So if that's a motion, I'll second that.

Um all in favor of uh proceeding with the first step in the Ranley farm rezoning I.

All opposed, nay.

All right.

Thank you.

Um the next item polled was around D five J on a third party uh contract service for entry-level firefighter hiring.

Uh thank you so much.

I just had a few questions on um the hiring process.

I know that we had our firemaster plan and uh we saw the results of that.

There was a question that I I didn't see, which was the retention rates of the last, I think we said 10, eight between eight and ten uh fire academies so that we can see what that looks like uh since we're having this this uh issue of retention and just want I know we've talked about it and just having we mentioned at the last meeting that they do have better retention is what I think we were you we were saying.

And um so when this came up it hit me because I want to make sure that if this isn't internal, which it's not we're we're contracting with, I think they're called Morrison McDaniel.

I guess my question is when did we first contract with them and where are the metrics to justify spending this amount of money on hiring outside instead of doing the tur the process internally uh and then what has the retention rate been since we started using this uh for each academy.

So lots of question I will ask Chief Griffin to come down and speak to the particulars of that, but I think the information that was shared with some of council, not all of council received that email from uh Mr.

Davis.

The reality is attrition rates and vacancy rates are two different things.

I always speak to vacancy rates, not attrition rates, because I don't manage the fire department.

The reality is he talked to you a little bit about as the recruitment rolls through, they get people in the academy and they don't necessarily finish.

So that's some of the issues that the chief can speak to that he has been working through on the summer over the summer to be able to retain more through the recruitment process through the academy as opposed to once they're full-fledged full-time employees.

So there is a difference.

I always speak to vacancy rates and the fire department is one of the best in the city.

Okay.

Yes, ma'am.

I can elaborate on that uh segue.

Um we currently use an outside vendor hiring practices and promotional practices.

This allows a DOJ investigation that we in line with the actual vendor requirements for KSAs, the job knowledge.

So that's why we outside source it for the outside vendors.

Right.

And I guess I'm wondering how what are the metrics, why not do it internally?

Um we don't have certified people within the fire department to deliver a test and measure the cognitive mindset of the actual elder candidates that we're testing for.

So we specialize that to use the I.O.

solutions of those companies that are designed to do that.

And then I from our last conversation I remember uh the issue being the EMS training, and that's where we lose a lot.

So I do want to highlight that that was a concern.

Is there a way to better measure their ability to pass the EMS portion during the hiring process?

And does this company do that?

Yeah.

So this exists in class, the city manager allowed us to partner with Wake Tech for the EMT portion.

So we started in February with 37 cadets.

As of Friday, 34 will graduate, and those three resigned didn't due to failure, they were due to res resignations for personal reasons.

So this is the first time that no one failed the EMT exam.

And be it's because we partnered with with tech.

Oh, that's fantastic.

Because I'm trying to think of that firemaster plan, that conversation, and then as we're hiring people, I wanted to make sure that we weren't just losing you know that fire academy that the class and you losing 50 percent of them.

But if you're saying this next fire class, we've only lost three, and that wasn't due to EMT training.

Correct.

That is correct.

And as of this morning, we have an actual sign-up website for our fall class, and as of this morning, we have fifty fourteen hundred people registered to sign up for this next incoming class of uh recruits.

Is that the highest number that you've had?

Since I've been here, yes.

And so how many slots do you have, Chief?

Just to put it in perspective.

What has been the average of amount of applicants that you've had prior to this class?

700.

Wow, okay.

Pay raise really had an impact.

Getting folks in the door to get them started in the process has not been an issue historically for fire.

We have 700, 500, 600, 700 applications for 30, 40 slots every recruitment, and that's been consistent for the past several ten years.

Okay.

That's all the questions I have.

I have a question because the mayor mentioned something about an email.

Was there an email that was sent or something?

Because I didn't get anything.

I'll forward it to you.

I think uh some council members, but not all of council were included.

I don't think you, Councilmember Ford were on that email.

Oh, interesting.

Okay.

Uh so we need to move forward with the item, correct?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yep.

No, I think the questions I had were about the previous the other item, the targeted staffing study.

And I was trying to review these notes we were given.

Um but so we've been told there's a staffing study going on for RPD and the results will be shared in the fall, and then there's this staffing study, and I was just trying to understand if that's the same same study, different study, et cetera.

So what we started earlier in the year is the preliminary staffing data looking on um historic levels, um, what the necessary um recruitment issues were with our law enforcement benchmark cities across the country.

We started that preliminarily to get it started for RPD.

Once we started that process, we realized that the staffing study was more of an issue for public than just for public safety.

So we broadened the scope of that so that we would not have two kind of parallel staffing studies going at the same time because they can be quite expensive.

We combined and coordinated all.

So over the last several months we worked with departments to kind of figure out what that need is that we think from an operational um lens because overall the city has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 20 years, but our staffing numbers have not correlated with that level of growth that we have seen, and so it would be kind of irresponsible on our behalf to just look at public safety and not look at some of the operational departments who are really truly the boots on the grounds out doing the service delivery work on a day-to-day basis.

And so now we've coordinated it all together, Matrix, which is a well-renowned firm.

Um we worked with them some years ago in RPD, and they're gonna bring that store um that study forward.

Okay.

So this is just sort of an expansion or extension extension of the one we've already been talking about.

Yes.

Thank you.

So lots of things for the budget coming up.

Once we get that stuff back, we got a lot of programming for FY27 budget to look at.

Okay, so I will make a motion.

I I think I'm just doing D5J or do we need to do um city manager to execute a contract with Morrison McDaniel.

Okay.

Uh so the motion is to authorize the city manager to execute a contract with Morrison McDaniel incorporating the amount not to exceed 352,500.

Second.

Any other discussion?

If not, all in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

And that passes.

Okay.

Next we have public comments, and uh it'll be three minutes, a person, and the first person signed up is Octavia Rainey.

Good afternoon, and welcome back from vacation.

I would like to invite you all to the Fourth Ward extravaganza that is happening on Friday, the 22nd.

We're doing a tour of fourth ward or what is left of fourth ward, but the tour will educate you on what was there.

That tour is Friday the 22nd.

We are leaving Shaw University Esther Hall at 5:30, but you need to be there at 5 o'clock so I can line y'all up on the bus.

On the first ride, it will be city council, we count the government, Dorothy Dix, and other extinguished guests.

So that is for Friday, the 22nd.

Y'all will be on the road at 5.30.

The tools are only 20 minutes long, and you'll come back and then the second will board the bus.

If there is eight of y'all, it can only be four of you per ride.

So I want to make that clear.

Only four of you per ride.

And we're hoping that our city manager can join us for this big occasion.

On the 23rd, we're having our fourth board reunion over at Roberts Park from 2 to 4.

So I hope you can come out, but again, you have to come out in shifts if you decide to come.

Please be reminded of that.

And then on the third is our big fourth board gospel extravaganza.

We had more choirs wanting to be on the program than we could accommodate.

So we had to hold it at four, and we are very excited about the 23rd.

Our keynote speaker is Senator Dan Blue, North Carolina General Assembly.

We're hoping that all of you can come out, but I just have to split you up on those two days.

I have to split you up because I don't want no problems.

Just split you up.

And it's going to be a very exciting opportunity, but it's going to be an educational opportunity.

Because the goal is to educate.

And I'm also working because in fourth ward, that is where wrecked hospital first started.

It was in fourth ward.

So trying to get somebody from fourth from wrecked hospital board to join y'all on the tour.

Because it's very crucial because they have forgotten what it was at.

But I'm going I'm going to bring it home and remind them.

So please come out for their big three-day event.

I would like to say to Jane Harrison, thank you so much.

Thank you for all of your support in working with the Fourth Wood organization.

Thank you.

Next we have Mr.

Tim Niles.

Good afternoon and welcome back.

I spoke to you about case Z 1225, the West Street Tower, July 1st, before your summer break.

I said the developer was claiming the site is in a transit station area based on an outdated map and a false claim that was forced to be removed from this same case two years ago.

I said I believe anyone knowingly including false information in a zoning case should face disciplinary action.

Well, I have since attended the Planning Commission meeting last week and another public meeting for this case last night.

Now city staff has joined with the applicant to make the same false claim.

The outdated urban form map showing the site in the transit station area is included in the staff report, the same map that had to be removed two years ago.

In addition to that, staff is claiming consistency with downtown transition policies by using the term adjacent to mean abutting or sharing a property line.

City policy says that when a term is not specifically defined, the term must the common definition of that term must be used.

The common definition of the word adjacent is close to or nearby.

It's not a budding, it is not adjoining.

Staff also claims the site is classified as transit for height guidance in the LU-2 table because it is on frequent transit bus lines.

But they forget the policy also requires those frequent transit lines to be high capacity, and none of the routes specified our high capacity.

They claim the site is in the core of a mixed-use center.

The only mixed-use center is the downtown mixed-use center, and the site is squarely on its edge, not in its core.

They have created an imaginary mixed-use center to try to move um tacking on transit corridors to the downtown center to try to move the site from the edge to the core.

Policy requires mixed-use centers be defined through a comp plan process, not through visions in your head.

You don't get to pick and choose only the portions of policy that help your case.

In fact, staff shouldn't be considering this to be their case, but they are putting their thumb on the scale in every way possible to help the applicant.

This is wrong.

The planning commission did nothing to question this last week.

So it is now left up to you to seek out the truth.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Mr.

Matthew Brown.

Good afternoon.

Thank you all for your service.

And thank you for letting me speak.

We've had a lot of intense rainstorms recently.

A week or so ago we had flooding when we got six inches of rain.

Well, Chatham County got over four parts of Chatham County got over fourteen inches during Chantel.

And in one day, and this will happen to Raleigh soon, and it will be disastrous.

So we need to start mitigating now.

Thank you, Mayor Kyle, for your recent uh message about flood resilience.

Thank you to City Council for eliminating the parking requirements in the central area, and thank you to staff for the wonderful rainwater rewards program, which helps citizens uh remove impermeable surfaces and other projects to reduce runoff.

But for every house that participates in that program, there's a thousand that are going in the other direction.

We see it everywhere.

They tear down a small house that has a one-lane driveway and replace it with a great big house or two or three, and each house has a driveway large enough for two huge SUVs.

That is a ton of concrete, and multiply that by tens of thousands.

And then they hardscape the backyard with drainage pipes to the street, all unregulated.

And uh there is uh one developer who likes to tear down an old house, fill the lot with townhouses, and put a whole bunch of concrete in front of it.

More runoff.

And the new sidewalks are wider.

Uh more runoff.

The the old sidewalks are just fine.

They're five feet.

If you had two groups of people, they can adjust.

It's better than getting flooded.

Um we can spend millions to enlarge all our storm sewers, which are mostly the same as they were in 96, but that just takes the water to the streams faster, causing more flooding along the streams.

We've got to address the root cause, which is too much impervious surface.

It's uh um please uh direct staff to update our development rules and create uh financial penalties per square foot of impervious surface ad.

Now I have walked the walk.

I have removed driveways from three houses I've owned and removed tons of concrete from the backyards of two others.

So uh thank you for helping in this effort.

Thank you.

Next we have Miss Misa Saltari.

Good evening.

Um Gaza already died out of starvation.

One hundred and fifteen children also died out of starvation.

Children deliberately starved to death.

This is not an accident.

This is not a natural disaster.

It's a crime.

And Israel is committing it with the full packing of the U.S.

government.

And yeah, here in this city in this council, all we hear is silence.

Silence while children stomach collapse from hunger.

Silence while our tax dollars feed bombs instead of bread.

Silence while our journalists are killed, and aid is blocked.

Did you know that burning the American flag is okay, but burning the Israeli flag is hate.

We are told that saying America comes first is anti semi.

But somehow starving children to death is not.

That's a live the level of hypocrisy that we live in.

And if this council cannot even raise its voices against that hypocrisy, then you are complicit too.

We demand more than empty words.

We demand action.

And the first step is you will use your position to step in.

To arrange a meeting with us, with Deborah Ross.

But she has ignored our cries.

Our children are literally dying from hunger.

This is her duty.

This is your duty as a city council to raise our voices to her.

You're the leaders of this city.

Make sure our voices are heard, are not ignored.

We are not here to ask you for favors.

Stop hiding.

Stop pretending you are powerless.

Use your position to arrange that meeting, please.

The choice is yours.

Either help us deliver our voice or carry the weight of this silence with you.

Please do something.

People are dying every single minute.

And you can just live your life and just ignore us.

Our family are dying over there with our tax money.

Free Gaza and free Palestine, as screw Israel.

Thank you.

Next we have Mr.

Jeremy Gilchrist.

Okay.

Next, Alexis Kennedy.

Every Sunday I feed the hungry at Moore Square, children, elderly, and families out of my own pocket.

I view this as my duty to care for my community.

But Raleigh's people are struggling.

We underpay our bus drivers, firefighters, and waste management workers.

America is bleeding.

Yet we're told there's no money for our people.

Meanwhile, our government has sent twenty-two billion dollars to Israel in under two years, a state accused of starving civilians.

And Raleigh S and Raleigh City Council, my community, we have access to our senators, our and Valerie Fauci and Deborah Ross, and I urge you to demand budgets to prioritize our children, our homes, our workers.

Come to more squares this Sunday.

Meet the beautiful children who don't have enough.

No more starvation here or in Gaza.

Put America first.

And if you don't believe that Israel and America are starving children in Gaza, please listen to the words of a doctor from Doctors Without Borders.

When I entered Gaza, the Israeli military had a rule.

I was only allowed to bring in seven pounds of food.

As I was weighing out protein bars, trying to understand the limit, I said to my husband, how sinister is this.

I'm a humanitarian aid worker.

Why would there be a limit on food?

I worked in many places with extreme hunger, and what's so jarring in this context is how cruel it is, how deliberate.

I was in Gaza for two months.

There's no way to describe the horror of what's happening.

And I say this as a pediatric ICU doctor who sees children die as part of my work.

Among our staff, we have doctors and nurses who are trying to treat patients while hungry, exhausted.

They're living in tents.

Some of them have lost 15 to 20 family members.

In the hospital, there are kids maimed by airstrikes, missing arms, missing legs, third degree burns.

Often there's not enough pain medication.

But the children are not screaming about pain.

They're screaming, I'm hungry.

I'm hungry.

I hate to only focus on the children because nobody deserves to starve.

But the kids, it just haunts you in a different way.

When my two months were up, I didn't want to leave.

It's like it's a feeling I haven't experienced in nearly 20 years of my humanitarian assignments, but I felt ashamed, ashamed to leave my Palestinian colleagues who were the most beautiful and compassionate people I've ever met.

I was ashamed as an American, as a human being, that we've been unable to stop that.

Stop something that is so clearly a genocide.

I remember when our bus pulled out of the buffer zone, out of the window, and I could see Rafah, nothing but rubble.

On the other side was lush green Israel.

When we exited the gate, the first thing I saw was food and the Israeli soldiers eating it.

Thank you.

Next we have Hua Huang.

Okay, don't see him.

Hanadi Ali.

So I am here to ask again for you to gather and rally around a ceasefire resolution.

I think it's about time.

We've been here 22 months asking for this.

I'm going to give you some logical facts why we should do this.

It's not complicated.

Over 18,000 Palestinian children have been killed.

It's not complicated.

Palestinian children are starved to death.

It's not complicated.

Palestinian children are the largest group of child amputees in modern history.

It's not complicated.

17,000 Palestinian children orphaned and or separated from their parents.

It's not complicated.

New acronym, WCNSF, wounded child, no surviving family.

It's not complicated.

Silence is a choice, and it's the wrong one.

Thank you and much respect to Miss Rachel.

Israeli humanitarian groups, Beit Salam and physicians for human rights Israel have admitted Israel is committing a genocide on the Palestinians.

238 media workers killed.

At least 15 1,581 health workers killed.

All of these valuable people killed.

These numbers are insane, and the only way you're excusing it is because you must think this is justified.

If you have been indoctrinated to believe this is justified, I'm urging you to check your conscience immediately.

The way I see it, this is extreme religion that is no longer religion, but the exact opposite.

And do not be fooled that what I'm saying is not anti-Semitic.

I'm Semitic.

So I should be able to tell you what anti-Semitism is.

Israel has always been illegal because it never it was never a land without people.

There were always people there, indigenous Muslims, Christians, Jews living harmoniously together.

But people with money and power will kill people for land, and that's what's been happening since before 1948.

In fact, since the inception of Zionism before 1900, Zionism is colonialism.

And so if you're down for that, I guess you're down for being taking over.

If you're the less powerful powerful of the two parties, free Gaza and free Palestine.

Thank you.

Next, Jordan Bowman.

Good afternoon, Council.

What's everyone doing?

I'm uh I'm proud to be a Raleigh citizen, lived here my whole life.

Love it here.

Um, and I'm here to share some good news with you all and with anyone else who who cares to listen, what we're up to.

Um I want to ask a question and I want to say thank you.

The question is what is healthy masculinity?

And this question is at the center of the work that I do with Journeyman Triangle.

We are a nonprofit in town that is forging independence, resiliency, and emotional maturity in young men.

We do that a couple different ways through group mentoring circles and through rites of passage adventure weekends.

And we've been proud to host Judy Woodruff recently on PBS.

I'll I'll send that over to you guys if you want to watch it.

But we've been recognized nationally as an organization that's doing really groundbreaking work.

And so one of the things that I'm curious about is if Raleigh is interested in being a beacon for healthy masculinity for this concept of supporting our boys and serving our boys.

Last year, when I spoke with you all, you all supported um our organization.

We piloted two programs in Mount Vernon Middle School, Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy, and we've since added Mary Phillips High School.

So thank you for the support.

We've had a lot of success.

We've worked with over 70 students in those schools in Corey's district and Jane's district, and I hope to add a school in each of your districts as we move forward.

Um but we've seen some really great initial success.

And as we look forward, we we really are seeking more funding from you all for folks who you know to um support more schools, especially schools that have lost Title I funding.

But beyond asking for money, we're here to share that we're doing this work in the community, and we don't charge anything for our programs.

So we hope that anyone interested in supporting their young men, um, looking for programs that help young men develop leadership skills, develop emotional intelligence, emotional maturity, that we're out here.

We're working with young men in schools and outside of schools.

I have some initial data, and I can send this over to you so you can read it more thoroughly.

But um 82% of folks who've been in our programs have improved their ability to set and achieve goals.

100% of respondents of our program so that they're more hopeful about the future after participating in our programs.

And so there's a boy crisis.

Men are falling behind, boys are falling behind in a lot of ways in our society, and I've heard some of you probably heard about that.

Um we're an organization that said, let's stop waiting around for other people to do something about it.

We really want to engage young men today with supportive male role models in schools and outside of schools.

So thank you for supporting us in that vision.

And we put the word out to um to the entire community, the city of Raleigh and the triangle that we serve to say we're looking for mentors, we need good men to stand up and say, I want to invest in the lives of these young men.

So thanks for your time.

Um glad I could share some good news with you all today during public comment and hope to see you soon.

Thank you.

Next we have Mamakai Sanders.

Good afternoon, y'all.

Shout out to Jordan, he's awesome.

Just had to say that.

Welcome back.

It's another amazing day in paradise.

I hope you guys had a great break.

Thank you guys for your service.

Um, it's a big day.

It's good to see the mayor.

It was good to see the mayor and Mitch represent the city during the real matter series earlier this month.

And it was nice to get to know you both a little bit better.

I sincerely appreciate all the information you both shared, and you can expect me to reference it in the future.

Today I actually want to get a little personal because I'm honoring an anniversary for me in wisdom.

I'm pretty sure it's one others would not necessarily be comfortable admitting, because six years ago today, we returned to Raleigh from Connecticut, where we had lived for one month shy of three years.

If you would have told me then that we would spend six years living without stable housing over two of them in a car, I would not have believed you.

My young black male superhero was three when we came back to where he was born and where my grandfather grew up.

Yes, if you did the math, he has lived more years of his life without stable housing than with.

So technically, he is a statistic.

He is living with at least one adverse childhood experience, otherwise known as ACEs.

Perhaps if there was a homelessness response system that understood what that meant in the brain development of a child, we would have been housed a long time ago.

Now I want to be clear, it's not that we didn't have opportunities to be housed.

It's just that those opportunities weren't offered in ways where the providers could see my brilliance despite my bank account and offer any chance of upward mobility so I could regulate my nervous system and create a life where we could exist in a perpetual state of rest and digest.

I only had a chance to move from one level of poverty to another, and I wasn't interested.

And you can judge me for not submitting to those opportunities, but I guarantee you I wouldn't be standing here today if I had.

That's why I'm building a new system because as I'm conquering the disparities from my own ACEs and protecting wisdom from acquiring more, I don't see us as exceptions.

We are the rule.

So I'm focused on launching a revolution to lead the city to win one of the 10 All-American City Awards next year by focusing on children, which means my quest to secure safe, stable housing for my own child has begun.

And I'm thoroughly disappointed by the housing supply, not because of the lack of it, because of because rather of what's offered.

My slides still hold visible evidence of the seventh annual Mud Day celebration held at Walnut Creek Wetland Center on Saturday.

And I don't see how any of the beautiful, pristine, and yet sterile apartment buildings that continue to be built throughout the city would welcome muddy feet and wet, dirty bodies in their entryways and halls.

I think the most disappointing things are that are happening in downtown for me have less to do with everyone screaming diversity, density, density, density while I'm seeking diversity, diversity, diversity.

Because those I see designing downtown do not reflect or represent the beautiful multicultural community we are of colorful people of all hues, speaking languages from all over the world.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, Curtis Johnson.

Good evening, Council.

I'm here, my nonprofit organization, Mighty Minovella Outreach.

Um, and asking the city, we need your help.

I'm requesting 100,000.

And hopefully y'all will um give us a lease at the property at 1408 Wilders Grove Drive right up Newman Avenue.

Um, like the state gave the city uh Dorothy Dis.

My organization, we're very passionate about what's happening in our city and mental health and substance abuse.

Um myself, I just went and got um certified as uh peer support specialist.

Um and I have a team of volunteers ready to go to work, boots on the ground.

We just don't have a facility to um operate out of.

Um, we want to be a resource center up on Newman Avenue up there to help get those individuals into a program and to fight mental ill and substance abuse, and hopefully they can get some housing their sales.

I work closely with Oak City and Katrina sees um willing to come over and help us out as much as possible.

But again, we don't have the resources and we don't have a building in if the council and mayor, if y'all would partner with us to do that, we're ready to be the boots on the ground organization to make a difference in our city because we love our city and we want to help fight this um traumatic uh incident that's the epidemic that's taken over our community.

So I associated to partner with us, and um we have several partners um publics.

They've agreed to um donate all of their food on a daily basis to help.

We're um we're fighting with fighting America, feeding America.

Um told us they're closed for opening up the opportunities for other organizations right now.

But when they do open up, they will let me know.

Um, but also um for produce they're one of our proud sponsors as well, Walmart.

Um, but we need the city's help, and we're ready to go.

So if y'all would kindly just get back to me and hopefully you'll help us with this endeavor.

Thank y'all for your time.

Thank you.

Next, we have Miss Athena Wallum.

Hi, everybody.

My name is Athena Wallen.

I am a Brookside Drive resident.

Um I'm here to talk about the creek.

I have uh just I have the I have this hopelessness when it comes to the the creek, and I care greatly for it, and I care greatly for how it can be a source of so many good things for so many individuals throughout our entire city.

So I want to keep encouraging us to press and push and strive to keep figuring out how we could connect longer segments of our creek systems for collaborative, collaborative efforts of responsibility to upkeep them as stewards of our natural environments.

As a biophilic city, we need to be integrating ourselves into these natural waterways.

And I have deep concerns that my neighborhood has been set back.

I don't know if we're going to get modern infrastructure because we kind of fell through several gaps.

I have concerns over the stability of cemetery branch butting up against an existing sewer easement where it's beginning to cut into that easement, and there's no formal way to address this, to understand how this soil is shifting from property to property and how a single homeowner is supposed to possibly be able to keep up with any of this.

I wonder if Raleigh had established what perhaps a creek street meant for urban planning strategies prior to this point.

I really wonder what we might have considered to be feasible development on Brookside Drive right now.

Perhaps we would have reflected on some hydrology dynamics regarding increased runoff volumes of from man-made storm pipes being introduced into unmaintained natural stormwater creeks.

Perhaps we would see that it's a big cauldron of churning unpredictable erosion caused by no one and everyone at once, and no one and everyone needs to be working on it.

How do we solve this?

These are massive areas of erosion.

If we are able to put the engineering dollars to where the engineering pipes lead to those streams, we can reinforce that area with the engineering dollars.

Follow the engineering all the way to the end.

From there, let us citizens and hopeless romantics over Creek rehabilitation step in and help supplement city existing programs.

Allow us the permissions to begin tinkering.

Allow us the ab the ability to put together our ambitions to connect neighborhood segments and work in tandem with city programs and help develop new ones.

I have so much to say.

But that's it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

All right, Larry Helfant.

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council, and staff.

As you know, there is an update on restoring citizen advisory councils on the agenda for today.

Well, it may seem like the same information that you heard prior to your summer hiatus.

There is one key difference.

If everything proceeds as agreed upon today, you won't just hear from staff.

You will also hear from Robert Rice, our Raleigh Citizens Advisory Chairman.

That was the plan for the July 1st Council meeting, but Robert was not recognized because he was not on the agenda.

Hopefully it's something we can fix in the future.

So I'm here today to set the table for Robert in the event that there is still a miscommunication between intent and proper procedure.

As far back as the council retreat in January 2024, the one thing that was requested to properly restore the CACs was to get a seat at the table.

What that really meant was an opportunity to meet with the various city departments to talk about the various things like funding being placed on the city website, et cetera, so that we could effectively get restored what we had from before 2020.

We have been meeting with the city managers representative, community engagement, and the council liaison for almost two years.

Others that have a role in defining a plan to achieve the goals of the CACs, including the council, have not been a part of those discussions.

Hopefully that will all change today.

Instead of just hearing what have been proposed by the community engagement and city manager's office, you also actually hear the other side of the discussion from Robert, representing both the RCAC and its members CAC organizations.

Reestablish free community meeting space, re-establish a CAC information page on the city website to inform residents and grow individual CACs.

Provide funding for meeting software, mailings, and miscellaneous expenses.

Provide technical support and training for hosting hybrid meetings, provide equipment for hybrid meetings, establish a link and partner with the leadership academy to facilitate succession planning for the CACs.

We have been fully recognized and restored almost.

We just haven't had all the benefits and tools that we have had in the past.

The recommendations today are a strong first step to achieving that.

Let today be the day that you fully recognize and restore CACs and provide them with the necessary tools to be successful, both as the residents and the city of Raleigh.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

That concludes the public comment for today, and we move on to the report and recommendation of the Planning Commission.

I know there is no report, so okay.

Special items.

Good afternoon, Council.

My name is Michelle Millet, represent the city manager's office today.

You have two items before you first.

I want to just go over the action that you all took prior to the break, which was a request for Council Member Silver, which was for $7,500 for North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theater.

We're going to have to rescind that action.

Unfortunately and fortunately, that group actually already receives grant funding.

So the first action I'm going to ask you all to take is to vote on rescinding that funding amount so that balance can be restored to Councilmember Silver.

Second.

All in favor of the motion.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Thank you.

Then the second action I'm going to ask you all to take today is for the same exact organization for Councilmember Patton as well as Councilmember Jones for the amount of $3,000 towards zero waste for Councilmember Jones and $2,000 towards zero waste for $2,000 from Councilmember Patton's contingency funds.

Yes.

I just want to, before we vote on that, explain to those of you who uh are on council that aren't aware of what this program does and what this program does and I'm really proud of towards Zero Waste is that they go into schools and it's already in existence.

What they do is typically when kids go and pick up the their lunch, if they don't want the Apple or if they don't want uh the whatnot, they throw it away.

And as a substitute teacher, I've watched it happen, and I'm like, oh my gosh.

So they've gone uh above and beyond and said, let us create a table in which we can accept those, not everything, it will not be yogurt, you know, things that are sensitive, they can't do that.

Um, but the banana and put it on a table where any child can come and just get it.

And so that's what they've done over the last year in a few schools, and this just helps establish um uh uh refrigerator, it helps uh have some connection with the either the PTA or the school and toward zero waste so they can help monitor it.

And they have had an amazing um response from the last year in which they the goal is whatever food does not get distributed goes to a nonprofit and all of the food is redistributed.

So they haven't really needed to use that to go to a nonprofit yet.

And so I'm really proud of that work and redistributing that food to hopefully keep out of the landfill, but also keep little bellies full.

So um I just wanted you to have some understanding on what we are voting for uh because I'm really proud of their work.

So thank you so much.

And just to put a uh exclamation mark on that, they sent us some um really compelling information from how much food they have diverted from landfills in their pilot programs thus far, and so I'll make sure that's shared with all of you.

I would put another asterisk that another council member will be adding a request to that same organization next council meeting.

The goal is to get it to all the schools in the district, so hopefully one day we can help support that where we can, we will.

Um so uh I really appreciate your support in that.

Thank you.

Great.

Do you want to make a motion?

Well, I move to uh accept the recommendations for council contingency.

Second.

All right.

All in favor of that motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh next we have the advisory board and commission follow-up, and we have assistant city manager Evan Raleigh.

Good afternoon, Mayor and members of council.

Um Evan Raleigh with the City Manager's office, and I'm uh bringing back an item that uh we left off conversation with just before the break.

Uh so I'll remind you of a couple of actions that you all authorized uh related to these topics and then attend to the uh one major loose in that we had uh to tie up in this meeting.

So just to review, um the July 1 meeting, you all approved several um items and some changes related to the structures of uh boards and commissions and how we support them.

So I'm just gonna quickly run through those.

Uh the first of those was the adoption of a standard bylaw template for all the boards and commissions to follow.

Uh the second was um the adoption of uh what I'm calling a handbook or a guidance document for you all that serve as liaisons to council boards and commissions that sort of laid out the uh expectations for that role and how it should how it should function.

Uh you also authorized the merger of the historic resources and the museum advisory board uh with the historic cemeteries advisory board.

Uh you all approved the renaming of the Fair Housing Hearing Board to the Fair Housing Advisory Board.

Uh and then you also um uh uh authorize the renaming of what is currently the Mayor's Council for Persons with Disabilities to a name to be determined.

Uh and then the um you also asked that that the structure of that board be aligned with uh all of the other boards and commissions in terms of how their various processes work related to terms and appointments and removal and all of that.

Um so since the the timing of the July meeting, the Mayor's Council uh for persons with disabilities has met and they are putting forward a name for your recommend for your consideration.

Uh they are requesting that their name be changed to the Raleigh Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

So the one major um piece of business that was left undone was um there was a request for a uh form for uh members of the public, uh whether it would be current members of boards or past members of boards or just general members of the public interested in this topic to have a forum to offer their reflections on uh any changes um, you know, this general topic, weigh in on some of those other um changes that uh have been presented to the council previously that are under consideration.

So staff is putting forward three recommendations or three options for your consideration related to how you might want to host that uh session.

The first, as you can see, you could dedicate a portion of one of your upcoming upcoming public comment periods to um uh receiving comments specifically on this topic.

Uh you could certainly call a special meeting of the council to receive comment, or uh we're suggesting a third option could be tasking the uh special committee on boards and commissions uh with hosting a uh a public inputs input session uh and then reporting out um the content of that to the full council for consideration.

So that's the one big decision point.

Uh so there's a list of recommended actions here.

The first three of those uh basically memorialized the changes that you previously authorized, a couple of ordinances that would allow for the name changes that I just laid out, one resolution that would authorize the combination of the board that you all have already expressed support for merging, and then that fourth piece is just again uh making a selection of the form of your choice to receive comment on the topic.

And uh happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Questions for Mr.

Raleigh.

Oh, I was okay.

Well, first uh thank my colleagues and staff for this work.

Um I I don't recall where this recommendation sat uh because I know there was some deliberations.

Uh in terms of the work plan, I don't know if that's gonna be part of the work of the bylaws or the template, but I know we have a work plan before us to set forth some expectations for the advisory board, commission, some by virtue of their commission and charter have a specific responsibility.

Where does that sit?

And that's part of this work.

You know, I do know we have one today to review and was a little bit involved in sharing some feedback, but just want to understand the expectations of those work plans and is that part of the ongoing work as you look at bylaws.

I know the handbook is more for the liaison, so you can explain that part.

Sure.

Uh so councilmember Silver, to your question, the um the work plans is something that we are putting to effect administratively right now.

So the expectation of work plans in this direction is being uh given to all the current staff liaisons and disseminated to the various boards about uh the construction of those work plans, how they should comply and align with the the really the stated goals of those respective boards and commissions, align with the strategic plan.

Um so those are being put into effect.

You do see a work plan on your agenda today.

That is a work plan.

If you remember, we've since this conversation about structure has been happening, we have been holding off on presenting you all uh work plans from from the various boards um just until the question about the structure got sort of settled.

We we have advanced some um work plans uh like the one today, just simply because that is uh tied to a commission or a board that is not has not presently been uh subject of any conversation or consideration related to uh realignment or restructuring.

So that's why uh that one has been advanced.

But um, you know, we are as far as generally speaking work plans.

We've we've had conversations with this, these staff liaisons who will ultimately have conversations with the boards about how those will be coming uh and structured going forward.

Yes.

To the um question here around how do we want to receive the public comment.

Um I would be open to the special committee doing it and bringing it back so it can be a conversation too.

Because if it's just a public comment piece, there's no conversation.

And and I don't see the need to bring the whole council in for the work that they charge the book committee to do.

So that would be my recommendation.

Okay.

Yep.

Uh I would I would agree.

I also want to just flag um I was over the summer doing just some homework and Asheville actually went through the same process a few years ago.

And so I just for the task force I shared it a few uh weeks ago, but with everyone else on council, I just sent it today.

Um so just so you know that those are some things that I'd love in this conversation that hopefully we're able to have with boards and commissions.

How can we see the work that they're doing?

A lot of things are echoed in that Ashville report of what I'm hearing from the boards and commissions here.

So it's been just a really cool document.

I shared it with uh community engagement as well, uh, just so that we're all that's where my brain is.

Um so just so everyone knows here, but I agree that holding it within the committee will uh be the most beneficial.

Okay.

All right.

So do we have a motion for So I will move to forward with the recommended actions listed and with the um public comment session being a special committee meeting um for input.

Great.

Thank you uh for all of that.

Um all in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, we appreciate your work, and we will look forward to working with you for the session.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh next we have uh Mr.

Nikki Jones, Assistant City Manager uh for the follow-up on Citizen Advisory Councils.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

Uh Nikki Jones, City Manager's Office.

So this item is a follow-up from the July 1st meeting uh where we summarize some of the conversations uh that we've had with CAC members.

Um happy to pull the recommendations up to just to remind folks.

But as a reminder as well, uh this came from the February 6, 2024 motion where we were asked to do three things specifically.

Um those three things are as follows.

Um free monthly meeting space, allow access to city-owned technology, and succession planning.

Uh so here's what we've worked with the CACs on.

And there are some additional items, for example, providing uh 20,000 emails for liftserves, uh a potential solution to have a dashboard for the CACs on the website where you can type in your address and find out exactly which CAC you live in and who the CAC chair is and things of that nature.

Uh also the ability to get your information to the neighborhood registry.

So that's something that the additional things that the CACs wanted.

So we work towards those things.

And uh we would put the staff recommendations in front of you, and I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Great.

Thank you very much.

Um I wanted to recognize well, uh, Councilor Jones, who's worked a lot with uh assistant city manager Jones, and then I do believe we do have Robert Rice who wanted to make a couple comments as the chair who's worked closely uh with staff on this.

But um I'll recognize Jones and then Councillor Harrison.

Thank you so much.

Um this has been long in the making, and I am so proud of the work of both staff and CAC leadership.

We spent the better part of a year defining what this motion means in actionable steps towards bringing back the CACs in partnership with the city.

What I am most proud of is the dialogue and understanding on both sides that helped us listen to each other.

Compromise is at the heart of what we were able to bring forward, and I look forward to hearing from Robert Rice and uh continued dialogue with Nikki Jones, Assistant City Manager, about their experience and their vision for the future.

So I just want to tee uh Robert up at uh definitely have some questions beforehand, but I want to tell you guys both and um how proud I am of all that you guys were able to bring to the table.

So thank you for this.

Yeah, I just have a quick question.

Uh Nikki on the media kits.

Do you know will they include a microphone?

The OWL has a built-in microphone, so the owl is man, don't get me trying to do that.

I know what it is.

Yeah, okay.

Um yeah, I was really impressed.

Um uh the Mordecke CAC did a joint meeting last night that was hybrid with five-point CAC.

Um they did a great job, and they just mentioned that a microphone would be very helpful.

So I think the OWL should hopefully serve that purpose to allow for hybrid meetings.

Certainly.

And there's some community centers that are outfitted with additional microphones within the room.

Any other questions for Mr.

Jones?

If not, uh is Mr.

Rice here?

Yeah, please.

Hello, good afternoon, everyone.

Um so briefly, just some background.

Uh since the council voted restore the CACs after the 2020 split, it has certainly been challenging uh to recover what was lost.

But I'd like to say that we've been working diligently towards that goal.

With the appointment of uh councilwoman Christina Jones as the council liaison to the RCAC and monthly meetings uh with me as the RCAC chair and the council liaison, as well as uh Nikki Jones, um the assistant city manager and Taisha Mosley, the director of community management.

We've had an opportunity for greater dialogue, discussion, information sharing, and the ability to work through these challenges uh and issues.

I want to take a moment to recognize their work and appreciate uh our growing relationship.

Uh it hasn't been easy, it's been contentious a few times, there's been differences of opinion, but uh we've had a lot of candor and open relationship.

So we've been able to kind of work through things.

Uh and as Christina said, you know, sometimes you have to find compromise to lay a foundation to move forward on.

And that's what we've done.

Uh I am pleased to say that today we can report that we are seeing tangible progress and we're reaching a first major milestone.

Uh I fully support and endorse the staff recommendations as presented by uh Mr.

Jones, and I would strongly encourage you to improve uh and accept those recommendations today.

As we looked more towards the future and less uh at the conflicts of the past, we have an opportunity today to keep our momentum and continue building something great to benefit the residents of our amazing city.

These recommendations are a significant step forward towards that goal, and we'll have a dramatic effect opening the door to faster progress with tangible gains.

We still have a lot of work to do, and there's still other items and things requested on the table, but this is a really good foundation for us to build upon.

Uh and I'm quite pleased that that we've reached this point.

I also want to take a moment to recognize the hard work, sacrifice, patience, and resilience of our CACs and leaders, all of which who are volunteers.

The past five years have been extraordinarily difficult, uh, but we're all passionate and strongly believe in what we do and uh you know working towards giving the residents of Raleigh a strong voice.

And we would not be here today uh without their their time and investment.

Um again, I want to thank you all for your support.

We're in this together as we grow together stronger as the city.

And uh I'm happy to answer questions, but yeah, I'm you know there's been a lot of uh bumps in the road, but uh it's it's nice that we're we're making progress and it feels good to be at this point.

Thank you, Mr.

Rice.

Okay.

I have one question for you.

Okay.

Definitely thank you for the work that you're doing.

One question is because I know you're aware of the central CAC is trying to react innovate.

If there are other CACs that are looking to react innovate, how best are they to reach you?

So uh we we actually have several that are looking to reactivate or or kind of come back.

Um we've kind of been split between trying to establish the foundation and get some of these benefits and stuff with the city.

And at the same time, we've been working on our own internal processes.

Who's gonna take over, who's gonna be the leadership, what kind of process do we need to reactivate one?

How do we support uh a new one opening up?

You know, you can't just go from zero to a hundred all at once.

Uh so we've done a lot of work over the last uh you know several months kind of getting this together.

Um I think we're at a point now where the best thing to do is to reach out to me or one of the other CAC chairs, or uh ideally uh your local uh council representative.

And um, you know, we will begin a dialogue and try to keep things moving.

So it's my goal to to get several of these open before the end of the year.

We have got people primed and ready to go that are asking questions, and uh you know, this is again especially with these recommendations that will help and facilitate that a lot.

Um the timing is good.

Thank you.

All right.

Um did you want to make a motion just to um thank you guys for this.

Uh I move to um accept staff recommendations on the re-implementation of our partnership with CACs.

Second.

All right.

Any other questions?

Uh all in favor of the motion.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right.

Thank you.

Okay.

Next we have the report and recommendation of the city manager.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

I hope that you all enjoyed your summer break.

Um we have three items on the agenda and then an update for the fourth.

The first is um hospitality tax fund competitive process overview.

We have Evan Raleigh from the City Manager's Office here to present this item.

All right.

Good afternoon again.

Uh so I am going to share some information with you related to the upcoming uh what we call the competitive process.

Some have called it the small projects or medium projects process related and tied to the uh Raleigh Wade County Hospitality Fund.

Um this is about giving you some insight into this process.

Um, just quickly to review, I'm sure many of you are familiar with um the hospitality fund, but if if you need a little brush up on it, um our hospitality, the Wade County hospitality tax was um authorized by the state back in 1991, and it authorized the county to levy a six percent occupancy on tax on um hotel stays essentially and a one percent tax on prepared food and beverage, again that's countywide.

And the legislation stipulated that the proceeds from that that um from those revenues could only be used for some very specific things, uh projects that are supporting arts, culture, sports, or convention centers.

So really kinds of the kinds of projects that uh drive heads and beds and uh tourism uh uh related expenditures in the community.

And the legislation also dictated that the county and the city of Raleigh were jointly responsible for the oversight and approval of uses from that fund source.

So that um since the that legislation was authorized in 99 or excuse me, 91, there have been a number of amendments uh over the years.

We are currently under the 23rd amendment to that uh interlocal agreement between the city and county.

And so the 23rd 23rd amendment uh laid out some specific guidance related to this uh uh so-called competitive process.

So the 23rd Amendment dictated that the process had to occur uh by late this year, uh which is why we're here now.

Uh the 23rd Amendment set aside a total of 23 and a half million dollars to be committed to the competitive process.

It auth it authorized um that 23 and a half million, it could be um, excuse me, it could either be combined and awarded in one pot, or it could be split apart into a $15.5 million bucket that would be awarded by the vote of both the county commissioners and the city council, and an $8 million bucket that would be awarded by vote exclusively of the county commissioners.

So the county and uh city managers have gotten together uh and have agreed to a split award process.

So it will be again a $23.5 million overall pot of funding available to commit to these projects, but awarded in the way that you see um uh listed there.

So uh this gets a little bit into the details of the the competitive process.

Here's the quick summary.

So um we uh again it's although it will be a uh uh a separate approval uh process for the funding, um, it will be a joint application process.

So there will be 23 and a half million dollars total available.

Um we are anticipating that the maximum award per project would be five and a half million dollars.

Now there's a couple of asterisks beside that.

Um because we are allowing ourselves flexibility.

We do want to make sure that there is um funding to support potentially multiple multiple um uh you know worthy projects, but we don't want to necessarily hamstring ourselves and commit to that.

For example, if uh you know we don't get as many competitive applications as we anticipate, you know, or the needs of specific projects that submit vary, uh could go slightly above that.

So again, five and a half million is what we are anticipating, but it it could be more, it could be um less, just depending on the number of projects that we receive that um are worthy of support.

So this is read all these, but this uh does give you a sense of kind of the minimum requirements for the projects to be considered as part of the process.

They do have to be located inside, fully located inside the county, comply again with all the permitted uses I laid out uh in the beginning.

Um we this is a critical piece that the interlocal funding has to be uh less than 50 percent of the total project cost.

So we are expecting that projects would come to the table with some skin in the game uh to be considered.

And and there is uh no restriction on the type of organization that can compete for these funds.

So it's not exclusively limited to missing municipalities, it could be uh private nonprofit other organizations that have an ability to compete for these funds and be considered.

Again, won't read all these to you, but these are you can see the types of things that we will be asking for in the RFP.

Um, you know, heavy emphasis on the the visitor estimates, um, feasibility of the project, scope, timeline uh will will be heavily considered.

Um again, this just gets into a little bit more about what we will be looking for from a staff perspective, uh, you know, being able to demonstrate the feasibility of the the product, you know, the demand for the product that's being the project that's being put forward, um, you know, uh reasonable and and achievable delivery timelines and and so forth.

So this is uh a look at the overall timeline that we anticipate for this process.

So we are at today.

So this process uh this um information has been presented to the uh county commissioners.

Uh we're presenting it here for your information today.

We are in the the late stages of crafting the request for proposals that will be disseminated to the community.

Uh we anticipate that happening sometime early September with about a two-month window for um communities or organizations to respond to that request for proposals.

So uh those proposals will be due sometime in November reviewed, kind of over that holiday um, you know, late fall, winter uh time period, and anticipate uh bringing recommendations uh back to both uh elected bodies sometime early in 2026.

So this is um uh something that we are uh also alerting, we'll be alerting applicants that there is a no contact provision.

We do want to preserve the integrity of this process.

So um, you know, we are asking and will be enforcing uh a no contact provision to allow um again this process to happen in a uh uh you know uh fair and equitable way.

Uh so that uh no contact provision uh will be in effect from the date of issuance of the RFP until the point at which uh recommendations are brought for your consideration.

So I I I know that this was uh probably also something that's on potentially your minds and the public's minds.

So I did want to make a distinction between the process that I just described to you and what we consider the full review process of the model.

There uh also in the 23rd Amendment, uh there will be a calls for the next full review of the model to happen uh no later than the end of this fiscal year, uh June of 2026.

So much like the last time around, where um this body elected to uh make allocations to projects like uh the Lenovo Center uh upgrades and the uh convention center expansion.

Um this is gonna be a public process that again is jointly managed by the city manager and the county manager.

Uh and we anticipate that as part of that review, we'll be looking at um uh you know, operating capital maintenance needs of uh facilities that uh could be new or ones that were previously awarded to the process.

And so with that, I will answer any questions you might have.

See lots of questions.

We'll start down at the end with counselor Harrison.

Um Evan, I just want to say thank you for explaining this process.

Super transparent and clear, and I'm looking forward to just see how it goes.

So thank you.

Sure.

Definitely thank you.

My one question is for the full review.

It says to take no place, no later.

Is that means starting or you'll be done?

Great question, Councilmember Branch.

So we anticipate that that process will probably start it will be early in 2026 so that it can conclude no later than June of uh 2026.

So you know, in practical terms, the competitive process will be uh kind of wrapping up, probably at the same time, the full review process starts to uh begin.

Okay.

Thank you.

Counselor Potton.

Yeah.

Hi, thanks.

Um couple questions.

Um, the can you give some examples of other projects that fall into this small and medium size?

You showed a picture of the Lenovo Center, but that's that's not on the options list.

So uh that's a great question, Councilmember Patton.

I will tell you I don't I don't have a list of some of the the projects that have previously been awarded from from again.

We some people call it small, some people call it the medium, the competitive process.

I could certainly get get you that list.

Um but these are projects that in terms of scale scope investment required are much smaller than some of those that were awarded as part of part of the full review process, being you know, convention center and um the Omni Hotel, Red Hat, those kinds of projects.

So smaller scale.

So I don't know if I could I I'm happy to give you that list.

We do have some from the previous process.

Yeah, that would be awesome.

Um then I wanted to ask about the split between the $15 million that's jointly administered and the $8 million that's county administered.

What do you kind of anticipate is going to be the difference in character between the two projects?

Is the are the $8 million that the county is going to administer be for the merger communities and the $15 million will be focused on Raleigh or kind of what's what's up with that?

Yeah, so uh also uh a good question.

I think we've we've had a lot of conversation about this, both the city staff and the county staff.

So the we we've tried to structure this process in a way that it makes it easy, as easy as possible for applicants.

So you know, as opposed to kind of creating two front doors for uh consideration of your project, we wanted to have a joint, even though it would be separately awarded and voted on, one joint pot so that applicants can focus on putting forward their um you know their their strongest, most competitive project with without regard to which legislative you know policy making body will will ultimately approve.

That will ultimately be a staff call.

I think we we want to um uh have the flexibility to consider which projects, there's no hard and fast line, these projects will be considered as part of the county's 8 million and these will be jointly awarded projects.

I think we just want to um we'll make that determination based on the nature of the projects that come forward.

And I'll say um also in that it's not uh maybe this was uh implied in your question, is not as though exclusively the 15 and a half million that's jointly awarded will be only Raleigh proper projects, and the other 8 million will be uh projects that are outside.

That's not necessarily how this is anticipated or will happen.

Okay.

Great.

And then just two quick ones left.

Um one is maybe more of a comment.

But um I'm hopeful that in the RFP and as you all review, if people are if like applicants are putting forward projects that involve partners, if you could be sure to review the partners past performance, if they've won other RFPs from public bodies, have they delivered on those projects?

Have they delivered them close to the RFP they were originally awarded and in a timely manner, on budget, et cetera, so that we when we award RFPs, we feel confident that people will actually produce the product they offered us.

Um then the I just want to ask if the model is making, I know we opened these up based on like how much tourism revenue we're getting and the size of the opening is related to how well the model is doing.

So how how is the model doing uh so I uh I think our CFO is here.

I don't want to put her on the spot, but if she wants to come down and maybe speak to this, we just uh had an exchange related to some of the updated projections that she may want to speak to.

Um I will not steal her thunder.

I'm gonna let uh our our first lady of finance come down and tell you a little bit about the fund.

So it should be.

First time I've heard that.

Sorry from all the way over in the other corner.

Yeah, Alison Bradshaffer Finance.

Um, so we are actively working on closeouts right now.

Um as we did exchange a few emails, as Evan mentioned.

Uh the model is is we did about where we expected we would be.

Um in years past, we have seen significant growth, and that really has moderated as we look at just what's happening in the economy right now.

So I don't have definite numbers, but again, it is about where we anticipated, which is a good thing.

And it did actually beat budget, which is a good thing.

Um but again, we're actively kind of closing everything out.

So it'll be a good 45 to 60 days before we have the final numbers.

So hopefully that's helpful.

About on track is is the enough specificity for me.

Great.

All right.

Other questions?

All right.

If not, we receive that as information.

Appreciate it.

The next item is an enterprise resource planning platform opportunity for the city.

It has been a minute since we've had an internal process of this scale and magnitude outside of e-scrib, which is mostly for council.

However, we have Mark Wittenberg here from IT to kind of walk us through to quote HR director, Sean Dale Jones to get all hearts and minds ready and in line because this will be a heavy lift.

Good afternoon, uh Mayor, Council, as Marshall said, Mark Wittenberg, Chief Information Officer for the City.

And yes, I am here to introduce you to the Enterprise Resource Planning Project.

It is going to be a multi-year endeavor.

So part of the agenda is I'm going to talk about first of all what is enterprise resource planning or ERP, our journey so far, uh, where we are, what we've done, and then the road ahead.

So what exactly is enterprise resource planning?

I'm going to refer to it as ERP, but think of it as the citywide digital backbone or the central nervous system of almost everything that we do as far as our core business operations.

Everything from HR to finance to budget.

It basically connects all those key functions together, and so that we have this seamless like data integration and ability to be able to report on these different areas and how they impact each other.

It's very important because it really does impact our services by connecting those those key functions and improving the decision making and then also measuring outcomes.

You're using this data and the information that we're getting from finance and from HR and the budgeting to be able to make future decisions.

So think of the system as the decision making engine for all of those things.

So why are we embarking on this journey?

Well, it's not because we enjoy doing something like this, but it's actually our existing system, which is PeopleSoft, is reaching its end of life.

So we installed PeopleSoft in 2008, and it has been around for a minute.

But it is reaching its end of life.

PeopleSoft and Oracle has said that they're going to be supporting, but they're no longer going to be investing in improving PeopleSoft.

And so there is a definite end of life that we've we've got our eyes upon.

This is also creating uh problems as far as integration.

Think of it as as you're driving a really old car and you'd like to add a backup camera, but really the electronics inside the car can't support that backup camera.

So as we're trying to integrate PeopleSoft on our existing system with newer applications, we're having a tough time doing that.

It's also increasing maintenance costs.

Uh as Oracle switches to the newer platforms and to investing in those newer platforms, maintaining our existing system is becoming more expensive.

And that's also limiting our business growth and our ability to do new things like integrating artificial intelligence or uh any other type of new technology into our existing system.

And then also there's this expectation of a modern workforce uh, which is like being able to get your information from a mobile environment, get it secure, uh, and being able to, like in the recruiting process, make it seamless and easy to do.

So the journey so far, we actually had a visioning workshop where we brought together representatives from the different groups to look for a bold vision and then how we're exactly going to run this very complex project.

Uh a big part of it is trying to understand not only what we're doing today, but to imagine what a future state would look like because what we don't want to do is we don't want to do business like we've been doing today.

We want to have our sites and vision on that future.

Uh we also identified some of the key milestones and what are the requirements in order to be able to do this uh to do this uh successfully.

So where are we today?

The current mail marker is we are going through uh section of the project, which is to select an actual ERP vendor.

So it is going through the requirements and identifying what the current challenges are with our existing system so we know what we'd like to see in a new system.

We'd like to document exactly the features, the functionality, the reporting that we'd like out of the new system, and then we want to make sure that that new system is going to support our business operations in a very efficient and effective manner.

So the road ahead.

So we've done the visioning planning, and you are here, which is the requirements and future state.

So we have engaged with a partner and consultant that is going to step us through the process of meeting with the different stakeholders to understand what are those wants and desires out of a new system, and then to help us build an RFP.

And that RFP we're hoping to put out on the street January of 2026.

And that RFP would be an RFP for selecting an ERP vendor.

Once that's out on the street, and we've selected a platform, then we also need to do another RFP to pick an implementer.

The reason those two are separate is because we want to make sure that the implementer that is going to partner with us to implement the new system is well versed in whatever we select as a platform.

That most likely will happen mid to late next year, and then looking to go live in uh 2027.

Like I said, it was a brief overview of a very multi-year large project.

Any questions.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mark.

The next item is security service contracts.

We provide multiple options for security opportunities throughout the city as one of our primary goals is to keep our community safe.

And so we have Adam from Parts Recreation and Cultural Resources here to start this presentation off for us.

Mayor Council, uh, thank you for having me here.

Uh I'm Adam Foreman from uh Department of Parks, uh assistant director over there.

Uh give a presentation on um security services uh throughout downtown and three specific contracts, uh two of which will be renewing uh and one which is a new contract.

So just to give a broad overview, um I think as we all know, uh following the pandemic, downtown really um hit an inflection point.

We saw a major uptick uh in violent crime, nonviolent crime, um, as well as antisocial behavior, a breakdown of our social safety net, uh, and it was a major change uh to our downtown.

Um in response to that, over the last several years, uh Raleigh Parks, R DOT, as well as the DRA have worked very closely uh with RPD, uh, and we've also brought on contracted uh additional security downtown uh so that we can meet the moment uh and see reduction in crime.

I think importantly, the results are very clear.

Uh we've seen a 42% reduction uh in violent crime between 23 and 2024.

Uh this is, of course, uh the uh incredible RPD presence, uh, Captain Van Antwerp, Captain Nordstrom downtown, uh, as well as this private security service uh that we saw at the bus station at Moore Square and the ambassadors with DRA.

Uh and fortunately uh those trends have continued uh over the last year.

Uh we've seen a 2% uh decrease in incidents and a 6% decrease uh in calls for service in that downtown business core.

So things continue to trend in the right direction, which is very encouraging.

Uh just to give you look at the map and kind of get a better sense of where we have these security services, as there was a question about where we have these contract and security services.

Uh it's at the eight garages and four lots, uh, one of the contracts we'll talk about today with DRA.

Uh Raleigh Parks is a security contract at Moore Square.

Uh, there's a security contract at the Go Raleigh Station, uh, as well as that DRA Ambassador downtown patrol also serves other areas of downtown.

And of course um the Raleigh police uh and particularly the trace team uh have done incredible work downtown as well.

So this is all deeply integrated the whole of city approach.

Uh and to look at the three contracts in particular that we'll discuss today.

Uh I've been over them a bit, but RDOT, uh it's a downtown Raleigh Alliance Park Safety Ambassador Services, which we'll talk about in a second.

Raleigh Parks, State Time Security Services at Moore Square, and then finally, and this is outside of that downtown core, but still part of the downtown discussion, uh, a new contract for overnight security services at Gibson Play Plaza.

Let me hand it over to RTOD to talk about downtown ambassadors.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council, Kenneth Ritchie with Transportation.

It's glad to see you all again.

Um I do want to take a moment to introduce our new parking manager who started with us a few months ago.

Um I'm gonna take this one, but certainly you will see her in the coming months with some of our efforts.

So Caitlin Parker could stand up.

She's been with us since April and certainly getting up to speed and is excited to engage with you all moving forward.

So with our downtown ambassadors, uh, this is a current contract that we have with the downtown Raleigh Alliance that provides for eight dedicated ambassadors.

This really helps to expand the visibility that we have within our parking decks as we really look to try and enhance the experience that people have as they come into our decks.

Uh with the base uh provisions of the contract, they do multiple rounds at each parking garage and surface slot each day, seven days a week from 5 a.m.

to 1230 a.m.

Um in addition to providing uh monthly reporting.

I will say they do exceed just the the base requirements, so that really does help us to kind of continue to push uh the visibility that we have in our decks and really is a force multiplier as it relates to as we have with RPD and some of our other resources with our uh parking vendor, the car park.

So looking at a little bit of a timeline in 2018 uh is when we did enter into this initial contract with DRA to kind of expand the services with the additional ambassadors, that it was an initial uh three-year contract.

In 2022, the contract was extended for an additional uh three years at a cost of around 488,000.

That has that rate has stayed consistent backdating to the original contract in 2018.

Um with this request to extend for one more year, it's at that same value.

Uh what that's gonna allow us to do is continue to assess our ongoing needs as our new parking manager comes on and assesses some of those needs, and two, as we look at some of the other efforts that we've all got ongoing with cameras and other things in the decks, really start to identify what our needs will be moving forward in anticipation of an RFP in 2026.

So with that, I will pass it back to Adam to talk through Moore Square.

Pass the baton a lot.

I want to give a second shout out to Caitlin Parker, who's just been an exceptional partner, uh, really hit the ground running and great partner of parks.

Uh to zoom in on Moore Square uh and the contract over there, just top level highlights at Moore Square, operating hours are 10 to 8.

Uh and this has really been a banner year.

For Moore Square, we have new musical instruments were installed, new shade structures were installed, Lucky Tree Cafe has entered the picture and done a fantastic job and been a great partner.

And then we had 80 special events this year, which is the doubling uh from last year.

So really more programmed than ever in the foot traffic has been exceptional.

Um I think that's the number of special events growing and also just the success of the park kind of speaks to the partnership we've had uh with our security officers who have been there for the last uh two and a half years.

Uh I think they've really spearheaded some of that uh reduction uh in violent crime and nonviolent crime, but also just ensuring safety of patrons, partners uh and staff.

Uh we have two uniformed security guards who are there during operating hours and special events, uh and they also conduct daily patrol of Nash Square uh in the morning and in the evening and kind of the bookends of their shift.

Uh and finally, uh Gibson Play Plaza, and this is a new one, as I mentioned.

Uh as many of you know, Gibson Play Plaza has been truly a smashing success uh in its first two months.

Over 420,000 visitors uh to Dix Parks, Dix Park, uh visitors from every single zip code uh in Raleigh and beyond, so it really has been an all-city park, uh, which is exceptional.

Uh operating hours from 8 a.m.

to 9 p.m.

uh with a full schedule of programs.

And for this one, it's it's different than the other two.

This is uh overnight patrol.

Uh and this is just to make sure maintaining a safe and thriving environment.

RPD actually provides routine daytime patrols, and then in the evening, uh we have unarmed security staff uh who are there because just I'd say largely because of the design of Gibson itself, because of the walls and the structures and the sight lines, standard vehicle patrol, like we do, like RPD does at other parks.

Doesn't quite work here.

So having security guards who are just walking around the grounds during the evening uh has kept the space safe and protected um and has ensured that it's a uh continuing thriving environment for everyone.

So here are the recommended actions, uh, which you'll see in the council agenda, but it is authorizing a city manager to execute uh the DRA contract, authorizing city manager to contract with Force Security for Moore Square, and then authorizing city manager to execute the contract with Rhino Sports Entertainment for the Gibson Play Plaza overnight security services.

Any questions?

Questions for Mr.

Foreman.

Council Morange.

Um definitely thank you for the information.

I want to go back, this may be for Kenneth, um, with the parking decks.

Where do we stand with the camera infrastructure improvement?

So we are working with our partners in facilities and operations on working through the design, and I think we are anticipating trying to get a couple of decks upfitted with cameras here in the next probably six months.

So we're really looking at we've been pushing that over the summer to really get that moving.

Okay.

Thank you for there.

And then now for the parks, my question is with Forza Security doing more square.

They're also watching Nash as well.

They do a tour in the morning.

So their shift uh, as you can see, is from 10 a.m.

to eight p.m., so from 9.45 to 10, and then from 8 to 8.15, they'll uh go into Nash Square.

And we see those early morning hours for Nash Square are helpful if there were people there overnight.

Uh they can reach out to Acorns unit, but also just keep us abreast of issues at Nash Square.

So my question, and I'm just wondering, I don't know if maybe y'all considered this and it doesn't work.

With um our building being here right across the street from Nash Square, like my question is between 10 and 8, there's a whole lot of time.

Yeah.

Like who's watching Nash?

We do have security in this building, but the contract um restricts them suggests the building and the immediate um area outside, so not Nash Square itself.

But of course RPD has a strong presence there.

Uh and we have increased some programming in Nash Square, but at this point it is a more of an unmanaged space.

I think as you all know with the CIP and the master planning of Nash Square, that may change in out years.

Uh but at this point it is it is acorns, it is RPD, uh, it is uh the security service.

Um so it's uh kind of a uh a lot of folks helping out.

So I would just ask if y'all will go back and revisit that because one of my my understanding, the reason why we're bringing in the security teams is because we may not have all the numbers within RPD to do this work or consistently be there.

So if that's the case, there's a big gap here in I mean if we're doing it for one, uh we should do the for the other.

Understood.

Yeah.

I'll take that back.

Um Councillor Jones and Patton.

Thank you so much.

I got pulled away for a second, so please forgive me if I'm repeating anything uh or having you repeat anything.

Uh starting with the downtown parking safety, is this an additional 488,000 from the program that already exists?

So this is just yes, so this is just a one-year extension.

So no, this is not additional 488.

This is just an extension of that contract for one additional year.

Got it.

Okay, thank you for that.

Um uh in terms of more square parking security.

Uh if you can refresh my mind, when we talked about this last year, the Wake Transit Plan was paying for the private security at this location a few years ago.

And is this in addition to that, or this would be replacing that initiative?

This is in addition to that.

So this is really looking at the visibility for the deck above, and then you've got the the security that's for the actual station.

So we're we're having Wake Transit Plan and the city paying for these two different programs.

Correct.

Got it.

Okay.

And then lastly, for Gibson, I think I just want to echo um counselor branch's concerns I'm or thoughts.

I don't want to say concerns, but um uh I'm a little bit I don't know the right word for it, but as we have one park that has security and others don't, I I don't I'm a little bit concerned there.

Um so I just wanted to highlight that and just echo those sentiments.

Thank you.

Go ahead, I'll come back.

Okay.

Counselor Potton.

Yeah.

Hi.

I don't know exactly who this is going to be for.

So I'll just put it out in the world and y'all can call the right person.

Um if I have it have it right in terms of private security that's happening roughly around the bus station.

We've got one contract for the folks in the bus station.

We've got a different contract for the parking deck above the bus station.

We've got a different contract for the sort of rest of the DRA ambassadors and DRA is employing private security for South Wilmington Street.

And then now Moore Square will be a different agency.

So that's a lot of people doing very similar work who are largely dressed to look like cops.

And I think when people are in our fair city, if they have a negative experience, they associate that with RPD.

And I'm just so and I have also been shared like videos with people who have had negative interactions that I think are probably not in line with what we would consider to be our internal standards for ourselves.

And so I guess my questions are around coordination.

How are we making sure all of these people, all these different agencies are uniformly sort of enforcing things and interacting with our residents and our visitors the way we want them to?

So how are we coordinating?

Are we coordinating?

Who's who is involved in the coordination and who is sort of the boss of setting the expectations for what we want to see from these agencies?

Yeah.

So I think it's three core ones.

It is the bus station is one, capital special, and then there is the all of the bus shelter, excuse me, the parking shelters and the parking surface lots.

That's another one, which also, as you said, includes other DAR ambassadors, and then there's more square.

So it might be three units, but you're right, that's more than zero.

Uh and in terms of coordination, RPD works extremely closely with all of those groups.

Um RPD was actually on the RFP review committee uh for the Moore Square uh downtown security.

Uh it's actually um a former RPD officer is one of the uh part of the former that contractor.

So close communication, very professional.

Uh and we've had great experience with them in the past.

Uh and similarly, uh RPD is the trace team, the uh transit recon and um community engagement team works very closely with the bus station team.

So I think it's just a matter of um we're trying to be a force multiplier and kind of contribute and provide more feet on the ground, and also I think something that the security can provide is hour to hour and day-to-day service.

So RPD might be in more square, but they would get a call for service, they might have to leave.

What you see with the security service is that they can be there every single day, every single hour of the day.

So that is where you get that consistency.

But also it's as I said, I think it's uh close collaboration and a strong connection to the police so that it is you know additive and not duplicative.

Okay.

Is it required that all of those agencies attend, attend and participate in any co like are there coordination meetings between these agencies?

I think the chief might be really in the pipeline.

Uh good afternoon, Rico Boyce, Raleigh PD.

Uh far as the new chief, uh is my uh mission to meet with all the uh department heads and the owners of those private security companies, lay out the expectations uh the quality of service that we expect as a city, as a department, and then have ongoing collaborations about issues that they may have.

Uh that is what I've started uh doing already.

Um and if there's any concerns, those concerns are brought to me, and I can address them.

Uh but there should be a standard uh level of expectations of uh the quality of service that the security companies provide.

Uh because like you said, ma'am, a lot of times they confuse private security with RPD.

We investigate that case and realize that's not our personnel.

So as a new chief, that was one of the things that I started having conversations with Chief Taylor with Special or Capitol Special Police.

And we're going to have those ongoing conversations about that.

My predecessor, Chief Patterson, she was very uh intentional about making sure that that we had ongoing training between these uh security companies and RPD to make sure that we don't have a company that's going to do their own thing and is gonna conflict with what RPD in the service that we're providing to the community members down there.

So I will make sure that continues, and if there's any issues, obviously I'll address them with city manager and we will go from there.

But it's an ongoing collaboration, communicating with all those security companies to make sure that we're all working on one set of uh one agenda and make sure that, like, say we provide an overall security for downtown as well as working with Bill King and his folks at DRA.

Okay.

Yeah, I would just say if it's not already required contractually for all of these agencies to have like a daily stand-up or something like that, I think that would be really important and that it's very clear that you all are the standard bearer and that you are the one setting the expectations for how we expect these folks to behave while they're operating under our contracts.

Yes, ma'am.

And and officers that are actually working these assignments or talking and collaborate with one another, sharing intail information about what has occurred during our during the day or what has occurred overnight.

So that's very important to make sure that we continue to share that information.

Counselor Lambert Melton and then Mayor Pro Temp Fort.

Mayor Pro Time Header, hand up first if you want to go.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, I I was just gonna um uh voice my support for um these initiatives.

I know downtown safety, both perceived in real is really, really important.

Um, downtown is our economic driver for most of the city and the region, and it's also a very high concentration of locally owned businesses and folks who have chosen to invest there.

We certainly want people to come downtown and to feel safe and to support those businesses and to spend their money, which helps fund good things citywide, and certainly for the folks who have chosen to live downtown, we want them to feel safe too.

Um we ask a lot of our officers, and we're working to help diversify our response uh with our alternate response unit, uh, Raleigh Care's Acorns, getting some more support to Raleigh Police Department, and while there is still a need, I think supplementing with these types of services is is appropriate.

So I'm fully supportive.

Um I do hear the concerns about allocating some you know additional and private resources to the Gibson Play Plaza.

Um I will just say I I don't think Dix Park in general or the Gibson Play Plaza is really a regular city park.

I mean the data is showing us that 200,000 people visited Gibson Play Plaza just in the first month.

I can't think of any other city park, and I maybe I'm wrong, where 200,000 visitors are coming in um to go there.

It is really more of a tourist attraction, and I think it's really important with that many new people and children especially that we do have enough eyes and ears on the ground.

And so I I I definitely understand the distinction um and and support all of these initiatives for that reason.

So thank you.

How's it going?

It's going good.

I recovered from my hoop night interesting.

Oh well, we'll talk about that later.

You're on my list for that later.

Um, in terms of the the partnership with the security companies and RPD, I mean, how do you think is I mean, what's your assessment if you could give us a quick one?

Yes, overall positive, positive, uh, like say sharing information, uh being our eyes and ears in places that uh that we're we're not in right now.

Overall positive, positive, like say sharing information, being our eyes and ears in places that uh that we're we're not in right now, the park index, uh very important to have folks there for visibility.

These resources help cover that for us.

They also we collaborate on on things that is going on downtown and they're quick to call when things come up where RPD needs to be involved.

So the partnership is there is working well I support having additional resources to keep downtown or any part of the city safe especially when they're working we're working as a team.

It's an overall positive experience.

And the only thing I would say is that you know um as you're having the check-ins with their supervisors just a reminder that you know so many people do have eyes on them making sure they're not on their phones and kind of like you know huddled together and not necessarily patrolling and doing those types of things.

Right.

But it would be a little bit of feedback I would provide but if you think it's going well okay.

Yes.

Thank you.

Counselor Branch.

Yeah thank you.

So I don't know who wants to take this one and Stephen Bentley might be needed as well for some of the things I'm about to share.

I've sat in two three hour meetings with residents with issues at Lions Park or Chavis Park even Bitmore Hills with concerns.

And as we talk about you know Gibson being the star on the tree without the trunk and the base and the foundation the shard that the star doesn't shine.

So how do we ensure that the rest of our parks are safe and secure at night when they're supposed to be closed because you know we you we sit in those same meetings in Lions Park and we and we've added a gate and and we we've added two gates over there at night and we talked about security.

So my question is where is the technology for the rest of our parks in the system that could also be used at Gibbs and and two for the chief I know we're doing a staffing study and everything else but one conversation that we had as a council when we allocated sits officers for greenways was do we need parts specific law enforcement are we to the point now with this growth that's where we need to hire for and do under the mantra of RPD to protect city property and these parks.

I will take the first one and then ask the chief come up with the second one.

Because of the the council's commitment to our capital program with the penny investment we have started deploying outdoor cameras.

So we consult with the police department on where they should be the technology is definitely improved and then we have automated gates as you shared now sometimes those gates don't work when we get lots of calls as well.

But we are um taking a more proactive approach.

Cameras used to be just on the inside of the buildings or at the doorways.

Now we have cameras where you wouldn't think and we won't tell you where those cameras are except for the men and women in blue.

So we are taking the opportunity to utilize different uh technological tools to help with where we don't have eyes and ears.

And I have the second question when it comes to going back to what we were doing some years ago that's just a we need to take a look at you know how many parks we have we added the greenway unit which was something that we are still going to continue to build on within RPD there's a chance to have a a greenway unit in each district.

You know there's a lot of different avenues that we can address some of your concerns, Councilmember Branch.

I would like to just talk to my team about it and see where we need to go, be conscious of city resources and see what are the best practices for RPD in the city overall.

But we we'll be looking at that obviously I would like to continue to build upon the parks and greenway unit.

They're doing a great job.

They are very visible we have been given some resources to cover multiple parks and that's the thing with like say with the recon bikes with the Enduro bikes they can be very visible at multiple parks through our greenway system and that is great as able they're able to cover a lot of parks in a short period of time.

So that is working well I continue I will continue to expand that unit and then further conversations down the line we'll look at where we are as a city as a whole to see if we need a pivot and look at other other options.

Okay.

So I won't put it all on you.

Okay I kind of lean towards our city manager as well.

Let's look at that because we keep revisiting this security conversation with our park system every almost three to four years.

So I think it's time that we figure out a real solution to this because security that's a temporary fits to a very, I think, complicated issue.

If I may say uh may add council member branch, uh we do partner with parks and race, obviously.

Uh we do have officers that work in an off-duty capacity at these facilities or whatever that can cover the gap per se uh when there is a need.

And obviously, in in working with uh Stephen Bentley and his team, if there is a specific concern, then we work together to put resources there.

But I also wanted to share about that off-duty capacity and officers take advantage of working, you know, those city events at our city parks.

Definitely appreciate it.

Counselor Silver.

The City Manager um just want to not solve the problem, but offer my expertise if needed in this conversation.

Uh as Parks Commissioner read a parks police force of about 700, uh 300 were sworn peace officers.

The rest were park security.

We can discuss some of our strategies of identifying they basically had two tours.

Uh one would just uh be mobile and would site themselves at specific hotspot parks.

So it didn't cover all the parks, but I can suggest to you, you know, some uh again, not to solve the problem.

I understand them on council, uh, but after running that system for some seven and a half, eight years, have some recommendations to address your concern that I think would be uh beneficial.

We focused on more of a hot spot so it would deploy staff and then would just be mobile versus having them stationed as well as some other security measures as well.

Okay.

Um next item that is not on the agenda that we're gonna do.

We have to vote on that one.

Yeah, oh sorry, my bad.

Okay, I'm anxiously.

I will uh move to approve the recommended action as stated in the agenda material.

Second.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

Appreciate uh Mr.

Foreman Bentley and Chief Boyce all weighing in on this.

Um all in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Great.

Okay, and then we have Mr.

Bentley uh to talk about the parks recreation and greenway advisory board work plan.

So before we get to Mr.

Bentley, there was one other item that didn't quite make it on the agenda that I mentioned was going to be the update.

So we have Michelle Millet here to give us um a run through for the council mid-year retreat that is scheduled for September 27th.

All right.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

Yes, as the manager stated, it did not make it to the agenda, but I am here just to remind you all, also thank our wonderful committee made up of Councilmember Jones branch and the mayor for working on our fall retreat, which will be held Saturday, September the 27th from 9 a.m.

to 4 p.m.

at the Marsh Creek Community Center.

The topics that you all have scheduled, yes, District B represents again.

Um legislative agenda, you will have some pre-work for that.

So you will work through your draft.

If you all recall, you started the conversation at your January retreat about what themes you would like to see, and we're gonna start to do that work based off that theme work that you all have.

We're gonna talk about the bonds that you have either before you and some bonds planning.

We're gonna talk about types, amount, timing, and per requested.

We'll talk about some lessons learned.

We're also gonna do some big idea visioning.

Um that will require some pre-work.

Very excited to talk about that.

I know Councilmember Silver is as well.

You're also going to get your opportunity, as you all have heard several times about the community engagement and a lot of the work around the comp plan.

This is your opportunity to give staff and have a really deep in-depth conversation around the comp plan.

And then we will end the afternoon with all of our favorite topic, which is affordable housing.

And we're going to talk about what makes a good affordable housing site.

How can we expand the data conversation around affordable housing and how do we make sure we're capturing the things that are important to you all?

So that is it for the topics.

I will pause here for questions.

Yes, and we're going to work the entire time, 9 a.m.

to 4 p.m.

No breaks.

I we're going to have some breaks and some food.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So that officially concludes my report, Mayor.

Now I will turn it back over to you.

All right.

So now we have Mr.

Bentley.

Yeah.

Thank you, Mayor, and members of the City Council, Stephen Bentley, Director of Riley Parks.

Uh, we have two exciting initiatives coming out of the Parks Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board.

The first is their annual work plan, which I have the opportunity to work with the board closely on to make sure they are addressing your priorities and the uh priorities of our new 10-year park system plan.

And then the second um you'll see some beautiful renderings of the new uh community center being proposed at Tarboro Road.

Uh today I'm going to welcome to the podium Ian Burnett, uh, our park board member.

Uh good afternoon, Council, and thank you for the time to speak here today.

Um Ian Burnett here to uh present the fiscal year 26 work plan and ask for your uh approval on it.

So as Stephen introduced, um, this has been a group effort.

Um our committee has gone through a number of revisions, it's gone to each of our um group or our board committees.

Uh park staff has gone through multiple rounds of comments and feedback, as well as Councilmember Silver.

And I appreciate all of the help that I've gotten on that.

Um, one of the major goals of this revision, uh three three major goals of this revision uh are to make it a little bit more streamlined and accessible.

Um, not only the what we want to do, but why we want to do it, uh, to make sure that we're aligning with city goals, and also of course to make sure we're meeting the mission statement of the parks board.

Um there's a lot in common with with last year's, but I want to go over some key elements from uh this year's work plan.

One is as Stephen uh alluded to, there's a lot of uh alignment with the strategic goals of the city.

So especially the Greenway Master Plan and the updated uh park system plan.

There's a lot of shared DNA and common focus to make sure that we are not uh deviating their attention from what the city is really interested in.

And an overarching uh goal that is in is in every part of this is community and environmental health.

Um there's a new recreation and wellness goal one, so that's giving people and community equal attention as the parks and and greenway infrastructure that has been receiving a lot of attention lately.

Um there's a big focus on access and programs, especially for active adults, youth, and teens.

Umother is to continue support continue to support Raleigh's uh longest park, the Greenway System, especially safety, accessibility, and usability.

Um this is a very active uh committee and a lot of initiatives uh in the parks department, and we want to continue to support the dual use of recreation and active mobility.

Uh one that I've been involved with a lot and I'm very proud of is the environmental stewardship through the Sustainability Wildlife and Urban Trees Committee.

Um so we want to continue to support the park staff with their leaf out plan to develop and protect uh Raleigh's urban forests and ecosystems.

Um these committees have been packed.

There's been a lot of community uh advocacy and expertise that have been lended to this as well, not just uh parks board members.

And then of course uh the pillars that we'll maintain uh the Fred Fletcher support for volunteerism in the city and uh to support the 2022 bond projects as CAG members, liaisons, and then of course, to um review the schematic designs and other efforts that come to you for approval.

So I'll add that I will ask if you have any questions.

Um it's a pleasure to meet you uh virtually and uh thank you for the evolution of the work plan when it was first presented to me.

So I thank you because I think the first round I had apologized, felt a bit harsh, but uh I think initially the first round, so my colleagues know had about 70 action items.

And I personally felt if you prioritize everything, you prioritize nothing.

And so to see a version where you now focused to five key areas.

And if you heard my comments, I do believe, because I think you are a good example that our boards and commissions, those that don't have a charter mandate, should give some guidance on work plans.

Uh, because over time you have committee members that have been there, and so this is how we've done it.

You know, for example, is goal the right word, or is it topic area, a focus here for a work plan?

And so I just want to thank you and staff for the evolution because now it's been narrowed down to be more focused.

And so just want to share with my colleagues.

I still believe in the future there's more guidance and work to do on work plans.

Uh, but I have to congratulate you and the board and staff for the evolution of the first version I saw versus the version that you are presenting for us today.

So I will be supporting it, so thank you.

I don't have a specific question.

Uh well, I do.

Uh in the future, would you consider rather than a goal in a work plan to have a focus area or topic areas that's something that, you know, in the future, as we talk with staff, you would consider uh into the future.

Because it is a work plan versus a strategic plan that you know, this is what you want to achieve uh within a given year.

I I certainly support the philosophy of that.

I mean, a goal you seem like you get there and then you stop.

Uh I think most of what we're doing in the parks and recreation department is is ongoing.

So it could be a focus area, it could be a topic.

Thank you.

Any other questions from Mr.

Burnett?

Okay.

Well, we appreciate your work.

We have a great parks board and appreciate uh Counselor Silver spending so much time with uh both the volunteers and staff on the work plan.

Um I guess recommended action.

Do we have a motion to approve it?

I make the motion to approve the 2025-26 work parks, recreation and cultural resources work plan.

Second.

All right.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

All opposed, nay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Should I okay?

Um I will also introduce the next item on behalf of Stephen.

Um, this is a very exciting uh project and one that received unanimous support from the Parks Advisory Board uh that's here for your schematic design approval.

Um really wonderful project, a lot of respect for the site and great features for the park, uh, the community center and the St.

Monica Teen Center.

I think this is a a really uh exciting project, and and you're gonna, I think like what they are about to share with you.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

I'm Gary Claiborne, Capital Project Supervisor with Raleigh Parks.

So as mentioned, uh we are here this afternoon uh to present the schematic design for Talborough Road Park, and uh at the uh last Parks Board meeting in July uh they did uh vote to recommend approval for this project.

So this park uh project is part of the 2022 parks bond, and uh it includes a full park redevelopment, uh including a brand new two-story community center, new site layout and approved amenities, interior approvements to the St.

Monica Teen Center.

The bond budget for this is $29.3 million, and there's an additional 150,000 dollars in art funding for this.

The design for this project started in 2024 and will continue through 2026 with construction anticipated from 2027 to 2029.

So we did go through a pretty extensive engagement process uh through this for the past uh year and a half.

We did have a community advisory group and we had a number of meetings within.

We had uh three public open houses throughout the course of this.

We conducted online surveys, and then we also had boards and a 3D model that were on display at the Tower Road Community Center, kind of as that uh design evolved, that model changed.

So again, just to re-emphasize the schematic design program, is uh two-story community center with a gym, which we will be going for a minimum of lead silver.

Uh associated with that community center, there are also porches and gathering areas with roof overhangs.

Uh there is a central plaza fronting the community center, and then from that plaza, there is a promenade that connects the community center to the existing teen center.

There will be a multi-purpose court, which will serve both um tennis and pickleball, but then also a sport that's uh unique to the existing center, the existing park is bike polo, and that uh will that court will be improved uh for that particular use.

Brand new playground, a park green alongside the teen center.

Uh there will be parking that uh is relocated from Tarlborough Street to the others to the west side of the park.

There's also a drop-off zone associated with the teen center.

And with the new BRT station coming on board on uh New Bern, um there will be a pedestrian and visual connectivity to that station.

There's also green stormwater infrastructure and landscape buffering along the residential areas uh around the park.

So this is the current uh this is the schematic design site plan.

Uh the main feature of this uh is really I kind of want to emphasize the what we call the past to present promenade that collect connects the front of the new community center to the existing teen center.

And then you'll also see the layout of the court, the playground, uh, and the parking lot.

Uh these are the floor plans for the brand new community center.

On the left is the first floor.

Uh there will be a fairly grand uh lobby entry area, and then there will be staff offices.

There will also be an office for the uh Raleigh Police Department.

There's also storage, there's a small more multi-purpose room, a fitness studio, and restrooms.

And then obviously the gym itself, too, which is also striped for uh pickleball, basketball, and volleyball, and there'll be room for bleachers as well.

I do want to note that this GM is a little bit larger than the existing gym that's at the current community center.

Second floor is on the right-hand side and be a large multi-purpose room with an adjacent warming kitchen.

Also restrooms and additional storage, the corridor area.

Uh there will be windows actually in the corridor looking down to the gym below.

So this is a rendering of the entry into the community center, kind of a scene from the playground area.

Um you'll see there's a large um uh facade of glass there, but within that glass, part of the our programming for this is to incorporate uh images um of the community, both prep past and present of uh people and landscapes from the community.

In terms of the teen center, again, this is that's an historic structure.

That is the one structure on the site that will remain uh as part of this redevelopment.

There's a number of interior improvements, uh new flooring, wall painting, window shades, LED lighting, new cabinetry and countertops, uh ceiling treatments, as well as uh improved restrooms.

And then there will also be a small plaza area at the main entrance into the teen center with improved accessibility.

Uh as far as the public art, I previously mentioned the art art glass windows for the new community center, but then along the past to President Promenade, there will also be metal signage that again reinforces the past and present uh of this neighborhood.

So with that, I'll open it up to any questions and uh representatives from the architecture team are here as well, too, if you have any more technical questions.

So thank you.

Questions?

Uh Counselor Silver.

First, thank you uh for the presentation.

Um just wanted to add questions.

I know we're seeing a rendering.

These aren't construction drawings, but just want to understand the sidewalk width and experience.

This is all going to be public realm questions on the Tarboro Road right now.

Seems I I'm trying to see if there is a grass verge uh between the curb and the sidewalk.

Uh you have one that has a very nice formal entrance.

Just want to make sure this being a major pedestrian destination has adequate sidewalks and not the standard three-foot or four-foot, it should be quite generous since people will be walking.

Uh and so that's just one question whether that cross section of the sidewalk could have a larger verge, uh, wider sidewalk, so that it just feels very comfortable uh whether they're walking from the neighborhood or they're walking from the BRT, just you have a very generous one once you get into the site, but the sidewalk itself seems undersized.

So just to take a look at that.

The second one is that this is also a destination.

I don't see a diagram of the benches or the gathering places for people to sit within the plaza itself.

I was looking to see, but it seems just to be a hardscape going in.

Uh this is a great opportunity for people to just gather uh in some of these public spaces.

So if this if you can consider uh looking at other seating diagram to know exactly as people are outside talking, waiting to get in, a lot of people will be coming here, so it was great to have an indoor, outdoor experience.

So those are the only two, but I'm very happy to see this transformation of the center.

And if I recall correctly, Octavia, there's a wonderful sign right across the street.

Okay.

So I took a picture.

Uh and so I'm not asking for a crosswalk getting to it, but uh just want to make sure there's a viewpoint where someone leaving can see that beautiful sign that says, Welcome to College Park.

Did I get that right, Octavia?

Okay.

But with that, just things to consider as this goes from schematic to the next level.

But very, very beautiful rendering, a nice flow of space.

Uh just very excited to see this built in a few years.

Yeah.

I think one of the things I kind of failed to mention in the presentation was the fact a lot of thought really kind of went into how everything works with each other.

And one of the factors we did look into is visibility within the site itself, something that's lacking with the existing park, uh, unfortunately.

You will see the relationship of the entry to the building that's looking inward, but the plaza is kind of like the heart of this.

Uh there's full visibility from that lobby space, looking at the the staff can see the parking lot, they can see the uh playground, they can see the courts, they can see all the way to the teen center.

There's a lot more visibility uh within this park.

So I just said add the other public realm, the people are waiting for the children, they want to sit outside.

It's just you know a very nicely placed, again, I'm just suggesting, not mandating, uh, but I think it would just add a lot more value to experience that plaza rather than just being a space you walk through.

It's beautiful.

Let people sit there and experience and look at the beautiful building, how it glows in the evening, just waiting for either seniors or teens or someone to leave that space, I think would be a very, very nice enhancement to the plan.

Thank you.

Council Branch.

Yeah, definitely thank you for the presentation and the work.

And I'm glad that is included and that is there because it shows we're listening to the community.

And also to the points you made about visibility with the lobby, the placement of the playground.

Currently the in the lobby, they can't see what is happening at the playground or the picnic area.

And I noticed I blew mine up, slide five, the two picnic areas that are there now in your diagram.

So I definitely want to thank you for including that because this is a gathering place.

Okay, perfect.

Um and everything.

So I definitely appreciate that.

I do have one question.

When you taught about construction, when most people think of construction, that's building the new space.

Before you can build, you have to tear down what's there.

When is that happening?

Because that also means the closure of the community center.

That is correct.

So we're anticipating how that transitions on between 2026 and 2027, when um this is already in the works, the recreation division staff are working with this in terms of relocating the programming that's currently at the community center, and relocating them to other community centers.

So we're saying fall 26 will be when this center is closed?

It's a little bit in the works, but that's about the approximate timeline.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

And I just want to put that out there so the community is ready and the community is prepared for that to happen, because this center will be offline for three years outside of the teen center and everything.

So I appreciate it.

And at the appropriate time make the motion to approve.

I just wanted to comment.

Uh I mean, what a difference between this new center and the old one, uh, which is really in need of improvement.

So glad to see that.

Uh the St.

Monica Teen Center is just such a sweet little building.

And I'm just curious, how did that inform the design of the rest of the park?

I know you have got the past to present pathway, but was there any sort of other incorporation of that?

And then is the purpose going to be the same?

And then the closure, I was just curious how that's working as well.

Well, that's an interesting question because we do kind of know that we are creating a brand new community center, and we don't necessarily want to replicate the particular uh architectural historic architectural facade of the teen center.

We kind of want to want to continue to make that its own special place.

Um, in terms of um, I'm sorry, what was it's gonna have the same purpose.

Oh, yes, it will, yes, I'm gonna do that.

Uh the closure schedule will it be closed the entire time that the rest of the facilities are.

It will need to be closed at the same time, yes.

So there will also be relocation of that um the team programming there as well.

Okay.

So yes, before we make a motion, just want to know when you I'm making some suggestions.

It's not binding.

I just want to make sure that as we make a recommendation to approve the schematic design that some of those enhancements will be explored, because I do think it will make the experience of being in the place, but also getting to the place of it better.

So I just want to make sure that once we say that, those don't kind of disappear.

Uh but I'm saying explore because I know I cannot mandate that.

All right.

Council Branch, you want to make the motion?

So I move to approve the schematic design for Tarborough Road Park as recommended by the city's park, recreation, and greenway advisory board.

You want to second it?

I will second.

Okay.

Um appreciate all the good conversation and and obviously the work for this what will be an amazing transformation of Tarborough Road Park.

Um, all in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All oppose nay.

All right.

Okay.

We are now to the public hearing.

And the first uh items are public nuisance abatement with Bryce Abernathy.

I will say from disclosure, one of the addresses on here is next to my house.

So um I have no interest one way or the other beyond obviously wanting uh but just pointing that out.

Good afternoon, Mayor, City Council, Bryce Abernathy.

Um Housing and Community Development Department Code Enforcement.

Um have several nuisance abatements here for you today uh to confirm liens for the work that took place to bring the property in compliance with the nuisance code.

Um it should note that two of these have been paid.

Uh 5708 Creole Court and 1840 Vintage Road have both been paid.

Our first one here is 619 Cumberland, which is one that we revisit time and time again.

Um again, no no contact with the ownership during that process.

They're just missing an action with this particular property.

Um I didn't um Councilor Patton usually asks how many times how many liens we've got on this property.

Um it's about 28 liens over the past 10 years or so.

Um roughly about 47,000.

Oh my gosh.

Um I did hear this morning through contact with the city attorney's office that the county is starting a process of trying to foreclose on that property, so hopefully that will be a a good thing to happen.

Will you remind me, or the city attorney will you remind me if the county proceeds with a foreclosure?

Do we recoup the revenue on the liens?

Typically it's well, it's two answers.

Um if there is a buyer other than um a private uh entity that buys the property, then yes.

But if it's just um there are no bidders and the county takes it in, then no.

Second one on the list.

1910 West Millbrook Road was a rather large abatement.

There was building uh numerous piles of building debris, um, high grass, trash on the yard.

Um it kind of just kept going.

Um but we we have been in contact with the ownership, had several conversations with them.

They are in the process of selling this property.

Um we actually have some uh enforcement level on the uh structures that are out there also.

Okay, I have a question on this one.

How did how did you get to $9,000 though?

How did we get to 9,000?

It's based on uh the team from the transportation department does this abatements for us.

Uh-huh.

And it's based solely on the equipment that they use, the time it takes to clean it up, um, and they they send that information to us and we put it in the letter to the property owner.

Um the next one is 621 West South Street.

Again, this was just high grass on the right-of-way and several uh piles of debris within the lot.

Um I did reach out to the property owner about a couple weeks before the abatement because we had had issues with this property back in September of 24.

Left him a message and there was no response from him.

So we didn't have a question.

Uh 4304 Woodlawn, another high grass and some limbs on the property.

Um then 4325 uh Woodlawn High Grass.

If you have any questions, uh move to confirm the liens as recommended by staff.

All right.

So um and I need to open hearings for each one of these.

I think attorney said all that.

You can open all again.

Okay.

All right.

So opening the public hearing for all of these properties that we just mentioned.

And there is no one signed up to speak, so I am closing the hearing.

All right.

Anyone want to make a motion?

Sorry, move to confirm the liens as recommended by staff.

Okay.

Second.

Thank you.

All right.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right.

I got a name.

The $9,000 one just kind of bothers me.

So you're you're voting against 1910 West Millburg.

That is correct.

And I will add that the lot was is over two acres and it was kind of all over the place.

Okay.

Um, let's just do that one separate um so that uh we voted on all the others um move.

Do you want to make the motion again uh for 1910 West Melbourne?

Okay.

Yeah, so I'm just so I'm just doing that.

Move to confirm the lien on 1910 West Millbrook.

Okay.

Uh second.

Uh all in favor of that.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

I oppose.

Okay.

So that is 721.

All right.

Thank you.

Uh next we have a petition annexation, and we have uh or a series of them, Christopher Golden.

A series of them, correct.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Honorable Mayor, members of the council.

I'm Christopher Golden with planning and development.

So the first annexation that you have before you today is on uh 3130 Tryon Road.

So this is one of the last few of those parcels along Tryon Road that are still outside of city limits.

There's a pre-existing single family home on this property.

It's about a quarter of an acre.

So on R 10 with a special residential parking overlay district.

As I mentioned, it has a pre-existing single family home.

They're looking to hook up for water uh hook up to water and sewer.

That is uh directly to the lot.

Do you have any questions I could answer on this property?

Any questions on Tryon Road?

No.

Okay.

So I will uh open the hearing.

And there is no one signed up for or against closing the hearing.

And I'll make a motion to approve the annexation.

Second.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Right.

Great.

Thank you.

So the next one that you have here is AX925 at 2418 Kirk Avenue.

This is actually very close.

You could walk to it.

So it's zoned uh office mixed use, three conditional use.

Uh again, this one's just over just over a quarter of an acre.

Um it is uh the proposed use is residential.

They're looking the owner's looking to construct eight to ten multifamily townhomes, residential.

Uh there's no associated development review with this case or subdivision with this case at this time.

There's water in Kirk, uh Kirk Avenue.

Uh so uh just south of the parcel, and there's public sewer available in the rear of the property.

So it's contiguous and inside of the ETJ.

Um if it were annexed today, it would be brought into the the uh the boundaries of council district D.

And I'm more than happy to answer question any questions that you have.

I just really will quickly just go through the slides, slideshow on site location.

Um, and then there you can see where the water and sewer is located on that property.

But more than happy to answer any questions that you have.

All right.

Questions on 2418 Kirk.

Nope all right.

Uh I do have uh if I open the hearing, I did have two individuals here, Paul Manna and Monique Kowalik.

In support.

Go ahead.

Hey, how are you guys doing?

Okay.

Uh I guess I signed up to just on some questions.

Okay.

Okay.

And you're you're Paul.

Um questions for him.

Okay.

We appreciate you being here.

Yeah.

Um if there's no questions, I will close the hearing.

Is there a motion?

Yeah, I'll motion to approve the annexation.

Okay.

Second.

Uh have a motion and a second.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right, so that passes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Next annexation.

Uh AX1225 at 428 Forestville Road.

So this is zoned residential R4 and also conservation management.

I'll go through the slides in a little more detail.

The proposed use on this property is residential, so the owners are looking at constructing 12 town homes on the site.

Uh there's one site plan that's currently in review right now.

There's sewer and water, uh, there's sewer available on site.

Waters adjacent to the east and west, which I'll show you in just a moment.

Uh it does border Har Harris Creek.

Um the future land use map on this shows this is low-scale residential.

So here you can see the site location.

You see Harris Creek dust just to the south.

Um, and then you can see the aerial there.

Uh there was a house on the property.

Um it had burnt down previously, so and it was unrepairable.

So now the site is uh they're looking to develop the site.

So um you can see there on the zoom out where it's located.

You can see the Noose River just to the west of the site.

And then you can see there the green line showing sewer lines going through the property and then water lines going for through Forestville Road.

Uh it is zoned R4 and uh conservation management, conservation management along the creek, so any potential development would be there outside of the creek area.

Um and you can see the future land uh land map shows this is low-scale residential.

Uh in the area there is a manufactured home park, low-scale residential, single-family homes, and some townhomes.

Um I think I've hit everything.

I do know that the owner has uh has requested to delay the effective date until June 30th, 2026.

Um but uh I believe uh possibly they're here and they can speak to that, but I can answer any questions that you might have.

So I do not have anyone signed up um for this agenda.

So um I will open the public hearing and close it.

Um we don't have anyone signed up to speak, but I think uh delayed annexation here is fine um to align with our development plans.

And uh speaking personally, I live somewhat close to this property and it's been uh a a burned shell of a house for a while, so I'm excited to see that something might happen to it in the coming years.

So uh motion to approve the annexation.

And do you want to say date?

Oh motion to approve the annexation effective June 30th, 2026.

Thank you.

Second.

All right.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right.

I think on that two, when you do do an approved effective date, you also have to approve whether there would be uh utilities connected to that prior, because the uh the policy and law does allow for that.

So that's right.

Yeah, we it's been a minute since we did it this way.

So I can revise a motion.

Motion to approve the annexation effective June 30th, 2026 with permission to hook up to water and sewer.

Yep.

Second thought from a do we need a revote?

Uh all in favor of the revised motion.

Please let me know.

Thank you.

All opposed.

Right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Next one.

Next one.

Um give me a moment to catch up.

There we go.

Uh AX-25, which is AX 1525, pardon me, which is 2908 Sadie Hopkins Street.

This is a non-contiguous annexation inside the ETJ.

Um it is indicated on the agenda as contiguous.

However, it's not.

Uh this is just south of Trion Road, which we'll see in just a moment.

Again, uh another quarter acre property.

Uh, we're on a theme.

Uh currently vacant.

There's a the owners propose are proposing to construct a single family home on the site.

Um we've seen that in this area as it fills in.

Uh it's residential R4.

It is in the Swift Creek uh land use plan area.

It's classified as new urban.

There's water and sewer adjacent to the site.

Um we can see here uh the site location.

So you can see just to the north, there's some lots that have already come into the city and to the south.

Um you have uh zoom outs, you can see Tryon Road just to the north.

And you can see that there are through the blue lines, water lines in City Hopkins Street, and you can see that there's actually sewer uh to the site at the rear of the property.

Uh the current zoning on that is R 4, uh consistent with single family residential.

The future land use map shows this is low-scale residential.

So if it's annexed into the city today, it will be brought into the confines uh or confines, the borders of uh council district D.

I also do want to mention that there is an assessment lien on the property for about 411.

I think as of this morning it might be paid because it shows pending on the website.

So I'm more than happy to answer any questions that you might have.

All right.

Questions.

Um I do have uh uh individuals signed up for the I do have one question.

Yes.

Um with this being out on an island, um as far as fire says water is adjacent, but what about from a fire standpoint?

Is there is the infrastructure there?

I can I cannot speak for uh whether or not there are fire hydrants nearby, though there is water infrastructure there.

Uh I don't know where the I don't know for sure the closest fire hydrant.

It is possible the fire may be able to speak to that, but I don't have that information.

I think you have a friend coming to help.

Oh perfect.

Thank you.

At the south end of the street.

Okay.

Uh another one up here.

And one up here.

That's helpful.

Okay.

And I'll leave to Chief to speak what he may want to say.

Yeah.

Oh, just what Pat Young uh planning and development.

One more comment is with the development, if if there's not a uh hydrant within distance, it may have to be installed by the owner.

So that's a requirement?

It can be a fire determines it's necessary.

Yep.

I'm pretty sure they would.

Since you're here.

As always, Herbert Griffin, Fire Chief, emergency manager.

With infrastructure like this, module homes and manufactured homes is required to have a fire hydration within 500 feet.

Right now we partner with Wade County and do shuttles with tankers.

So the possibility of a structure kitchen fire and we saving it, little do not.

Because water becomes an issue when you have to tank or water into from Wade County.

So my suggestion would be that hydroxy be required.

Okay.

And where that will be taking place during site plan.

Plan review.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

So that's where that would take place.

So thank you.

All right, you have a question?

Yeah, I think maybe uh this is kind of building off of this, and maybe there is no answer, but obviously we're sort of popcorning through this neighborhood, right?

There's like four parcels, and it seems like each time one wants to redevelop, then that's when I get it in.

But it's kind of inefficient in while we wait for that all to happen.

I know we can't involuntarily annex these folks uh legally, but I'm wondering if like we have any models for how to incentivize more critical mass when we have situations like this.

Those are I mean, those are really good points.

I think that as these areas fill in with voluntary annexation, the infrastructure builds out, it's more likely that they will annex in the future.

Uh we have seen over the years a trend in this neighborhood uh uh lots being sold off and developed for single family homes, but since it is voluntary, we see them as they come.

But this is one area where you do see that happen quite frequently.

So you think that like the coming years we'll just begin to fill this in the U.S.

I believe so.

I mean that's what we've seen lately.

So the incentive is to wait.

Yeah.

Somebody else to do it.

Okay.

So I'll open the uh public hearing for AX 1525, and we had Cammy Singer here.

Yeah.

Come on down.

Hello.

I'm just here to answer questions.

Okay.

Okay.

Any questions for Mr.

Singer?

Um Are you going to be looking to redevelop this?

Yes.

So that also would include the fire extinguisher.

I mean, fire extinguisher.

Fire hydrate.

Um in the area as far as the development you're prepared for that.

I just learned about this, so I'll have to do that.

Until now, I uh there was nobody to talk to speak with, so we'll once when next I'll I'll figure out everything.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Okay.

I will close the public hearing.

Uh do we have a motion?

Yeah, I'll make the motion to adopt the ordinance.

Okay.

I'll second it.

Um other discussion?

All in favor of the motion.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Thanks.

All right.

Thank you.

Next annexation.

Uh AX-1325.

Uh this is at 1539 Old Mill Burney Road.

Uh it's a larger parcel that we've seen today.

It's 94.4 acres.

Uh it's between the Noose River and uh it's about uh half a mile to the west of uh I-540.

So um this was rezoned back in 2021 as R6 conditional use.

Um it's uh it is uh future land use map identifies the site as a little real scale residential, as you'll see shortly.

Uh there's water and sewer lines that are adjacent to the property, uh and and in Old Mill Burney Road.

It's currently subject to uh two plants which are in review, uh subdivision and site plan uh site permit review.

Um this is technically in an unincorporated county pocket.

Uh it is in an area that's completely surrounded by city limits by the city of Raleigh on one side and uh uh on three sides, and on the east side by the town of Nightdale.

So uh you can see here this is the site, it's adjacent to the Noose River uh and then uh lake just to the north.

Um it has uh water and sewer, which are uh running through old Millburney Road and then adjacent to the property.

So you can see the current zoning on this is R6 conditional use.

There are some uh conservation management areas in there as well, as you can see along the river.

Um you can see the site has quite a bit of topography.

Uh I'm not sure why the floodplain is not popping up on this, but there is some floodplain along the Noose River.

Uh any building that takes place on this property obviously wouldn't take place in the floodplain.

Uh you can see the site location there, the aerial.

So it's currently vacant and wooded, uh uh with some uh with some open space in between.

Um you can see the uh this is the subdivision plan uh is actually in in review.

So uh you can see the subdivision plan there that they have planned for the property with some natural areas.

Um the owner plans to construct 254 units and uh 2,000 square foot of commercial.

If it's brought into the city, it would be brought into the boundaries of council district B.

And uh what questions you have that I can answer for you on this.

Questions?

Yes.

I don't know if it's uh question and more so um in these annexations, I think I'm trying to wrestle with the smaller ones that are in them getting to better understand that, but this is ninety-four acres, and so I constantly go, okay, what did we hear in our council retreat?

And where um do we see is there in the annexation report, or how do we know outside of what was said at council retreat, how staff feels about this?

Because the I feel like these are the ones that they're like, hey, let's not do large annexations like this, and how do I know how to incorporate that?

Well, uh that will be presented uh I believe on September 15th, September 16th at uh at our work session, where council will bring a report or staff will bring a report to y'all that we've worked invented throughout the city uh to uh to talk about that, right?

So that it that is coming, and we are working on that.

So uh more to come, but we are on our way to that.

So thank you for that.

I think for me, until I hear that I'm I'm a bit hesitant to um be in favor of these large rezonings, but that's just my thoughts.

Any exception?

Any other questions?

All right.

I will open the public hearing and close the public hearing as no one has signed up and other discussion.

No, I'm uh I'm agree with Councilmember Jones.

I'm I'm a sensitive to the idea that we need to have a larger policy discussion, but in the meantime, there's like these cases where the business needs to get done.

Um for my part I'm I'm gonna motion to move it forward, but I am like sensitive understanding of of the reluctance move to you want to make more point?

Uh well I was gonna say I look forward to the conversation of September 15th.

I think the debate we're having is inside versus outside, particularly the short and long-range urban service area.

Um I'm gonna support this, but I do understand uh Councilmember Jones' concern.

Uh so I look very carefully.

This one's contiguous inside uh versus outside.

So I use that as a primary guide.

So I but I do look forward to that conversation of September 15th.

So with that, I'll move to adopt the annexation.

Okay.

Second.

Any other discussion?

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed?

Nay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um last but not least.

Next one is Rock Quarry Road, right?

Totally on.

So I need a glass of water after this.

I'm feeling a little dehydrated.

Um AX1625, 5424 Rock Quarry Road, much smaller parcel, one point uh 1.17 acre property on uh Rock Quarry Road.

Uh it was rezoned back in 2012 to permit retail uses.

Uh there's currently a plan under review on that.

Um so public utilities are immediately adjacent to the property, which we'll see shortly.

Uh and then uh so the property also is located in in an unincorporated county pocket.

So you're looking at a site that's completely surrounded, or it's in a little island that's completely surrounded by the city of Raleigh City Limits.

You can actually see that on this map.

Um you can see the utility location here, site indicated in red.

So you've got sewer to the edge of the site, you've got water and rock quarry road.

Um the zoning on this is NX3, uh parking limited conditional use.

There are some retail sites in the area, um, some scattered residential as well.

Topography is fairly flat.

There's no floodplain uh in the area, and you can see that light that site is currently vacant but directly adjacent to a uh retail site.

So and you can uh see the uh site plan there for uh what is soon to be uh if approved an auto zone.

If it's brought into the boundary, if it's if it's brought into the city limits today, it'll be brought into uh the boundaries of district C.

Uh can I answer any questions for you today on this one?

Um questions on Rock Quarry Road.

Okay.

I will open the public hearing and close the public hearing.

It's not many, but I'm glad to see something with some jobs.

So I'll move for approval of annexation.

Okay.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right, so that passes.

And we next have 1220 and 1246 Wicker Drive.

Right there.

Good afternoon.

Hannah Recow planning and development.

So this is rezoning requests the 4824, two properties on Wicker Drive.

About three and a half acres in size, uh currently zoned industrial mixed use, three stories, the requesting commercial mixed use, 20 stories, urban limited uh with conditions.

So this site is north of downtown, kind of in the Capitol Boulevard corridor.

See, Capitol Boulevard here, Atlantic Avenue to the west, and then um ironworks development uh south of the site.

There are two conditions that are proposed.

One would prohibit uh detention centers, jails, and prisons.

The other um applies caps to retail office and residential units.

So the big picture uh existing versus proposed here.

We have uh a change from one mixed-use district to another.

IX has a prohibition on residential on the ground floor, so that would be removed.

And then the the um maximum number of stories increases significantly.

Um increasing uh mainly residential entitlement, the proposed conditions are are capping that um as you see here.

Request is consistent with the comprehensive plan overall, uh, consistent with the future land use map designation of community mixed use.

There are a handful of designations also on the urban form map, including Best Rapid Transit area and frequent transit area, and the request is consistent uh with those designations as well.

A number of um consistent policies.

There's a couple slides of these.

Um really touching on the um location near major infrastructure, the mix of land uses that would be permitted uh in the development, and then the inclusion of the urban frontage, urban limited frontage um in uh the request.

There are no inconsistent policies found for this request, and the planning commission uh voted unanimously to recommend approval.

So happy to answer any questions you have.

Okay.

Questions?

Yeah, hi.

Uh you might have to phone some transportation friends.

But I know that a big piece of why the height here is being considered like policy aligned is because of its um adjacency to the Route 1 and then future North BRT.

But you can't like actually get there.

There's a there's a railroad and a steep firm, and um so I guess I'm just wondering if someone can speak to sort of the overall plan for how we get this area connected to capital, which is sort of the one of the guiding principles of why this is uh considered policy aligned.

Sure, absolutely.

Yeah, transportation staff can address that question.

Good afternoon, Council Carter Robertson with uh transportation.

Yes, we're very aware we uh share the same concern as we move forward with our BRT plans, being able to connect this area over to Capitol is going to be very important.

Um over the past few years with Ironworks, our our staff has had conversations with the developers about ways to get over so far.

Nothing concrete has been proposed by them, but we'll continue those conversations on the private side.

Uh we anticipate uh newer stages of development to come in this undeveloped area here, kind of filling in IRWorks, connecting this proposed street that's there.

Um apart from that.

Um just to touch on the northern BRT a little bit more.

Right now we're doing our major investment study, and that's really narrowing down alternative uh alignments for two different routes, one from downtown to Triangle Town Center, and one from downtown to midtown.

And so looking at these alternatives, um there could be uh one on Capitol, one Atlantic.

We're also looking on Wake Forest.

So while that isn't confirmed yet, there's going to be likely a transit uh transit station near the site.

Once we identify that alignment, we'll go into the station area planning and start looking at those first last mile connections, see how we can make these connections work.

Um active mobility plan as well.

We'll be presenting that to y'all uh hopefully by the end of the year.

Um we have a few segments like Atlantic Avenue, Whitaker Mill identified as potential sidewalk projects for the future that would help out.

Does that answer your question?

Yeah, I think so.

And then just as a follow-along.

So there's public project, city project to improve the intersection at Whitaker Mill and Atlantic, like you said.

And then what, if any I know you you kind of alluded that conversations will continue with private sector, but are there any like previous commitments on previous rezonings in the area that are kind of bind to the private sector to work in this area as well?

Not that I'm aware of on the pedestrian side of things.

Okay, thank you.

All right, any other questions?

I will open the public hearing and close it.

No one signed up.

Is there a motion?

Yeah.

So this I think is a continuation of the development is taking place really in Ironworks.

And I know there's some streets that they're l that are within the property that they're looking to connect out.

So I think that will help address a lot of our connectivity in the area.

But the beauty behind it is if people are living there, they won't need to drive.

They can just walk across the street to the commercial development that is there and the retail that is there.

So I definitely appreciate that work.

And also appreciate the work of the ABC Commission that they have found a new home for their warehouse.

So with that being said, and since the air is closed, I move to adopt the proposed consistency statement dated August 19th, 2025.

Did you have a question?

Yes.

I stop.

Are we going to hear from that from the applicant or no?

No one signed up.

Oh, okay.

But I didn't want to offer that.

I do believe they're here if you have any questions.

Oh, okay.

I'm just curious what is the plan for this building.

Yeah, are they going to continue operating this space?

What is it?

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

I got to just sign back in the U.S.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council, Jason Barron with Morningstar Law Group here on behalf of the Wake ABC Commission.

The plan is to move the existing warehouse to one that they're currently working on.

And so really the reason behind this rezoning is to position it for future redevelopment once the new warehouse that's being constructed is completed and they can move all of their existing operations to that location.

So is the expectation they will move and then sell the site likely?

More than likely we'll partner with a developer.

Yeah, Wake ABC Commission is not a developer, so they'll be looking for development partners.

And then those any proceeds would be for their own operations.

That's right.

Thank you.

Very welcome.

Okay.

Questions, comments?

Okay.

I moved to adopt the proposed consistency consistency statement, data August 19th, 2025, contained in the agenda items, agenda materials, and to approve the zoning amendment with the adoption and effective dates describing the agenda items under recommended action.

Second.

All right.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All right.

Unanimous.

And next we have 201 Bragg Street.

All right.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

I'm Matthew Clem with Raleigh Planning and Development.

Z225 is a request to rezone 0.07 acres for the purposes of permitting a broader range of neighborhood serving uses on the property.

Some of you may remember a similar rezoning case from a few years ago for the Peacock's grocery on Leverster Court.

Has similar kind of history and conditions as this one.

So that may be fresh in some of your minds.

The Planning Commission and the Historic Development Commission have both recommended approval for the rezoning request.

The property is currently zoned residential 10 with the South Park neighborhood, excuse me, the South Park Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District.

And the requested zoning is to neighborhood mixed use with a three-story height limit maintaining the neighborhood conservate conservation overlay district.

The NCOD for South Park sets a couple of uh components of development, regulates them for future development, including uh minimum and maximum lot size, lot width, uh, front yard setbacks, the building height is limited to 28.7 feet.

Uh it also manages uh off-street parking and prohibits parking between any new building and the street.

Um the development standards of the NCOD are meant to control the scale and building placement of new structures and are generally designed to ensure that new structures match the physical characteristics of the neighborhood.

So this site, excuse me, this map shows uh an aerial image of the site.

Uh the rezoning site is highlighted in yellow.

Uh the large parcel to the south shown in this picture is under construction, is currently developed uh as a uh four-story townhouse complex.

It was also a recent rezoning with a maximum entitlement of a hundred residential units uh and 10,000 square feet of retail use uh on the southeast corner.

So this is the uh existing structure on the subject site.

This building was built in 1930 and has operated with neighborhood serving uses since then.

Um best I can tell from my research is that uh the structure was originally built as a lunch counter to serve the workers at the Carolina Trailways uh bus facility, which was located on this site here.

Um the deed for the property is labeled the trailways grill uh and newspaper articles from that time advertised uh employment opportunities uh for afternoon shifts only when the weekend work.

So the trailways grill was likely a lunch bar uh for the neighborhood.

Um the site is currently permitted to operate as a corner store under an existing nonconforming use.

Uh the commercial use of the property predates its residential zoning.

So rezoning the site to neighborhood mixed use would make the existing use a conforming use and expand the permitted uses to include uh indoor recreation, like a Jim or a studio, personal services, hair salon, eating establishment, uh in addition to mixed use developments containing those uses and a story of residential above if if the site is redeveloped.

So the overall redevelopment potential of the site is really limited by its size.

It's 0.07 acres.

It's about 45 feet by 65 feet wide.

Um if the site is redevelopment, redeveloped new structures could likely contain up to six residential units, uh, and you see that the office and retail uh entitlement goes up slightly from what is built there currently.

The request is consistent with the plan overall.

It is inconsistent with the future land use map, which identifies the site, and the larger um South Park neighborhood has moderate scale residential.

The request is consistent with the urban form map uh and the designations that go along with that.

Um the request is consistent overall with the plan, including policy guidance for encouraging walkable mixed use neighborhoods and pedestrian-oriented development, um, and also a policy regarding um in fill in the South Park neighborhood uh by maintaining the neighborhood conservation overlay district.

So the request is inconsistent with a couple of policies.

One, the future land use map and zoning consistency policy, and also the South Park focal point policy from the South Park Small Area Plan.

So that policy identifies um this red area on the map as the focal point.

Um and the rezoning site is just uh to the north of that across the street.

So Raleigh Historic Development Commission recommends approval, uh, noting that maintaining the NCOD will ensure that new buildings on the site conform with the existing built characteristics of the neighborhood, and the planning commission also recommends approval, uh noting that expanding neighborhood serving commercial uses uh will provide convenience and improve walkability for the community.

Um just a quick look at how the future land use map would change.

So if approved, the moderate scale uh residential designation for the site here would be um change to neighborhood mixed use.

Um happy to answer any questions.

Also, we have the applicants, uh, Ms.

Catherine Brown, Mr.

Arnold Brown here to answer um questions and provide brief statements as well.

Great questions?

Yeah, I have a question.

It's probably for our planning director.

It's just a general question, but um, I recall the hoops that that Peacock market had to go through.

Their case was a little different because it was a historical market and corner store, but was actually not on a corner, and so they had to do a rezoning just to be able to just do retail uses.

Now we have this locally owned property that is historical property as well, traditionally served retail, and they've also had to go through this, I would say arduous, and I don't mean that in any disrespect to our planning, but process just to rezone it.

Is there I I would love to re-sort of ignite our conversation around neighborhood oriented retail and goods and services.

I know that a few years ago we were looking at accessory commercial units and the idea of corner stores, and I understand that the limitations we had and what sort of put the brakes on that discussion, but um it may be ripe to to sort of with a new governing body here have a discussion about how do we envision these locally owned neighborhood focused retail locations to exist and to prosper and to reduce car dependency and provide goods and services closer to people and not have to make them go through this process just to get here.

And so I I don't know that that's a specific question that could be answered today, but um it's something that I would like to maybe see if you could bring back to us if we if you had ideas.

Um I hate that they had to go through this just to to make their existing use conform and be able to do something else with the property.

Sure.

Thank you, Councilmember and up yellow planning and development.

Certainly an area of concern.

There's been, as you're well aware, kind of a broader community conversation around the appropriate scale intensity of neighborhood commercial and retail.

So we're looking at that issue very closely as part of our comprehensive plan update.

That will be close to 24 months before we bring you final action recommendations on that.

If there's something that you all want to look at earlier than that, we certainly can, as you alluded to, there are some considerations with um some of the recent changes in the state law, but I do think there are some things we can continue to do.

So we will continue to look at that and our engagement with the comprehensive plan to date has as included this issue and we'll continue to do so.

Yeah, I mean I don't want to create extra work selfishly.

I won't be here in 24 months, and it's something that it's like the one little thorn in my side that I would like to get accomplished before I depart from from the seat.

Um if there is a touch point we could be provided, or if there's anything maybe lower hanging fruit that we could move forward before the comprehensive plan update.

I would certainly be interested in reinvigorating that discussion, but I am glad to hear that it's going to be part of the uh larger comprehensive plan update.

Thank you.

We have uh would if you'd like to come up, uh Ms.

Brown, Mr.

Brown, and then also Dominique Fay's son.

Yeah.

So uh Councilor Branch, if you want to.

I'll let it go first.

Okay.

Yeah.

If you all want to just make some remarks and then we can do QA.

Like you said, we the Browns, and um we just want to thank you for meeting with us today.

You know, we just here to discuss like the proposed rezoning for our property at 201 Bragg, you know.

Um and we currently operate, like you said, also as a retail store under a restrictive nonconforming use permit as the property is zone RTN.

Um we just um like um we seek in rezoning to the neighborhood mixed use.

This change would just allow us to lease the property, you know, to other businesses, you know, and focus and other similar community-focused retail and service establishments.

We think this shift of uh NH3 would unlock the true potential of 201 Bragg Street and be a huge benefit to the community around Bragg Street.

Um it will bring much needed services and amenities directly to the residents, fostering a more you know walkable and self-sufficient neighborhood, allowing other businesses can become natural gathering places for residents because it is a pedestrian-friendly area.

201 Bragg Street has always served the community, and we kindly ask for your um support in this approval.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

So my question is because I guess what is it what's currently been what's currently there?

It's uh um retail shop, smoke shop, evape shop.

Tobacco shop.

Okay.

Okay.

And the goals, the I guess the reason why you you doing a rezoning, I guess you want to do some work on the building and you need to be in compliant in order to do that or our hands were tired of what we could do with the building.

So we just want a more, you know, we want more opportunity to lease to other people, you know, other businesses, you know.

So okay.

Yes, uh council.

Well, I'll I'll wait for the other people to ask you questions.

I'm I'm fine.

I have a question for the director.

Any other questions for the applicants?

No, I mean this this is a rezoning um about basic, I think making them more compliant.

They can operate as they currently exist.

And I think they want others um, regardless of what type of retail it is, that's not something we can we have jurisdiction over.

Um so this is just about um the current zoning.

Okay.

And if there's any other questions, I'll close the public hearing.

And now um Councillor Summer, you have a question for the planning director.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Patrick, it's fair to say this was a legal nonconforming use.

Uh I agree with Councilmember Lambert Melton.

When we did the future land use map, we looked at generally the land use category of the area and tried not to carve out individual lots.

I think as you look at the compensation plan, we have to recognize there are pre-existing uses because by virtue of the future land use map is deemed inconsistent even though it pre-existed the future land use map.

So as we look at this enabled retail, it is a departure, but I think we have to be a bit more microscopic in these conditions.

So I would just offer that because I, you know, and on top of it, you had a neighborhood conservation overlay district, which had a lot of sensitivity in South Park that was very concerned about potential for gentrification and change.

So I would certainly welcome the conversation as we look at the next version of the future land use map to look at the more smaller land use categories that may make sense because this is just one lot.

So that's something I would just put on the table.

But I look forward to that conversation going forward, because you are right, there's a lot of pre-existing neighborhood retail that was deemed inconsistent because of looking at a general error of the future land use map.

That's great feedback, thank you.

And you're certainly right.

And the Peacock Grocery was alluded to is the same set of facts.

So we certainly can look at those.

Um we're we are doing a site-by-site analysis and can flag those for you.

So thanks for that feedback.

Appreciate it.

Do we have a motion?

Do you want to do it?

I can do it.

Because it falls in line with some of the things you sure.

I'm happy to do it.

Um, I'm happy to make the motion to approve your request.

Um appreciate you participating in the process, and hopefully we can make a little easier for folks that want to come behind you.

But um with that said, is the hearing closed?

Yes.

I move to adopt the proposed consistency statement dated August 19th, 2025, contained in the agenda materials and to approve the zoning amendment with the adoption and effective dates described in the agenda item under recommended action.

This approval is also deemed an amendment to the future land use map to the extent described in the adopted consistency statement.

Second.

Okay.

Uh we have a motion and second.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

And the ayes have it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

All right.

We have one final rezoning.

Uh 3328 Forestville Road.

Hannah Ruckel.

Yes, so this is case Z 725.

Uh one property, 3328 Forestville Road.

It's a little over 14 acres in size, currently zoned R4.

The requesting CX4 conditional use.

And I'll note right at the top uh early version of the um agenda left out some of the typical documentation.

I believe that has been uh added to the agenda was also circulated earlier today to the council.

So situating ourselves, this is a property at the corner of Mitchell Mill Road and Forestville Road.

Currently the Wake Crossroads Baptist Church is located on the property, generally a residential area, although there is commercial on uh south and east um side of this intersection.

There is one proposed zoning condition that lays out a series of um development scenarios where residential office and retail uses would be capped.

Um there's one for um one for each of them and then several mixed-use scenarios.

Um these are really informing.

This next chart.

Um this is going from a residential district to a uh mixed-use district, so an increase um across the board introduction of commercial uses.

Um note the the applicant has conveyed that the intent is um not redevelopment, but to gain access to the broader uh range of signs that are permitted in CX compared to R4.

Uh this request is consistent with the comprehensive plan.

The future land use map designation on the site is community mixed use.

And there are a series of consistent policies you can see here citing the mix of uses, increase in housing entitlement, uh, inconsistent policies uh relate to uh unmet um fire response standards in the area.

And then finally, the planning commission recommended approval 7-0.

Happy to answer any questions you have.

Okay.

Questions from Mr.

Ruckel.

Hi.

Just on the topic of signs, uh, wanted to confirm that in this zoning district the digital moving copy signs that are allowed on like the performing art center, they are not permitted in this zoning district.

Is that right?

I would have to check my notes, but I can follow up with the question.

Councilmember, those are not allowed anywhere except downtown.

Okay.

That's my only question.

Okay.

All right.

So we have a public hearing and we have Chad Essex signed up.

Is Mr.

Esseck here?

Yes.

Good afternoon, Mayor Cowell, members of the Raleigh City Council Chad Esseck with Pointer Sprue 301 Fayable Street Suite 1900.

Here this uh afternoon on behalf of the applicant owner of this property, Wake Crossroads Baptist Church.

Uh joining me here this afternoon is Jeff Gordon.

Uh he is the executive pastor of the church as well as Greg Pickman uh who serves on the as a corporate officer and trustee of the church.

Um I will try not to be too redundant.

Ms.

Rekha's done a nice job summarizing the case, but um just for those history buffs on council, um the roots of Wake Crossroads Baptist Church dates back to 1789 uh when it was formally constituted as the Baptist Church of Christ at Crossroads.

Uh it's considered to be one of the oldest Baptist churches in uh Wake County.

Throughout much of the 18 and 1900s, the church's primary place of worship was the on the east side of Fayetteville, I mean excuse me, Forceville uh Forestville Road, so over in this location here.

Um and then the church burned down, they rebuilt it and um it stayed in its current location until um uh the 1980s, the church acquired this uh 14 acres across Forestville Road, and in 1996 they built uh the first part of this church, a 24,000 square foot education and worship space.

And then in 2009, the church constructed a 32,000 square foot addition that includes a full-size gymnasium, uh a student wing, a preschool wing, and uh a commercial kitchen.

In 2015, the City of Raleigh acquired significant right-of-way in slope easements, drainage easements, and utility easements uh along Mitchell Mill and Forestville Roads in connection with the Mitchell Mill Road widening project.

Um as a result of those roadway improvements, um you'll see that's what it looked like before uh the roadway improvements.

Uh as a result of those um the those crosses that were there had to be removed.

And since that time, um the church has been evaluating um uh how to come back and put those crosses back and to have uh signage visibility from Mitchell Mill and Forestville Road.

The challenges that they face is that the uh the slope easements and how far back the easements are that uh encumber that corner, how far back it would be, it would be a challenge to uh to have signage that would be visible under the existing R4 zoning.

Under the R4 zoning, uh all you can have is a tract ID sign with in the copy area and the sign size is is pretty nominal.

And so they came to me and said we have this issue, and we talked about you know signed variance from the board of adjustment.

In my experience, uh sign variances are fairly uh disfavored at the Board of Adjustment.

And considering the fact that this property was already uh designated on the future land use map as community mixed use uh and a rezoning to the CX designation would be consistent with that, we propose to move forward with the rezoning.

We uh filed it as a general use case uh and then converted it to a conditional use case to add those conditions that staff referenced to avoid a rather expensive traffic study that was not needed uh given uh the there's no plans by the church to redevelop this site uh in um any time.

So uh with that, of course, I'm happy to answer any questions.

We did have two neighborhood meetings uh that were sparsely attended, uh no concerns that we've uh heard from the community in the neighborhood and their surrounding area.

So with that, uh we'd ask for your support today and uh happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Uh questions from Mr.

Esseck, yep.

Yeah, and this might actually be for our staff.

Um it just seems like it's a little bit of an odd request if really the goal is just to get a larger sign.

And I understand why you're going this route if that felt like the easier path.

I wonder if our staff can just speak to the Board of Adjustment variance process for signage and what is the constraint there?

Do we have kind of an issue with process perhaps?

I can't speak to the Board of Adjustment process specifically, but what I can say is that this is not the only worship community that we have heard from on this issue.

And so we are looking in the department at how to uh better accommodate places of worship and their sign needs in residential districts, uh looking at opportunities for uh considering I don't know if I don't know if there's a solution, but we're sincerely looking to see if we can figure out a way to better accommodate signage needs for places of worship in residential districts.

Okay, yeah, I appreciate that.

This just seems like a a lot to go through for this.

We thought so too.

Yeah.

Yeah.

If I could uh also speak to the Board of Adjustment.

The Board of Adjustment Hearing is a quasi-judicial hearing.

And so they would have to meet certain standards in order for that variance to be granted.

And those standards really are high.

And so I think what you heard Mr.

EtSix say was because of that, there is the likelihood that the gr the variants wouldn't be granted at the Board of Adjustment.

Madam Mayor, after we I want to talk about that a little bit more after we go get through this hearing.

All right.

Any other questions for Mr.

Essex or the Okay.

So I'm gonna go ahead and close.

Close the public hearing.

Yes.

All right.

Bottom ended with a good point.

In your review, I I think we may be open to a tax change.

The history in Raleigh is that it got a very bad reputation about signage.

And so we did a 180 and it became very restrictive, including monotony signs.

If you drive throughout the city, you'll see uh these kind of site ID signs that have all the same colors or in shopping centers.

And so a lot of people are getting caught.

And so uh I think we would as you explore options, we would be very open uh in not just uh places of worship in residential areas, but but people have called me with other issues for sign that have a nonconforming sign and have to go through hoops.

And so I think we're past an error where people got the appearance of our signs and sign of copy.

Uh so as you look at it, I do agree to go through rezoning process for a sign uh is a bit onerous, and so it sounds like we would be open to some other options for a minor text change that doesn't open up Pandora's box, but doesn't put property owners in an awkward place.

If I might, Pat Young with planning and development, want to thank you for that feedback.

We do have um biannual omnibus tax changes, which are small changes that are kind of technical corrections or minor policy changes.

We can certainly bring back something for your consideration to that process to make um more permission more permissive allowances for churches in residential areas and then potentially other types of nonconforming signs.

And Pat, just to throw one more bit of feedback in the mix.

I think if if there can't be found like a way to craft it for all residential districts, it seems like this is coming to us because of right of way we took to do our to do our project and or an NCDOT project perhaps.

Uh so maybe the if we can't find a pathway for all residential uh civic uses, that the pathway is more about like if we are we are the ones who caused you to need a new sign, we're more permissive in what we allow you to rebuild or something.

Yeah, I think we could do that.

We'll have to work with the attorney's office, but right if we cause the nonconformity, we could allow it to be re-established.

Yeah.

Cool.

All right.

All that great discussion.

Um, lots in my neighborhood today.

This is my polling place when I vote on election day.

Um I move to adopt the proposed consistency statement dated August 12th, 2025, contained in the agenda materials and to approve the zoning amendment with the adoption and effective dates described in the agenda item under recommended action.

Second.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

If not, all in favor of a motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

And that passes unanimously.

Thank you all for going through so much.

Uh okay.

That concludes.

Well, yeah, I thank you, um, Councillor Silver and Councillor Patton kind of to go let the vote go first.

But um definitely if staff would go back and look at just the sign, because I have a church pastor who reached out to me after a row construction project that the city did and and widening the road, and they will like to figure out how they work with their sign.

Um so if we can just and make it be, I think follow line with institutions for for churches, because they have their own.

Churches can be in any zone district, period.

So I think if we tie it to churches in that aspect, it'll cover it regardless of what their zoning condition is.

Okay.

Uh next we have the uh reports of various committees.

Um there is none from economic development, growth and natural resources, um safe, vibrant and healthy community committee has some pending items.

Yes, we have three pending items.

We will touch all three.

We may not make a decision on all three.

One would depend on our conversation on our closed session, but we will meet Tuesday from 9 until 10 the 26th.

So we will be here from nine until six on Tuesday, so we can make that trip to the chamber event.

Great.

Yeah, that's a nine to two.

Nine and ten.

Okay, then we uh transportation has one item pending.

Yes, we have one item pending for reasons of conflicting schedule and quorum issues.

Uh we will not meet on the 26th.

We will instead meet at our regularly scheduled time in September.

Thursday, the 25th of September, three to five in council chambers.

Great.

Okay.

Uh then we have the report of the mayor and city council.

Um Mayor Pro Temp Ford, I'll start with you.

Gee boys.

Come on down.

Well, he's coming down.

I had an opportunity to go to the basketball games that he hailed this summer.

You did six totals, all right?

That's correct.

Yes.

Okay.

I made four and a half, I think, because I got to the last one late and made four in total.

You got any data for how many youth y'all impact?

I know you bought a bunch of pizza and gator aid and stuff.

So I don't have data with okay, but it was successful.

Very successful.

Yes.

And the chief was a coach, he was a player.

I had to bribe the reperees, make sure you didn't get hurt.

Um, but he was there.

Uh his uh the the attorney for the police department, Sharita Walton played a couple games and coached and a lot of your staff.

I just want to say thank you so much.

I know that was a request from the community for you to start that, and uh it was it was a great endeavor.

And I think you're gonna try to expand it next next summer, is that correct?

That is correct.

We'll start the weekend after uh traditional school uh end.

We'll start that first Friday after that.

All right.

So he he had folks following around to different parks, and I mean I mean it was it was great.

So thank you so much for that effort and for everybody that participated for um a great initiative for our youth in the city of Rollin.

Yes, thank you.

Counselor.

I have no report.

All right.

Um I wanted to announce on my next community meeting is September the 10th at local 919 from six to eight.

Uh this is a change from a previl previously published date, so if you're out there listening, update your calendars.

Um I also wanted to thank the council and staff for helping me uh go visit our sister city in Rostock, Germany, over the summer.

Uh it was really illuminating.

Uh a lot of big takeaways.

One is that um local diplomacy is more important now than it has ever been.

Um our ties to regular people on the ground is uh doing a lot of needed diplomacy work in a challenging international time.

And then I was also reminded that there's nothing new in the world, and I thought y'all would appreciate that um in Rostock they're having a housing challenge that is forcing people to move out to the suburbs and uh face longer commutes to get into town.

Uh they also recently dealt with a challenging community issue where they had had a long-running temporary theater and there was uh much community disagreement on whether to build a permanent theater or to leave the temporary one in place, um, which felt familiar, and they are working on some connectivity issues where one of their neighborhoods is is not very well connected to the main part of the town, and they need to build a bridge, but they don't they own some of the right-of-way, but not the not over the river, and so they have to work with their central government and it's slower, and that all just felt very familiar.

So um thank you all for the opportunity to engage with that.

Um to do um, I'd like to ask for in a manager's update or in some other vehicle, a report on how cities are doing their part to ease child care challenges.

Um we know they I think uh where's sorry, I'm getting tongue-tied.

Uh just for context, when my daughter was in full-time care, our cost was eleven hundred dollars a month, and that was just for one child, and that was many years ago.

Um we know that this is having a huge impact on families' ability to afford their lives, safe for their future, own homes, et cetera.

And I think there's a there's a handful of ways that cities can approach that.

One is city as an employer, are there cities that are doing innovative things related to employee benefits on the topic of child care, and then also just availability and access to child care, and this may relate to uh planning and zoning and ordinances of in that kind of bucket.

Are there uh ways that cities inadvertently make child care less accessible?

So I would love any kind of commentary and report on that.

And then good things we did through the consent agenda today we added a new art to the municipal collection.

We gave Raleigh Housing Authority to issue Raleigh Housing Authority the permission to issue bonds to construct 195 affordable units near Capitol and Buffalo lowered speed limits in my district and the award for the contract for our new bus shelters is a firm that's 100% WMBE so that's great.

And there's others but I'll stop there.

I'll be holding a district community meeting next week Thursday August 28th from 6 to 7 at the Millbrook Exchange Recreation Center.

And I know there was a lot of consternation over the Six Forks Capital project but for those that are driving by are noticing that the sidewalk gap in front of the school is almost complete before school and paving is underway on Six Forks so we are seeing some improvements on Six Forks and there are more improvements in the general area to come but I look forward to seeing all of you on Thursday August 28th.

No report from me just a few things District E's next community meeting will be held on September 10th from 6 to 8 p.m at Lochina Italian restaurant.

Our decoding democracy book club will be on September 13th from 930 to 1130 at Oberlin Regional Library will be going over Article 5 and 6 or 6 and 7 sorry and um in alignment with uh Mayor Pro Tem Ford I want to send a shoot huge shout out to Chief Boyce and I want to alert a new class alert the Citizen Police Academy is taking applications and I really appreciate your work and to bring this to bring that back national night out this year was a great success.

My neighborhood had a wonderful time so thank you again for your efforts with the community.

And then lastly we are reimagining how our boards and commissions connect with the public ensuring that the advice we receive is rooted in transparency, collaboration and meaningful dialogue from public facing meetings to conversations with individual boards this process has opened the door to new understanding and stronger trust I am deeply proud of everyone who's shown up spoken up and contributed to this important work.

Another really impactful thing that we did today was we spent time focusing and discussing the CACs a subject that has been close to my heart for a very long time.

Since 2017 CACs have been my home and the foundation of why I serve today.

So to echo Robert Rice's powerful words we are not just restoring a program.

We are laying the groundwork for something that will endure long after us this is about legacy the legacy of Mayor Clarence Leitner reminds us that CACs are more than meetings or committees.

They are the voice of the people and that voice must always remain at the forefront of the city's work.

So together through everything here we are building something that will outlast us all a stronger more connected Raleigh where every resident has a seat at the table and a voice in shaping our shared future so thank you to everyone I'm glad to be back and I look forward to the work ahead definitely a good day a good agenda we've had um Chief Judge McCullers and I had a conversation I know you talk about bringing in the um basketball weekends back next summer but maybe we can find ways to do something monthly throughout the year.

So that's a conversation we had and we're willing to be present and show up this in the in the fall if we can work through that.

So I wanted to put that out there for you Chief.

As well as speaking of basketball I had the privilege of reading a proclamation from the mayor to the Gonaro AAU club they celebrated 35 years of working with young people men and women and um they also celebrated their team that won the national championship back in 1992 and everything.

So it was definitely a great turnout I just want to recognize them publicly for the years of service as they continue their work of of mentoring it's not just about basketball it's about taking a chance and instilling in young people's lives and using basketball as a tool to further their education.

Also speaking of our young people I know there's been a lot on the news about the incident that happened at Southeast Raleigh high school after the football game outside this past um weekend but this coming Friday the Southside classic which is the game between Southeast Raleigh High School and Inlow High School will take place at INLO at 730 p.m.

Please come out it's a great chance for our young people.

I know Inlo is celebrating alumni day um for their um alum with them being the home team.

But I myself working with Raleigh Rays in this year, the owner of the Chick-fil-A continue to raise money and give to both schools athletic departments because these are the two schools that you know some people say they've given up on, but I haven't.

Um I'm from this community.

Um if Southeast was built when I was in high school, I would have walked to it.

But I'm a graduate of INLO.

But both of these univers both of these schools are dear and true to me.

Um speaking of schools, please watch your spee all year, but especially starting on Monday.

Our young people at our traditional schools return to school starting Monday.

Um so please let's make sure that they are safe.

And lastly, um, but I announced this on social media a couple weeks ago.

This Thursday at 6.30 p.m.

at Bitmore Hills will be my August district C meeting.

Um the goal is to try to have these every month, except for the two what we take off, which is July and and December.

So at 6 30 p.m.

Um at Bitmore Hills um community center will be the district C conversation.

And I want to thank our transportation department who will be present speaking to some of the transportation needs and concerns that have come up in previous meetings.

Thank you.

Okay.

I just wanted to um thank everyone from District D who attended our neighborhood meeting on Saturday.

We had a wonderful presentation from Parks.

Thank you to Parks for coming out and telling us about a new investment opportunity.

It's a public-private partnership to make Lake Johnson pool uh year-round to be open and heated and it would be fantastic.

So I was just really pleased to have the discussion to provide more input back to parks, and I want to thank Wolfpack Elite, the private partner for reaching out and wanting to work with us.

So really excited to see where that goes.

And I expected to come back to council soon for consideration.

Um I also want to mention I've um heard about some concerns with uh development uh proposals where we have older legacy trees, large trees that developers might actually want to protect and save, but they don't always have the allowances in terms of root size, and so they end up having to cut those down and then you know plant smaller trees instead.

And so on occasion that does make sense, depending on the life of the tree.

But I would like to ask um planning and and development, parks and transportation to assess options to make the process of saving trees, especially in right-of-ways, easier.

So thinking about administrative standards that create flexibility to preserve these trees and then to bring council back a short report and presentation on these options in the coming months.

I know there again are trade-offs here, but I just like to better understand what are the options, because right now, if a developer does want to save legacy trees, they have to go through the variance process, which is expensive and most people are not gonna bother.

So I think this will be a good opportunity for us to set assess those trade-offs.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh next uh appointments.

Good afternoon, under appointments.

Um we do not have anything uh as you guys closed out all of the pending vacancies on your last ballot.

Um now to kind of kick this off again.

Under nominations, we have some new vacancy announcements.

First is Arts Commission, two regular vacancies.

Resignations have been received from Jessica Todd Morone and Jill Heath.

And Councilmember Silver is nominating Andrew Baker for one of these slides.

Co-nominate Andrew.

Sure.

So that will be appearing on your next ballot.

Next, we have design review commission, one alternate vacancy resignation has been received from Rachel Derodorian Bodyn.

Probably butchered that.

Um so that will be appearing on your next ballot.

I nominate Kate Charland for that.

Sure.

I checked, she's led in the side the ETJ.

All right.

Inside the city limits this time.

So that will be coming back.

Next is environmental advisory board term of Colleen Sullens is expiring.

She's not eligible for reappointment due to link of service per city code, she'll continue to serve until replaced.

Um Mayor would like to nominate Veronica Bidding.

So that will be appearing on your next ballot.

Next is Raleigh Sister Cities, two regular vacancies.

The terms of two members are expiring.

Uh first is Hemena Urribe.

And um she is not eligible for reappointment due to length of service.

And then second is Alma Renaga Perez.

She is seeking reappointment, and Raleigh Sister Cities is also recommending her reappointment and has attached a memo to your agenda item.

Move to reappoint.

I know she'll be there anyway for our special meeting, but could to talk about the community engagement board and maybe if it needs to be reimagined, because based on those that want to be reappointed and those who resigned, we're basically going to have to re do this entire board of appointments.

And City Clerk.

But they have been submitted for your consideration of approval.

Great.

Move approval.

Second.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

Right?

Thank you.

All right.

Next I have a motion to enter into closed session.

It is pursuant to General Statute 14318.11A3 to consult the city attorney in order to preserve attorney client privilege and to consider and give instructions regarding the handling and or settlement of a potential claim in the following matters.

322 LLC versus the City of Raleigh and the City of Raleigh versus Getty Leasing Inc., as well as General Statute 1431811A6 to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of employment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee, or to hear the investigate or an investigate a complaint charge grievance by or against an individual public officer or employee.

So moved.

All in favor of the motion, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, we will go into closed session.

Oh no, I'm not sure.

Okay, just think to complete the thing.

Oh, no, oh, it's not a good thing.

All right.