Raleigh City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
Raleigh City Council Meeting Summary - November 4, 2025
The Raleigh City Council convened to approve routine consent items, including a canine donation and a rezoning recusal for Councilwoman Fort. The council engaged in extensive deliberations regarding multiple zoning requests, planning commission recommendations, and infrastructure projects including Greenway Trail Connections and the South Park Heritage Trail. Significant discussions also covered affordable housing funding, the annual work plans for the Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Stormwater Management Advisory Commission, and various committee reports. The meeting concluded with board reappointments and a transition to a closed session for legal and real estate negotiations.
Consent Calendar
- Canine Donation: Council unanimously approved a donation of a canine to the Raleigh Police Department from a private donor.
- Recusal: Councilwoman Stormy Fort recused herself from the voting on the canine donation item due to her board membership with one of the organizations involved; the item passed without her vote.
- Z2725 (Grove Avenue): Council deferred the public hearing for this zoning request to their next meeting (December 18) at the applicant's request, holding it as a special item.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Councilmember Silver: Expressed concern regarding the removal of the SHAD (Highway Overlay District) for the Z925 rezoning, noting the resulting loss of a 50-foot tree buffer and increased building height potential (up to 30 stories) that the applicant has not elected to utilize via affordable housing incentives. She supported setting the public hearing for December 2nd despite these concerns.
- Councilmember Silver: Questioned the safety implications of residents cutting across Avon Ferry Road for the Bushy Branch Greenway connection, noting the potential for unsafe crossing behavior and expressing concern that the design does not fully deter pedestrians from crossing the busy road despite guardrails.
- Councilmember Patton: Highlighted the need to coordinate design patterns (signage, art) between the South Park Heritage Trail, the Strollway, and the LGBTQ+ monuments to ensure a cohesive city-wide cultural trail system.
- Councilmember Patton: Expressed concern that rigid term limits might disrupt the institutional knowledge of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities, suggesting a need for historical data on past non-resident memberships and tenure before finalizing any exceptions to the standard bylaws.
- Councilmember Branch: Welcomed the work of the Stormwater Management Advisory Commission, specifically praising their feedback on rezoning cases and field tours, and thanked them for their instrumental role in community engagement.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Requests (Z2825, Z3025): Council set public hearings for December 2nd for the Sandiford Road (R4 to R10) and Hodge Road (R30 to R10) rezoning requests. Councilmember Otwell opposed the rezoning preference, advocating for the use of the transit-oriented development (FTDO) bonus for density rather than direct rezoning, but the motion to set the hearings passed.
- Zoning Requests (Z925, Gorman Street): The SHAD removal and tree buffer removal on Z925 were discussed. For Gorman Street (Z2325), Council moved to set the public hearing for November 18th to allow time for additional condition wording, noting that the current schedule might not accommodate the necessary work.
- Affordable Housing Funding: Staff recommended awarding $2.2 million to "Healing Transitions" for the "Forward Together" development. The project includes 17 units (2-bedroom and 4-bedroom) on Glen Royal Road designed for recovery housing and family reunification, complying with the requirement that at least one-third of units serve households earning under 60% AMI.
- Greenway Trail Connections: Council approved the schematic design for four trail connections in Southeast Raleigh, Western Raleigh, and near NC State. Concerns were raised regarding the route's proximity to private residences (80-100 feet) and the need to secure easements. Staff confirmed the budget includes easement acquisition costs.
- South Park Heritage Trail: Council approved the schematic design for the $4.5 million trail project, secured by a $1.5 million federal grant and a 2022 Parks Bond. The trail will feature interpretive signage, storytelling benches, visual history viewfinders, and public art by Stacey Utley, celebrating the South Park African American community.
- Commission Work Plans: The Commission for Persons with Disabilities presented their annual report and work plan, proposing a budget increase to $25,000 (from a $20,000 baseline) for scholarships, events, and accommodations. The Stormwater Management Advisory Commission presented their annual report and 2026 priorities, emphasizing floodplain management, green stormwater infrastructure, and community engagement.
- Committee Recommendations: The Economic Development Innovation Committee recommended upholding staff's recommendations for Fayetteville Street streetscape enhancements (with amendments to retain planters and add art) and directed staff to bring funding recommendations for a band stage and permanent art installations at City Plaza. The Safe Vibrant and Healthy Community Committee recommended no ordinance on commercial trash but directed staff to review site plans and create a complaint database.
- Board Appointments: Council reappointed members to the Arts Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Raleigh Transit Authority (including Christian Daniels, whose improved attendance was noted), and Substance Use Advisory Commission (including a suspended rule motion to appoint Ryan Haasfeld to a vacancy).
Key Outcomes
- Approvals:
- Donation of a canine to the Raleigh Police Department.
- Schematic design approval for the Neighborhood and Community Connections (Greenway) project.
- Schematic design approval for the South Park Heritage Trail.
- Approval of the Raleigh Commission for Persons with Disabilities work plan.
- Approval of the Stormwater Management Advisory Commission work plan.
- Reappointment of board members to Arts, BPA, RTS, and Substance Use Advisory Commissions.
- Voting Actions:
- Z2725 (Grove Avenue): Deferred to December 18th (Special Item).
- Z2825 (Sandiford) & Z3025 (Hodge): Public hearings set for December 2nd.
- Z2325 (Gorman): Public hearing set for November 18th.
- Z925: Public hearing set for December 2nd (with noted concerns regarding tree buffer).
- Fayetteville Street Streetscape: Staff recommendation upheld with amendments (retain planters, add art) and authorization to use proceeds from 10 W. South Street property.
- City Plaza Art & Stage: Direct staff to bring funding recommendations for a band stage and permanent art installations via a budget note in the FY26-27 process.
- Commercial Trash: No ordinance recommended; staff directed to review site plans and complaints process.
- Other:
- Closed session entered for attorney-client privilege discussions regarding real property acquisition.
- Minutes from the October 21st work session and regular session approved.
- Council acknowledged City of Raleigh's restaurant recognitions by Michelin Guide and the achievements of Fleet Services manager Rick in fleet sustainability.
Meeting Transcript
I think it's a good thing. I think we have uh one item to pull off the consent agenda, which is B seven D. And then we have another item on the consent, which is the donation of a canine from the um to the Raleigh police department. So we're in just a moment um have someone come up there, but why don't we go ahead and approve the remainder? Move for approval. Okay. All in favor of the motion, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. Move to recuse councilwoman um for it from the item people. Okay, from these. Okay. Um so all in favor of the council contingency item, aye. Mayor, I think we're vote on recusal first. Oh, I have to vote to recuse. Okay. All right. So everybody in favor of Mayor Pro Tem Stormy Fort recusing herself from the item. Aye. Aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. All right. And now we will vote on the vote for approval. Second. Okay. All in favor of the motion, aye. Aye. All opposed. All right. So that passes. Thank you. And I know she was going to say it, but she's on the board for one of the organizations, so that's why. All right. Uh so next we'll have the representative from the police department who is accepting the canine donation. Good afternoon. Uh thank you. I'm Lieutenant David Davis, and I work for the Raleigh Police Department's public affairs office. First, I want to thank our city leaders uh for allowing us to publicly express our appreciation to Miss Theresa Langley. Thank you very much. Any funds dedicated to helping us better serve and protect our uh the people of Raleigh represent a meaningful investment in public safety and in the partnership between our department and the community we serve. This is uh property at the on on North Bloodworth Street. And then you do have one item scheduled for your evening meeting on December uh second, which is Z 11 on South New Hope Road. Three items coming out of Planning Commission. We are suggesting a December 2nd uh public hearing for one on Grove Avenue, one on Sandiford Road, and another on Hodge Road. The first item is uh Z 2725. This is two lots on Grove Avenue. The request is less than three acres going from a residential six district with the special residential parking overlay district to an R 10 district, which would allow more residential units with some conditions and keeping that overlay. The request is consistent with the comprehensive plan and the future language map. Planning commission recommends approval.
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