Raleigh City Council Meeting – February 17, 2026
Raleigh City Council Meeting – February 17, 2026
The Raleigh City Council met on February 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The meeting included a consent agenda, public comments, a text change request regarding school minimum lot sizes, approval of rules of procedure for boards and commissions, updates on the Ask Raleigh customer experience platform and hospitality tax competitive awards, the Human Relations Commission annual report, public hearings on unfit properties and nuisance liens, and the approval of five annexation petitions. Several votes were taken, and council members reported on community events.
Consent Calendar
- Adopted unanimously. No items were pulled.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carrie Bennington (Anderson Farr homeowner) opposed the Big Branch Greenway streamside Option 1B, citing safety, environmental violations, and misleading public engagement. She thanked Councilmember Jones for voting against the project.
- Mama Kai Sanders expressed anger over local leadership, homelessness, traffic, and policies benefiting the wealthy. She urged council to be public servants rather than politicians.
- Taylor Stewart (Anderson Farr resident) argued the city misled the public about the greenway route, claimed it would not be scenic or safe, and highlighted flooding risks and privacy fencing.
- Kimberly Williams (healthcare advocate) alleged the city’s self-funded health plan discriminates by gender and age by excluding maternity benefits. She requested the city use claims reserves to cover a family’s $22,000 bill.
- Octavia Rainey offered condolences and shared memories of Rev. Jesse Jackson, urging the city to acknowledge him.
- Hanadi Ali called on the city to divest from Israel, citing human rights abuses, and questioned selective sanctions.
- Athena Vallin advocated for collaborative creek management and neutralizing utility systems, arguing all neighborhoods are affected by erosion and flooding.
- Nikki W. addressed mental health and homelessness, recounting an incident with a woman in distress. She urged the city to reopen Dorothea Dix Hospital or provide better crisis care.
Discussion Items
- External Text Change – School Minimum Lot Size (Justin Rametta) : The applicant proposed expanding an existing exemption in mixed-use districts within city growth centers or frequent transit areas to allow smaller school lots. Council debated options; Councilmember Branch and others favored Option 3 (work with staff to add mitigation measures). After discussion, a motion to advance with Option 3 passed 6-1.
- Boards & Commissions Bylaws (Sue Ellen Cologne) : Staff presented the second batch of updated rules of procedures for the Planning Commission, Design Review Commission, and Board of Adjustment. Council approved them. Councilmember Jones requested staff also consider adding rules of decorum and code of conduct for all boards; staff agreed to explore that.
- Customer Experience Program Update (Karen Ray) : Staff reported on the Ask Raleigh platform, showing data on service requests, improvements in categorization, and a public dashboard. Future plans include phone consolidation and AI pilot. Council asked about environmental impacts of AI; staff from sustainability and IT noted they are evaluating impacts.
- Hospitality Tax Competitive Process (Evan Raleigh) : The review panel recommended nine projects for $15.5 million in joint city-county funding (total pot $23.5M). Council approved the recommendations unanimously. Council noted disappointment from unfunded Raleigh projects but acknowledged the county’s prior approval.
- Human Relations Commission Annual Report (Jamie Robinson) : The commission presented its FY25 annual report and FY26 work plan, which were approved. The commission also requested amending the municipal code to remove the requirement for one member under 21. Council deferred action, asking for a plan on how youth input would be maintained.
Key Outcomes
- Text Change (School Lot Size) : Approved to advance with Option 3 (6-1 vote).
- Bylaws for Planning Commission, Design Review Commission, Board of Adjustment : Approved unanimously.
- Customer Experience Update : Received as information.
- Hospitality Tax Awards : Approved unanimously.
- HRC Annual Report and Work Plan : Approved; youth membership amendment deferred.
- 700 Cooper Road (Unfit Dwelling) : Unfit ordinance adopted to secure the property; heirs given 30 days to secure or city will board it up.
- 3028 Old Birch Drive : 90-day repair/demolish ordinance adopted.
- Nuisance Liens : Approved for multiple properties; additional direction given to pursue measures for a defunct HOA property (1522 Even Made Drive).
- Annexations : Five petitions (AX3325, AX3625, AX4025, AX4325, AX4525) all approved unanimously and effective immediately.
- Appointments : Nine members removed from Human Relations Commission; reappointments made to Planning Commission (nomination pending) and Israeli Convention and Performing Arts Center Authority; two reappointments to Substance Use Advisory Commission approved.
Meeting Transcript
We'll go ahead and get started since it is one o'clock. Uh first off, Mayor Pro Tem Harrison is absent and excused. And we let it do it for the whole thing. I know. Every moment we will yeah, I mean, she will be absent and excused for a while, but uh definitely for today. Uh and next we have the um Pledge of Allegiance. So uh think it's here. Pledge of allegiance. And to the Republican one nation under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Okay. Uh do we have special awards? None today. Okay. Then we have uh the consent agenda and nothing was pulled. So do we have a motion? Move to adopt the consent agenda. Second. Right. Uh all in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. And that is unanimous. Uh and next we have public comment. Good afternoon, Mayor and Council, uh, Rand Northam Communications Department. Uh, two very quick announcements. One uh for those who are speaking today. If you would, when you get uh to the podium, please adjust the microphone so it's uh just in front of your mouth. Um, and uh please don't turn to the side uh to try to address anyone else because uh we will not be able to hear you here in the chamber nor uh at home when people are watching either. The other thing is uh as we've had before, we're still having a little bit of technical issue with the screens in the room. They might go black, and then they will come back on just to ask that uh you give us patience. Uh it will return, and we'll be back to the presentation. Thank you. Uh first up, we have Carrie Bennington. Hello. This project takes private property, an easement does not exist, a fact that took parks and wreck 11 months to admit misleading the public. Option one B conflicts with North Carolina riparian buffer protections, as well as the city's own stated environmental policies. We are not opposed to greenways. We support connectivity and conservation. What we oppose is a decision that sacrifices a group of homeowners and their safety, violates conservation commitments and environmental protections, and increases costs when less harmful alternatives exist. To conclude, I have two personal statements. Just yesterday I had to contact the Raleigh PD after a trespasser crossed the creek behind our home, entered our backyard while my son was playing basketball and used our private driveway to reach Six Forts Road. His baby his behavior was alarming enough that my son felt unsafe and hurried inside. Neighbors have shared similar incidents with you. Creating a greenway in this location increases these encounters and makes an already concerning safety situation worse. Finally, I'd like to thank Councilmember Christina Jones for taking time speak to recently to speak with my 18-year-old daughter, now a voting Raleigh resident, for a politics assignment for which she selected the Greenway topic. I appreciate her willingness to engage directly with residents, and I thank her for voting no on placing a greenway in our backyards. We respectfully ask the council to stop streamed option one B and choose a path that reflects Raleigh's values of fairness, transparency, fiscal responsibility. Thank you. Mama Kai Sanders. Good afternoon.
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