Raleigh City Council Meeting: Curfew Debate, Flock Cameras, and Rezonings – August 18, 2026
Raleigh City Council Meeting – August 18, 2026
The Raleigh City Council met on August 18, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The meeting began with a continuation of a work session on a proposed youth curfew ordinance, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the recognition of the city's inaugural Poet Laureate, Johnny Lee Chapman III. The agenda included extensive public comment, a presentation on Flock automated license plate readers, a discussion of a curfew proposal, and votes on several rezoning and annexation cases. The meeting also addressed text amendments, historic preservation reports, and a range of community concerns.
Consent Calendar
- The council approved the consent agenda unanimously. No items were pulled.
- Items included: conferring retirement of police dog Udo, a $700,000 contribution to the Tar River Land Conservancy for watershed protection, and approval of a mini-pitch at Green Road Park.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Justin Clifton spoke against automated license plate readers (ALPRs), citing a lack of council oversight and a case in Mooresville where an officer misused the system.
- Tatiana Cooper (Saving Adolescent Girls Everywhere – SAGE) requested a 3–5 year contract grandfathering after Raleigh Parks ended their partnership, noting a waitlist of 386 girls.
- Shane Stanley (Glenwood South resident) argued that the July 4th incident was not a "teen takeover" but involved adults, and that a curfew would not address gun violence.
- Jane Hubbard and Robert Hubbard opposed the Big Branch Greenway Connector project through Anderson Forest, citing deception, cost overruns, environmental concerns, and condemnation of a conservation easement.
- Horace Clemens complained about Pratt Industries' 24-hour operation, saying the Noise Ordinance had not solved his complaints.
- Jonathan Garland criticized the city's watering restriction enforcement, stating that publicly reported violation rates were inflated due to misinterpretation of drip irrigation flow rates.
- Zina Bala highlighted a lack of trust in police, noting that black residents are arrested at five times the rate of white residents, and opposed the curfew.
- Jeremy Gilchrist connected the discovery of a black man hanging from a tree in downtown Raleigh to systemic racism, arguing curfews deepen harm.
- Octavia Raney urged the council to follow former Chief Dolan's process for community engagement.
- Emma Hughes (renter, South Bloodworth Street) asked for reforms to the residential parking permit program, citing barriers for renters.
- Chris Crew spoke in favor of neighborhood preservation under the UDO.
- Ramiah Robinson (youth organizer, Education Justice Alliance) cited 12 studies showing curfews have no meaningful impact on juvenile offending, and increase criminalization of black youth.
- Karen Brown and Pace Brown opposed rezoning Z-4325, citing planning commission inconsistencies and traffic safety concerns.
- Phillip Brown argued that the planning commission membership change affected the vote on Z-4325.
- Larissa Green raised concerns about inadequate public notice for rezoning cases, especially for renters.
- Ashley Heath Armstrong noted community centers like Chavis Center are underused for youth programs.
- Alex Bursett and Athena Wallen called for stronger development regulations along creeks.
- Kimberly McTarian spoke about the historical displacement of Lincolnville by NC State and its facilities.
- Jorge Ramos refuted the narrative of a "teen takeover," noting adults were involved and that curfews punish teens for normal activities.
- Drew Washington (youth organizer, Education Justice Alliance) opposed curfews, arguing they diminish creativity and trust.
- Mike Figueras (parent organizer, Education Justice Alliance) stated curfews violate young people's rights and are applied discriminatorily.
- Shanice Green (stage four cancer patient) commended the council and offered her home as a community space.
- Mary Black (former councilmember) called for deeper community engagement and co-governance.
Discussion Items
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Curfew Proposal (Continued from Work Session):
- Chief Boyce presented the draft ordinance, which would apply to individuals under 18 between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM on weekdays and 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM on weekends, with exceptions for work, school, and religious activities.
- Councilmember Patton asked about peer cities: Winston-Salem's pilot is a few months old and under review. No data on results was available.
- Councilmember Ford questioned the age of 18 (other cities cap at 15–17) and enforcement. Chief Boyce said enforcement is complaint-based, not proactive.
- Councilmember Jones requested quarterly public data on juvenile arrests. Chief Boyce agreed to include it in his quarterly report.
- Councilmember Branch asked about parental support resources. Chief Boyce said it's part of the conversation but no answer yet.
- Councilmember Silver emphasized a balanced approach including youth programming and safe spaces.
- Mayor pro tem Harrison highlighted the emergency curfew tool and asked about pros/cons of a permanent curfew. Chief Boyce cited faster response time in emergencies.
- Councilmember Patton expressed concerns about the focus on law-abiding children and the exceptions favoring wealthier youth.
- The council directed staff to bring the ordinance back on September 15, 2026, to allow for two public comment sessions.
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Flock (ALPR) Presentation:
- Chief Boyce explained that Raleigh has 29 cameras since March 2022, costing $75,000 annually, with 414 authorized users. Data is stored for 30 days (state allows 90), and is not shared with ICE.
- Monthly audits are now conducted. From January 1, 2025, to July 15, 2026, the system helped recover 154 stolen vehicles, clear 244 criminal cases, and recover $1.8 million in stolen property, and located six missing adults.
- Councilmember Ford asked about private cameras; the city has no control over them.
- Councilmember Jones inquired about audit transparency; Chief Boyce said Flock also cross-checks misuse.
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Daycare Text Amendments:
- Staff presented options to increase home daycare capacity from 8 to 15 children, allow non-family employees, and make commercial daycare centers a limited use in residential districts.
- Councilmember Patton supported the changes, citing affordability and flexibility. Council unanimously approved moving forward with all three options.
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Rezonings and Annexations:
- Z-3925 (319 Hex Street): Motion to deny failed 4-4; motion to approve also failed 4-4. No change in zoning.
- Z-5125 (4804 & 4808 Spring Forest Road): Motion to approve failed; council voted to hold the case open until September 1, 2026, for further conditions.
- AX-4425 and Z-5425 (Leesville Road area): Council approved the annexation (6-2) and the rezoning (6-2) after debate. The block perimeter exemption was a key concern, but the council supported the project to add housing and move the TW Alexander extension forward.
- Z-0826 (Rock Quarry Road): Council voted to hold the case open until September 1, 2026, to allow the applicant to consider adding hours-of-operation conditions.
- Z-1626 (North Boylan Avenue): Unanimously approved, allowing a theater use and increasing height to 12 stories.
- Comprehensive Plan Amendment CP-0126 (Old Crews Road): Unanimously approved, downgrading the road from 4-lane to 2-lane divided.
- Text Change TC-126 (School Lot Amendment): Approved 6-2, waiving the 500 sq ft per enrollee lot size requirement for schools in mixed-use districts not adjacent to R-1, R-2, R-4, or R-6 zoning.
Key Outcomes
- Curfew Proposal: To be brought back on September 15, 2026, with two public comment sessions before the vote.
- Flock ALPRs: Council acknowledged the presentation; no vote taken.
- Daycare Text Amendments: Unanimously approved to move forward with all three options.
- Rezonings:
- Z-3925: No change; split vote (4-4) on both motions.
- Z-5125: Held for two weeks (September 1, 2026).
- AX-4425 & Z-5425: Approved (6-2).
- Z-0826: Held for two weeks (September 1, 2026).
- Z-1626: Approved unanimously.
- CP-0126: Approved unanimously.
- TC-126: Approved (6-2).
- Closed Session: Council entered closed session to discuss legal and property matters; nothing to report upon adjournment.
Meeting Transcript
A lot in the public, I enjoy talking to people as well as helping people. Uh, working with my co-workers as well as training the horses and getting that bond in relationship with them to do the things I asked them to do, and I didn't see in that result. Mounted officers help keep our city safe and make it easy for citizens to engage. Be sure to stop by and say hello when you see them out and about the colour. I am going to uh get everybody's attention. We're gonna everybody please be quiet. Thank you. Um we need to we're gonna do things a little bit differently today because we were in the middle of a work session talking about the curfew uh proposal. We didn't we were not able to finish that discussion. So what we're gonna do is I'm going to gavel close the work session, regavel in uh for this meeting. We're gonna say the Pledge of Allegiance, we're gonna recognize our Raleigh poet laureate. And then we are going to uh reconvene on the on the curfew topic um out of order, and then we will go into public comment. So apologize for those of you who this is causing inconvenience, but um at some point these are big topics, and we did not want to shortchange the things. So first off, gaveling out of the work session into this uh meeting, and then um can I ask uh Jonathan Lambert Melton to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. One more just public announcement because of uh late changing. We had a lot of people that were very interested in the data center that was originally scheduled for uh uh a hearing today. That was the petitioner rem uh withdrew their petition for that. Uh so we will not have a data center on the agenda today. If you are here for that, you may go, you have free time now, you can go enjoy your afternoon. Um, but I'm gonna hand it over to uh Sarah Powers with Raleigh Parks and Recreation. Good afternoon, mayor council, city manager's office. I have a really fun job here today. We're gonna meet our new poet laureate, the city's inaugural poet laureate is here today, Mr. Johnny Lee Chapman the third. We have a short video. So my goal is to not necessarily wipe the slate clean and start fresh, but to be working with the spaces and the people in the communities that have gotten me to this point. So I'm really looking forward to giving back to those people. So you know who you are. Um, and you'll be getting a call from me sometime soon. We want you to be a part of it too. Head over to Raleigh NC.gov and search Poet Laureate to check out Lee's work and see what this next chapter brings. Do you want to say anything since you're a poet uh any words to share? And I will say I got the uh great opportunity to work with Lee over at Dick's Park where if you want to see his poetry on the wall of the House of Many Porches is the full poem and then there are those oak leaves that you saw in the video around the site of a poem that he wrote specifically for that site when we were building Gibson Play Plaza. So it is great to see that he was chosen as our poet laureate I mean hello everybody. Do I have like a quick time to do a quick poem right quick? Yeah go for it maybe okay prepared thank you. I wrote this this weekend so it's very new but it's for y'all and it's for me. Thank you all for choosing me to be this individual. Let's see all right. Inaugural meaning the first a pioneer or trailblazer an explorer of the unknown and a companion of uncertainty inaugural as in the progenitor the founder and the namesake the soon to be ancestor but also the initial failure the errors of trial and error the one who determines how to improve for the future the first in flight to grace the clouds and also to lose gravity the guinea pig the test dummy the one whose experience becomes a lesson for those who come after inaugural as in a standard bearer a standard to break beyond a believer who moved with faith a postmark sent to no destination an origin point a home and a settlement a goal always being moved and a container of communal trust the first voice to discover echo the first echo to respond to voice the holder of the pen and the story hidden in the sheets and as the inaugural there will be eyes watching waiting whispering eyes eyes unaware to their witnessing is a wait is a pressure but is also a proposition give me the spotlight and I will give you a show give me the microphone and I will tell you what I know. Give me a dream and I will tell you we should go slow and if you trust me as those who chose me to do then give me the opportunity I'll show you what I can do with space and support watch this position become a place where all can find a moment of inspiration for the inaugural is the result of tangible imagination. Thank you. I want to thank my parents in the back thank you to Southeast Raleigh thank you to City Soul Cafe. Thank you to Fuque Varena for also birthing me. All right. Okay I think we need a photo so do we want to get up with the why don't you get your parents to come to the right next uh we will turn it back to our city attorney and police chief and uh the council uh who had just received the draft ordinance and we're starting to uh discuss it um I can do anything that y'all want to come back and just um say before we let counsel start conversing okay uh counselor Patton I believe you were next up hi Chief good to see you um thanks for this a couple questions I have um you have a slide uh in there on peer cities in North Carolina that are also doing curfews um do we have any uh I'm curious when did they enact these and what um results are they reporting do we have any data on that I'm only familiar with Winston Salem theirs is for fairly new within the past couple of months and I know they are up for a review of their of their ordinance that's the only one that I'm familiar with. Um we have any uh I'm curious when did they enact these and what um results are they reporting? Do we have any data on that?
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