Raleigh City Council Work Session: Nash Square Public Realm and Glenwood South Updates, September 8, 2026

The Raleigh City Council met in a work session on September 8, 2026, to receive two staff updates: the draft Nash Square Public Realm master plan and a multi-departmental update on Glenwood South covering the noise ordinance, zoning, public safety, and transportation. Councilor Jonathan Lambert Melton was absent and excused; Councilor Silver arrived late. Brandon Poole filled in for the city attorney and Evan Raleigh filled in for the city manager.

Nash Square Public Realm Plan

• TJ McCord presented the draft master plan, described as a public realm plan covering the park and surrounding streets and sidewalks. The project began in early 2026.
• Community engagement included a kickoff event with nearly 200 attendees, a “Tuesdays in the Square” tabling series, a “Nash Bash” block party on Martin Street with food trucks and vendors, site tours, online engagement, and focus groups with subject matter experts, community partners, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, and advisory boards.
• Community priorities reported by staff included protecting and renewing the tree canopy, honoring historic character, extending the square’s identity into the surrounding streets and sidewalks, reimagining Hargett Street adjacent to the new City Hall, and supporting flexible everyday use rather than large event programming.
• The draft concept proposes a new mid-block crossing on Hargett Street; corner bump-outs; an opened-up Hargett/McDowell corner with plaza seating; widened interior walkways with planted and seating islands on the southeastern side; and a reconfigured central plaza that would remove the brick walls around the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial.
• On stormwater, staff said full daylighting of a historic stream on the northwest corner may not be feasible; the plan more likely will use planted green stormwater infrastructure with interpretive signage.
• Staff noted about 15–20 feet of elevation change across the square and said terraced seat walls are planned along Martin Street to handle grade changes.
• Staff said recent tree removals at Nash Square were public-safety removals of high-hazard trees, not part of the plan; the plan includes succession planting to maintain the canopy.
• The plan is subject to State Historic Preservation Office review because Nash Square is within the National Register Depot District; staff said that review is underway.
• Councilor Silver expressed support for the Hargett Street treatment but asked about lifting and limbing lower canopy branches to improve sight lines and safety. He also asked whether relocating the state-owned Fallen Firefighters Memorial had been considered. Staff replied the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation is not supportive of moving it off-site.
• Councilor Jones asked about Explorers Middle School students who use the square for recess; staff said the central plaza reconfiguration would support outdoor learning and group lunch seating.
• Councilor Ford asked about the timeline. Staff said they are waiting to settle the memorial issue before public review, anticipate taking the draft concept to the public within about two months, and plan to return to council in spring 2027 with cost estimates and recommendations.
• Several council members asked about funding; staff confirmed no construction funding is currently identified, and implementation funding options will be part of the future recommendation.

Glenwood South: District Status and Noise Ordinance

• Assistant City Manager Nikki Jones introduced the update, framing Glenwood South as an evolving urban center with both vibrancy and challenges.
• Whitney Schoenfeld explained that the official hospitality district designation ended in 2024 when the amplified entertainment permit was repealed. “Entertainment district” is a descriptive term, not an official designation, and Glenwood South is not a social district under North Carolina law.
• The noise ordinance moved from permit-based decibel regulation to a “reasonable person” standard in 2024, and in January 2026 implemented new objective decibel standards developed with consultant Brian Block. Higher limits apply in Glenwood South.
• Noise data through mid-August: 120 amplified sound complaints in Glenwood South (89 via 911, 31 via Ask Raleigh); five citywide citations since January, none in Glenwood South; 911 loud noise calls down 22% year-over-year; one caller accounts for 75% of Glenwood South 911 loud noise calls.
• Staff reported that four new noise ordinance compliance officers (NOCOs) provide seven-day coverage and focus on education and voluntary compliance.
• Councilor Ford questioned inconsistent operating hours for food trucks and push carts, saying she would like all categories to stop at 1:15 a.m. to help RPD clear the area. Staff said inconsistencies reflect separate council decisions and committed to bringing back options through a text amendment or overlay. Councilor Jones noted prior discussions about allowing late-night food service to help people absorb alcohol before driving.

Glenwood South: Zoning and Land Use

• Planning and Development Director Pat Young described the 2030 Comprehensive Plan’s future land use map, which places Glenwood South in the central business district, with office/residential mixed-use and neighborhood mixed-use areas to the west and north.
• Young said the area’s success has caused spillover from Glenwood South into the neighborhood mixed-use area near Peace Street, attracting visitors from at least two dozen counties on weekend nights.
• Staff recommended zoning tools such as separation requirements, use authorization, and operational standards, targeted at the neighborhood mixed-use area. State law would not allow applying new standards to existing businesses; they would apply to new uses, conversions, or substantial expansions.
• Zoning enforcement is complaint-based, with six active cases in the area. Staff committed to increasing nights/weekends enforcement on food trucks and push carts through the NetForces multi-departmental enforcement team.
• Councilor Patton asked about the types of zoning complaints; Young cited illegal signage, food trucks operating outside permitted requirements, and unpermitted construction, with detailed reports to come.

Glenwood South: Public Safety

• Raleigh Fire Department Assistant Chief Charles Williams said NetForces (Nightlife Entertainment Task Force) inspected 10 randomly selected Glenwood South locations; violations included occupancy load postings, electrical violations, obstructed means of egress, and change-of-occupancy issues. All violations were corrected by August reinspection; three businesses require building safety approval for occupancy changes.
• Police Chief Boyce reported that Glenwood South is a regional destination and that many arrests involve people who do not live in Raleigh.
• RPD changes include a one-way southbound traffic diversion on Glenwood Avenue between Peace and Lane streets to improve emergency response; geofencing of ride-share pickups and e-bikes/scooters during late-night hours; increased foot patrols and vehicle placement on side corridors; two utility terrain vehicles assigned to the hospitality area on Fridays and Saturdays; mounted unit presence; and two live-feed camera trailers feeding the Real-Time Crime Center.
• RPD now mandates patrols through private parking decks every 30 minutes on weekend nights, resulting in firearm and drug recoveries and arrests of people with active warrants.
• Chief Boyce said RPD encourages bar and club owners to invest in magnetometers, citing three incidents where private security alerted officers to individuals carrying legally possessed firearms near clubs. He also referenced a Fayetteville Street incident inside a club and suggested magnetometers might have prevented it. The program is voluntary; Councilor Patton asked about possible grants or incentives and flagged that magnetometers could be considered as a condition in future special use permits.

Glenwood South: Transportation, Parking, and Micromobility

• Transportation Director Kenneth Ritchie described the city’s Municipal Service District partnership with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) and DRA’s ambassador program.
• Parking: four residential permit zones border Glenwood South; fines were raised to $200 in 2023. This year, about 2,600 citations were issued, with only 6.5% repeat violations. There are 115 metered spaces in Glenwood South; 74 spaces in the Peace-to-Lane section are now no-parking/towaway zones on Friday and Saturday nights following council approval on August 18, 2026.
• Micromobility: Lime and Spin units are geofenced off during 10 p.m.–5 a.m. on weekends; 13 pilot corrals achieved roughly 72% compliance, and 70 new downtown corral locations are planned.
• Pedestrian safety: The Glenwood South Safety Pilot found 92% of participants said walking is the most common transportation mode. Painted curb extensions are completed at Johnson and North streets; Tucker Street is expected before the end of 2026. A Lane Street signal is part of a three-signal package expected operational by the end of 2027.
• A DRA representative said ambassador presence exists in Glenwood South throughout the week and weekends, with layers including outreach, Royal Blue ambassadors, and enhanced security ambassadors; presence is concentrated near the transit center.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken, as this was a work session; Councilor Branch reminded presenters that motions cannot be made in a work session.
• City staff will bring back options for a zoning text amendment or overlay for Glenwood South in approximately six to nine months, including a review of food truck/push-cart hours for possible consistency at a 1:15 a.m. cutoff.
• Staff will continue work on Nash Square: resolve the Fallen Firefighters Memorial configuration with the Foundation, complete interim Hargett Street improvement plans, and return to council in spring 2027.
• The Nash Square draft concept will go out for public review within approximately two months.
• RPD will maintain and expand patrols, continue the voluntary magnetometer outreach, and establish a more frequent NetForces inspection cadence within two months.
• Councilor Patton requested a future presentation on crime statistics comparing Glenwood South over time and against peer-city nightlife districts.
• The Mayor Pro Tem said Raleigh should not be known as the party destination for Eastern North Carolina and called for a new vision for the district, while Councilor Brown cautioned against displacing problems to other parts of the city.