Winston-Salem City Council Meeting - February 17, 2025

The Winston-Salem City Council met on Monday, February 17, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 101 North Main Street. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Allen Joines with all nine council members present. The meeting included a city manager update, consent agenda, two public hearings on zoning petitions, a public comment period with 13 speakers, a closed session to discuss opioid litigation, and adjournment at 7:41 PM.

City Manager Update

City Manager Pat Pate provided updates on several items: Stephanie Pace Brown of Visit Winston-Salem reported on the successful NASCAR Clash event held at Bowman Gray Stadium, noting tens of thousands of promotional items distributed, 2,200 contest entries, and nearly 2,000 prizes given away. The city is considering an economic impact study. Other updates included: completion of leaf collection, lifeguard hiring for summer, sustainability awards nominations (deadline Feb 24), City Link restoration, No-Mow March campaign, a housing summit on Feb 27, a public input meeting for the Long Branch Trail extension on March 5, recognition of fairground staff certifications, and a winter weather briefing (2-4 inches of snow expected Wednesday). Mr. Pate also clarified misinformation about a prison labor program for litter pickup, stating no contract is in place and any such program would require council direction.

Consent Calendar

The consent agenda was approved with a motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Scippio, with 8 ayes. Items included:

• Approval of the summary of minutes from February 3, 2025 (C-1)
• Appointment of David M. Myers to the Affordable Housing Coalition (C-3)
• Appointments of Sarah E. Blanton and Cynthia L. Thompson to the Bicycle/Pedestrian/Active Mobility Advisory Committee (C-4)
• Appointment of Kristie M. Campbell to the Community Sustainability Program Committee (C-5)
• Appointment of Jamestris G. Watson to the Human Relations Commission (C-6)
• Appointment of Annette D. Hayes to the Urban Food Policy Council (C-7)
• Appointment of Natasha Smith to the Zoning Board of Adjustment (C-8)

Item C-2 (Resolution Authorizing the CY 2025 Federal Action Plan) was pulled from the consent agenda and considered separately. After a presentation by Dr. Shaylene Miller, the resolution was approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

Thirteen citizens spoke during the public comment period. Key positions and topics included:

• Doris Extrom (4533 June Avenue) questioned the qualifications of several mayoral appointees to boards and commissions, suggesting they were not properly vetted.
• Aurora Dixon (4205 Rosa Street) urged the council to adopt an ordinance restricting the advertisement of tobacco, alcohol, and vape products on business windows, citing youth exposure and public health.
• Contessa Smith (3712 Foxton Drive) criticized Police Chief Penn for negligence and lack of service in the Northeast Ward, claiming a firearm incident was ignored.
• JoAnn Allen (P.O. Box 284) spoke about historical contributions of Curtis E. Dixon and called for some council members to step down, stating they represent the people, not the mayor.
• L.M. Burch (2324 Dunbar Street) reported being shot multiple times, alleging her case was closed prematurely and that bullets were recently dropped near her home, with inadequate police response.
• Gwendolyn Hay (625 West 6th Street, Crystal Towers resident) reported plumbing problems, lack of painting, and a resident found dead in the building, asking for help from the city.
• Dan Rose (1332 Pleasant Street) presented a petition with 106 signatures from Crystal Towers residents, citing sewage backups, mold, expired fire extinguishers, and retaliation by management. He also expressed solidarity against prison labor.
• Michael Douglas (625 West 6th Street, Crystal Towers tenant council president) demanded justice for a resident who died in a fire, claiming no fire extinguishers were available, and called for Kevin Cheshire to step down.
• Olivia Doyle (12 West Devonshire Street) requested resolution of plumbing issues at Crystal Towers, opposed prison labor for litter cleanup unless pay grades are publicized, and asked for a speed limit reduction on Peters Creek near Parkland High School due to pedestrian safety concerns.
• Justin Cashel (1027 Nancy Lane, city employee) opposed a proposed prison labor program for litter pickup, stating it would pay incarcerated individuals only a dollar a day, undermine current workers, and pose safety risks. He said employees were told to sign consent or face discipline.
• Caroline Warren (2330 Leight Street) supported work release but opposed the dollar-a-day plan, calling it modern slavery. She urged the city to communicate with state legislators to change the law.
• Dr. Arnita Miles (5048 Wrangler Drive) highlighted the growing homeless population and requested additional staff for the city's homeless outreach coordinator, noting the current ratio of one coordinator to over 1,000 homeless individuals.
• Tariq Bligen (3694 Tech Avenue) presented the "Camp Creek One Acre at a Time Project," a comprehensive initiative to provide housing, education, employment, and rehabilitation for underprivileged youth and adults, aligning with city goals.

Discussion Items

G-1: Zoning Petition of Sedge Garden Baptist Church, Inc. (W-3640) – A public hearing was held for a rezoning from RS9 to IP on 2.11 acres at the northwest intersection of Linville Road and Kernersville Road (East Ward). Chris Murphy, Planning Director, presented the staff report, noting the area is under construction for the beltway and the zoning is consistent with the area plan. One citizen, Doris Extrom, asked questions about the petition but did not oppose. The Planning Board had recommended approval unanimously. Council Member Scippio moved to approve the statement of consistency and the petition, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Adams. The motion passed 8-0.

G-2: Zoning Petition of Jemsite Development, LLC (W-3641) – A public hearing was held for a rezoning from GB-S to GB-S to add the use of motor vehicle body and paint shop on a 3.25-acre site at the south side of Fairlawn Drive (North Ward). The applicant, represented by Luke Dickey, presented plans for a Caliber Collision facility, including enhanced screening with brick walls and opaque gates. Bradley Friesen, attorney for Crown Partners (owner of nearby Crown Park Apartments), opposed the petition, citing concerns about high-intensity use, traffic from tow trucks, and industrial creep. He noted that the auto body use was excluded when the property was rezoned nine years ago. The applicant offered to discuss additional conditions. After the public hearing, Council Member Adams moved to continue the item to the March 17, 2025 council meeting to allow further discussion. The motion was seconded by Council Member Ford Hall and passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved (8-0) including all routine items except C-2 which was pulled.
• Resolution Authorizing CY 2025 Federal Action Plan (C-2) – Approved unanimously.
• Zoning Petition W-3640 (Sedge Garden Baptist Church) – Approved 8-0.
• Zoning Petition W-3641 (Jemsite Development) – Continued to March 17, 2025, by unanimous vote.
• Closed Session – Council entered closed session under G.S. §143-318.11(a)(1) and (3) to discuss the National Prescription Opioid Litigation. The session was ended and the meeting adjourned.