Winston-Salem City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - November 10, 2025
Winston-Salem City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Date: November 10, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM – 4:32 PM
Location: 101 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC
Presiding: Mayor Allen Joines, with committee chairs for each agenda section.
The Committee of the Whole met to consider 20 agenda items spanning consent and general business. All nine council members were present. The meeting combined four committee sessions (Public Safety, General Government, Public Works, Finance) and included votes on major resolutions, ordinances, and informational updates. No public testimony was recorded.
Consent Calendar
All items on the consent agenda were approved unanimously by the full council without discussion, with the exception of Item C-9, which was pulled for individual consideration. Approved items included:
- C-1: Extension of the Forsyth DRIVE Program Agreement.
- C-2: Acceptance of a $175,000 U.S. Department of Justice Community Policing Development Microgrants grant.
- C-3: Approval of the Triad Municipal ABC Board Travel Policy.
- C-4: Text amendment (UDO-CC31) updating references to the Forward 2045 comprehensive plan.
- C-5: Annexation agreement between the Village of Clemmons and Winston-Salem.
- C-6: Acquisition of easements for the Barbara Jane Sidewalk Project.
- C-7: Purchase order for concrete pipe from Foley Products Company, LLC, valued at $543,994.10.
- C-8: Contract for a Facility Condition Assessment with ALPHA Facilities Solutions, LLC, for $649,854.
- C-10: Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget amendments (appropriation and project budget ordinances).
Discussion Items
C-9: Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds for Residences at Indiana Avenue
Motion by Council Member Joiner, seconded by Council Member Scippio. Approved unanimously.
Mayor Pro Tempore Adams requested removal from the consent agenda. She asked whether the increasing frequency of such bond requests (four in the last two years) was becoming the norm and requested a running tally for council awareness. Chief Financial Officer Kelly Latham explained that the city serves only as a pass-through for IRS tax-exempt bond requirements and assumes no financial liability. A representative from Aspire (the issuer) stated the project would include project-based vouchers serving 30%, 60%, and 80% area median income. Council Member Clark noted the city is merely complying with IRS Section 147(f) and encouraged such bonds for affordable housing. The vote was unanimous.
Parks Code of Conduct Ordinance (Second Reading)
Motion by Council Member Joiner, seconded by Council Member Clark. Passed 8-0.
Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe presented the ordinance establishing a code of conduct for all city parks, replacing the previous narrower proposal. Key provisions:
- Park hours changed to sunrise to sunset (with lighted facilities exempt).
- Prohibited behaviors include gambling, profanity, littering, defacing property, inappropriate physical/verbal contact, and drug/alcohol use.
- Violations may result in criminal charges or temporary/permanent suspension from city facilities.
- Language about personal belongings and camping was removed from earlier drafts. Council Members discussed enforcement, First Amendment concerns regarding profanity, and the role of recreation staff versus police. The city has one filled park ranger position (two authorized). The ordinance passed 8-0.
Vision Zero Community Resolution
Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Mayor Pro Tempore Adams. Passed 8-0.
Transportation Director Jeff Fansler presented a resolution establishing Winston-Salem as a Vision Zero community and formalizing a coalition to develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The city had received a $280,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from USDOT. The resolution formalizes a public commitment required for the grant. No financial commitment is required from the city. The plan will identify safety hot spots and develop actionable projects. Council Member Clark requested a list of hot spots by ward. The vote was 8-0.
Civil Service Board Appeal Hearing Rules (Informational)
Assistant City Manager Sharon Wojda provided an update on proposed rules for the Civil Service Board, which would govern grievance appeals. Two sets of rules exist: one approved by the board and a staff-recommended version with revisions. A public hearing and formal adoption are planned for December 1, 2025. Council tabled detailed discussion to a special meeting on November 17, 2025. No vote taken.
Resolution Affirming Commitment to Housing Availability, Choice, and Elimination of Barriers
Motion by Council Member Clark, seconded by Council Member Scippio. Passed 8-0.
Assistant City Manager Aaron King presented a resolution responding to a 2024 Carolina Core housing study. The resolution reaffirms the city’s commitment to removing housing barriers and increasing housing supply across all income levels. It does not commit financial resources. The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt a similar resolution in December. Council Member Clark suggested studying Durham’s accessory dwelling unit and missing-middle housing reforms. The vote was 8-0.
2026 City Council Meeting Calendar
City Manager Pat Pate presented the draft calendar. Key features: regular meetings on first and third Mondays, a city retreat in January, town hall meetings proposed for spring and fall, and a modified July schedule to avoid a long recess. Motion to table adoption to the November 17 special meeting by Council Member Hall, seconded by Council Member Clark. Passed 8-0.
Update on Union Station
Assistant City Manager Ben Rowe reported:
- Second floor: Winston-Salem State University terminated its 10-year lease earlier this year; the city is exploring relocating engineering field staff into that space.
- Third floor: A full-service restaurant is now deemed infeasible due to historic preservation constraints. A catering/warming kitchen option is being considered. Staff recommends marketing the space for community events. Council Member Scippio expressed frustration over the lack of a restaurant, noting long delays in East Ward projects. Mayor Pro Tempore Adams acknowledged past council disagreements. Council Member Hall asked about previous $800,000–$1 million upfit estimates; those funds were never expended. No vote taken.
Update on Amendments to the City Noise Ordinance
Ben Rowe provided an informational update. The city is developing a comprehensive noise ordinance with objective decibel standards, prompted by the planned downtown amphitheater. Staff has reviewed ordinances from Raleigh, Charlotte, Asheville, Durham, Greensboro, and Wilmington. Goals include standardized hours, clearer definitions, and a permit process for outdoor venues. Outreach to adjacent residential communities is planned. No vote taken.
Resolution Supporting Replacement of Fourth Street Bridge as Multi-modal Vehicular Bridge
Motion by Council Member Taylor, seconded by Council Member Hall. Passed 8-0.
Transportation Director Jeff Fansler presented NCDOT’s project to replace the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Street bridges over U.S. 52. Public input strongly favored keeping Fourth Street open to vehicles (rather than a pedestrian-only bridge). The resolution supports a multi-modal option with two travel lanes, buffered bike lanes, and wide sidewalks. Other changes include permanent closure of a section of Earline Parman Drive (between Fourth and Fifth Streets), though NCDOT noted the road will remain open between Third and Fourth. A speed limit reduction to 25 mph on Third Street is proposed. Project budget is $10.5 million (state-funded), with construction expected in 2029. Council Members emphasized preserving the legacy of Senator Earline Parman through naming opportunities. The vote was 8-0.
Downtown Streetlight Procurement and Replacement Project
Motion by Council Member Scippio, seconded by Council Member Taylor. Passed 8-0.
Jeff Fansler presented a project to replace 120 obsolete decorative streetlights downtown with LED fixtures matching the downtown streetscape master plan. Total cost is $1 million, with an $800,000 grant from the Winston-Salem Metropolitan Planning Organization and a $200,000 local match. Installation is expected in Q2–Q3 2026. Council Members raised concerns about streetlight needs in other wards and asked about future phases. The resolution authorized an agreement with NCDOT and amended the project budget. The vote was 8-0.
Key Outcomes
- All consent items (C-1 through C-8, C-10) approved unanimously.
- C-9 (Housing Revenue Bonds) approved unanimously after discussion.
- Parks Code of Conduct Ordinance passed 8-0.
- Vision Zero Resolution passed 8-0.
- Housing Affordability Resolution passed 8-0.
- 2026 Council Calendar tabled to November 17 special meeting (8-0).
- Fourth Street Bridge resolution passed 8-0.
- Streetlight replacement project approved (8-0).
- Informational items (Civil Service Board rules, Union Station, noise ordinance) taken under advisement; no votes.
- Next meeting: Special meeting November 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM, followed by regular council meeting.
Meeting Transcript
Digital media, you can't do it. In particular, that some of the language was very general, uh, concerns about perhaps the code being perceived as as uh targeting certain groups. So city staff uh continued discussion about the uh about the ordinance and uh drawing really on our experience with the uh with the Caroline Classic Fair in which we adopted a code of conduct to basically set expectations for how folks are expected to behave during the fair. Uh what staff has put together now is a code of conduct for all of our city parks. Uh the focus being that this would be a code of conduct that would apply to all of our parks, and that the you know purpose of the code of conduct is to ensure the safety of our parks, but also to make sure that the parks are truly accessible to all individuals. And so the uh the code amendment that is before you this afternoon, number one does uh continue to to propose a change in the operating hours from sunrise to sunset, still allowing flexibility for certain parts of parks to remain open after sunset for for example, lighted tennis courts, uh those types of facilities. But then does propose a uh a list of behaviors and rules that would be a part of a code of conduct that would be established in the city code. Um would you mind pulling that up? There's a an example of what the signage could look like that would list out uh those expectations for behavior. So I'm not gonna read through them, but it ranges from you know, gambling on city property, uh use of profanity, vulgar language littering, defacing city property, uh engage in inappropriate physical or verbal contact, you know, involving with drugs, alcohol. So essentially, uh just a lot of behavior that we would consider to be very disruptive to for the enjoyment of city parks. Someone who's you know cited for violating the code of conduct could be uh criminally charged, depending on severity of the offense, or also uh temporarily or permanently suspended from city facilities. So this this is uh kind of the next iteration of our effort to address the issue that we've that we've experienced, not just in Marshall Park, but also with other city parks. Uh there's data that we provided with this item uh from the police department showing the uh the calls for service from the top ten locations for calls for service in our city parks, Marshall being the top of that one, but Washington Park also being another uh location of concern, and then the top ten types of calls that we've we received. Be happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Mr. Raoul. I appreciate the changes that the staff has made. I think um we can always monitor everyone's behavior. Ideally, it would be great if we never had to have codes of conduct posted in our parks. But we do. Uh council members, are there any questions uh you'd like to address Councilmember Scott? Thank you, Madam Chair. Mr. Raoult, thank you for these changes. Uh I know we had a a quick conversation about it a week or so ago, and I appreciate what I I see. Um I do have a a few questions. Uh first the hours of the park. Um so today, hypothetically the park will be closed when I think it's the sunsets around 5 30, 6 o'clock. It's between 5 30 and 6 o'clock. We're prepared to have everyone vacate unless there's a a sign areas like the tennis courts or a basketball court that has has light attached to it. Is that correct? Once this uh becomes effective, that that's correct, yes, sir. Okay. Um and then the the in the the list of unacceptable behaviors. I have one question, the one, two, three, fourth one, failure to follow city staff or law enforcement personnel guidelines and or direction. That's a very broad and vague statement for me. Um is there anything that is particular that we can use it as an example? Um just kind of going I going back to what we originally had as as an as an option or as a um proposed for this for this ordinance. Um I I just I don't want to see it as a a police officer or a park director or the the the park manager says, hey, you can't bring that suitcase in here, or you can't bring this in here. Um what what is an example of what that would look like? So uh Councilmember Andrew Bowman, I I think that that's really more um you know, if if city staff or law enforcement officers provided direction about correcting behavior, and they don't look and they don't comply with that. Uh again, this what we're proposing now does not that language that was presented last month has been removed, both about personal belongings and about camping. So it would really be just I think someone failing to comply with an initial directive. Beautiful, thank you. And my final question is around the fines, the the fines that you mentioned. Uh majority of these things are already I think actually all these things are already listed things that are are against our our city code, our city laws. Do they match with what they currently are if they were happening somewhere else compared to being at a park? Uh that I'm not a hundred percent sure about, uh, Councilmember Andrew Bowman. I'll look to our deputy city attorney, Mr.
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