City Council Agenda Preview

City Council sessions on April 5 — 1 p.m. regular session, 7 p.m. evening session

The City Council Agenda Preview is intended as an in-depth look at what’s coming up for discussion in the next Council session.

While the framework of this series is, naturally, the City Council Agenda, available here, additional information and background is often included as a way of providing better context on the issues while leaving out some of the more technical details found in the agenda.

The format follows the agenda items in the order in which they will be presented to Council, although we group the items from the Consent Agenda section in a slightly different way.

James Borden

City Council Meetings are held at 222 W. Hargett Street

Consent Agenda

The consent agenda is a set of routine items that can be approved by a roll-call vote at the beginning of a meeting.

Consent Agenda: Contracts & Finance

1. Sale of Compost Turner: The City’s Yard Waste Center recently replaced a compost turner manufactured in 1992. It’s considered surplus property, and because the value is estimated at more than $30,000, Council needs to declare a resolution to allow a sale to proceed.
2. RPD Youth and Family Services Donation: A $10,000 donation for expenses related to the Family Services Unit’s youth programs was received, and Council needs to authorize a budget amendment in that amount.
3. Ammunition Brass Sale Profits: RPD is requesting that the proceeds from the sale of ammunition brass be used to purchase ammunition for training and replace ammunition magazines on departmental weapons. The budget transfer requested for these purchases is $24,000.
4. Municipal Agreement — Rush Street and Hammond Road Repair: Although the City had plans to replace a waterline on Rush Street, a sinkhole developed at the intersection of Rush and Hammond in December 2014. The NCDOT rushed in to make emergency repairs, and City staff requested that the Rush Street pipe repairs be included in the DOT’s project scope. It was, and it came in under budget: $60,000 vs. the $100,000 set aside.
5. Summer Camps Transportation Services: A request for proposals was issued late last year seeking a transportation company that would take campers on field trips and year-round students to track-out programs. Two submissions were received. Staff selected Academy Tours, LLC out of Durham as the best fit for a four-year, $1,154,431 contract.
6. Police Mounted Patrol Unit Lease Extension: A space at 415 South Blount Street has since May 1, 2008 served as the home of the RPD’s Police Mounted Patrol Unit. The current lease is set to expire on May 15, 2016. The owner agreed to a four-and-a-half month extension on the lease, at the current rate of $4,190/month. At the end of this period, staff expects that the unit’s new location at 1027 North West Street will be completed.
7. Benefits Consulting Services Contract Amendment: Willis Inc., provides general benefits consulting services for the city. An amendment to its contract with the city is being requested as to allow for medical and pharmacy marketing services. This $38,000 addition brings the contract total to $241,000.
8. Municipal Service District RFPs: Proposals for Raleigh’s two municipal service districts were due March 18. Staff is now requesting that a public hearing be scheduled for April 19 to discuss the responses.

Consent Agenda: Streets & Traffic

1. Street Closing Request: North Harrington Street Alley. JDavis Architects is petitioning the City to close the right of way known as North Harrington Street Alley. Plans are in the works to develop the properties adjacent to the alley. Staff recommends a public hearing be held May 3 to determine authorization of this request.
2. Street Closing Request: Sylvia Dean Street: This street closing request is also in relation to new development plans; this access road provides access to eight properties, all of which are owned by the developer. Staff recommends a public hearing be held May 3 to determine authorization of this request.
3. Encroachment Request: Oberlin Road, Smallwood Drive, and Gardner Street. Fiber Technologies Networks is seeking permission to install 748 feet of fiber optic cable in the right of way.
4. Encroachment Request: South Salisbury Street, West Davie Street, and Gale Street. Celito Clec LLC is looking to install 1,295 feet of underground conduit in the right of way.
5. Plainsfield Circle Speed Limit Reduction: Staff recommends lowering the speed limit on Plainsfield Circle, which is classified as a Neighborhood Local street, from 35 mph to 25 mph. A petition signed by 75 percent of the residents/property owners in favor of this reduction was submitted to the City.
6. Commercial Loading Zone on Stafford Avenue: Staff recommends a Commercial Loading Zone be established near the entrance to the 401 Oberlin Apartments Building. A request was received from the owners of the apartment and the RPD as the lack of a loading dock at this building can lead to unsafe parking and driving conditions.
7. Bloodworth Street Law Enforcement Vehicle Only Zone Expansion: This request was actually received on behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service, which asked that the restriction be extended due to “security and personal safety concerns of judges and other government officials who park inside the perimeter fence at this location.” Hopefully this was general security advice rather than a response to a specific threat.
8. Traffic Schedule Corrections at 400 W. South Street: Signage on the 400 block of W. South Street is weathered and in need of replacement, and staff needs the traffic schedule to be updated to reflect the signage.
9. Martin & Harrington Street Taxi and Bus Zone Temporary Removals: Public works is requesting that a taxi zone on Martin Street and a bus zone on Harrington Street be temporarily removed due to construction on the old Dillon Warehouse. Construction is expected to last 22 months.
10. I-40 Bridges Pedestrian Retrofit: This project at Trailwood Drove would extend from Lineberry Drive to Main Campus Drive, and will include curb, gutter and sidewalk installations, along with bridge rails and fencing. This is unrelated to the Trailwood Drive bridge replacement project. A public hearing is recommended for May 3, after which Council can decide whether to approve the project.

Report and Recommendation of the Planning Commission

Note: For a full report of last week’s Planning Commission meeting, please see the March 24 edition of the Development Beat.

1. Rezoning request Z-3-16: This would rezone a parcel of land of Forestville Road from RX-4 to RX-3 CU, allowing for future residential development. Planning Commissioners recommended approval, and a public hearing is suggested for May 3.
2. Rezoning request: Z-43-15: This request seeks to rezone an 18.2 acre site on the south side of Tryon Road near the intersection with Dover Farm Road from R-1 to R-10, which would allow for higher-density residential development. Planning Commissioners recommended approval, and a public hearing is suggested for May 3.
3. Rezoning request: Z-4-16: This case seeks to rezone a .36 acre parcel of land on Oberlin Road near Wade Avenue and across from the Oberlin Court development to allow for office and residential development. It is currently only zoned for residential use. Planning Commissioners recommended approval, and a public hearing is suggested for May 3.

Report and Recommendation of the Historic Resources Advisory Board

A presentation will be given on the annual work plan for the Historic Resources & Museum Advisory Board, whose mission is to “promote, coordinate, and strengthen advocacy and advancement of historic programs to further the cultural development of the City.”

Report and Recommendation of the Waste Reduction Task Force

The task force was formed in November of 2014 in order to identify waste reduction goals throughout the city. Council members in previous discussions had expressed interest in receiving more information on efforts to increase the amount of materials recycled and reduce the tonnage being sent to the South Wake Landfill.

A consultant, HDR Inc., was hired to help with this task, which included three primary responsibilities:

1. Development of a waste reduction goal for the City
2. Recommend specific strategies for achieving that goal, by developing a set of guiding principles
3. Recommend revisions to waste related action items addressed in the adopted 2030 Comprehensive Plan

The task force’s report and recommendations will be presented to Council for further review.

Report & Recommendation of the Economic Development Committee

Note: for a full report of last week’s Economic Development Committee Meeting, see this March 24 article.

1. Economic Development Map Update: A map of Targeted Economic Development Zones throughout the city was recently refined by staff due to new grant stipulations. The committee recommends Council adopt this new map.
2. Facade Grant Program: The committee is recommending that the City’s current facade grant program be expanded to include areas on the new map, as well as allow for the funding of murals and parklets. Note: for a list of who’s received grants so far through this program, see here.

Evening Session: 7 p.m.

Joint Hearing with Raleigh Historic Development Commission

A joint hearing will be held to determine whether the following addresses will be given historic landmark designations.

1. Anna Riddick House: 1028 Cowper Drive
2. Horton-Beckham-Bretsch House: 11 South Blount Street
3. Wilmont Apartments: 3200 Hillsborough Street

Requests and Petitions of Citizens

We’ll list these exactly as they appear on the agenda.

1. Suzanne Harris, 5580 Centerview Drive, Suite 115, representing the Homebuilders Association of Raleigh-Wake County, would like to request a revision to the infrastructure construction and acceptance language in the UDO; specifically, changing the currently required two-year construction and two-year warranty period instead to a three-year construction and one-year warranty period.
2. Scott J. Benrube, 11416 Leesville Road, would like to make a statement concerning the Leesville Road widening project and to present information concerning alleged damages to his property.
3. Khaled Assell, 6558 Grand Hill Lake, would like to discuss concerns about his property at 4401 Delta Lake Drive and ask the City to help correct the problem.
4. Nicholas Voss, 2128 Bellaire Avenue, would like to discuss concerns related to establishments located on Paula Street.
5. Jason Swicegood, 6104 Winthrop Drive, would like to discuss stormwater concerns related to The Reserve at Brookhaven.
6. David Simonton, 1218 Lorimer Road, would like to address Council about concerns regarding a citizen petitioner’s questionable use of the neighborhood’s stormwater problems to secure signatures on a sidewalk petition.
7. Sarah Preston, American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, P.O. Box 28004, Raleigh, would like to present ACLU-NC’s recommended best practices for policy regulating the use of police worn body cameras.
8. Wanda Hunter, A. Phillip Randolph Institute — Raleigh Chapter, 1321 North Raleigh Boulevard, would like to address council about police accountability and conditions in Southeast Raleigh.
9. Geraldine Alshamy, Mary Magdalene Ministries, 2509 Remington Road, would like to present information about the way the laws on marijuana are enforced and offer suggestions.
10. Charnessa Ridley, North Carolina Women United, 8440 Perry Pine Drive, Apartment 109, would like to request council support for a strong community oversight board.

Public Hearings

1. As required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City must hold a public hearing for input on housing and community needs in order to receive grant funding. Input from this hearing will be considered for inclusion with the City’s final application.
2. Petition Annexation: Request for annexations at the Magnolia Grove Apartments and Cardinal Gibbbons High School.
3. Rezoning request Z-34-13: This case deals with a 6.4 acre parcel on Hillsborough Street currently zoned both residential-10 and residential-4. The applicant wants to rezone the property to residential-10 to allow for a townhome development. The case has met with opposition from neighbors, and when it was heard in front of the Planning Commission recently, several residents turned out to speak against it.
4. Rezoning request: Z-39-15. This rezoning would allow for a 78-unit apartment complex on the 1800 block of Trailwood Drive. Three of the Planning Commissioners, Veronica Alcine, Joseph Lyle and Adam Terando, voted against recommending this case for approval.
5. Rezoning request: Z-41-15. This case would rezone a portion of the 3100 block of Hillsborough Street to allow for a five-story neighborhood mixed-use redevelopment. The Wade CAC said they had voted 15-10 against the development. Many were concerned about adding another large student housing development to the area, and expressed a preference for a more mixed use of the property. They were also concerned about the added height requested for the project. Planning Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval.
6. Rezoning request: Z-46-15: This case would rezone a small (. 37 acre) parcel of land in Southeast Raleigh at the corner of South West and West Lenoir streets from R-20 to I-X. This would allow for a broader range of uses once the site developed. The applicant hasn’t announced specific plans for the site and in documents filed with the city, proposes the possibility of “light industrial, commercial, service/retail, and residential uses.”
7. Rezoning request: Z-2-16: This case would designate the Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood in central Raleigh as a Historic Overlay District. Located off Glenwood Avenue near Fred Fletcher Park, the neighborhood traces its roots back to the early 20th century. The historic overlay on Glenwood-Brooklyn would not change the underlying zoning for the 80 acres it encompasses. Rather, it would create a design review process for exterior changes on the front of the property. It would have limited application to changes made on the side of a property and would not apply to most rear changes.
8. Text change request: TC-3-16: General Historic Overlay/Streetside Historic Overlay. This amendment would change certain requirements for certificate of appropriateness reviews, including building paint colors, height and setbacks, the appeals process, and the process diagram.