A project that would include a pedestrian bridge over Glenwood Avenue near Crabtree Valley Mall has been put on hold for another two weeks for more community input.
Councilor Randy Stagner Tuesday asked that the developer of a mixed-use project on Charles Drive go speak with a neighboring community that was not included during original discussions.
EYC Companies filed a rezoning application in order to build 175 residential units and 125,000 square feet of retail space on a piece of property near one of Raleigh’s most congested intersections where Glenwood Avenue meets I-440. The retail portion would not be completed until a pedestrian bridge connecting the project to Crabtree Valley Mall across the street is constructed.
Cars line up on Glenwood Avenue near I-440. Photo by Tyler Dukes.
The bridge will be paid for and maintained by the developer, who needs state and city approval.
Stagner said the developer didn’t meet with the Midtown CAC, which is the neighboring district and whose residents — most specifically in Innman Park — would also be affected by the project.
Because the development site is located in the Northwest CAC district, all public meetings were held with that CAC.
“This is an opportunity for Innman Park to get information on it, and quite frankly, see where we go from here,” Stagner said. “I’m hoping that good information will produce a good outcome.”
He asked that the developer hold an informational meeting before the Council comes back for a vote at its next meeting.
Attorney Robin Curin, who represents EYC, said they are willing to meet with anyone the Council wants, but wished they had more time and knew about this request earlier in the process.
At this point, she said, the time to add new conditions to the application has passed.
“You’re going to have the benefit of having the neighbors say we don’t like this and we can’t do anything about it even if we wanted to,” she said.
Curin said while they focused on the neighborhoods closest to the project, developers met with residents of Innman Park, some of whom wrote letters to Councilors in support of the project.
“We have not avoided them,” she said.
Councilor Bonner Gaylord said having more input and more voices adds value to a project, but he thinks the Council is starting to head down a slippery slope of coming up with new policies for specific cases, “Or just winging it with what rules we’re going to apply for certain applicants,” he said.
Stagner pointed out that under the new Unified Development Ordinance, the developer would have been required to meet with the Midtown CAC. The UDO takes effect this fall.
A final vote will be held at the Council’s next meeting May 21.
