City Council

Changes proposed for special trash pickup program

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The Raleigh City Council’s Public Works Committee approved changes today to the Solid Waste Services Department’s Need Assistance Program, which provides special trash pickup for elderly or disabled residents who can’t bring their bins to the curb. The changes will require new people enrolling in the program to certify that they are unable to bring trash bins to the curb and that there is no one else living in the house to help.

The committee also approved removing two stoplights in the Oakwood neighborhood and replacing them with 4-way stop signs. The committee had more traffic calming measured on the table, but elected to hold them until the new council comes in next month.

News

Council committee considers incentives for cisterns

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The Raleigh City Council’s Budget and Economic Development Committee voted today to move forward with incentives for residential water cisterns and drought-resistant landscaping. The ideas will go to the city’s Water Conservation Task Force to firm up the recommendations and then to a public hearing.

Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, who chairs the committee, said during Tuesday’s meeting that he hoped to have something in place early next year.

News

RPD looking for Oberlin Rd. BB&T robber

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A man robbed the BB&T at 611 Oberlin Rd. Thursday just before 1:30 p.m. A Raleigh Police Department spokesman said the man gave the teller a note that implied he had a gun. The teller met the robber’s demands and then the man left on foot. The RPD is looking for public help to identify the thief.

News

Council update: bikes, taxis, parking and Krispy Kreme

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The Raleigh City Council will take another look at bike lanes for Hillsborough Street. The council also passed new rules for taxi drivers, delayed a law on front-yard parking and told the Krispy Kreme Challenge to find a new route.

News

Behind the lights: faces of the fair

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Awash in blinking lights, airbrushed scenery, and faux-food, it is easy to become swooned by the fantasy of the State Fair. It is a carefully executed promised land flowing with milk and honey (not to mention fried pies, over-sized meat portions and an unholy amount of sugar). In this temporary microcosm of smoke and mirrors, the real personality can be difficult to see.

City Council

Council reverses Berkshire Downs annexation, may delay tiered water rates

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The Raleigh City Council decided to rescind the annexation of the Berkshire Downs neighborhood at today’s council meeting. The city had annexed the property earlier this year. Councilors also voted to delay the tiered water rates because of problems implementing the system and increase rates in the interim. The council will have to have a second vote at their next meeting to finalize the water rate hike and tiered rate delay.

City Council

City Council preview: Tiered water rate system to be delayed

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The tiered water rates and the city’s new water and sewer billing system are not ready and the public utilities department needs to delay the Dec. 1 launch. Also, Roger Koopman has asked to revisit the Berkshire Downs annexation. The council could approve an application for the city to build a hydroelectric dam at Falls Lake; 193 more parking pay stations will cost $1.6 million; And the fire department wants approval to give a bus to the Dragon Slayers Motorcycle Club.

News

Brier Creek sues Raleigh over Firestone rejection

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Brier Creek sued Raleigh and the city council late last week after the city rejected an application to build a new Firestone Complete Auto Care center near a residential neighborhood. The suit says election-season politics got in the way of the approval and the Raleigh City Council did not follow the rules when it refused to allow the Firestone at the corner of T.W. Alexander Drive and Sporting Club Drive. Photo: A Brier Creek resident holds a sign opposing the Firestone at the Raleigh City Council’s September 15 meeting.