Raleigh Public Record (https://theraleighcommons.org/raleighpublicrecord/topics/news/page/188/)
Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker says the city has more than 40 projects that could build jobs in the city with help from President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus proposal. Meeker said many of the projects could be underway within the year if the federal government chips in.
Almost 100 people gathered in front of the Wake County jail Saturday evening to protest the sheriff’s department’s participation in the federal 287(g) program. The county-federal partnership allows sheriff’s deputies in the jail to process and detain people suspected of being in the country illegally.
The general contractor working on the Soleil Center near Crabtree Valley mall sued the developer for more than $900,000 in Wake County Court. The proposed 43-story tower met criticism from planners and community groups for building the tower away from downtown. According to the News & Observer, the building site has not moved forward since May. A representative in the Soleil Center sales office declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said the project is “on hold until the first of the year.” None of the principals working on the development have been reached for comment yet.
Council got another look at the preliminary design for the municipal government complex and the Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center. Councilors also gave approval to put the Hillsborough-Morgan streets roundabout out for bids. Architects working on the new public safety center say the current police headquarters is on schedule to be demolished next fall. If the work stays on schedule, the new building should be done by the middle of 2012. The new police and fire department headquarters is the first phase for building a new municipal government complex that will house almost all city employees by 2027.
On tap for the December 2nd meeting:
The Hillsborough and Morgan streets roundabout design is back in front of council for final approval. The design consultant is more than halfway done and city staff recommends council approve the plan so far and put the project out for bidding. A city consultant will present the initial design for the new city government complex and public safety center. Budget and Economic Development Committee:
The downtown parking report went to the BED after council’s last meeting and the committee is now recommending that the city take over the parking program and enforcement. Planning:
The Planning Commission recommends the council reject the text change to prevent new pawn shops from opening in Buffer Commercial, Shopping Center and Neighborhood Business districts.
C. Duncan Pardo
Folks downtown will have a new way to get around early next year. The city released its plan for a downtown circulator bus for public comment today. The circulator will run from Peace Street, down Glenwood South, over to Dawson and loop around to come back up Wilmington. The proposal has two buses on the route, to have a bus come around every 10 minutes.
C. Duncan Pardo
The Downtown Parking Task Force gave its report to city council today. The task force recommends the city make all downtown parking metered, increase on-street parking rates and stop using a contractor to handle downtown parking. The task force worked for almost a year on the report about how to improve parking downtown. Task force members praised the city for its public parking decks, but said the available parking needs to be advertised better and on-street parking needs to cost more than parking in a deck.
A joint hearing with council and the planning commission tops tomorrow’s city council agenda. TC-19-08 would require single-family homes or infill lots being converted into multi-family use, such as houses being converted into apartments, to go before the planning commission and approved by council. On the continuing Hillsborough Street roundabout saga, city staff will recommend council initiate condemnation proceedings on four properties. The agenda says, “Negotiations, thus far, have been unsuccessful.”
The properties are:
HBS Properties, LLC
2020 Hillsborough St. SKS Properties, LLC
2400, 2414, 2420 and 2430 Hillsborough St.
By C. Duncan Pardo – September 24, 2008
The Affordable Housing Task Force had its second meeting yesterday afternoon. City council created the 23-member task force to bring perspective on affordable housing and what’s being called “workforce housing” to the comprehensive plan process. The task force is set to deliver a report to council in February and the comprehensive plan should be ready for review next summer. City planners expect Raleigh to grow by 70 percent over the next 20 years. The comprehensive plan is supposed to lay out what Raleigh will look like in 2030, from public transit to schools to high-rise office space.
Two hot topics brought West Raleigh residents to today’s city council meeting. The council discussed the new building proposal for Cameron Village, but held the real debate for next week. Moving down Clark Avenue to Peace Street, council members assured Broughton High School parents and alumni they would help find a compromise for student parking at the school. And a 6-2 council vote approved new permanent water conservation measures and increased the number of days people can water each week.
