![\"This](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/publixsite-336x260.jpg\")
<\/a>James Borden \/ Raleigh Public Record<\/p>
This could be the future site of a shopping center<\/p><\/div>\n
The property under consideration is a 13.12 acre parcel of land off Falls of Neuse Road. The proposed rezoning to Neighborhood Mixed Use would decrease office intensity while raising the maximum allowed retail intensity and allow for up to 58,000 square feet of retail, provided it was spread amongst different buildings. Current zoning allows for office use and around 6,000 square feet of retail. The plan was found by staff to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map. It would allow for a strip shopping center that would be anchored by a grocery store.<\/p>\n
When the project was initially being\u00a0developed, Publix was rumored to be that anchor, although that role will likely be filled by a specialty grocer instead.<\/p>\n
Mack Paul, the lawyer representing the applicant Morgan Property Group, noted the growth of the population in the Falls of Neuse corridor but the lack of retail establishments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was always the one location that we identified for retail use in this corridor,\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n
He presented a series of changes to the commission, including adjustments to parking, making the building more in line with the character of the neighborhood, and limiting the size of the anchor building from 49,000 square feet to 29,000.<\/p>\n
David Cox, the founder of Grow Raleigh Great, spoke on behalf of the citizens, citing the 3,800 signatures in the valid statutory protest petitions and the landslide vote of opposition to the proposed rezoning in the CAC.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur long-standing position on the rezoning of this property is not to rezone the property,\u201d Cox said. \u201cWe support development under the current zoning conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Signs](\"http:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/antirezoning-771x515.jpg\")
<\/a>James Borden \/ Raleigh Public Record<\/p>
Signs protesting the new development can be seen right across the street from the potential site<\/p><\/div>\n
The opposition to the case has focused on the issue of traffic and access, both of which the citizens believe will contribute to safety problems. Those concerns were stated again during the public hearing for the case on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe ask and implore you to say no to the rezoning,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n
Commission chair Steven Schuster asked each member of the planning commission to share their perspectives on the case.<\/p>\n
In support of the rezoning, many of the members cited the staff\u2019s recommendation that the rezoning was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map. Many also thought that the additional conditions represented a significant compromise by the applicant.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel that the neighborhood has moved this case significantly,\u201d commission member John Buxton said.<\/p>\n
Joseph Lyle, the sole commission member against the rezoning, said that he did not like the fact that the rezoning would remove a previous master plan. He also stated that the commission needed to look at more than just the staff\u2019s recommendation. More needed to be included, such as public hearings, CAC votes and petitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the type of civic debate that this city deserves,\u201d Schuster said. \u201cThe community has had a profound impact on this case, and will continue to have a profound impact on this case when it moves to elected officials.\u201d<\/p>\n
A motion to approve was made, seconded, and with just Lyle dissenting, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Planning Commissioners Tuesday recommended approval of a controversial new shopping center in North Raleigh. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1503513,"featured_media":22177,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22629"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1503513"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}