[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6287506,"mediaKeyId","2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07","parentId",2551537,"title","City outlines two-and-a-half-year process for next comprehensive plan, aims for broader outreach and measurable goals","audioSeconds",1686,"startMs",4875000,"endMs",6561000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07&start=4875&end=6561","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07/thumbnail_4875000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6287506/Raleigh/Wake-County/North-Carolina/City-outlines-two-and-a-half-year-process-for-next-comprehensive-plan-aims-for-broader-outreach-and-measurable-goals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287506-1a1db3675c4ca67e15b628ee52c0cba4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261326&Signature=M2Rm4bbiPEBrB2z9BZ6wMQ8KRgXcmItGW5dNH3GNCHQe1rPTX~ACj5v4DLpEG~eYYz2aIabyBxQ0zbY4ANVnKsjytS3HEfI5Z0WBtI2j0wkIU6f5AFE~SR-BHCLLqbv5wsSLgAlc882SKBnm9byUvhQGwjIM9nKaKSHLhYf05jFBFd8qR23VwVl3ILcpXCAutUbS9zNGory2IyowsTCV9y1~fmMdH-De4XsohwOPrypxTqoe4KkfzrSFB2Zp2e1O8205r6FpIVjn6jbjvd6kT10u1XEKV3bXnUTYOniJYlzWKeXgMyUFRoYJaAQIzf38QsA1SqgwJKAz2xNni9sOlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-11T11:04:46Z","article","Sarah Shaughnessy, project manager in Raleigh Planning and Development, told council the city has launched a comprehensive-plan update — called Reflecting Raleigh — designed to guide land use and infrastructure through 2050 and to be shorter and more implementation-focused than the city’s 2009 plan.

Shaughnessy said the process will span about two-and-a-half years in five phases: Phase 1 (public engagement and inventory), Phase 2 (content development with technical teams and a citizen assembly), Phase 3 (plan drafting), Phase 4 (public review of the draft) and Phase 5 (adoption). She told the council the project will emphasize a concise land-use guide that connects with transportation, housing, natural resources and infrastructure and will include “smart, measurable” goals.

Planning staff reported a broad outreach effort already under way. Shaughnessy said the project team has hosted community conversations on affordable housing, transportation, stormwater and other themes, presented to boards and commissions, attended community events, and run four online surveys; overall the team has recorded more than 2,000 touchpoints to date. She said online survey demographic responses skew toward 25–35-year-old, white, middle-to-high income homeowners but stressed that in-person events and targeted outreach are being used to reach underrepresented neighborhoods. She said online surveys will stay open through June and that staff plan a public data dashboard and a summary engagement report at the end of phase 1.

On participation methods, Shaughnessy described the citizen assembly as a 50-person body designed to mirror Raleigh’s demographics so that deliberations are representative and less polarized than open public comment. Staff said they will solicit a consultant to design and facilitate the assembly and technical working groups. Shaughnessy also said staff are developing a community inventory, a market analysis, a capital needs assessment and other quantitative materials to help frame trade-offs for the public — for example, questions about where to accommodate growth, where to prioritize infrastructure, and where to focus preservation.

Councilors asked that staff clearly present the city’s constraints — including land and water limits, infrastructure capacity and affordability trade-offs — so public input can weigh trade-offs against those constraints. Shaughnessy and others confirmed that a data dashboard and a community-inventory report will provide those facts and that the plan will aim to attach clear performance metrics to policies. The project timeline projects a final plan brought forward for adoption in 2027.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Raleigh City Council Work Session - March 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff described 'Reflecting Raleigh,' a comprehensive-plan update to guide the city to 2050 with five phases, a citizen assembly of about 50 residents, technical working groups, and a commitment to measurable goals and a public data dashboard; staff reported more than 2,000 engagements to date and surveys open through June.","taxTitle","Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina","taxId",4736,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6287511,"Raleigh officials cite steep construction inflation, scope changes and a $37 million jump on 6 Forks Road",1191,1846000,3037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07&start=1846&end=3037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07/thumbnail_1846000.jpg","/articles/6287511/Raleigh/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Raleigh-officials-cite-steep-construction-inflation-scope-changes-and-a-37-million-jump-on-6-Forks-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287511-3ca98c42efb94c881b9d723730a11aec/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261326&Signature=Ac3FEEfGF2wdnNSCY9BCAxbal75TMyTg7RqpvkrSZHVj7vllg~SXSNpAnSU8GofhHMLKd-l2kch44HU~5sFv1H~rvVFQ8Q96JcczGddjc1u9j4167MZRmAszMI7E-IvODTg5vZzy4w7Vqew3--TAyXXMlX9gdHT-ApgzpUNhSJDHpfwpe5QAS9VWOCEsvLz2QrFimRUpG56bHh-dxQ2zcOFC7maekkv3y1SqH59uk1TfjNM0tsGYEq0Avx1UPdn5Aa6Su0M4FhY0RQUYNDgU1iC3CP42KThVc5toI59Hjx7FZMtaHnP5srY3GBL06bnFpYGe3cSY0f6BMZ17IcJzAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City transportation and engineering staff told the Raleigh City Council at a work session that unprecedented construction-market inflation and rising real estate costs have materially increased estimates for several projects funded by prior bonds and that staff are pursuing scope, phasing and funding options to keep projects deliverable.

Kenneth Ritchie, Transportation, framed the update by pointing to national construction-cost indices: “in the last 3 years, we've seen a 67% increase in the construction cost index,” and staff said those market pressures mirror recent large state projects. Engineering Services’ Byron Sanders used a local example, noting the US 1 freeway expansion estimate grew from about $750,000,000 to roughly $1,340,000,000 in recent years.

The city said those broad trends help explain sharper increases on local projects. Sanders gave 6 Forks Road as the most prominent example: the council previously directed a six-lane section with an eight-foot multipurpose path from Rowan to Millbrook. The estimate cited in the presentation rose from $56,100,000 to $93,500,000. Sanders said staff are “exhausting all scope and funding options to move this project forward” and that the city will return to council in May with a more detailed plan.

Staff described a range of responses to cost pressure. For Barwell Road South, engineering staff proposed shortening the project corridor to bring it within budget while retaining key safety work and the planned realignment at Rock Quarry. Carolina Pines — previously presented with a bid rejection — was reported to have secured additional internal funding and is expected to come back as a bid award rather than another rejection. Lake Willow Road was described as a parks-bond project managed by transportation; staff said they will clip part of the planned east segment to reduce railroad coordination complexity and bring the engineering work into budget while preserving the footprint across Dix Park's frontage.

Ritchie and Sanders walked council through project stages: completed projects (Tryon Road C, Poole Road, Rock Quarry Road A), projects under construction (Atlantic Avenue, Blue Ridge South), projects at bid or permitting stages (Blue Ridge North, Old Wake Forest/Dixie Forest), and acquisition phases (6 Forks). Staff listed the key cost drivers as real estate acquisition, materials (asphalt, steel), labor market constraints, permitting and coordination with external agencies such as NCDOT and NCDEQ. They also said schedule changes and expanded public engagement that change a project’s scope can increase costs. Sanders noted that some previously deferred projects still retain design funding and could be considered for future construction funding.

Councilors pressed staff on next steps and communications. Several council members expressed frustration that projects voters approved in past bond packages have not been completed and warned that a future transportation bond will face public scrutiny if delivery remains unpredictable. Ritchie and the city manager’s office said staff are preparing a spring work session that will look across bond categories and consider “steady state” options (shorter, more frequent bond cycles and advanced planning/design) to reduce schedule risk and improve deliverability.","City transportation and engineering staff told council national and local inflation have raised construction costs sharply, forcing scope reductions on some projects and further review of others — most notably 6 Forks Road, whose estimate rose from about $56.1 million to $93.5 million; staff plan a detailed May briefing.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6287516,"Raleigh staff report progress, funding gaps and new dashboard for $275 million 2022 parks bond",638,665000,1303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07&start=665&end=1303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2551537-04689c07f9047cbea79801caed99af07/thumbnail_665000.jpg","/articles/6287516/Raleigh/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Raleigh-staff-report-progress-funding-gaps-and-new-dashboard-for-275-million-2022-parks-bond","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6287516-b2112c239812ba548d7268bbbc1365a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775261326&Signature=VQXlp1FzsQdegdOZlWEKRXTn2fwqgeORED2AJkcNkOmpxEBXMHUEQd8H-GwE2ulQHij6vrIpNxXvVChL6czUTgCvCIYRNQD3~wEiESpAI3tchvc9NH7~wW7OwJU5cuL4kNciZllA0O28oaXAZMZkMljbofr3iC9q99YtuM7F6IXywJmwiij9NVxNOMMduia6cMcgPixSXpFnCQaAF4wEU4yq2YRzvohe1HgyeeiM8CjtDrrgVM8QdNZX9aw6T8bKU~86YiNlYTkbUjLACuGNAO9rToGWREe-xaFdfwB2hlCYJjGLBB~senENnOhUWY9Mx-T9f4tNFkxDJUpIDJji1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Raleigh Parks Department staff updated the City Council at a work session on progress implementing the 2022 Parks Bond, a $275,000,000 package that funds 23 parks and greenway projects.

The bond update matters because the originally proposed package approached $300 million and the adopted $275 million left a funding gap staff said they are actively closing with grants and partnerships. Shoshine Baker, Parks Department, told the council, “since the beginning of the bond process about a year and a half ago, we have conducted over a 20 engagement events,” and described work with advisory boards and community partners.

Staff said they have secured roughly $10,000,000 in outside funding to date. Baker identified $8,600,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior for Smoky Hollow Park and a $1,500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the South Park Heritage Trail. Baker said the HUD award was part of a $3,000,000 allocation secured with Congresswoman Deborah Ross’s office, with the other half originally intended for the Chavis Dix Strollway project. Staff also reported a partnership contribution of “over $400,000” for neighborhood connections on the Crabtree Creek Trail.

On project delivery, Engineering Services staff presented a status grid that traces each bond-funded project through planning, schematic design, construction documents, permitting, bidding and construction. Byron Sanders, Engineering Services, said one parks project is already under construction — the Dorothea Dix Gibson Play Plaza — and is on schedule for spring 2025 completion. Several projects were described as in permitting (Biltmore Hills tennis expansion; Green Road Park improvements; Lakeland Trail West Loop and the Crabtree Creek neighborhood connection partnership), while others have advanced from schematic design into design development (including John Chavis Historic Park, Top Green and Walnut Creek Greenway improvements).

Baker and engineering staff emphasized the interdepartmental nature of delivery and repeated that many projects are co-managed with Parks and Engineering Services, and reviewed with the Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board before coming to council. On grant status, Baker said the DOI and HUD awards have been awarded but “the grant contracts have not been executed” and remain in Q&A stages; once federal partners accept the city's responses the contracts will be brought to council for execution.

Information-management work was also highlighted. Staff released an internal version of a parks-bond dashboard in December to track schedule, budget and cash flow across projects and the bond overall; Beth Stagner, Information Technology, told council the team is working to “slim that down and streamline it” for public release and anticipated an external launch “sometime this summer.”

Staff closed by saying they will continue to pursue grant and partnership funding, complete design and permitting milestones, and bring bid awards and contract items to council as projects are ready. Council members asked for clearer timelines for the dashboard and for confirmation of grant execution steps; staff said contract execution is pending federal responses and that council will see contracts at the time of execution.","City staff told council the 2022 Parks Bond — $275 million for 23 parks and greenway projects — is moving through design and permitting, but faces a roughly $20 million funding gap; staff said it has secured about $10 million in outside funding and will pilot an internal project dashboard before public rollout.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City outlines two-and-a-half-year process for next comprehensive plan, aims for broader outreach and measurable goals

Raleigh officials cite steep construction inflation, scope changes and a $37 million jump on 6 Forks Road

Raleigh staff report progress, funding gaps and new dashboard for $275 million 2022 parks bond