[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6630936,"mediaKeyId","2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0","parentId",2688501,"title","Votes at a glance: Wake Forest commissioners approve consent items, property purchase and agenda minutes","audioSeconds",688,"startMs",4711804,"endMs",5400750,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0&start=4711&end=5400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0/thumbnail_4711804.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630936/Wake-Forest/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Wake-Forest-commissioners-approve-consent-items-property-purchase-and-agenda-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630936-5a121dde782bff2e19bde36c2db9ed8e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775881619&Signature=Sd60odpiQoeJjewbPQvKIhtGOnxxz9PJj9vuDH9upkL02LoT1FrJ4b2pBE-tLq~4V09aCbeTsGZJirok4R5d9zL6p2RwwnJanVSX0sr-DwrE-fthbnV-uOTWo9dc~RrR1Se5tO4voofiOGtSHMALDSQyX8v48v6YU4Et3jUur0CufzXyEKnab6elzyTJM1p0IZk-eFTKK4yZqWgRQzhcJBLZ6T9v53wPTmAZ0QEl4sRFS5AGcctCmfHSMcOVzeFLtOcJCpmNB341DXZncawTe-VoIbRrgrU9k7-vBXPLlvNfmWORx7j91vdqrBQEyLATCuDcIjkuUUET4N1m1L5gDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wake Forest","date","2025-03-18T17:31:00Z","article","At the opening of the meeting the Board of Commissioners approved the agenda and multiple sets of draft minutes by unanimous voice votes. The consent agenda, which included resolutions to accept streets into the town maintenance system, several annexation public hearing schedules and a change request to a joint development agreement for the South Franklin Street widening project, was approved unanimously in a single motion.

Later in the meeting the board approved a purchase and sale agreement authorizing the town to acquire 0.4 acres located at 325 South White Street. Allison Snyder, staff member presenting the purchase, asked the board to authorize execution of the agreement; the board voted to approve the purchase unanimously.

The board also voted unanimously to go into closed session under North Carolina General Statutes sections 143-318.11(5) and 143-318.11(6). The motion to adjourn at the end of the meeting passed by unanimous voice vote.

What passed (summary)
- Approval of agenda: motion to approve (voice vote) — outcome: approved unanimously.
- Approval of draft minutes (multiple sets, February dates): motion to approve (voice vote) — outcome: approved unanimously.
- Consent agenda (multiple items A–G including street acceptance, annexation certification, joint development agreement change request, parking ordinance amendment, and advisory board appointment): motion to approve (voice vote) — outcome: approved unanimously.
- Purchase and sale agreement for 0.4 acres at 325 South White Street: motion to approve (staff presentation by Allison Snyder) — outcome: approved unanimously.
- Motion to enter closed session (NCGS citations referenced in motion): motion to approve — outcome: approved unanimously.

No roll-call vote records for these items were provided in the transcript; the meeting used voice or show-of-hands votes for these routine items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wake Forest - Board of Commissioners - Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved the meeting agenda and minutes, passed the consent agenda unanimously, and authorized a purchase of 0.4 acres downtown; a motion to enter closed session also passed unanimously.","taxTitle","Wake Forest, Wake County, North Carolina","taxId",55003,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630941,"Wake Forest adopts social district for downtown alcohol carryout; board votes 4–1",1847,2852890,4700290,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0&start=2852&end=4700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0/thumbnail_2852890.jpg","/articles/6630941/Wake-Forest/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-Forest-adopts-social-district-for-downtown-alcohol-carryout-board-votes-41","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630941-d7becf2b60c4107fa4175c88c053baa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775881619&Signature=e7Xy-Cay63vqBeN31paOrvNo5NejnYr4SWKglhm05SaniMJ3AmADB7gSn5wUdI3VA2XjKT14UwAbdK4EMdVOOu2i8Mr1Z~oVrlS6nOoAIU2jiJiLTIJ7A2nvEw8BJVQJMajRi3tMdXDjUPY4qDt~ynyKv-061p-VbhnaVTUbkYgtj~pK2fPtIzUyPKlOa0ep0tV8Wfi3GkgCJWVE-8ofh3va4Dsw2IGifOCMGhw7ROO1~jMuMkdh2KfPQo29HxnnZKbfQXaBl5Wekw7B19gV6Jpms~G6dnwGrDYNwdHuVYkMsbr~xf-TOmP8JVsDhepx-j05Y57EQeZx8I7RaIb5pA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Wake Forest Board of Commissioners voted to adopt an ordinance establishing a downtown social district that will permit carryout alcoholic beverages from participating businesses in designated containers beginning June 5.

Jennifer Herbert, the town’s Downtown Development Director, presented the ordinance and described key rules: participating businesses that already hold valid ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) permits would choose to opt in and complete an electronic form with the town; beverages sold for carryout in the social district must be in clear, non-glass containers bearing a district mark or logo, include markings identifying the permittee and the purchase time and date, and be limited to 16 fluid ounces. Herbert said staff intend to allow cups that already contain a business logo if the cup itself is clear and displays the social district marking. She also said the town would not initially require a single cup size to accommodate establishments that sell wine.

The proposed district boundary covers the downtown commercial area, broadly including South White Street to Elm, Brook Street (including the section in front of Town Hall), Owen Avenue, Jones Avenue, Waite Avenue and areas adjacent to the Renaissance Center Plaza and Powerhouse Row, Herbert said. She added that private outdoor seating areas and public seating were noted on a map provided to commissioners.

Enforcement and review
Herbert said the ordinance includes authority for the town manager, at the chief of police’s recommendation, to cease the social district temporarily if problems arise; the board also scheduled a six-month review for Nov. 18 to assess days, hours and any needed adjustments. The ordinance proposes operation Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m., with a suggested delayed implementation date of June 5 to allow time for marketing materials, ABC filings and business opt-ins.

Why it matters: supporters say a social district can increase downtown foot traffic and economic activity; opponents say it risks public-safety problems and that outreach has been insufficient.

Public testimony and concerns
Several residents testified against the proposal or urged more outreach. Abby Black, who said she canvassed 46 homes on South Main Street and received 22 responses, reported that only 10 respondents supported a social district and that many were unaware of the proposal. “If my neighborhood’s responses are a reflection of the town as a whole then 55% or more of Wake Forest residents do not want or are unsure about a social district,” Black said, and she asked the board to delay a final vote and hold an open house and townwide survey.

Speakers from the same household presented data and safety concerns. Tripp Black told commissioners he and others reviewed municipal DUI and crash figures and health-department cost estimates; he cautioned that the statistics alone do not establish causation but said the county-level data show an increase in alcohol-related costs. Max Black, a high-school-age speaker who said he had recently completed driver’s education, urged commissioners to consider impaired pedestrians’ “tunnel vision” and whether boundary signage would be effective. Nikki Black said the term “social district” masks that the measure “only speaks to the subject of alcohol” and urged more public seating and other nonalcohol amenities to make downtown genuinely social.

Board discussion and vote
Commissioners debated the district’s potential to draw more people downtown and discussed bench placement, public restrooms and how the district would intersect with special events. One commissioner said the ordinance should spur additional programming so the district is not “just a place where now I can have a beer on the sidewalk.” After a motion to approve and a second, the board voted 4–1 to adopt the ordinance; Commissioner Cross voted no. The ordinance’s effective date in the text is June 5, and a six-month review is scheduled for the Nov. 18 board meeting.

What was not decided
The ordinance does not set a final, single cup size requirement, and staff said some operational details — such as final marketing materials, an outreach schedule and the specifics of event coordination — will be developed before implementation.

Ending note
Staff will work with downtown businesses on opt-ins and with police on enforcement procedures; the board will revisit the policy at the six-month review.","The Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance creating a downtown social district effective June 5, allowing ABC-permitted businesses to opt in to sell alcohol in town-approved clear plastic cups (no glass) up to 16 fluid ounces during specified hours. The board set a six-month review; Commissioner Cross voted no.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6630945,"Wake Forest reports sharp uptick in microtransit ridership; residents raise accessibility and safety concerns",379,1907740,2287305,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0&start=1907&end=2287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2688501-66de9ba6747b20da8101ba45a8f7f8f0/thumbnail_1907740.jpg","/articles/6630945/Wake-Forest/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-Forest-reports-sharp-uptick-in-microtransit-ridership-residents-raise-accessibility-and-safety-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630945-df218b65db02e8ae76920e17efcd4265/orig.mp4?Expires=1775881619&Signature=Sjyh73nnHV892PJcDtM38Sg4DDlyBNKKva31hgr4tQLkfvrqnSqF9xhcl4Vz-Wy6w7n8e3FqSidGj0vJAdS1~31MF5NnMxGK5ieASWVxMBrTY578OwKUUxelVYogV2ggUIuwjgNh0tUrPE3xgtyHmPKUUqgLbnjHWz0Llvamgl-qwwqo~t97MBDIP2-MyU6XZ5YOF7U6v~Qips8cYS3dMNADLU1CtP81p1NG7HoidN~zNdPCOhlQU61Ra0yihg4Ohg6P12GFuDfovtFzNXDJ0dpnJ6jrn8R-9LMwo-whYscMi30yXUAPVQvMkOSF3W77-u5ZKNRfe6tNjbwyrHv6sQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brad West, the presenter for the Go Wake Forest transit update, told the Town of Wake Forest Board of Commissioners that the town’s microtransit pilot has shown rapid ridership and performance gains since it replaced the Wake Forest Loop bus.

West said the program started in the third quarter of 2024 with roughly 1.5 boardings per hour on the Wake Forest Loop and that, after switching to a microtransit model, the system is now averaging about 21 boardings per hour. He reported a 91% met-demand rate, on-time performance near 85% and a decline in cost per boarding from $74.33 under the bus loop to just above $20 in February.

The numbers matter because the town manager increased weekly driver hours from 500 to 580 to meet demand, West said, expanding the fleet to eight active vans and two spares (ten total). West also said security cameras that record inside and outside the vans have been installed, vans now have speed and abrupt-stop tracking, and van cleanings were increased from once to twice weekly. He said the town’s Community Funding Area application to CAMPO was unanimously recommended by the selection committee and, if approved by the CAMPO executive committee and GoTriangle Board of Trustees, would provide matching funds of a little over $1 million drawn from the Wake County transit tax to pay for about half of the system.

Why it matters: town leaders say the changes have meaningfully improved reliability and reduced per-ride costs, but speakers at the meeting warned the microtransit model leaves some riders behind and called for clearer enforcement and communications.

Public comments underscored equity and operational concerns. Pepin Webb, a Wake Forest resident who said she rode the bus daily in 2024 until the fixed-route service ended, said microtransit provides useful door-to-door service for some riders and disabled passengers but excludes people who do not own smartphones or who rely on consistent work commutes. Webb described a senior, “Ken,” who she said chose his apartment for proximity to a bus loop that no longer runs and who was left stranded because he does not have a phone. “Public transport that presupposes that its riders have phones, an internet connection, or a backup ride is transport that excludes those who most need it,” Webb said, and she urged the town to “consider running a scheduled shuttle for a few loops in the morning and the evening in addition to this microtransit program.”

Another commenter, Michael Veil, raised safety and enforcement questions about operators. Veil said he often saw drivers using earbuds, headsets with boom mics or holding cell phones while driving and asked whether the newly installed cameras would detect those behaviors. He also said the town website showed a $2.50 fare starting April 4 while other town officials had said fares would be delayed; he asked for clearer public communications. Veil also reported seeing passengers vaping inside vans and asked whether operators were enforcing a smoke-free policy.

Town staff responses and next steps
Brad West told commissioners he could follow up on whether the vans’ cameras record audio and said the speed- and stop-tracking software allows review of driver behavior after complaints. He noted that the unmet-demand rate has ticked down but cautioned the program is approaching a capacity ceiling without added hours or vehicles. West said staff will return in about a year for a full review but that the board could request an earlier update if needed.

Funding and oversight
West said the CAMPO recommendation would need final approval by the CAMPO executive committee and GoTriangle trustees before the town receives matching funds. He described the funding source as the Wake County transit tax; the amount recommended by the selection committee is “a little over a million dollars” for the town’s match.

What was not decided
No formal action or vote on microtransit operations, fares or shuttle service occurred at the meeting; commissioners did not adopt a new policy or set a specific implementation deadline. Staff said they would report back to the board on any follow-ups, such as confirmation about audio recording on cameras and potential schedule-based shuttle options.

Ending note
Commissioners thanked staff for the operational improvements and invited further community input; residents urged the board to prioritize dependable commute options for riders without smartphones and clearer enforcement and public messaging.

","Town staff said Go Wake Forest microtransit ridership rose from about 1.5 to 21 boardings per hour, on-time performance improved and per-boarding costs fell after switching to microtransit. Public commenters urged scheduled shuttles for commuters and raised enforcement questions about drivers and fares.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Wake Forest commissioners approve consent items, property purchase and agenda minutes

Wake Forest adopts social district for downtown alcohol carryout; board votes 4–1

Wake Forest reports sharp uptick in microtransit ridership; residents raise accessibility and safety concerns