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Residents say West Street Tower rezoning ignores neighborhood transition rules, offers no on-site affordable housing
Summary
Speakers at the councilpublic comment period protested the planning commissionapproval of the proposed West Street Tower, citing a codified neighborhood transition zone, concerns about height and proximity to historic homes, and absence of on-site affordable units.
Lisa Hewitt, a Raleigh resident, told the City Council during public comment that she opposes the planning commission's approval of the West Street Tower rezoning, arguing the decision ignored neighborhood protections and provided no meaningful public benefit. "It's a 360-foot wall looming just 167 feet from historic homes," Hewitt said, adding that the proposal disregards a neighborhood transition zone codified in February 2024.
The dispute, Hewitt said, centers on whether the project's design respects the city's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the comprehensive plan and an "EDOT" policy referenced in her remarks. She said staff and the developer emphasized a height "step down" from 30 to 25 stories, but that the alleged step down runs north-south rather than east-west toward the adjacent neighborhood and that topography erases any effective transition. "The so-called step down, it's a mirage," she said.
Hewitt also criticized the proposal's public-benefit package, saying it promised no on-site affordable housing. She said the developer could have built up to 18 stories by right with affordable units on-site but chose not to. She noted an earlier rezoning denial two years ago and said the prior case delivered Smoky Hollow Park.
Woody Bix, a neighborhood resident, also raised height and traffic concerns, saying a 30-story tower would "grossly overpower the entire neighborhood" and could make Peace Street congested. Bix urged the council to be willing to deny projects that he said are out of scale with nearby buildings.
Speakers framed their objections as a policy-consistency issue: whether staff and the planning commission sufficiently weighed codified neighborhood transition requirements and other guidance when recommending approval. No council motion or vote on the rezoning occurred during the public-comment period covered in the transcript.
Why it matters: Commenters said the project's scale and lack of on-site affordable housing would directly affect nearby historic homes and neighborhood character. The concerns raised point to potential policy and staff-analysis questions the council may consider if the rezoning returns to a decision agenda.
Local context: Hewitt referenced a neighborhood transition zone codified in February 2024 and cited the UDO and comprehensive plan as controlling guidance. She asserted the site sits about 167 feet from historic homes.
Public record: These remarks were made during the public comment period and do not reflect a council action. Council staff or the planning commission may provide formal findings and analysis on the rezoning in published materials separate from these public comments.
