Raleigh staff seek council support for Greenway master plan changes to spur trail‑oriented development

City of Raleigh parks staff updated the City Council on proposed land‑use changes tied to the Greenway Master Plan and asked for direction to move proposed UDO amendments to public hearing.

Adam Foreman of Parks and Recreation summarized accomplishments from the 02/2022 comprehensive plan update and outlined proposed UDO changes that would standardize easement widths and add incentives for developer‑built trails. Foreman said the package includes proposed easement widths of 150 feet for the Neuse River, 100 feet for Crabtree and Walnut creeks, 75 feet for priority trails and 50 feet for other corridors, with a possible reduction to 30 feet if a developer builds a trail to City of Raleigh standards. “I want to present them to you now just in case there were any follow‑up questions, before the vote,” Foreman said.

The proposals would also let developer‑built trails count toward open‑space incentives at a multiplier (2.5 times the easement width), and add internal pedestrian‑path and frontage requirements intended to better integrate new development with adjacent greenways. Foreman cited an Oak City Trails analysis showing high‑density zoning near key corridors and said staff found more than 300 lots with at least one acre of buildable land outside mapped floodplain areas within an eighth‑mile of a greenway; staff agreed to provide a map of those lots to council members.

Parks staff framed the changes as tools to promote active transportation — trips to work, school and services — not only recreation. Foreman noted that some recent development “turns its back to the Greenway,” describing examples where parking lots and fences block access, and said the UDO tweaks are intended to produce frontage, internal connections and multiuse paths that are constructible and consistent with topography.

Lisa Shifower, who presented the department’s safety update, described recent capital and programmatic steps. Shifower said tunnel lighting has been installed in most previously unlit tunnels (one at Wade Avenue/Reedy Creek remains under review), several trails were widened and resurfaced, and a glow‑in‑the‑dark pavement pilot is operating on Crabtree Creek in the Innovation Corridor. She said limited traditional lighting remains a policy choice because of environmental concerns, flood‑prone locations and costs, but that the City is piloting solar lighting: “we are exploring solar lighting,” she said, and staff plans to unveil the first mile of a solar lighting pilot in the Innovation Corridor over the next several months.

Public safety and volunteer patrols were highlighted as part of the strategy to increase visibility and emergency response. Sergeant Jeff Burgess of the Raleigh Police Department said RPD has 12 authorized positions for the Parks and Greenway Unit, with six currently staffed on patrol: “As it stands, the Raleigh Police Department has now dedicated 12 positions. … We have 6 working right now.” Burgess described how patrols and volunteer reporting inform deployment; Shifower added parks staff are working with RPD on a data exercise to map historic incidents and deploy resources accordingly.

Council members expressed broad support and posed implementation questions. Councilor Mitchell Silver said he supported the approach, calling it “100%” the right direction. Councilor Harrison asked whether the 30‑foot reduced easement would be sufficient; Foreman replied that stream‑buffer rules under state law would still apply and that a developer must demonstrate the ability to build a City‑standard 10–12 foot path with shoulders and stable grades within the reduced width. Councilor questions also prompted staff to confirm the proposed open‑space multiplier applies to new developments only and that staff would add greenway status to site‑plan reports when applicable.

What happened next: staff said the UDO amendments have been reviewed by internal committees and planning board and are scheduled for a public hearing; Parks asked council for a “green light” to proceed to formal public hearing and for feedback on the design‑standard items. Staff also committed to provide the map of lots with at least an acre outside the flood plain and said the solar lighting mile will be monitored as a pilot before broader rollout.

Why it matters: the proposed changes tie land‑use rules to active‑transportation goals, potentially shifting how new development interfaces with greenways and how the city allocates maintenance, lighting and patrol resources. The measures rely on partnerships with developers and coordination across planning, transportation, parks and police functions, and staff highlighted floodplain constraints and state stream‑buffer requirements as limits on where development can be encouraged.

Next steps: Parks will bring the UDO amendments to public hearing as scheduled, provide the lot‑mapping analysis to council, continue the solar lighting pilot in the Innovation Corridor and continue coordination with Raleigh Transportation and RPD on maintenance, lighting and patrol deployment.