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Residents criticize Raleigh zoning approvals, urge moratorium and stronger affordable-housing terms
Summary
Public commenters told the Raleigh City Council that recent zoning approvals ignored the comprehensive plan, urged a moratorium on spot zoning, and pressed the council to require on-site affordable units rather than payments in lieu.
Several residents used the council's public comment period to urge stricter adherence to the comprehensive plan and tougher conditions on developers seeking zoning changes.
"You are literally bulldozing what residents have asked for in the comp plan," Lisa Hewitt said, criticizing recent approvals such as the Peace Street Tower and North Hills. Hewitt said the council denied only two of 54 cases over the past two years and questioned whether offered public benefits matched the scale of height increases.
Chris Crew, who identified himself as living at 306 Elm Street, praised the council's recent denial of Zoning Request Z2525 on Bloodworth Street and urged a moratorium on new zoning change requests pending the comprehensive-plan update. "In order to free up your time and your brain space for other concerns that will come forward tonight and in the future, I strongly suggest placing a moratorium on new zoning change requests," Crew said.
Donna Bailey echoed those concerns, arguing the city is losing affordable units and that "missing middle" rules do not ensure affordability. She cited an asserted net loss of "four to 5,000 units a year" (as stated by the speaker) and asked staff for clearer tracking of gains and losses.
Speakers named specific cases for council attention (Z2525, Z3125, Z4025 and an unnumbered Newbern Avenue assemblage). These remarks were delivered during public comment and did not include formal motions or votes by the council.
