End of 2024 City Council meetings summary
A lot has happened since my last update. We had our first meeting of the new term last week, and I will continue to serve as Chair of our Economic Development and Innovation Committee and Vice Chair of our Transportation and Transit Committee. Below is a summary of meetings through the end of this year.
We initiated some modifications to our Missing Middle Housing rules to address some infill compatibility standards and tree conservation. I remain supportive of eliminating exclusionary zoning, and allowing more gentle density in existing, desirable neighborhoods near areas of retail and employment. This type of development limits sprawl, which is better for the environment and preserves more tree canopy. The intent of these changes is to guide the infill development such that new construction fits in a little bit better with surrounding residences (these standards already apply in many types of new construction, but were not included for Missing Middle projects near frequent transit) and to preserve more trees. I hope if approved, these changes will also reduce some of the tension and temperature surrounding infill developments, so these rules can remain in effect and not continue to be the topic of political campaigns. I will keep you updated as these proposed modifications work there way through the planning process before coming back to the City Council for final approval.
We approved free, 2-hour parking in five city-owned parking garages. This program was recommended as part of the downtown economic development strategy to encourage more folks to come downtown and support our local businesses. We approved it from November through January as a pilot during the holiday season. My hope and goal is to make this a permanent program. We will discuss next steps at our City Council retreat at the end of January.
We approved funding for the Omni Convention Center Hotel. In total, the city will contribute $75 million and the private developer will contribute $350 million to build a new, 27-story Omni Hotel on one of the vacant parking lots in front of the Performing Arts Center. The Omni will have 500 rooms, a rooftop pool, two ballrooms, and 60,000 square feet of meeting space. The project is part of the greater project to meet convention center demand, including the Convention Center Expansion and relocation and expansion of Red Hat Amphitheater. The city’s $75 million contribution is from the interlocal fund, accumulated from taxes paid on food and hotels in Wake County, and the money can only be used on tourism projects.
We approved a text change to legalize co-living, or single room occupancy (SRO), in more places in Raleigh. I’ve written about this proposed change before, but in simple terms, SROs are essentially “adult dorms.” Folks rent a private living space, but share spaces like living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. It’s a more affordable type of housing that was not legal to build in many places in Raleigh before we made this change. I look forward to seeing these types of development come online in the future, as we continue to work to address housing choice and affordability.
We allocated $1 million for PBS North Carolina to relocate their headquarters to downtown Raleigh. The funds are a Business Investment Grant. Having PBS downtown would be a major boost to the city and provide more opportunities for folks and families. More information will be available about this relocation in the near future.
Our next regular City Council meetings are Tuesday, January 7, 2025. We are on winter break until then. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and safe and healthy New Year. It is an honor to continue to serve as your at-large City Council Member.
