Archive for City Government
Mark your calendars now! Show up at the Feb. 5 public hearing to support West Peace Street improvements!
Picture driving along West Peace Street, between St. Mary’s and West Street; a busy street with missing or torn up sidewalks, unable to meet the demands of school and work traffic. As a primary traffic corridor for east Raleigh neighborhoods, Cameron Village and the State Government Center, it reflects a lack of appeal, as well as safety. Now you have an opportunity to let the city know that they have your support in making welcome improvements.
Here’s the backstory
Five years ago the West Peace Streetscape Improvement Plan was created, originally planned as phase 2 of the Glenwood South streetscape improvement project. But in response to the economic recession in 2008, the previously allocated $1.3 million construction fund was placed in an economic reserve account where it remains today.…
[ Read More → ]Low-Income Artist Community could be coming to Downtown Raleigh
A unique concept for an artist community could be coming to Downtown Raleigh. City Councilors agreed a few weeks ago to lease the Stone’s Warehouse on Davie and East streets so the property can be redeveloped into an affordable artist community.
As reported in the Raleigh Pubic Record:
Developers can’t mandate that only artists live on property, but the 49-unit community will have shared and private studio space, which would encourage that type of renter. Renters would have to meet strict income requirements in order to be approved for a lease.
A few things need to happen for the plan to become a reality. First, the developer needs to receive the tax credits they need; and the property must be rezoned.…
[ Read More → ]DLA discusses “The Fine Art of Enjoying Downtown Living”
Each month the Urban Design Center hosts their lunchtime education forums on various topics related to the urbanization of Raleigh. All events are free and open to the public.
This month the UDC has invited the Downtown Living Advocates to host a discussion on “The Fine Art of Enjoying Downtown Living”. That’s certainly a fun topic the members of the DLA know something about, so come join us:
When: Wednesday, January 16th from 12 Noon – 1:30PM.
Where: UDC, 220 Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh
Topic questions
- Is there innate value in urban interactions?
- How are personal economies affected by living downtown?
…
Who are those red-shirted people?
Have you seen the people walking around downtown Raleigh wearing a red shirt that says Ambassador on the back? Did you know that they are walking the streets to help you downtown? I know it’s genius: someone downtown that you can ask for directions, help you find a parking garage, or help escort you to your car when it’s raining. I’m always amazed when I’m walking my two dogs or walking to work and I notice the ambassadors picking up trash, sweeping the sidewalks, or just saying “good morning”. This type of program is definitely a great amenity for living downtown.…
[ Read More → ]Coming Soon: New Rules for Development in Raleigh
Six years ago, the City of Raleigh took on the challenging task of overhauling its aging development regulations. The current regulations were written over 50 years ago to support suburban growth. The new regulations are written to support more urban forms of development and create more objective standards for greater predictability and quicker approvals of development plans. Another important feature is the customization of many standards to better fit different types of development.
The first phase of the project involved a rewrite of the City’s comprehensive plan. This plan defines policies that create the framework for the new development regulations. The Raleigh City Council approved the 2030 Comprehensive Plan in the fall of 2009.…
[ Read More → ]DLA Supports A Destination Park At Dix
The Downtown Living Advocates support making the 306 acres of the former Dorothea Dix campus into a destination park.
Quote from DLA member Leo Suarez.A park at Dix would be a huge shot in the arm for urban fans in Raleigh as resulting development around the park, therefore adjacent to downtown, would be denser. This results in more walkable, bikable neighborhoods and more Raleighites thinking more on their feet than within their car.
Downtown Raleigh has little open space today as the historical design that included 5 green spaces has dwindled to just two small parks.…
[ Read More → ]DLA Adopts Downtown Bus Shelter: early adopter of new city-wide program
The Downtown Living Advocates has adopted the R-Line (R9) bus shelter located at the corner of Dawson and Morgan Streets.
The City’s shelter adoption program began in September, and the DLA quickly volunteered to be one of the first adopters.
About the Adopt-A-Shelter Program
Adoption requires maintaining the shelter and assisting in removing trash in and around the shelter area on a monthly basis. The City of Raleigh provides trash bags, disposable gloves and safety vests to assist in the trash removal around adopted shelters. Volunteers are also asked to notify City of Raleigh staff of any special maintenance needs and report vandalism or suspicious activity.
…
Triangle Wiki: Your crowd-sourced hyperlocal city guide
We are lucky to have such a diverse selection of downtown Raleigh blogs to capture the history, local knowledge and the vibrant momentum happening right now. At the end of the day, all the weight and responsibility is on the local blogger to make it happen, so we can consume.
What if we had a a crowd-sourced hyperlocal city guide where anyone could be a local downtown Raleigh blogger? We do, it’s called Triangle Wiki.
Why vote locally this year?
Article by Tappan Vickery for WakeUP Wake County
After a decade of working to engage to Generations X, Y and Millennials in civic issues and voting, I’ve discovered that preaching to someone about the importance of voting is useless if they have decided to reject the process. It’s similar to telling someone to find their faith – it is a personal journey they have to take on their own. So rather than preach, I strive to give people the resources they need to make their own choices.
I have a Raleigh friend who has never voted. He’s an activist, building local businesses to support sustainability and supports local foundations and other non-profits. He is a property owner and pays taxes.…
[ Read More → ]City Council reviews Unified Development Code recommendations
WHAT: At the September 17th review meeting, City Council received an overview of the Planning Commission’s recommendations for changes to the draft Unified Development Code (UDO) document. A detailed review of the Planning Commission’s recommendations will begin at this meeting, starting with Chapter 1 of the UDO. The plan is to move sequentially through all chapters of the UDO.
WHEN: Monday, September 24 at 5:00 pm.
WHERE: 222 West Hargett Street, City Council Chamber
For more information: click here.
For other posts on this blog re the UDO: click here.…
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