The January meeting of the East Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) was held last week on January 28th at Tarboro Road Community Center on North Tarboro Road.

Leading the meeting were Deborah Ford (Chairperson), Kimberly Izuogo (Co-Vice Chairperson), and Jake Levitas (Co-Vice Chairperson). About 28 residents from the East Raleigh community, including city staff, were in attendance.

As Secretary for the East CAC, it’s my job to record and prepare the minutes for each meeting. You can view the a copy of the official minutes below or on the City of Raleigh website. The next East CAC meeting is scheduled for March 18, 2019.

East Raleigh Crime Report

Crime	October 8 – December 2	December 3 – January 27	% Change
Assault	13	8	-38%
Burglary/Commercial	1	7	600%
Burglary/Residential	15	15	0%
Larceny	32	27	-16%
Larceny from Motor Vehicle	17	25	47%
Motor Vehicle Theft	9	6	-33%
Robbery	6	2	-67%
Total	93	90	-3%

Source: Raleigh Police Department

East CAC Meeting: January 2019 Minutes

Welcome and Introductions

Meeting started at 7:05pm.
Chairperson Deborah Ford introduced East CAC officers and asked for approval of the minutes from the November meeting.

Approval of November Minutes

The November 2018 minutes were approved without questions or revision.

Reports: Housing and Neighborhoods Department; Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources; and Raleigh Police Department

Greg Wallace, the Assistant Director for Lions Park, provided updates on the progress of renovations at the Lions Park Community Center.
- The gym floor is currently being replaced and, once complete, Lions Park will be one of only two community centers in the city with a real wood floor in the gym.
Officers Leggett & Klos-Weller from the Raleigh Police Department gave an update on crime statistics in the East CAC during the past several months (see the table above). Overall, the total number of crimes committed in the East CAC has been steady, down 3% from October 2018 to January 2019. However, the number of commercial burglaries increased 600%, from 1 during the time frame between 10/8 and 12/2 to 7 during the time frame between 12/3 and 1/27.
Officers discussed the Raleigh Police Department’s “Lock it or Lose it” campaign to encourage residents to lock their vehicles and remove valuables at night. Many vehicle break-ins occur simply because residents fail to lock the doors of their cars.
To safeguard against home break-ins, the Officers encouraged residents to tell their neighbors when they expect to be away travelling. If traveling, residents can also alert the Raleigh Police Department and put in an increased patrol request.
- Visit the Raleigh Police Department website for more information.
- For all non-emergencies, call: 919-831-6311
- For general information and questions, call: 919-996-3335
Finally, the Officers gave an update on a Raleigh Police Department Officer who was recently shot in the line of duty. The injured officer is reportedly out of intensive care and improving, but still has a long road ahead to recovery. He and his family expressed gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support.

Solid Waste Services Presentation by Code Compliance Officer Pamela Artis

Pamela Artis, Code Compliance Officer for Southeast Raleigh, gave a short talk about solid waste services in Raleigh and reviewed the city’s schedule for trash and recycling.
Code Compliance issues and documents violations regarding the disposal of solid waste throughout the city.
- For instance, garbage cans should not be stored in the front yard of a residence. Also, residents should dispose of yard waste (e.g., leaves, etc.) using clear or brown bags, not black bags.
- The items most commonly disposed of incorrectly are paint and construction materials. These materials should be disposed of at an appropriate Wake County facility.
  - See the website for Wake County Waste & Recycling for more information about where to dispose of specific materials.

Capital Boulevard North Presentation by City of Raleigh Planner John Anagnost

John Anagnost, a Planner with the City of Raleigh, gave an update on the Capital Boulevard North Corridor Study. The Corridor Study seeks to create a vision and specific policies to guide investment and development on Capital Boulevard between I-440 and I-540.
Mr. Anagnost briefly reviewed the Capital Boulevard North Vision and Goals Report, which provides an expression of values and aspirations for the corridor based on input from the community. The Corridor Study is entering Phase 2, which will focus on transportation and land use.
Mr. Anagnost will return in March to give residents in the East CAC another update on the project and to share more information about upcoming community meetings planned for April.
For more information about the Capital Boulevard North Corridor Study, see the project website.

Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board Presentation by Community Outreach Chair Collin Bober

Collin Bober, Community Outreach Chair with the Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board, gave a brief overview of the board’s mission and work to prevent discrimination in housing opportunities.
The City’s Fair Housing Ordinance prohibits discrimination in housing opportunities on the basis of race, color, religion, family status, disability, national origin or sex.
The Fair Housing Hearing Board engages in community outreach and hears cases of fair housing disputes. Mr. Bober reported that most fair housing disputes in North Carolina involve alleged discrimination on the basis of a disability.
Each year, the Fair Housing Hearing Board sponsors a Fair Housing conference in April to coincide with National Fair Housing Month. The 18th Annual City of Raleigh Fair Housing Community Conference will be held on April 18th, with Reverend William Barber II planned as keynote speaker.
More information about the mission and work of the Raleigh Fair Housing Hearing Board can be found on the board’s website.
Resident Questions:
- Resident asked whether there are many complaints filed in the East CAC?
- Mr. Bober stated that records are maintained at the county level rather than at the neighborhood/CAC level. Moreover, official counts likely underestimate the true number of instances of discrimination in any region because if people are unaware of their rights, they are unlikely to file an official complaint following discrimination.

Presentation & Vote on Zoning Case Z-30-18 at 3219 Poole Rd. Steve Gurganus AICP Land Planner at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Aaron Frank gave a presentation about a rezoning application for 3219 Poole Rd. He was joined by Steve Gurganus, a Land Planner with Womble Bond Dickinson, and Don Belk, City of Raleigh case manager for this rezoning application. This was in follow-up to an initial presentation dealing with the same rezoning application delivered at the November 2018 East CAC meeting.
The plot of land in question is 1.6 acres and currently includes a single-family house built in 1926. The house has potential for inclusion on the National Historic Registry and is currently being considered for adaptive reuse or relocation.
At the request of the Wilder family (the current owners of the property), Womble Bond Dickinson are applying to rezone this plot of land from Residential-6 (R-6) to Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NX-3-PL-CU).
Womble Bond Dickinson have already met with interested residents in close proximity to the property, as well as residents in the Southeast CAC and the East CAC.
City staff expressed reservations, indicating the application is presently inconsistent with the City of Raleigh Comprehensive Plan and plans for future land use. Nonetheless, staff is working with the applicant to address inconsistencies.
- One of the main ways the applicant is addressing inconsistencies and resident concerns is by implementing prohibited uses for the land. For instance, if the rezoning case is eventually approved, the land will not be permitted to be used for such things as a boarding house, a special care facility, a gas station, a bar, a smoke shop, a vehicle sales/rental lot, or any 24-hour service, with the exception of a pharmacy.
Resident Questions:
- Resident from the nearby Oakwood neighborhood expressed strong opposition to the proposed rezoning, expressing concern that the Wilder family was coerced into this rezoning request by the city and by Womble Bond Dickinson. Resident wants to know what the Wilder family thinks about the sale and rezoning request and whether this process has caused them any harm. Resident also wants to know what nearby residents specifically think of the plan, noting that tearing down residences such as this one is a “metaphor” for a larger problem throughout the city.
- Steve Gurganus stated that Mrs. Wilder is advanced in age and moved out of the house 2-3 years ago to receive medical care. Mr. Gurganus indicates that he believes the Wilder family is supportive of the plan.
- John Anagnost, a City of Raleigh Planner, clarified that the rezoning request was made by the owners themselves. A second resident pointed out, however, that such a claim is “disingenuous,” as the re-zoning request did not come from the Wilder family of their own independent accord. Rather, the rezoning request came from a trustee representing Mrs. Wilder and following the recommendation of Womble Bond Dickinson.
- Resident on the Raleigh Transit Authority points out that this plot of land would be ideal for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), especially given that bus route 19, which runs through a nearby intersection, was recently updated to high frequency. Furthermore, the land is near New Bern Avenue, a future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor.
- Another resident expressed concern about seeing the land used solely for commercial purposes and asked why the applicant wishes to rezone to NX (Neighborhood mixed-used) rather than RX (Residential mixed-use). Mr. Gurganus says that the reason is mainly because it will give a future developer greater flexibility in what they can do with the land, though it is still feasible that the land could be developed entirely, or almost entirely, for residential use.
- After much discussion, Chairperson Ford called for postponing the East CAC’s vote on the rezoning request until the March 2019 meeting.
  - Prior to the next East CAC meeting, Womble Bond Dickinson will present their rezoning application before the Planning Commission: Committee of the Whole on Thursday, February 28, at 4:00pm. They will then present to the full City of Raleigh Planning Commission on Tuesday, March 12th, at 9:00am. The Community is encouraged to attend both public meetings to voice any concerns they have.
  - During the March 2019 meeting, residents of the East CAC will consider taking up a vote on the rezoning request given certain provisions.

Meeting Adjourned

Meeting adjourned at 9:05pm.