News and Observer - Why the Dix ‘Edge’ Study stalled at Tuesday night’s Raleigh City Council meeting

Excerpt:

“The Raleigh City Council held a public hearing on the plan and voted 7-1 to send it to their Growth and Natural Resources Committee for more discussion. Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin voted against sending it to a committee, asking for the item to be discussed by the full eight-member council instead of the four-person committee.

Christopher Busbin, who spoke for the Caraleigh neighborhood, said they were concerned about reclassifying Fayetteville Street, which runs through downtown and the Dix edge study area. Reclassification would allow greater density and taller buildings where single-family houses sit now. “Creating an urban corridor on Fayetteville Street is not only inconsistent with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and future land use map, it would be the most dramatic zoning change proposed in the entire Dix edge study,” he said.

Jennifer Truman, who lives in the study area, asked the council to approve the plan. “Dragging your feet and taking more time to have discussions doesn’t build affordable housing,” she said. “There are so many people here tonight to oppose this that constantly tell me and you that we need more housing that is affordable.”

Council member Jane Harrison asked that the study go to the council committee, which she chairs, in part to help new members better review it. Council member Jonathan Melton said he understood new members wanting to absorb the information but was worried about delays. “I don’t want to push it two months because there’s a lot of stuff in there that, every day we don’t act on this, we’re losing opportunities,” he said. ”And we need to get moving on pieces.”

In addition to the concerns about Fayetteville Street, Harrison said she’s concerned about the affordable housing aspects of the plan. “There’s a lot of amazing things when it comes to affordable housing, but I don’t see it actually translating into comprehensive plan amendments,” she said.

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