Residents are upset over rezoning changes and proposals allowing for skyscrapers and the tearing down of historic sites. They’re calling out council members who they believe are siding with developers instead of listening to citizens who elected them.
AGENDA. >> THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. I’M LENA TILLETT AND I’M DEBRA MORGAN. A HUGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE TO THE TRIANGLE AND LARGE BUILDING PLANS IN THE WORKS MEAN PARTS OF THE CITY OF RALEIGH, LIKE THE NORTH HILLS AREA ARE CHANGING AND WITHIN THE PAST HOUR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HELD OFF APPROVING THE REZONING REQUEST THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR BUILDING UP TO 40 STORIES THERE. SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT WAS THE RESOUNDINGLY THEME COMING FROM A HOST OF CONCERNED RESIDENTS. NEW TONIGHT. THEY DIRECTED FIERY COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS FRUSTRATED OVER THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY WRAL’S AARON THOMAS IS LIVE IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH TONIGHT WITH THE PUSH BACK OVER SEVERAL PROJECTS IN THE WORKS. BOY, BUSY NIGHT THERE TONIGHT, AARON. >> YEAH, OVER THIS MEETING IS STILL ONGOING. IS STRETCHING PAST 11 O’CLOCK AT NIGHT. WITHIN THE PAST HOUR, YOU ALREADY ALLUDED TO IT THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HOLD OFF ON APPROVING THAT REZONING QUEST TO ALLOW FOR A A BUILDING UP TO 40 STORIES TALL AND NORTH HILLS. THEY COULDN’T FIND ANY COMMON GROUND ON A BRINGING FORTH MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE TRYING TO FIND AT THE FIND OUT THE IMPACT TO THIS WAS ALSO A CHANCE FOR RESIDENTS TO REALLY CALL OUT MANY OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO THEY BELIEVE ARE SIDING WITH DEVELOPERS RATHER THAN REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE THEM IN. >> THEY BANDED TOGETHER OUTSIDE RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LATER VOICED THEIR CONCERNS INSIDE TONIGHT’S MEETING REACH MAXIMUM CAPACITY WITH RESIDENTS FIGHTING TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CITY COUNCIL IS BEHOLDEN TO DEVELOPERS NOW COME, CAROL, ONE OF MANY PLEADING WITH CITY COUNCIL TO SLOW DOWN. BUT THE PROVING REZONING REQUEST RESIDENTS SAY IT’S LEADING TO AN ABUNDANCE OF CONSTRUCTION CRANES IN TALL BUILDINGS TAKING OVER RALEIGH SKYLINE, WHICH REMOVED KEY PARTS OF THE CITY OF OAKS IN THE PROCESS. WHAT IS GOING ON? OUR DESTRUCTION IS OF NEIGHBORHOODS, DESTRUCTION, SOME HOUSES OF WORSHIP TONIGHT. MAJOR DEVELOPER KANE REALTY SPOKE BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBERS PUSHING TO REZONE LAND TO BUILD TOWERS THAT ARE BOTH 30 40 STORIES TALL. CAIN IS NOW OFFERING TO INCLUDE AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS BASED ON MIDTOWN’S MEDIAN INCOME. BUT RESIDENTS SAY EVEN THOSE ARE OUT OF REACH FOR THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO FOR ONCE. >> AND START THINKING OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE. COUNCILMEMBER PATRICK BUCHANAN TRYING TO STRIKE THE BALANCE FOR GROWTH WHILE DEALING WITH INCREASED TRAFFIC. AND WE’VE REACHED A POINT >> I’M NOT SURE WE CAN PROVE MORE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT A COMMITMENT TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT. SOME NEIGHBORS SAY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TOO FAR MOVING FORWARD WITH PROJECTS YOU’RE DESTROYING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU’RE GOING TO BE YOU CAN HAVE A RUDE AWAKENING NOVEMBER 1ST. >> FIERY COMMON RIGHT THERE. AND AFTER CHECKING THE LIVESTREAM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS MEETING IS STILL ONGOING. THOSE CHAMBERS ARE STILL PACKED WITH A LOT OF RESIDENTS WANTING TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AS FOR THAT NORTH HILLS DEVELOPMENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THIS DURING THEIR SEPTEMBER WHEN TO GET MEETINGS THAT SOUNDS LIKE
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