Folks,
First thanks for all your energy and support over the past several years
and especially your support for on the Wayward Farms rezoning and the
Oberlin and Cameron Villages over the past few months. We have participated
together in many rezoning and political adventures *most very successfully*.
(see below). It has been through your support that neighborhoods have
been able to insist on good development in their communities.
Wade/Oberlin Small Area Plan this weekend!
Please help once again this Friday and Saturday to help plan for the
future of the Oberlin and Cameron Village communities: The Raleigh
City Council has initiated a special planning study for the Cameron
Village city focus area, which includes the Cameron Village shopping
center, the Wade/Oberlin intersection and Wade corridor, Oberlin from
Wade to Clark Ave. and adjacent residential areas. This plan will
guide future development and redevelopment of the area.
http://www.raleigh-nc.org/planning/Small_Area_Plans/Wade_Oberlin_SAP.htm
Follow the links on the webpage for further information on the site
area and meeting notes.
You are invited to attend two public walk-through sessions
or open houses for the WADE/OBERLIN SMALL AREA PLAN: Friday, January
17th 7:00 - 8:30 PM @ Cameron Village Public Library Saturday, January
18th 4:00 - 5:30 PM @ Cameron Village Public Library The purpose of
these open houses is to review work done by the Advisory Group appointed
by the City Council to represent the various interests in the area.
There will be no formal presentations. Please drop by anytime during
the hour and a half hour period and add your comments. The open houses
will be on Friday, January 17th from 7 to 8:30 PM and Saturday, January
18th from 4 to 5:30 PM in the Cameron Village Public Library, 1930
Clark Avenue, in the Cameron Village Shopping Center.
Questions/comments email James Brantley, Raleigh Planning Department,
or call 890-3675. Also note, the Plan Design Workshop for the Advisory
Group hold their workshop from 9:00 AM until 4:20 PM on Friday, January
17th and Saturday, and from 9:00 AM until about 2:00 PM on January
18th at the Cameron Village Public Library.
Oberlin-Wade Plan (Coker II) approved 7 -1 by City
Council on 12/18/2002
A Master Plan and rezoning for a site extending from Wade Avenue to
Oberlin Road and Daniels Street near Cameron Village was approved
Wednesday, Dec. 18th by the City Council 7-1. Benson Kirkman who represents
the neighborhoods in this area voted against the project and stated
that the housing density should be lower. The plan (Z-56-02 / MP-2-02)
includes 55,000 sf of Office (the Occidental) on 3.5 acres, 27,000
sf of retail and 373 dwelling units on an 8.5 acre site (43.5 units
per acre).
There had been several joint meetings of the Wade, Hillsborough and
Five-Points CAC on this project. The neighbors voted 85% against this
project at the second meeting and at the 3rd joint meeting voted 98%
in favor of limiting the number of units to 225 on the site. NCRDR
Board voted unanimously against rezoning on several occasions –
doesn’t follow the UDG, put twice as much traffic in the area
as either maximum O&I office or housing would have allowed, to
dense, no open space and too far from mass transit for starters. NCRDR
felt that this project was not a compromise project, but did seriously
compromise Cameron Village and Oberlin Village communities. Unfortunately,
except for Benson Kirkman, our City Council did not follow the request
from the neighbors.
Stanhope Z-55-02 off Hillsborough St. @ McKnight Ave. and Concord
St. The rezoning of 7.01 acres from O&I-2, NB & IND-2 to PDD
& PBOD was approved by the City Council unanimously on 11/19/02.
The first phase will be an 8 story 700 bed dormitory and an 8 story
parking deck.
New Police Districts
Perhaps one of the most progressive chances that Raleigh has experienced
in recent times is the districting of Raleigh into 6 districts, thus
making our police more integrated, accessible and responsible to the
neighborhoods. This is bold change to 'community policing' initiated
by our Chief of Police Jane Perlov. It affords neighborhoods direct
access to police who know our neighborhoods intimately and thus our
needs and problems. The next step is ours. We will have the opportunity
to establish positive and informative relations with our officers
that we will see and work with every day. How to join this new journey
(**And bring the family, kids will have a ball!): The Raleigh Police
Department cordially invites you to attend their Open House Festivities
District-26 stationhouse, 6-8pm, January 27th, 2003, Avent Ferry Shopping
Center, 3281 Avent Ferry Road, Suite 101, Raleigh 858-0120
District 21, 7-8PM 1/30/03, Town Ridge Shopping Center, Glenwood Ave.
District 22 & 23, 7:30-9:00 1/16/03 Litchford Village Shopping
Center at 8320 Litchford Rd. District 24, 7-9, 1/28/03, First Cosmopolitan
Baptist Church, 2525 Cross Link Road. The Downtown District 25, 6-7:30
1/21/03, Moore Square Magnet Middle School at 301 South Person St.
The NCRDR journey ….
NCRDR (see http://www.ncrdr.com) has assisted communities like the
North Raleigh Coalition to preserve the Falls Lake watershed from
a mega-church development (project withdrawn), supported Bickett Place
in their quest for quality infill (infill went from 21 to 12 units),
successfully helped Harrington Grove with the Sycamore Creek Rescue
Effort and held a city-wide neighborhood summit this past winter.
We also worked with the Oberlin/Cameron Village neighborhoods (Coker
Towers PDD rezoning– defeated in 2001) and successful in assisting
Wayward Farms defeat a dense PDD on a 56 acre horse farm. We are honored
that by the trust bestowed by our neighbors throughout Raleigh. While
we worked to defeat the dense PDD rezoning (R-43) Coker II housing
development on 8.5 acres, our effort fell short with the City Councilors
(see above). It shows neighborhoods still have work to do in the future
to preserve their quality of life.
NCRDR supports Smart Growth, walkable communities, and
infill that is appropriate and beneficial to the surrounding neighborhoods.
We believe that if neighborhoods continue to insist on development
that enhances their community & promotes their quality of life,
we can build a wonderful city.
Thanks for all your support!
Neighborhood Coalition (NCRDR)