Over the past few months, we’ve been hard at work on multiple fronts:
- Following up on the City’s approved Z-34-25 rezoning of Kane Development’s North Hills Main and Lassiter Districts:
o Kane Development has filed a site plan for the first building proposed pursuant to the rezoning. It is subject to an Administrative Site Review (ASR) by the City’s Planning Staff; that review is now underway (see Portal for ASR-0024-2026). Kane must ultimately fully comply with many review standards, including the “Clear and Objective Standards” of the Raleigh Uniform Development Ordinance (UDO).
o Our Co-Organizer Larry Helfant has submitted comments to the City’s planning staff. Many of his comments were reflected in the staff’s Plan Corrections Report, dated May 1, that requires Kane to re-submit the Plan to address deficiencies. Deficiencies included non-compliance with UDO requirements, including step backs from a public street, failure to address the possible need for a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), and the lack of information on how the design and operation of the loading dock area that faces the public right-of-way will protect public health, public safety, vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic, and bike traffic. These issues were brought to the fore in Larry’s comments, and we’ll be watching for Kane’s response. Thanks, Larry!
o Note, the Plan does not provide for any public green space as required by the UDO. We will be pursuing that issue. Since the construction of the tower is being squeezed into a very small footprint, we doubt Kane will offer anything beyond token public space for this building, while “promising” to provide all the open space required under the UDO (and the approval of the rezoning) in later phases of construction in the Main and Lassiter Districts. If so, we’ll see how the City handles such a request for special treatment from the developer and react accordingly.
o We’ll keep you posted!
- Direct actions asking the City to enforce its laws and the binding commitments of developers:
o As co-organizer Randy Jones reported in his MNU Member Update emailed on April 9 (not published on the MNU blog) we previously filed a complaint with the City Attorney regarding ongoing dangerous and illegal parking in the public right-of-way in the 4100 block of Lassiter Mill Road next to the North Hills Main District expansion. Moving trucks, delivery trucks, service trucks, and dumpsters were routinely and blatantly parking illegally in the public right-of-way, causing a hazard to public safety. After weeks of no response, we were recently contacted by representatives of the Police Department and the Transportation Department – each committing to take action to end this practice immediately. Since then, Randy’s had the pleasure of seeing a police officer write a ticket for a vehicle illegally parked three ways: in a bike lane, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, and 20 feet of an intersection. It’s too early to tell if or when the problem will be completely resolved, but for now, we are very grateful to the Police and Transportation Departments who have demonstrated their willingness to take action to address our concerns!
o Randy’s update last month did not report on another MNU intiative: a request filed with the City Manager asking her to compel Kane Development to complete the third exit lane from the Beltline West to Six Forks Road North – promised by Kane in conjunction with its North Hills East development in 2015 but still incomplete an astonishing 11 years later. We have still not received any direct response from the City, but it now appears that construction may have resumed. Who knows when or whether it will be completed? Kane Development should; they’re the ones paying for it – or so we are told.
o We are highlighting Kane Develpment’s blithe disregard for laws and its own commitments – not only to demand enforcement action, but also to see whether and how the City responds to future promises and commitments they make. We’re encouraged that City planners are taking note of what we report and requiring answers in the ASR. In any event, we’re certainly going to keep doing what we’re doing.
- We are closely monitoring two other development projects in Midtown that are advancing:
o Kane Realty has purchased property along Navaho Drive that was previously rezoned as Z-45-21 and approved for 20-story building heights. This will become an extension of the Innovation District. The former rezoning carries with it a condition of 10% of all units built beyond entitlement (901 units) at 80% AMI for ten years. This would be the first affordable housing provided by Kane Realty if it comes to fruition. The site currently contains 350 Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) units, which will be lost when the site is further developed.
o Carolina Dewitt, developers of the Exchange at Benson Drive and Saint Albans Drive, held their first neighborhood meeting for the rezoning of two lots along Saint Albans for heights up to 30 stories. While lightly attended, the public consensus was opposed to the added height due to its proximity to Saint Albans Drive and the increased request for height when previously zoned for 20 stories. Excessive height should be within the core of the development and not be massed along a public street, in accordance with the UDO. It should be noted that this is the same condition that was approved by Council for buildings in North Hills along Six Forks, although in violation of the comprehensive plan, area plan, and UDO.
- Talking sense to the City about the Quail Hollow Cycle Track:
o MNU member Chuck Newcomer has taken the lead in engaging with City staff about their proposed “Cycle Track” for Quail Hollow Drive. You can read all about it in Chuck’s blog we posted about a month ago (see Chuck's Cycle Track Blog). If you have no idea what a cycle track is, suffice it to say Quail Hollow Drive would be an entirely inappropriate place to put one. Thanks, Chuck, for your efforts to bring the City to its senses on this issue.
We thank all of you for your ongoing support, and as always, invite your comments and suggestions!
Regards,
Larry Helfant
Randy Jones
Co-Organizers
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