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McFarlane to council members: Please do not speak until you are recognized

MattGarfield — Tue, 01 May 2012 18:08:46 -0400

Mayor Nancy McFarlane established a new practice Tuesday for how City Council members should communicate during meetings. From now on, ask to be recognized before you speak, McFarlane told her colleagues.

"I would appreciate that a great deal," the mayor said at the start of Tuesday's meeting.

The directive comes two weeks after a tense exchange between two council members. Thomas Crowder touched Mary-Ann Baldwin's arm as he was trying to finish a comment. The two were speaking over each other, with both saying "excuse me" as they attempted to make their statements. The debate involved whether to impose tougher penalties on construction crews that make noise in neighborhoods.

"Please keep your hands off me in the future," Baldwin said.

Crowder continued with his statement and the incident did not come up again. In an interview, Crowder said he barely touched Baldwin's arm but would be more careful to avoid making contact.

The new practice is intended to bring order to debates and put an end to back-and-forth bickering sessions. It can be viewed as an attempt by McFarlane to manage personality conflicts that have flared on the council, especially since the departure of former Mayor Charles Meeker, who was known for running ultra-efficient meetings. McFarlane succeeded Meeker in December.

This is not the first disagreement between Crowder and Baldwin. Both Democrats, Baldwin tends to be friendlier to business and development groups, while Crowder typically sides with neighborhoods and has a reputation for being tough on developers.

On Tuesday, council members raised no objections to McFarlane's request. And they followed her instructions, making sure to catch the mayor's attention by either raising a hand or simply saying "mayor" and waiting to be recognized before they began making comments.

City gets 'historically low' interest rate in latest borrowing

MattGarfield — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:11:57 -0400

In borrowing $147.6 million for transportation and park projects, the city will take advantage of the lowest interest rates it has secured in the past two decades.

That's the word from chief financial officer Perry James, who attributed the favorable terms to the city's healthy credit rating.

According to the city, the Local Government Commission of North Carolina awarded the bonds to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at a true interest cost of 2.78 percent. This is the lowest interest rate received by the city for its new money general obligation bonds in at least the last 20 years.

The city’s bonds received AAA/Aaa ratings by the nation’s three major credit rating agencies, the highest rating given. Also, the North Carolina Municipal Council gave the bonds a 93 rating, which is equivalent to a AAA/Aaa rating. The 93 rating for Raleigh’s bonds is the highest awarded to any city or county in the state by the Municipal Council.

Though the economy remains shaky, City Manager Russell Allen says now is a great time to build facilities because of low interest rates and good deals available from construction crews.

The city's debt obligations became an issue during the fall election. Challengers said Raleigh shouldn't continue to borrow money while the economy sputters. But Allen has steadfastly maintained that Raleigh has room in its long-term debt model to tackle projects that it considers good long-term investments.

A package of $9 million in two-thirds bonds will be used for city parks and recreation capital projects, including a new tennis center on Barwell Road, upgrades to the WRAL and Dix soccer complexes, and completion of the Wilkerson nature preserve.

An additional $138.6 million in bonds will be used to finance various city street, transportation, and parks and recreation capital projects.

Peace to award honorary degrees to Chamber chief, former N.C. chief justice, longtime supporter

MattGarfield — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:20:51 -0400

Former N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Burley Mitchell will deliver the May 5 commencement address at William Peace University, school representatives said Thursday.

Mitchell will receive an honorary degree from the university along with Harvey Schmitt, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and alumnus Josephine Chadwick, a 1943 graduate and longtime donor.

The commencement marks one of the final official gatherings before Peace welcomes male students this fall for the first time in its 154-year history. The coed switch has been met with loud protests from groups of alumni troubled by the break with tradition.

This is the second year that Peace has awarded honorary degrees. The 2011 recipients were Lib Averill Harkey, class of 1938; W. Trent Ragland Jr.; the late William G. Ross and state Rep. Deborah Ross.

Mitchell will be honored for his support of the university and distinguished legal career. His wife, Lou Willett Mitchell ’62, is an active university graduate, and the couple co-chaired the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history – the $30 million Promise of Peace Campaign, which ran from 2008 through 2011.

Chadwick previously received the university’s Distinguished Alumna Award (1974), Distinguished Service Award (1992) and William Peace Medallion (2007), the university’s highest award. She is one of the university’s largest financial supporters.

Schmitt, president and CEO of the Chamber since 1994, has helped the university connect with civic and business leaders. Previously, Schmitt served six years as president and CEO of the Greater Greenville (S.C.) Chamber of Commerce.

With help from stimulus, council chamber to get energy-efficient lighting

MattGarfield — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:41:17 -0400

The council chamber at City Hall will go dark this week, literally, while maintenance workers install a new lighting system.  

And these aren't your typical bulbs.

The new system boasts modern components that will consume 30 percent less electricity than the current lighting, which was part of the building's original construction in the early 1980s.

After 30 years, it was time for an upgrade.

  Those old lights illuminated five mayors from the late Avery Upchurch to Nancy McFarlane, as well as dozens of council members who served with them on the dais.  

Now Raleigh's sustainability push has made its way to the very center of government.

In recent years, the city has created or partnered on rooftop solar arrays, LED lighting in parking decks, an electric plug-in vehicle program and one of the nation's two convention centers with a LEED silver rating.

The $3,600 bill for the new lighting will be covered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which includes a section for energy-efficient improvements to government buildings.

Materials are $2,400 and labor is $1,200, according to figures provided by the city.

The lighting will make its big debut on Tuesday when McFarlane and the City Council meet for their second April meeting.

Sandreuter adds high-rise apartments to downtown Edison project

MattGarfield — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:39:25 -0400

A Triangle developer has added a high-rise apartment building to plans for the Edison, an ambitious downtown project showing signs of life after a recession-induced slumber.

The glass-and-steel tower will make a bold addition to Raleigh's skyline, Gregg Sandreuter told City Council members this morning at a Budget & Economic Development Committee meeting.

At 20 to 22 stories high, the 320-unit building will anchor a portion of the northern end of the Edison site, which will eventually encompass most of the downtown block bounded by Blount, Davis, Wilmington and Martin streets.

"It's a pretty exciting project if he can pull it off," City Manager Russell Allen told council members.

Sandreuter said he's working with a corporate partner on financing and hopes to submit a site plan in the next two to three months.

"We're working our best to fast-track the project," Sandreuter said.

Plans for the Edison have gained momentum in recent months following lengthy delays amid the recession. The project, which once imagined four towers situated on a full city block, now involves a more modest collection of buildings.

The high-rise is the second building proposed for the site. It would complement to the first phase of the project: a six-story mix of apartments and shops on the southern third of the property.

Originally, Sandreuter envisioned a 24-story office tower on the southern half. But the recession sapped demand for offices, and few investors have since been willing to finance such projects without commitments from big tenants.

As the economy rebounds, Sandreuter notes there's still room for an office tower on the northern end of the block, but it'll be part of a later phase.

Apartments are a healthier segment of the market. Beginning in late 2012, downtown could see more than 600 new apartments finished within a matter of months. The sites range from a residential neighborhood off Hillsborough Street to the lively Glenwood South entertainment district.

Sandreuter, who also developed the Dawson on Morgan condo project in downtown Raleigh, has said previously that he hopes to finish an initial phase of Edison by the middle of 2014, provided the plans pass muster with city planners and financing falls into place.

A grocery store would be a welcome addition to the ground-level of the proposed tower, City Councilman Randy Stagner told Sandreuter. Downtown advocates have long pleaded for a grocery store within walking distance, calling it a key step in the revival of downtown.

Sandreuter said he would be willing to offer rent-free space to a grocery. But based on his conversations with Harris-Teeter and other grocers, the market is not ready.

"All grocers that I know of, who have looked at downtown, say we just don't have enough people yet," he said. "We just don't have the demographics to support it."

At least in the short-term, a small urban market would be more realistic, Sandreuter said.

A parking deal with Raleigh is key to getting the Edison project off the ground.

Sandreuter worked out a rent-to-own deal with Raleigh officials for part of the 1,224-space Blount Street parking deck that divides the block on which Edison would be built. Highwoods Properties built the deck in 2008 to support the RBC Plaza.

Sandreuter has already agreed to lease 300 spaces and give the city $8.3 million over 20 years, after which the developer would own the spaces.

To accommodate the high-rise apartment building, Sandreuter now proposes a similar rent-to-own deal for the remaining 396 spaces. The City Council Budget & Economic Development Committee recommended approving the proposal this morning, setting up a final vote by the full council.

Under the agreement with Edison, the city also would be able to collect parking fees from the spaces in the Highwoods deck during hours when many residents are at work, which would help Raleigh generate income to deal with its parking revenue deficit.

Raleigh joins World Water Day campaign

MattGarfield — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:25:22 -0400

Raleigh joined dozens of U.S. cities this week in calling for the federal government to boost spending on public water systems.

The nation's public water utilities face a $23 billion annual investment gap, according to an open letter to President Obama and lawmakers signed by John Carman, Raleigh's public utilities director, and dozens of local officials from around the country.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously authorized Carman to sign the letter, part of a campaign sponsored by Corporate Accountability International to protect and bolster support for public water systems.

The initiative is timed to coincide with World Water Day, held annually on March 22 to spotlight the need to protect the global water supply.

Thirty-five years ago, the federal government covered 78 percent of water system funding. Today, that figure is a paltry 3 percent, the letter states, adding that the “erosion of support” must be reversed.

Raleigh has faced challenges in managing its water supply amid a period of rapid growth. Most recently, calls to conserve water amid the drought succeeded in reducing consumption, but in doing so, made it harder for the city to collect sufficient water revenues to maintain its system.

Over the next generation, Raleigh must come up with billions of dollars to replace aging water pipes.

The economic slowdown added a new layer of problems. With less growth and fewer new customers, cities are having to adjust their revenue projections. Just the week, the town of Zebulon asked the city for a three-year extension to pay back its water debt to the city. Zebulon is among the merger communities that buy water from Raleigh.

Raleigh moved to a tiered water rate system in 2010 that rewards customers for lower consumption and charges more to heavy users.

Water scarcity affects every continent and more than 40 percent of the world's population, according to Corporate Accountability International, a Boston-based grassroots corporate watchdog organization.

Founded in the 1970s, the group challenges corporate abuses that endanger public health, democratic institutions and the environment. Its targets have included General Electric, Nestle and Philip Morris.

A recent Value (the) Meal campaign urged the fast food industry to take steps to reduce obesity and diet-related disease.

By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions, the group says.

Free ice cream at Raleigh City Council meeting

MattGarfield — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:32:13 -0400

We've got a scoop for you on Tuesday's Raleigh City Council meeting.

To celebrate its arrival in the Triangle, representatives from Blue Bell ice cream will hand out free samples to the City Council at 2 p.m., in the council chamber, 222 W. Hargett St.

Afterward, the public can visit the first-floor lobby to enjoy free samples of vanilla.

Starting Monday, you can buy Blue Bell ice cream right here in the Triangle at Kroger, Lowes Foods and Walmart stores, along with some independent grocery stores, drugstores and convenience stores.

A nod to my colleagues at our Centsible Saver blog for the reminder. Blue Bell managers are looking around the Triangle for the best location to build a distribution facility, Raleigh officials said.

Council committee to evaluate Hillsborough Street road diet options

MattGarfield — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:08:14 -0400

A City Council committee will meet Wednesday to consider how to revamp the layout of Hillsborough Street near the YMCA.

The city is weighing options for a road diet that will be implemented this summer when the street is resurfaced between Woodburn Road and Park Avenue.

There is urgency to reach a decision because city transportation planners are trying to keep the project on schedule as part of a citywide resurfacing program.

The Cameron Park neighborhood association has asked for on-street parking to slow traffic and serve businesses in the district, including a popular YMCA branch.

Cyclists are pushing for bike lanes and wide sidewalks.

City Councilman Russ Stephenson, chair of the council’s comprehensive planning committee, has devised a hybrid option aimed at striking a balance. His plan would create several blocks of on-street parking while leaving space for bike lanes.

At its 5 p.m. meeting today in council chambers, the committee will consider making a recommendation to the full council. That’s a needed step if the project is to remain on schedule.

The plan ties into Raleigh's efforts to become a more walkable, bike-friendly city, particularly in residential neighborhoods that have had problems with traffic and speeding.

Further west on Hillsborough Street, the city installed roundabouts and streetscaping intended to modernize the corridor and restore its prominence as a gateway into downtown. The upcoming road diet represents another step in that process.

City Council members ponder response to YWCA closing

MattGarfield — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:16:20 -0500

Should the city take over the shuttered YWCA building on Hargett Street?

It's a possibility worth considering, City Councilman Eugene Weeks told his colleagues Tuesday. "This is something I just wanted to throw out there," he said.

Weeks, who represents Southeast Raleigh, asked whether the city's parks and recreation department could find a new use for the facility.

The idea appeared to gain little traction. The focus, council members said, should be on helping those served by the YWCA find other places to get help.

Citing financial troubles, the YWCA abruptly ceased operations last week, setting off a scramble among social service providers to fill some of the gaps.

The YWCA served about 12,000 people, with much of its work centered around after-school programs, programs for seniors, and career services classes.

City Councilman John Odom said it's too early to make any conclusions about the future of the YWCA or its building. "We don't know what happened," he said.

In the oi
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/06/1908743/community-grapples-with-ywca-of.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Read

morehere: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/02/1897784/ywcas-closing-shakes-regulars.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpyFrom its facility just east of downtown Raleigh, the YWCA provided after-school care, Meals on Wheels for seniors and various health-oriented and counseling programs. About 12,000 people took advantage of the group's services.The city should work with Wake County to direct people to aid agencies, Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin said. "I believe this is a shared responsiblity," she said.Councilman John Odom said it's too early to draw any conclusions about the future of the YWCA or its building. "We don't know what happened," he said.

More than 160 community members gathered for a meeting Monday to express anger at the way YWCA employees were terminated and programs were cut off with only 24 hours notice. The meeting scheduled for the YWCA facility was moved a few blocks to Martin Street Baptist Church. The group was told the board could not open the YWCA doors for liability reasons.

Weeks told listeners the city would find ways to accommodate critical programs until the YWCA could reopen. Wake school board member Keith Sutton said Powell Elementary would begin an after-school program, and that 14 students from six other schools would begin meeting at the Daniel Center.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/06/1908743/community-grapples-with-ywca-of.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/05/1900334/ywcas-sad-finale.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy

Baldwin, Gaylord warn about dangers of speeding

MattGarfield — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:23:46 -0500

Raleigh City Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin was walking on St. Mary's Street last month when she was nearly struck by a car whizzing through an intersection.

More recently, Councilman Bonner Gaylord was headed on foot to Tuesday's City Council meeting when a car almost hit him next to City Hall at McDowell and Hargett streets.

The frightening near-misses led Baldwin and Gaylord to voice support for a public awareness campaign to discourage speeding.

Baldwin urged the city's public affairs staff to come up with some ideas "to raise the level of consciousness about this."

Gaylord said his own experience served as a jolting reminder of the dangers facing pedestrians.

My colleague Bruce Siceloff has done some reporting on this topic lately.

About 2,500 pedestrians are struck by cars in North Carolina each year, with about 170 of them killed and an additional 240 injured seriously.

The risk has become greater because of the distractions caused by smart phones and mobile devices, experts say.

One case involved an exchange student at UNC-Chapel Hill who was wearing music headphones as she jogged across the campus in October 2008. She died when she ran into the path of a bus. Investigators concluded that she never heard or saw the danger.

Baldwin or Gaylord each indicated they were paying attention when their near-misses occurred.

Baldwin said she's not sure what steps the city ought to take. She pointed to Matt Tomasulo, in the audience Tuesday to seek approval for his handmade "Walk Raleigh" signs, as someone who might have some innovative ideas.

"If Matt wanted to go out and create something, I'd be OK with that," Baldwin said.

City gives $5,000 lifeline to Community Music School

MattGarfield — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:47:15 -0500

A City Council committee agreed today to give $5,000 in one-time aid to the nonprofit Community Music School, which was facing an emergency budget shortfall and needed help to pay rent.

In making its request, the school pledged to develop a more sustainable financial model. School leaders also said they would leverage the city's contribution to get matching money from donors.

Located in a stone house on Tucker Street in downtown, the school provides weekly, private music lessons for $1 per session to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The instruments are provided at no charge during enrollment.

The News & Observer featured the school in its holiday giving guide. Many arts organizations are struggling amid state budget cuts.

Former City Councilwoman Mary Cates helped open the school after visiting a similar program in Nashville. Cates rallied Raleigh musicians to support the cause. Since 1994, the Community Music School says it has impacted the lives of more than 2,000 young people in Wake County.

The City Council's Budget & Economic Development Committee quickly approved the aid request at its regular meeting. The money will come from council contingency funds.

Private fundraising will soon get underway in the form of a "Bach & Roll" casino night party on April 21. This is the third year for the fundraiser.

NCHSAA 4A wrestler semifinal results

timstevens — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:41:37 -0500

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

2012 STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

GREENSBORO COLISEUM

Class 4-A: semifinals

106 Lbs:

Phazon Roddy, Parkland DEC Irvin Enriquez, Pinecrest 7-2

Josh Brown, No Durham DEC Richard Tolston, Hoke County 3-1 OT

113 Lbs:

Cody Karns, Lake Norman FALL Robbie Tomasic, Jordan Fall 1:20

Drew Turner, Parkland MAJOR Garret Hinton, Britt - Jack 11-2

120 Lbs:

Austin Jamison, NW Guilford DEC Malaak Harris, Cape Fear Senior 2-1

Asher Goodwin, Olympic DEC Trent Little, West Forsyth 3-2

126 Lbs:

Andre Nie, Dudley MAJOR Willie Hayes, So Durham 11-1

Jeremy Ward, Parkland DEC Jake DeAngelo, So Alamance 2-1

132 Lbs:

John Grigg, E Gaston TF Joey Tastet, Page 18-3

Dallas Roemer, Pinecrest DEC Terrence Moore, Jordan 4-3 *

138 Lbs:

Tony DeAngelo, So Alamance FALL Casey Belville, Independence Fall 3:51

Ryu Ballard, West Forsyth DEC Jonathan Bennett, SE Guilford 8-4

145 Lbs:

Joey Moon, So Alamance MAJOR Matthew Kamisol, TC Roberson 12-3

Brandon Harris, Millbrook DEC Aaron Dickson, Britt - Jack 9-6

152 Lbs:

Rodney Shepard, No Durham DEC Ian Clark, Sanderson 10-5

Dustin Roemer, Pinecrest FALL Anthony Holder, So Durham Fall 3:05

160 Lbs:

Cody Boswell, So Alamance DEC Bo Mulligan, Cary 3-1

Adrian Soto-Perez, Scotland MAJOR Palmer Maples, Hough 16-4

170 Lbs:

Tyler Jones, TC Roberson FALL Dontrez Patterson, Mooresville Fall 4:44

Nick Kee, Scotland FALL Corvarius Hellams, Olympic Fall 0:51 *

182 Lbs:

Dakota Tysinger, N Davidson FALL Jay Speight, JH Rose Fall 0:31

David Crouch, S Caldwell DEC Michael Macchiavello, Sun Valley 3-2

195 Lbs:

Malcolm Blackmon, Mt Tabor FALL Antonio Vanderburg, Mooresville Fall 2:22

Terry Caldwell, Hoggard DEC Jared Key, Terry Sanford 2-0

220 Lbs:

Tyler Radford, McDowell DEC Luke Fetla, Pinecrest 5-3

Denzel Dejournette, R J Reynolds FALL Troy Cain, South View Fall 1:33

285 Lbs:

Christopher Walker, Parkland DEC Aaron Jefferson, Broughton 5-2

Devan Caldwell, Wakefield DEC Zach Brown, Mooresville 1-0

TEAM SCORING

Plc Points Team CH CONS
1 86 Parkland 4 -
2 74.5 Pinecrest 2 3
3 73.5 So Alamance 3 1
4 52 TC Roberson 1 4
5 46 No Durham 2 1
6 42.5 Scotland 2 -
7 38 NW Guilford 1 3
8 35.5 Dudley 1 3
9 30 E Gaston 1 1
10 29.5 Lake Norman 1 2
11 29 West Forsyth 1 2
12 28.5 Britt - Jack - 3
13 27 Millbrook 1 1
14 26 Mooresville - 5
15 25 S Caldwell 1 -
16 22 Mt Tabor 1 -
16 22 R J Reynolds 1 -
18 21.5 McDowell 1 -
18 21.5 N Davidson 1 -
20 21 Hoggard 1 1
20 21 Wakefield 1 -
22 19 Hough - 2
22 19 Olympic 1 -
24 17 So Durham - 2
25 15.5 Clayton - 4
26 15 Davie - 2
27 14.5 Cary - 2
28 14 JH Rose - 2
28 14 Middle Creek - 2
28 14 Sanderson - 1
31 13 Jordan - 3
31 13 SE Guilford - 2
31 13 Sun Valley - 2
34 12 Cape Fear Senior - 2
34 12 Hoke County - 1
36 11 Independence - 1
36 11 Page - 1
38 10 South View - 2
39 9 New Bern - 1
40 8 Broughton - 1
41 7 Butler - 2
41 7 Green Hope - 1
41 7 SW Guilford - 2
41 7 Terry Sanford - 1
45 6 Glenn - 2
45 6 Leesville Road - -
45 6 WF-Rolesville - 1
48 5 Apex - 1
48 5 East Wake - 1
48 5 Holly Springs - 1
48 5 Hopewell - 1
48 5 Riverside - 1
48 5 Watauga - 1
54 4 Ashley - 1
54 4 Laney - 1
54 4 Reagan - 1
54 4 SE Raleigh - 1
58 3 High Point Central - -
58 3 Western Guilford - 1
60 2 Panther Creek - -
60 2 Providence - -
60 2 W Mecklenburg - -
60 2 West Charlotte - -
64 1 Ardrey Kell - -
64 1 E Forsyth - -
64 1 E Mecklenburg - -
64 1 Lumberton - -
64 1 Porter Ridge - -
69 0 Alexander Central - -
69 0 Enloe - -
69 0 Fuquay Varina - -
69 0 Myers Park - -
69 0 S Mecklenburg - -
69 0 Smithfield-Selma - -
69 0 Swett - Purnell - -
69 0 West Johnston - -
77 -2 Person - -

More leniency on signage for businesses? Group begins review of rules

MattGarfield — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:42:57 -0500

With a group of costumed patriots looking on, a citizens group today began the tedious work of poring over the city's temporary sign rules to consider ways to offer more leniency to businesses.

It was an odder scene than you'd typically find in Room 303 at City Hall. The outfits - and the five people who wore them - were courtesy of Louie Bowen, owner of Hughie & Louie's, a costume shop on Glenwood Avenue that has been feuding with the city over advertising and signage provisions.

Bowen sends her costume-clad children to wave at cars from the sidewalk outside her shop. Turns out that's a no-no under City Code Section 10-2083, which allows for portable signs, banners, pennants and balloons only with a 30-day permit.

Businesses are limited to two such permits for as long as they are in operation.

The limitations are too strict for City Councilman John Odom, a business owner who successfully pushed for a task force to study the rules. Odom owns a collection of Meineke car care centers.

The 9-member citizens panel includes neighborhood representatives, business people from Seaboard Station and North Hills, a merchants association staffer and George Chapman, the city's former planning director.

One potential compromise has already been floated. Businesses could apply once per year for temporary sign permits. The fee for such permits would be $250, and the city would continue to limit the types and/or size and location of the signs.

Temporary signage is a hot source of debate in many communities, particularly those concerned with aesthetics. Raleigh imposed limits on signage in the 1970s and '80s to prevent the proliferation of giant billboards and pole signs.

Now, the city is dealing with a new generation of special signs, from "wiggly men" inflatables that shimmy on the sign of the road to real people paid by tax firms to dress as the Statue of Liberty during tax season.

A squad of "sign police" from the city's zoning enforcement office are responsible for enforcing the rules, largely on a complaint-driven basis.

On Wednesday, Bowen asked the group why the Downtown Raleigh Alliance can hang special events banners in places such as Glenwood South, a privilege that she says mom 'n pop businesses do not get.

Bowen and her band of patriots wore George Washington-style coats in honor of the general's birthday, which happens to be today. They carried signs with patriotic messages such as "Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."

"All I'm asking is for everyone to get the same rules," Bowen said. "You're going to call a person visual clutter?"

Jennifer Martin, the representative from the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, peppered city staffers with questions about how the rules are interpreted and enforced. Her group has argued two 30-day permits aren't enough.

The panel will have up two three months to make a recommendation to the City Council. After today's get-acquainted session, the next meeting will be Tuesday, March 6 at 1 p.m.

John Locke Foundation urges Raleigh not to support transit plan

MattGarfield — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:56:14 -0500

Michael Sanera, a policy director for the John Locke Foundation, urged the Raleigh City Council on Tuesday not to support a transit plan that he called misguided and too expensive.

But Sanera wasn't afforded the same speaking privileges that he got in a similar appearance this month before the Apex Town Council. In Apex, Sanera was given equal time to Wake County Manager David Cooke and TTA Director David King, who are traveling around the county to build support for their transit blueprint.

Sanera got three minutes in Raleigh, the same as anyone else who shows up to the citizens hearing portion of the meeting. And it came two weeks after the City Council heard from Cooke and King.

Sanera said he was disappointed that he wasn't allowed to make a rebuttal, and he questioned whether Raleigh leaders are open to opposing viewpoints.

The difference in treatment isn't a surprise. As a suburban-minded community with a fraction of the transit riders in Raleigh, Apex has been skeptical of the pro-transit movement. That's why the Apex council was willing to hear from Sanera, a right-leaning transit critic who has assembled a presentation that he calls "a devastating critique" of the transit plan.

The John Locke Foundation says it agrees with the need for improved bus-based service. However, it says the plan "as now proposed, is not technically or financially feasible and is unreliable as the basis for decisions regarding transit investment in Wake County."

Raleigh is eager to move forward. The city wants Wake County commissioners to commit to a referendum, ideally on the November ballot, on a half-cent sales tax for transit improvements.

The transit blueprint is divided into two parts: What the county is confident it can pay for, and what the county can only hope for.

The core tier would expand local and commuter bus service and build a rush-hour, 37-mile commuter rail service from Garner to Durham. It would also provide amenities such as park-and-ride lots, sidewalks, signage and bus shelters, benches and other improvements.

The enhanced tier would build light rail service from downtown Cary through downtown Raleigh, up to Millbrook Road in north Raleigh. The route would cover 13.9 miles.

City Council members listened to Sanera's presentation but did not ask any questions.

City may make it a misdemeanor to steal from recycling bins

MattGarfield — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:11:29 -0500

City Attorney Tom McCormick put forward a measure Tuesday that would make it a misdemeanor to steal items from rollout recycling bins.

A growing number of thieves are on the prowl for aluminum and other recyclables that can be resold in bulk, said McCormick, who wrote an ordinance as soon as his office learned of the trend.

The city collects recycling from homes and businesses and sells the materials to a processor. It's a big business for Raleigh, which means the thievery could hurt the city's bottom line.

The city is paid a base price of $16 for every ton recycled with the processor. There are also bonuses if markets are good and the prices the processor receives for the recyclable materials exceed a certain amount.

The city says it has recycled more than 296,366 tons of valuable material. For every ton not taken to the county landfill, $36 in tipping fees is saved.

Crews take your recycling to a materials recycling facility, called an MRF or "merf," where workers sort the goods and package them into valuable commodities that will be sold to the broker with the highest price. For instance, a bale of steel cans might be loaded onto a semi-truck and taken to Pennsylvania, home to the country's steel factories.

Thieves can alter the equation.

"Basically, they're stealing from the taxpayers," said City Councilman Thomas Crowder, who made a motion Tuesday to immediately pass the measure.

The City Council put off a vote until its March 6 meeting to allow time for review.

Wade Avenue reopens after sewer repair that clogged the a.m. commute

BruceSiceloff — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:15 -0500

View Wade Avenue detour in a larger map

[Update 11am Wednesday: The repairs were finished and Wade Avenue was reopened shortly before 10 a.m.]

Wade Avenue will be closed between the 2800 and 3100 blocks until 12 noon Wednesday -- forcing detours and delays for folks driving to work this morning.

Drivers on four-lane Wade will be rerouted via two-lane Dixie Trail, Hillsborough Street and Brooks Avenue. In other words: find another route to work Wednesday morning.

The city of Raleigh announced the closing to allow repairs to an 8-inch sewer main:

Motorists should use the following alternate routes during the closure:

· Inbound Wade Avenue toward Downtown from the Dixie Trail intersection --- Traffic will be detoured right to travel south along Dixie Trail to Hillsborough Street, left on Hillsborough Street to Brooks Avenue, and then left on Brooks Avenue to eastbound Wade Avenue heading toward Downtown; and,

· Outbound Wade Avenue from the Brooks Avenue intersection --- Traffic will be detoured left to Brooks Avenue, right on Hillsborough Street, right on Dixie Trail, then left to westbound Wade Avenue heading toward Interstate 40, I-440 and the Wade Avenue Interchange.

City Council on transit plan: When can we start?

MattGarfield — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:05:44 -0500

As Wake County Manager David Cooke and Triangle Transit chief David King shuttle around Wake to present their big-picture transit plan to elected bodies (they call it the "David and David tour"), the pair will be hard-pressed to find a more eager audience than the Raleigh City Council.

No surprise there. As the county's largest and most urbanized city, Raleigh has the greatest need for more bus service and, eventually, the introduction of local and regional passenger rail. Even John Odom, the council's lone declared Republican, supports putting money toward an expanded public transit system.

And so the big question for Cooke and King at Tuesday's City Council meeting wasn't about cost, affordability or projected ridership. It was more along the lines of "when can we start?"

Council members want Wake County Commissioners to commit to a referendum, ideally on the November ballot, on a half-cent sales tax for transit improvements.

Cooke said it will take until May or June to fine-tune the transit plan, at which point the County Commission will have to decide on a referendum.

That brought a smirk from Councilman Thomas Crowder, a leading light rail proponent who couldn't hide his bemusement as he listened to the latest timeframe: "What are the next steps to get your board to move off the dime here?" he asked.

Not surprisingly, Cooke didn't respond directly to that one, saying he and King must first gather feedback from the 12 municipalities around the county.

Left unmentioned is that fact that the Republican majority on Wake's board of commissioners has been cool to anything involving taxes and trains.

"We're in tough economic times, " chairman Paul Coble said in November. "We need to be careful not only how we spend money, but how we commit future revenues."

Coble again signaled his reluctance on Feb. 1 after Democratic commissioner Erv Portman spoke up for a referendum this fall.

"We don't have a plan; we have a concept," Coble said.

Seeking to keep the presentation upbeat, King noted that Peter Rogoff, the federal transit administrator, visited the Triangle last week and got a look at a proposed commuter rail line to connect Durham and Garner.

"He chose to come here following up on the State of the Union address," King said. "He was very encouraged. We have a situation here that he thinks can be competitive."

Cooke's plan is divided into two parts: What we can confidently pay for, and what we can only hope for.

- The core tier would expand local and commuter bus service and build a rush-hour 37-mile commuter rail service from Garner to Durham. It would also provide amenities such as park-and-ride lots, sidewalks, signage and bus shelters, benches and other improvements.

The proposed half-cent sales tax would cover more than half the cost, and no new state or federal money would be needed.

City Councilman Russ Stephenson called it "a very robust core plan."

- The enhanced tier would build light rail service from downtown Cary through downtown Raleigh, up to Millbrook Road in north Raleigh. The route would cover 13.9 miles.

Wake would continue planning for light rail, but it would not promise voters they could expect to get it as part of the package paid for with the proposed sales tax.

On Tuesday, King made clear light-rail won't happen anytime soon, barring an infusion of federal support.

"We would proceed down the path of competing for federal funds, but unless we're successful, we would not be able to deliver the light rail..." King said.

Transit advocates have said they would be satisfied to start with buses and commuter trains, deferring hopes for light rail until economic and political prospects improve.

"We hope they do approve this plan and move forward this November with a referendum to fund transit because it is vital to our future," WakeUP Wake County's Karen Rindge wrote in a recent letter to The N&O.

"Wake voters should be allowed to vote on this important issue (just as Durham approved last November). We must act today to plan for tomorrow's significant growth."

King offered a more sober outlook Tuesday, calling the push for transit a "long slog" and a "marathon, not a sprint."

Maybe that's not a bad thing, said Odom, referring to the need for lots of planning and consensus-building: "This is a long process, and it ought to be a long process, whether we like it or not."

McFarlane loaned mayoral campaign $235,000, filings show

MattGarfield — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:06:57 -0500

Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane loaned her campaign $235,000 over the four months leading up to her decisive victory in the October city election, according to new filings made available by the Wake County Board of Elections.

The final candidate disclosure reports show that McFarlane relied heavily on her own resources to defeat Billie Redmond and Randall Williams. Early on, some election-watchers speculated the race would go to a runoff given the difficulty of earning more than 50 percent of the vote in a three-person field.

But strong support for McFarlane obliterated any need for a second round of balloting. McFarlane earned 61 percent of the vote compared to 29 percent for Redmond and 9 percent for Williams.

McFarlane took office Dec. 5 as the successor to Mayor Charles Meeker, who did not seek a record sixth consecutive term. McFarlane previously represented North Raleigh for two terms in the City Council's District A seat.

The self-funding began June 30 - the week after Redmond entered the race- when McFarlane gave her campaign an initial loan of $20,000, records show.

As the election drew closer, McFarlane followed up with a $50,000 check on Aug. 5; a $25,000 check on Sept. 20, a $50,000 check on Sept. 27; a $50,000 check on Oct. 3 and a $10,000 check on Oct. 4.

McFarlane has not yet paid off any of the loans, according to the records.

The new mayor has had success in the business world. She's the founder of MedPro Rx, a specialty pharmaceutical services company that did $56.2 million in sales in 2010, according to Inc. Magazine.

The loans nearly double what McFarlane raised from donors. The campaign took in $119,500 in contributions, the filings show.

Among her expenditures, McFarlane paid $77,000 to Raleigh-based White & Satterfield for direct mail, signs and TV production. She bought $9,500 in advertisements on Google and $765 in advertising in the Independent Weekly, to name two examples. But the biggest expense was on television, where McFarlane spent $86,354 through a media buying firm for advertising on Time Warner Cable, records show.

On an interesting side note, one of the McFarlane campaign's final expenditures came in December when McFarlane's husband, Ron, donated $732.18 to help pay for food and drinks at the City Council's swearing-in celebration. The city spent a total of $2,000 on the ceremony, which featured fruit and cheese trays and light refreshments. Two years ago, Raleigh officials were criticized for spending $9,800 on a reception that included antipasti, hibachi beef skewers and curried chicken kabobs.

McFarlane spent a total of $362,879 on the campaign, leaving her with $6,795 in cash on hand.

Redmond outraised McFarlane in terms of contributions from donors, taking in $220,693, records show. The real estate executive also received $13,000 from political committees. Redmond spent $239,000 on her campaign.

Williams, a physician and newcomer to city politics, spent $56,250 on his campaign, all of which came from individual donors.

Hemmed in by new state law, Raleigh seeks to preserve landlord standards

MattGarfield — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:53:58 -0500

Seven years ago, at the urging of neighbors fed up with loud parties and messy yards in Raleigh's college neighborhoods, the city devised a system to hold landlords responsible for the behavior of their tenants.

The PROP program (Probationary Rental Occupancy Permit) imposed fines on landlords if they or their tenants were cited too many times for late-night noise or code violations such as poorly kept yards, crumbling paint jobs and overgrown bushes.

A reasonable solution? Maybe for neighbors. But not for apartment and rental owners required to pay fees to maintain the system. And especially not for well-behaved owners who complained about having to pay even if they never committed any violations.

Last year, the apartment industry convinced the Republican-controlled state legislature to pass a bill gutting the city's ability to charge registration fees associated with the PROP system. The city used the fees to maintain a database of more than 70,000 rental units across the city.

But Raleigh officials haven't given up. With guidance from City Attorney Tom McCormick, they're finding ways to get around the limits and continue generating money to sustain the program.

In essence, the city has stepped up fines for repeat offenders and also added items to the list of eligible offenses, including prostitution, possessing or receiving stolen goods and larceny.

McCormick said owners who didn't like paying fees through the old system ought to appreciate the new approach.

"Their constant argument was that we're punishing innocent people by collecting this money - the bad people should be the ones who pay," McCormick said. "What we've tried to do is make it easier to be a bad person."

But that's not all. The city also has increased the fees for landlords who must go on probation after too many violations. Previously, a landlord would have to pay an application fee of $200, a first-year permit fee of $300 and a fee of $500 for each subsequent permit.

Now, landlords will have to pay $500 for an application fee and permit fees ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the number of dwelling units on their properties.

The city has to find new ways to drum up revenue because the state law put limits on registration fees that all landlords had to pay. The program previously brought in $1 million per year, but projections indicate that figure will decrease to $200,000 as a result of the state-mandated changes.

Ashley Glover, a senior housing inspector for the city, said the tougher penalties will cause landlords to take notice.

"It'll probably help," he said. "I see the apartment complexes pushing to get the bad tenants out, trying to replace them with better tenants. A lot of times, in their leases, they have subsections just for PROP (i.e. tenants can be evicted for offenses listed on the PROP violations list)."

City Councilman Thomas Crowder was one of the driving forces behind creating the PROP system in the mid-2000s. Crowder represents southwest Raleigh, which includes many neighborhoods around N.C. State University filled with student rental housing.

"I'm in full support of where we're heading," he said. "This has been a great program up until the legs were cut out from under it by the General Assembly. I think we saw outstanding progress."

McCormick noted the irony behind how the program is designed to work. If landlords behave the way they're supposed to, the stream of fines flowing into the city will dry up.

Currently, there are 11 properties on probationary status, with 10 resulting from inspections problems and one because of problems with police. If the city goes through with the proposed changes, the numbers could increase by 300 percent from inspections violations and 700 percent due to police-related problems.

Use public transit to guide development, former Portland mayor tells Raleigh audience

MattGarfield — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:39:30 -0500

Improving the public transit system in Raleigh is about more than helping people get around without cars. It's also an essential way to guide development toward dense, walkable, urban-friendly communities that will define successful cities for the next generation.

So says former Portland, Ore., mayor Earl Blumenauer, who spoke in downtown Thursday night as part of the 21st Century City lecture series sponsored by the city and WakeUP Wake County, an advocate for responsible growth.

Raleigh can use public transit -- buses, light rail, streetcars and cycling amenities -- to move past the fading era of suburban sprawl, Blumenauer told an audience of 150 people in The Stockroom, a renovated space on Fayetteville Street.

"There's a rumor that in Portland, we've declared war on the car," said Blumenauer, a Democrat who now represents Oregon's Third District in Congress. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

A more apt description, he said, is that Portland did not surrender to the car by choosing growth patterns that would guarantee ample parking spaces in front of every new building.

Blumenauer's visit to Raleigh came at an opportune time. The city is working on a new development code intended to steer development toward corridors that will eventually be served by expanded mass transit.

Advocates hope Wake County commissioners agree by this fall to hold a referendum on a half-cent sales tax to pay for transit improvements, including more frequent bus service and, eventually, the introduction of Triangle passenger rail. Durham County voters approved the tax late last year.

Portland offers a model, Blumenauer said. The city operates 79 bus lines, a 14.7-mile commuter rail line and a light rail system that adds, on average, two more miles every year.

A streetcar line has attracted $3.5 billion in investment to downtown, helping Portland strengthen its brand as a place known for trendy shops, restaurants and boutiques.

It wasn't always this way, Blumenauer said.

Portland was once a medium-sized, ordinary town with a polluted river and a maze of interstates running into its downtown. In the 1960s, a highway expansion and urban renewal plan crafted by legendary (and controversial) city planner Robert Moses would have resulted in 1 of every 10 Portlanders living next to a highway or moving to accommodate one.

That possibility spawned a resistance that brought together neighbors, preservation advocates and city fathers of the day. They chose a future for Portland centered on memorable public spaces, a vibrant street scene and a strong transit network.

This constituency eventually gave rise to Blumenauer, a life-long Portland resident known for his bow ties and focus on livable cities. During his speech, Blumenauer wore a bicycle-shaped pin on the lapel of his suit jacket.

A Portland-based manufacturer will soon produce the first streetcar built in America in 50 years, and Blumenauer said he is trying to convince President Obama to visit for the occasion. The streetcar line operates in the public right-of-way, meaning crews didn't have to tear down buildings or condemn property to install it.

The city recently retrofitted a bridge to designate a portion for bike travel. The bridge has seen a 20 percent increase in traffic, with 19 percent coming from cyclists, Blumenauer told the audience, using an overhead screen to display a photo of a crowd of cyclists pedaling across the bridge.

"People think you're having a bike event," he said. "No, that's the morning commute."

Blumenauer was hosted by U.S. Rep. David Price of Raleigh, a House colleague and friend. The visit included a stop Thursday at Durham's American Tobacco campus, which has gained new life as a hub for restaurants, cultural attractions and startup companies.

The Triangle is projected to grow much faster than Portland in coming decades, Blumenauer noted, making transit even more important to focus development around corridors and transit stations.

"You can't keep developing 35 acres a day," Blumenauer said in an interview after his speech. "You're sentencing people to endless traffic, air pollution, parking problems..."

"You're seeing it in Detroit, Kansas City. It's not just Portland and Seattle. And you can do it here (too). If you don't, you're going to lose your edge."