Raleigh planning board signs off on controversial downtown development in Glenwood South area

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Raleigh's planning commission signed off on a plan Tuesday for a controversial downtown development.

Raleigh Development Company is asking the city to rezone an area at the corner of Peace Street and West Street across from Publix to allow for high-rise buildings.

"How can we address housing shortages without increasing the supply of housing? How can we establish mass transit without the mass of people who will ride it? How can we increase safety in downtown without any eyes or foot traffic on the streets?" Will Choi, a Raleigh architect, said in support of the proposal. "Density is a crucial ingredient in making Raleigh liveable for people like me, and the thousands of nearby apartment dwellers who did not feel compelled to come out and oppose the rezoning today."

Residents in the Glenwood South-Brooklyn neighborhood are fighting back against the rezoning proposal. A dozen of them spoke out at the meeting.

They say it will affect their neighborhoods and could carry implications moving forward. One opponent noted that more than 1,500 people have signed a petition against the proposal.

"This is not the right use in the right location, because it's not consistent with the zoning. That's just pure and simple there," said Chris Crews, a resident and critic of the plan. He also submitted a statement from the Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood, which has more than 1,600 members, outlining their concerns.

Another area resident, Matthew Brown, told the planning board that the area is already zoned for buildings up to 12 stories. "Thirty stories, next to two-story neighborhoods, violates the rule of common sense."

"There's tons of wonderful places to put a 30-story building," Brown said. "On this overloaded street next to this historic treasure, is not the place."

Gaston Williams, of the newly formed preservation advocacy group Raleigh Inc., added: "This represents an urban wall that's going to be erected," and expressed concern about the area's topography and said this could set a precedent that poses a potential danger to the future of other historical districts.

Proponents of the plan, including the Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative Group, say the rezoning proposal could create the type of denser development the city needs as it grows.

"You want to have a dense development like this in a walkable neighborhood," said Larry Miller of the Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative Group. He dismissed critics of the proposal, asking the board to disregard "the private interests of a few individuals."

The developer amended its proposal from an original building height of up to 30 stories to no more than 25 stories. Raleigh real estate lawyer Jason Barron outlined details of the development before the commission.

"First, it's the right use and the right location. That's what we're always trying to do with respect to when we're rezoning and when we want development to go into a place," Barron said. "Is it the right use in the right location? And we submit that this is. ... there is no doubt that this case is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation that's out in the public related to comprehensive plan policies that speak to this case. But there can be no mistake that this case is consistent with the city's adopted comprehensive plan."

Advocates of the plan say the massive development would emphasize downtown walkability and connectivity with the future Smoky Hollow park.

The issue now heads to the full city council. The deadline for action on this issue is Oct. 11.