Fundraising update and Another Neighborhood Sues Raleigh Over Zoning
Great progress since last post; Another Neighborhood Enters The Arena
This week I have two short updates:
Save Hayes Barton Fundraising Update - We’re Soooo Close!
Great News! Of the $10k match that was announced last week, we have $9,000 committed and have collected $6000 of that! A couple points here:
If you want to help close the last $1k of this match, DONATE HERE.
If you signed up for a donation and haven’t delivered it yet - I’ve emailed you and haven’t heard back - check your email for “save hayes barton” to find it or email me at scot@tweenerfund.com. We’re waiting on $3k in collections which I’d like to get done by end of this week.
Another Neighborhood Joins The Battle Against Raleigh’s Aggressive Rezoning
This week an interesting development happened as detailed in this TBJ article which is behind a paywall, below I’ll provide the highlights:
You’ve probably seen the signs up and down Glenwood about Z-12-25 - that’s where developers want to build a 30 story building at Peace+West where the Endless Grind is located right in the Historic Glenwood-Brooklyn Neighborhood.
Brief History of Z-12-25
Below is a simple, big-milestones timeline for Case Z-12-25 (a rezoning request for ~2.6 acres at/near Peace St & West St that sought to shift zoning from IX-12 to DX-30-UG-CU, enabling much taller mixed-use development). Engage Raleigh+1
2023-05-02 — A previous rezoning attempt on the same site (Z-54-22, IX-12 → DX-30-UG-CU) is denied by Raleigh (listed in the City’s finalized rezoning cases). Raleigh NC
2025-04-23 — First neighborhood meeting held (meeting report notes the date and ~92 attendees). City of Raleigh
2025-04-30 — Rezoning conditions document dated (includes items like use limits, height/placement rules, and an affordable housing fund contribution structure totaling $1.2M if unit milestones are reached). City of Raleigh
2025-06-25 — Second neighborhood meeting scheduled (per the notice). City of Raleigh
2025-07-02 — A public opposition effort expands with the creation of the “Stop Z-12-25” Change.org petition. Change.org
2025-08-12 — Z-12-25 appears on the Raleigh Planning Commission agenda as “New Business” (“Rezoning Z-12-25 Peace and West”). Granicus
2025-08 (month) — The Planning Commission gives unanimous approval (as reported by Axios). Axios
2025-10-07 — Raleigh City Council votes 6–2 to approve the rezoning (the key “decision night” in most reporting and public commentary). Axios+1
2025-10-12 — The adopted rezoning ordinance becomes effective. City of Raleigh
2025-12-10 — Residents are suing the City over the zoning request/approval tied to the proposed 30-story building. WRAL News
Articles on the Z-12-25 Lawsuit
Back to the TBJ Article, the best part is this bit about the neighbors law firm and their lawyer’s quote on the rationale of their case, which should sound somewhat familiar→
Kevin Hornik of Brough Law Firm, representing the plaintiffs in the suit, said the three neighbors — Roy Attride III, Connie Upchurch and David Knight — represent the “interests of many residents within the Glenwood-Brooklyn Historic District and surrounding area.”
“They support responsible development on these parcels and would welcome an appropriately designed project, consistent with the policies and intent of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and sound urban-planning principles. They are also committed to ensuring that any development mitigates its impacts on the surrounding homes and the character of the historic neighborhood,” Hornik said.
Residents of the neighborhood have said a high-rise building would, literally, cast a shadow on their homes.
The lawsuit states the plaintiffs will “suffer a decrease in property values, an increase in vehicular traffic, an increase in crime, an increase in noise and light pollution, an increase in glare and a decrease in sunlight that is unsurpassed and unique in the community.”
Here’s a short video on WRAL about the legal battle as well→
Want to Learn more? Resources on the Z-12-25 Lawsuit
Raleigh Neighbors United - They’ve created their own ‘Save Hayes Barton’ over there called Raleigh Neighbors United. They are raising funds for their legal battle (sound familiar?)
Livable Raleigh - I haven’t figured this one out, sometimes they seem pro crazy growth in Raleigh and other times they seem to be against it. They have some good content about how the City Council thinks and votes (basically for all rezoning proposals as does the Mayor in their ‘growth with no considerations for citizens/neighborhoods approach- my opinion).
Conclusions
I’m not a lawyer, but strategically the more the City of Raleigh oversteps their power, violates obvious zoning laws to further their desire for never-ending development and the more legal battles they have to fight, that increases our chances of one of these battles winning and turning the tide against the rampant over-development.
I view this as a positive for Hayes Barton. A 30-story building next to a two story historic house is an obvious dumb transition as are 17 Townhomes in a 100+ yr old single home neighborhood with a 5 foot shrub as a transition, no parking and no regard for the clear rules that the City created in their own UDO. We’re all making the same arguments, but from different ‘angles’.
