Growth Management

Many of the quality of life issues that affect us on a daily basis, like schools, transportation, and drinking water, are decided at the local level. This year, elections for City and Town councils, and the Wake Board of Eduction will give voters an opporutnity to select candidates who will best plan for growth in our communities.

The City of Raleigh recently took comments on its draft Secondary and Cumulative Impacts (SCI) Management Plan, which addresses growth-related environmental impacts from infrastructure projects planned for Raleigh and the municipalities served by the City's Public Utilities Department. Karen Rindge, Executive Director of WakeUP Wake County, submitted oral comments on the plan at a public meeting on August 17, as well as written comments that provided additional details about WakeUP's recommendations for the plan.

For immediate release: Contact: Karen Rindge, Executive Director, WakeUP WakeCounty, 828-3833, 637-4271 (C)Date:     August 6, 2009 Triangle residents stand to gain from two significant actions by the N.C. Senate yesterday. Amidst the flurry of legislative activity yesterday, as the NC General Assembly prepares to wrap-up its 2009 session, the Senate passed HB 148, legislation that will allow plans to build a regional mass transit system in the Triangle. The bill, almost identical to one passed by the NC House of Representatives in April, authorizes referenda in Triangle counties to fund a transit system through a half cent sales tax, and authorizes other funding measures for transit. The Senate also approved environmental legislation (HB 1099) that included provisions to start the cleanup process for Falls Lake.

The second event in the Emerging Tar Heel Leaders summer series on growth in the Triangle spotlighted the challenges and opportunities for our water and energy utilities as the population grows and we recognize the need for more sustainable resource use.

Raleigh and Cary were among the 10 fastest-growing cities in the nation last year, a new census release shows.  As of July 2008, Cary ranked third in growth among cities with 100,000 people or more, with a growth rate of 6.9%.  Raleigh ranked eighth, with a growth rate of 3.8 percent.  While Raleigh and Cary topped the growth charts among cities with more than 100,000 people, the smaller towns in Wake County also come out on top when cities of all sizes are included.  

Turn out exceeded expectations at the first of three discussions co-hosted by WakeUP Wake County and the Emerging Tar Heel Leaders. Many thanks to Sitti and Greg Hatem for accommodating us as the crowd overflowed the room originally designated for the discussion.

On May 12, WakeUP Wake County, in partnership with other local organizations, hosted an education forum to discuss how the Wake County Public School System will address growth and economic challenges in the years ahead. 

Urge your State Senator and Senate Finance Committee Chairs and Members to support the Transit Bill aka the "Congestion Relief/Intermodal Transport Fund" Senate Bill 151 / House Bill 148. Otherwise, enjoy the traffic: Help Dan, Save Traffic

On February 24, 2009, a group of 300 political, business, environmental, and civic leaders came together to create a vision for growth in the Triangle Region for the next 25 years.  The challenge: where will the additional 1.2 million people and thousands of new jobs go?  Working in small groups with string, legos, and a map, workshop participants discussed issues, balanced needs, and developed scenarios that would ensure our region grows well and remains competitive in the coming decades.  Participants created 3-D models of where housing and jobs should be located, laid out plans for transit systems and new roads, and indicated where to protect open space and water resources.  The major themes that emerged from the visioning effort were 1) Providing a regional transit system, 2) Creating mixed-use development, 3) Protecting drinking water and open space, and 4) Reinvesting in our urban areas. Reality Check sees regional cooperation as critical for building consensus around growth issues and ensuring a long-range vision that accounts for the diverse values and interests of our community.