Highlights about Planning & Zoning

The council honored departing members, navigated a brief protest during swearing-in, and seated new representatives and a mayor for fresh terms. The board then made history by selecting its first Hispanic mayor pro tem and unanimously approved a 22-townhome rezoning, while the mayor outlined a possible shift to even-year elections and a longer term.

The council underscores major education investments amid fiscal headwinds and formalizes a sweeping rezoning of Research Triangle Park to the new UC 3 district. Community solidarity after a tense federal immigration visit and a proclamation honoring Booker T. Spicely also shape the meeting.

The council affirmed support for immigrant neighbors amid heightened federal enforcement and urged residents to look out for one another. A proposed Hayti Lane closure drew concern over precedent and community voice.

The council links the downtown plan to UDO updates, weighing simpler zoning, incentives for taller buildings, and the new down‑zoning limits. Members back stronger flood and stormwater mandates while protecting affordability goals, revisit the 1,000‑unit affordable housing target, and hear a firm stance to allow data centers only with conditional rezoning and a community benefit agreement.