It wasn’t that they could not read the writing on the wall; they didn’t.
It wasn’t that they could not read the flashing neon billboard; they didn’t — until the very last minute.
But finally, at the last gasp, the management of St. John Properties, the Raleigh-based group that wants to build what they call a high-tech center on dead-end Star Road, decided it would be a good idea to talk with Wake Forest Senior Planner Patrick Reidy because they feared the Wake Forest town commissioners were about to vote to deny their plan on Tuesday, March 19.
They asked for a meeting which was held on Monday, March 18. A meeting with NC Department of Transportation staff, who are equally concerned about the St. John plans, will be held April 1.
Reidy told the commissioners, “The applicant chose not to make any revisions to their plans or conditions prior to staff presenting the request to the Board of Commissioners at the March 5, 2024 Board of Commissioners Work Session. Since the meeting, the applicant has requested a meeting with staff . . .”
Reidy was polite. St. John has refused to even discuss many points on which their plan does not meet Wake Forest requirements set out in the Uniform Development Ordinance and the Community Plan as well as DOT’s plan for rebuilding Capital Boulevard. Reidy had pointed out these refusals in his reports to the town planning board — which rejected the plan unanimously — and the town board.
DOT plans, we learned from correspondence with the town, to move Star Road to the east. The St. John plans have two of the five buildings for the project built 50 feet from the current Star Road location where the Town of Wake Forest’s setbacks require 100 feet. If the town approved the St. John plan leaving the buildings where they are projected, DOT would have to buy and demolish the buildings to move Star Road to the east.
(The change in the street’s location will also affect the recently-constructed Raleigh Water laboratory building, which was built under a decade-old plan with the Town of Wake Forest unable to have any part.)
St. John, until now, had refused to meet with the town about the required backage road on the east property line or a stream crossing there. The road is part of DOT’s plan for Capital Boulevard; the town’s ordinances require St. John to build it or post its cost. If St. John also refused to provide that money, the Town of Wake Forest would be required to, in the future, build that road.
After Reidy informed the board about the change, Commissioner Nick Sliwinski asked of the St. John project might be automatically approved under the 30-day rule and was told that would not apply since the town board is continuing the hearing until May 1, a Wednesday.
One curious note: Dustin Atkielski, a regional partner with St. John and the developer for this project, now has an office at 104 South White Street, Wake Forest and attended the Tuesday evening meeting without speaking.
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In other actions Tuesday evening:
— Richard B. May, who was hired as a police officer in April of 1999 and was promoted through the years until he is retiring in April of 2024, held several positions in the Wake Forest Police Department. He is now a Senior Police Officer. Mayor Vivian Jones read the proclamation commending May for his service.
— Two of the Houseal Lavigne team beginning the Wake Forest Downtown Plan presented the current status of the different downtown sectors and explained how they could be developed or changed.
— Ruben Wall, director of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department, updated the board about the renovation of Flaherty Park Field #2 where FUNGO (NCABC) baseball and the town are renovating it for $944,000 — increasing access from the parking area, building new dugouts, stands, fencing and other improvements that will be completed before the baseball season begins.
The town and FUNGO will offer a collegiate summer baseball league. FUNGO also wants a 10-year lease for $1 per year. The town will hear more later.
Janice Davis, who lives just off Ligon Mill Road, gave Town Manager Kip Padgett a letter asking that the speed limit signs on Ligon Mill be changed as they should have been in 2022 after the town changed the speed from 45 to 35 between South Main and Song Sparrow Road. She said traffic has increased substantially in the past two decades and “It has become difficult and dangerous for side road traffic to enter and exit Ligon Mill.”
— There was a short closed session and no action was taken after they returned.
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One Response
Regarding my comments that Ligon Mill Rd has become more unsafe with all the construction and extra traffic:
In August 2023, Commissioner Keith Shackleford and the town staff helped determine the reason why speed limit signs from 45 were not updated to 35 south of the RR tracks. The change order had been issued shortly after July 19, 2022 but fell through the cracks at NC DOT. I’m hopeful Manager Padgett and town staff will, once again, bring this to the attention of NC DOT. Until this is resolved and traffic slows down please be extra careful, as always.
Thank you!