Tuesday night’s Wake Forest Town Board meeting began with hearings on three possible town action and a general public comment section, four hearings in all in which people could give their opinions – and they did.
Later in the meeting, during consideration of the consent agenda which takes only one vote, the commissioners agreed to spend $15.2 million on four current projects and the future train station. Details will follow.
But back to the four hearings. The first was about the impact fees developers would pay to help build or rebuild or repair town streets and roads, a new set of fees. The consulting firm Benesch has just concluded a Multimodal Transportation Impact Fee Study including the possible fees developers could pay for single-family and multi-family development as well as commercial and industrial growth.
The report suggests a transportation fee of $4,431 per house for single-family developments and $6,748 for multifamily units and fees ranging from $4,431 to $14,085 for commercial and industrial developments.
That was not well received by developers and builders. Suzanne Harris with the Homebuilders Association of Raleigh-Wake County said the members were concerned because of other town actions (maybe the increase in the existing parks and recreation fees). If it is approved she suggested it be at the 6 percent level, and she asked the town to talk with local builders and developers.
Irene Butler, representing the Triangle Apartment Association, also asked that the fee be at the 6 percent level. There were seven other speakers. Mark Barker said he expected the fees to be approved but questioned how it will add to the cost of housing and urged the commissioners to “be thoughtful.”
The second hearing was about the draft Unified Development Ordinance which has been much discussed and will replace the current UDO. Irene Butler spoke again, saying the new UDO as a whole would add costs for apartment renters/buyers and arguing the number of EV charging stations would add unnecessary costs.
Angela DiPaolo asked that the UDO include enhancements for wildlife, even those downtown, and that the required trees, shrubs and grasses be native to this area. Joncie Sarratt praised Senior Planner Kari Grant, who led the revision process, and asked that the required lighting be in the warm zone, which is better for people and wildlife. Adrienne Lyne said the traffic generated by the planned charter school, Thales Academy, will create traffic hazards on NC 98 and Averette Road, and Carolyn Petagno expanded on the problems at that intersection, which will include the traffic at a nearby Food Lion and low water pressure. After a couple other speakers, Jennifer Bradley also spoke to future traffic problems at that intersection.
At the Downtown Plan hearing, Rodney Ivester spoke against the possibility of six-story buildings.
And finally during the public comment hearing, Pastor Paul Carrington speaking for Hope Baptist Church spoke for ten minutes about the recent PrideFest and appealed to the town to “stop such debauchery.” Margaret Watkins made inaudible comments at each hearing.
Now for the consent agenda. These were the construction projects approved:
** The winning bid for a greenway in H.L. Miller Park was $2,512,274.49 by J.M. Thompson.
** The winning bid for the Dunn Creek Culvert Replacement was $1,250,906 by Fred Smith.
** The winning bid for the 2025 Street Resurfacing Project was $5,464,566.40 by Blythe Construction.
Also, the town entered a joint use agreement with the Boys and Girls Club for Forrest Field and the gymnasium, where the town will pay $64,800 to resurface the gym floor.
Then the commissioners unanimously agreed to pay $6 million against the $24 million cost (the required 20 percent) of the cost for the mobility hub (train station) by April 1 of 2028.
The vote on the revised Downtown Plan was 4 to 1 with Commissioner Faith Cross voting no because she is opposed to anything over five stories. Commissioner Adam Wright pointed out that the proposed parking deck will be six stories but there are no buildings over five stories. Cross said she had received many comments against anything over five stories.
Planner Brad West and another man (both started their sentences audibly but dropped the volume as they spoke and became inaudible) spoke about the planned mobility hub in the Depot Parking Lot. They are looking for funding, probably a federal grant.
The commissioners also approved the updated special events policy with its motorized parade policy.
At the close of the meeting Town Manager Kip Padgett said the Ammons Foundation has pledged to pay for the new gym floor at the Boys and Girls Club, wiping out the need for the town to pay.
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