At the last RCAC meeting, it was agreed the
RCAC would compile a list of concerns related to the latest draft of the Comp
Plan. These concerns will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration as
it begins its final review of the Plan. Below is my input for institutional
impacts. I consider this a transition issue between uses; however, most of the
discussion about transitions has focused on transitions between the Central
Business District (CBD) and the adjacent neighborhoods.
INSTITUTIONAL IMPACTS
As Raleigh has grown, churches, schools and
civic centers are morphing from relatively low impact neighborhood facilities
to relatively high impact destination facilities. As a consequence, the
quality of life in neighborhoods is either threatened or eroding as residents
experience the adverse effects from more noise, intrusive lighting and
additional traffic and parking congestion.
Because most of these institutions were
considered neighborhood facilities in the past, they are typically zoned
residential. However, the increases in scale and activity make the residential
zoning classification obsolete. A change of use or more robust
regulations are now needed for these properties to mitigate the adverse impacts
on adjacent properties.
Philip W Poe
919.832.6777 voice
919.522.1078 mobile
919.832.6775 fax