Harold's Blog

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I attempted to contact all council members to hear of any questions or concerns they may have had about the agenda for the regular meeting later in the week. More than one council member expressed a concern with the rezoning proposal for the Carpenter Fire Station at Highcroft PDD. Later in the day I met with Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson and staff to go over the agenda. Our meeting lasted about fifteen minutes.

Town Manager One-On-One

After the council prep meeting I had my weekly one-on-one with the town manager. Topics included council relationships, the PPA tournament the previous week, the budget, and the future South Hills project.

Cary Tennis Classic Board Meeting

Monday night I joined the meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic Board (formerly the Atlantic Tire Championships). Our topics included feedback from a recent event, an Anthony Blackman Scholars update, a review of the PPA event at the Cary Tennis Park, sponsors and donations, future Cary Tennis Park events, and future board meeting dates.

Council Work Session Cancelled

Tuesday morning the council was notified that the work session scheduled for Thursday was cancelled. Staff had hope to present additional information about the Center at South Hills but was not ready. Here are the work sessions and quarterly meetings scheduled through June and their planned topics:

April 25: The Center, Bond Referendum, and Elections follow-up

May 2: Quarterly Meeting, Initial presentation of proposed budget

May 23: Budget

June 10: Budget

June 27: Town Hall Redevelopment with RFQ plans, budget

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council held its first regular scheduled meeting of April. The agenda included recognition of scouts, two consent items, one public hearing, and one discussion item.

The public hearing was for an Amendment to the Fenton Development Agreement. In October 2018, Cary entered into a development agreement with the Master Developer of the Fenton development that provides reimbursement to the developer for construction of public infrastructure based on achievement of certain development milestones. The agreement was amended in August 2020 to accommodate additional financial partners and changes due to construction financing. The developer has subsequently constructed the first phase of the development and completed public improvements associated with this phase of the development agreement. However, due to an anchor tenant (Wegmans) declining to build, the development agreement does not permit the developer to be reimbursed for any of the public infrastructure they have constructed. The proposed amendment recognizes that significant private development has occurred, and key elements of the desired public infrastructure have been constructed. This change allows for reimbursement for these improvements while retaining the spirit and intent of the agreement for future phases of the development. After the public hearing the council approved this amendment unanimously.

The discussion item was for a rezoning 22-REZ-14 Carpenter Fire Station at Highcroft PDD. The proposed rezoning of 19.53 acres. Conditions and standards for the proposed rezoning as detailed in the PDD and include: limiting uses to a maximum of 325 multifamily dwellings, 25 townhouses, and 3,000 to 5,000 square feet of commercial uses; providing 15,000 square feet of community gathering area; constructing a pool and clubhouse; reserving 10% of the multifamily units for renters at or below 80% of Area Median Income; preserving three champion trees; providing 10 electric vehicle charging stations; increasing the buffer and the multifamily building setback on the western property line; and completing recommended transportation improvements. The applicant asked that this item be removed to give them more time. It will likely be on the June 10^th agenda.

East Cary Career Day

Friday morning I was a special guest at East Cary Middle School for their career day. I gave welcoming remarks to three different groups of students. I was also at a table answering their questions. My visit lasted one and a half hours.

USA Baseball Training Facility Opening

Saturday I joined five council members, NC Senator Adcock, NC House Representative Cervania, Wake County Commissioner Adamson, USA Baseball President Gall, USA Baseball CEO Seiler, and about one hundred guests at the opening of the indoor facility at USA Baseball National Training Complex. The new facility is a training center with a 150 X 150-foot field, meeting rooms, staff offices, and executive offices. I was the emcee for the event. The following is a segment of my opening remarks:

“… I would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of this remarkable facility. Since its inception in 2007, the National Training Complex has been a beacon of excellence, hosting over 300 major events between USA Baseball and the Town of Cary. Each year, more than 100,000 people visit this site. They are drawn here by our reputation as one of the world’s premier baseball facilities—a status recognized locally, nationally, and even internationally. One notable highlight was in 2015 when we hosted an international tournament which brought together talent and spectators from all over the world. …

Our achievements here are a testament to the power of partnership. Over the past 18 years, our alliance with USA Baseball has been foundational and I am looking forward to our continued collaboration in the coming years.

We are also extremely grateful to Wake County for their significant contribution of $3.25 million through hotel occupancy funding, allowing us to build this impressive expansion. Thanks to their support, the National Training Complex now has a 150×150’ artificial turf field, enhanced staff office and meeting spaces, and the sleek new executive offices for USA Baseball. These upgrades will provide our athletes, our staff, and our visitors with top-tier facilities, and solidify our status as the hub for baseball excellence. …”

Other speakers included Cary Council District D Bansal, Cary Parks Director Collins, USA Baseball President Gall, and USA Baseball CEO Seiler.

After the speeches the council and USA Baseball executives lined up and cut the ribbon with the audience behind us.

Next I joined USA Baseball President Gall, a former player, to throw out the first pitch at the championship game for the National High School Invitational.

The USA Baseball facility is an incredible venue that provides competition from all over the world, top tier entertainment, and an annual economic benefit of over a million dollars.

Town Manager’s Report

Russ’ Message

It looks like the weather’s shaping up nicely for a weekend packed with fun things to do in Cary. Downtown will be bustling tomorrow with people attending the Pimento Cheese Festival. With its new location in the Downtown Cary Park, visitors will enjoy more activities and a larger event footprint, allowing for more vendors. This means more pimento cheese for everyone to enjoy!

Also on Saturday, just further west of downtown, we’re celebrating the grand opening of the training center and executive offices at the USA Baseball National Training Complex with the championship game of the 11th National High School Invitational. I hope to see you there!
Have a great weekend.
Russ

Celebrating Trees and Forests

Cary celebrated trees and forests on Saturday with our My Tree, Our Tree distribution and a community Arbor Day event. The event was focused on engaging guests with important topics relating to proper tree care, soil health, composting, native plants, wildlife, and more. My Tree, Our Tree participants received 1,000 native trees to help increase our urban forest canopy. Councilmember Michelle Craig helped kick off the special occasion with the reading of our Arbor Day proclamation, followed by our 41st Tree City USA designation ceremony with the NC Forest Service. Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson then joined in to honor Hometown Spirit Award winner Peggy Van Scoyoc with her commemorative Arbor Day Tree Plaque, which will be installed with ‘her’ river birch at McDonald Woods Park. Guests of all ages enjoyed chatting with environmental experts, exploring nature-themed play areas, and learning more about how they can play a vital role in Cary’s commitment to sustainability.

Honoring National Child Abuse Prevention Month

In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson presented a proclamation at the Western Health & Human Services Center’s Pinwheel Planting Ceremony. She spoke about the significance of the month and ways to get involved during last night’s ceremonial opening. The month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. The public is invited to attend a Pinwheel Planting Ceremony with the Cary Police Department, scheduled to be held in the Downtown Cary Park. More details will be announced in the Town’s calendar.

Presenting to HOA Presidents and Board Members

Councilmember Sarika Bansal welcomed and presented to a group of HOA presidents and board members at Fire Station 8. She, along with Planning Director Scot Berry, discussed developments and transportation projects in the area near Carpenter Fire Station Road and Morrisville Parkway. Click here to view the slides that were presented.

Upcoming Neighborhood Public Safety Meeting

Due to the recent break-ins in the areas of Districts D & A, the Cary Police Department will be available on Monday, April 15, at the Northwest YMCA at 7 p.m. to meet with citizens and answer any questions. Chief Terry Sult, Councilmember Sarika Bansal, Councilmember Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and other police representatives will be in attendance.

Walnut Creek Greenway/Stormwater Project

We are excited to share that thanks to Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman Wiley Nickel, Cary has been awarded $1,919,504 in federal funds to benefit the Walnut Creek Greenway/Stormwater Management Project. These funds will assist with stormwater and flooding management in the areas where the future greenway will be located. This summer there will be an official presentation of these funds with our elected officials. More information will be shared as it is available.  

New Drinking Water Regulations for PFAs Announced

The EPA announced a new PFAS regulation for drinking water on April 10. Overall, the new regulation is nearly identical to the draft regulation announced in 2023 however, there is an important update in these regulations. Beginning in 2027, water utilities throughout the nation will be required to provide regular monitoring and reporting of PFAS in their  Consumer Confidence Reports. In Cary, we’ve already been providing this information to our citizens for several years. The quality of our drinking water is excellent, and we’re already in compliance with the new regulations. We’re also continuing to study and test the newest innovative technologies for even more enhanced water treatment systems in the future. Cary’s  web pages and fact sheets have been updated to provide the most recent information to our citizens.

2024 Cary 101

On Wednesday April 10, a group of 22 citizens met for the first session of this year’s Cary 101 program. This annual program serves as an opportunity for citizens to connect with Cary in a meaningful and educational way. Participants will spend the next several weeks engaging in an array of presentations, hands-on activities, and facility tours so they can gain insight into Cary’s structure, operations, and services.

GoCary App Now Available

The GoCary app has officially launched in the App Store and on Google Play. Now, users are able to track their bus in real-time, as well as access several other features helpful for riders. Users can customize their riding experience by creating favorite routes and stops for quick reference or by utilizing the trip planning feature. The GoCary app is free to download and free to use.

Portions of Black Creek Greenway Temporarily Closed

On Wednesday, April 17, a production crew with PUMA, the athletic shoe company, will be filming a commercial at Old Reedy Creek Trailhead. The commercial will feature several Olympic marathon runners who train locally. To accommodate filming, portions of Black Greek Greenway, Old Reedy Creek Road, and the trailhead parking lot will be closed intermittently throughout the day. Cary is excited and honored to have been selected as the location for this international promotion for PUMA.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting – May 1

The following Neighborhood Meetings will be held virtually on Webex from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., on Wednesday, May 1:

Upcoming Meetings

• 24-REZ-06 Regency Multifamily
• 24-REZ-07 Greenwood Forest Baptist Church 

Athletic Committee
Monday, April 15
6:00 p.m.

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, April 15
6:30 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday
April 17, 5:00 p.m.

Economic Development Committee
Wednesday
April 17, 5:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, April 18
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A request to meet about a private investment.
• A complaint about pedestrian safety downtown.
• A complaint about noise: “Be a leader. Do the job people expect…Your police have done nothing for a year.”
• A request for a tobacco free community.
• A thank you for opening the season for the Farmers Market.
• A complaint about Sharon Harris sirens.
• A complaint that a perfectly good house is being torn down (it is in a flood plain and the foundation floods which makes it unsafe).
• A complaint about Duke Energy issues: “Flex your leadership and influence with the project to bring Duke… to settle our damages”.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a reception for visiting Sister Cities French students, a CAMPO Executive Board meeting, an Economic Development meeting, and an Elected Officials Reception.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 21^st, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday afternoon I held my weekly one-on-one with the town manager. Our topics included a Human Resource issue, the South Hills development, the Downtown Cary Park, and speaking with the media.

Pickleball Interview

Tuesday morning, I did a welcome interview at the Cary Tennis Park for the PPA professional pickleball tournament. This event is the only North Carolina stop on the PPA Tour this year. Interesting note, the owner of the PPA is Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon. The recorded interview was with the PPA’s media team and to welcome everyone to the Cary Tennis Park and share what makes Cary special. They shared my message on their Instagram to their 100,000 followers. My understanding is that my statements will be included in the post-event news release touting the event’s inaugural success here.

HRID Meeting

Tuesday night I joined in a meeting of the Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Advisory Board meeting. This was their first meeting since the council voted to make them a permanent advisory board. The agenda included a presentation by former Cary Council member Marla Dorrel on the accessibility of Kids Together Park, information on becoming an advisory board, Spring Daze preparation, and Pride Month planning.

There was a great deal of discussion on how to handle potential confrontation at Spring Daze.

State of Cary at Cary MacGregor Rotary

Wednesday I was honored to present my State of Cary address to the Cary MacGregor Rotary. It was a 30-minute, updated version of the one I presented earlier this year. There were about three dozen in attendance.

Raleigh-Cary Top 30 Most Dynamic Metropolitans

On Thursday I was notified that fFor the fifth year in a row, Raleigh-Cary, NC has been named one of the top 30 Most Dynamic Metropolitans by Heartland Forward in their annual rankings. You can find the full report here.

Cary Founded Ribbon Cutting

Friday afternoon I joined council members Bush and Kohn-Johnson at the ribbon cutting for Cary Founded. This is a coworking community located in downtown Cary in the Rogers building. The owners also have a Founded Community in Raleigh. I joined the Cary Chamber President in making a few remarks which was followed by remarks from one of the owners. Then the owners and the building owner did the honor of cutting the ribbon.

Cary Visitor Center Ribbon Cutting

Friday evening, I joined council members Bush and Kohn-Johnson at the ribbon cutting for the Cary Visitors Center which is run by The City Doctor Productions. It is located in the front part of the Douglas Reality Group building next to the old Ashworth’s Drugs. Inside you will find many artifacts from Cary’s past and present including some memorabilia from Ashworth’s Drugs.

Programming for the Visitors Center will include downtown walking tours, programs, events, history displays, a small research library, and free resources for visitors.

Farmers Market Grand Opening for Summer Season

Saturday morning, I joined council members Bryson-Robinson, Bush, Kohn-Johnson, and Craig at the seasonal opening of the Cary Farmers Market at Downtown Cary Park. I read a proclamation celebrating the opening, the 30-year anniversary, and the permanent location of the market which has been moved several times over the years. The market is along Park Street and opens at 8 AM. It is a great place to find fresh produce and goods supporting small family farms.

Founder’s Event

Saturday around 11:30 I was part of a celebration of Cary’s founding date (April 3, 1871). I dressed as Frank Page in a skit where I announced the incorporation of the Town of Cary. I was joined by several others in costume. It was a lot of fun and a great way to bring awareness of our founding date to the public.

Pickleball Champions

Sunday I attended the PPA pickleball championships at the Cary Tennis Park. This was our first professional pickleball championship and I am sure it won’t be the last. Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters both won their doubles, singles, and mixed doubles together solidifying their status as #1 in the world. I had the honor of presenting the North Carolina Cup for the men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. It was a milestone day for #1 ranked Waters who won her 98^th, 99^th, and 100^th titles. She said “I’m just super happy that I could get my 100^th title here in Cary. This is where I grew up. This is where it all started.” We are glad she won her 100^th here in Cary also.

It was a great week for pickleball, and the talent was incredible. What a great event for Cary!

NC Senator Adcock Event

Sunday afternoon I attended a fundraiser for NC Senator Gale Adcock who was a former Mayor Pro-Tem on the Cary council. Since she is unopposed, she used the opportunity to have Rachel Hunt, who is running for Lt. Governor to speak. Her message focused on teachers, education, and funding of education especially in the poorer counties.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

This week, staff, along with the consultants retained by South Hills, were hard at work developing a new option for The Centre, borne out of discussions at the Council/Staff Retreat. The image above captures the creative thinking of the team that developed the new option, which will be presented to the Council at the April 25 work session.
Enjoy your weekend.
Sean

Cary Hosts PPA North Carolina Cup

Mayor Weinbrecht joins Collin Shick, a pro pickleball player and former Wolfpack tennis star, at the PPA North Carolina Cup (Professional Pickleball Tournament), which is currently being hosted at the Cary Tennis Park. Both the top-ranked female player, Anna Leigh Waters, and the top-ranked male player, Ben Johns, are participating. The Semi-Finals will take place this Saturday, April 6, and the Finals on Sunday, April 7. Check out the tournament website for more details.

Council Member Bansal Visits UNC

Councilmember Sarika Bansal spoke at an UNC Chapel Hill event centered around South Asians in Politics: Impacts and Challenges. She addressed a diverse audience alongside esteemed elected officials and advocates. 

Cary’s New Program Manager for Seniors & Aging

Michelle Barrett started her role in mid-March and has hit the ground running. Just this week, she visited Dorcas Ministries and met with CEO André Anthony, the Associate State Director of the AARP, and participated in her first meeting with the Senior Advisory Board. She looks forward to continuing her work with the board to ensure seniors’ concerns remain at the forefront of Cary’s focus.

Academy Street Parking Deck

Construction continues on the Academy Street Parking Deck, located between Academy Street and S. Harrison Avenue, as part of the Meridian Cary development. Vertical construction has begun with the installation of precast concrete panels. The parking deck will include 478 spaces (225 public, 253 private for the multi-family building), smart parking technology, gates, and EV charging stations. The parking deck is expected to open to the public in 2026 as part of the overall development. 

Cedar Street Parking Deck

Construction on the Cedar Street Parking Deck will begin next week. The parking deck, located between Cedar Street and Chatham Street and across from the Cary Theater, will include 297 parking spaces and retail space fronting Chatham Street. The parking deck will be open to the public and include smart parking technology, gates, EV Charging, and roof top PV/solar. This project is expected to be complete in Fall 2025.

Higgins Greenway – Phase III Construction

Starting April 9, contractors will begin construction of Higgins Greenway – Phase III. The existing greenway will be extended approximately 0.86 miles from its current terminus at Union Street and continue eastward to Kildaire Farm Road. This work will fill a gap in the greenway network and increase connectivity between downtown Cary and the surrounding neighborhoods. The project is anticipated to continue through Summer 2025.

Harrison Avenue In-Road Warning Light System

Cary’s first in-road warning light system is scheduled to begin installation next week. Located at the existing crosswalk of Harrison Avenue at Hillsboro Street, the system pairs LED-enhanced roadside signs with in-road “pucks” to increase the visibility of pedestrians using the crosswalk. The entire system will be pedestrian-activated using accessible push buttons. Installation of signs and other roadside equipment is scheduled for next week, and the in-road installation is scheduled for the week of April 15.

Neighborhood Traffic Calming Construction

A new traffic calming project will bring a series of speed humps to both Olde Weatherstone Way, adjacent to the Glenkirk community, and Preston Village Way between Morrisville Parkway and Circle on the Green. Additionally, this project includes a single speed hump requested by the Whitford Place community, off of Green Level Church Road in western Cary. Work will begin in mid-April, weather permitting, and flagger operations will be in place during construction activities. The work hours for this project have been adjusted to avoid the drop-off and pick-up times for Olde Weatherstone Elementary School.

Ederlee Drive Sidewalk Complete

Final touches are being completed on the new sidewalk along Ederlee Drive. This project installed over 1,200 ft of sidewalk which include ADA compliant curb ramps between Richelieu Drive and Avenue of the Estates. Cary’s sidewalk network is now complete along Ederlee Drive between Penny Road and Regency Parkway. Conduit was also installed along the project to accommodate future expansion of Cary’s signal infrastructure. The final clean-up is expected to be complete next week.

NCWRF Completes Project

The North Cary Water Reclamation Facility (NCWRF) has successfully completed a $1.2 million capital project to replace two band screens, compactor equipment, and flow control gates at the facility’s headworks. These units play a vital role in removing small debris from the flow stream at the front of the facility, ensuring downstream treatment processes can be performed without clogging. This project is just one example of the ongoing effort to replace aging equipment to maintain a high level of nutrient removal and overall facility efficiency.

Cary Teen Council Committee

Last week, the Cary Teen Council hosted their monthly meeting at the Cary Senior Center. The teen leaders planned and hosted an event including several exhibits designed to educate their peers about the significant role that teenagers play in various town committees. The young representatives put together engaging and informative presentations for their booths, offering valuable insights into teen representation. The meeting was a resounding success, with around 200 teens attending and leaving feeling enthusiastic about the upcoming leadership application period for the 2024-2025 Cary Teen Council. 

Upcoming Meetings

PRCR Advisory Board
Monday, April 8
5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, April 8
6:00 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, April 8
6:30 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, April 9
6:00 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
April 10, 6:30 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday, April 11
4:45 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, April 11
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• An email campaign of complaints about the quarry next to Umstead Park (The Cary Council is not a decision maker).
• A request to extend bus route #5.
• A thank you to Cary Animal Services.
• A complaint about a missed recycling pickup (it was resolved before they woke the next morning).
• A concern about gun control.
• A concern about affordable housing at the Grove at Cary Park.
• A concern about the abandoned hotel next to Lifetime Fitness.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Cary Tennis Class board meeting, a Cary Chamber event, a council work session, the first council meeting of April, and the opening of USA Baseball Training facility.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 14^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

VIPs Visit Downtown Park

Monday afternoon I joined the town manager and staff to give a tour of the Downtown Cary Park to visitors from across the nation who are part of the group developing Disney’s Asteria community in the Pittsboro area. I gave a welcome and provided background information on the creation of the park.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I contacted council members to hear of questions or concerns of the agenda for Thursday’s regular council meeting. One council member wanted the Traffic Calming item on the consent agenda pulled for discussion and another council member wanted the more information on the GoCary Wake Bus Plan.

Later in the day I met with Mayor Pro-Tem Bryon-Robinson and staff to go over the agenda. We anticipated the meeting would be relatively short.

Town Manager One-On-One

My final meeting Monday was with the Town Manager and Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson. Some of the items we discussed included the potential bond later this year, the tax rate related to revenue neutral, Artificial Intelligence, and the Ivey-Ellington House.

Cary Tennis Classic Community Event

Tuesday night I attended the rebranding event for sponsors of the Cary Tennis Classic formerly known as the Atlantic Tire Championships. I along with other board members provided them with information about the tournament and the future Cary Tennis Park expansion. This tournament has been successful for ten years and is one of the reasons why Cary receives over $29 million dollars of economic benefit from our venues each year.

NC Senator Adcock Meeting

Thursday afternoon I met with NC Senator Gale Adcock about the application process for the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for a Cary resident. At a minimum, the individual must have provided community service for at least 30 years. The process takes several months to complete.

Council Work Session

Thursday evening, I joined the council and staff for a work session that focused mainly on transit in Cary. Here are some of the points I noted in the transit presentation and discussion:

• The cost per rider for fixed routes is $18.44 with Cary paying $2.95.
• The cost per rider for door-to-door is $95.43 with Cary paying $43.08.
• Ridership increased 40.34% in FY23 and 27.79% in FY24. Ridership has more than doubled since FY18.
• GoCary is fully staffed and has the highest starting pay in North Carolina.
• Riders rate Cary 70% as excellent or good. Only 1% rated it as negative.
• A Microtransit study is being conducted to look at filling in gaps, node-based travel, and the addition of the Morrisville Smart Shuttle.
• There are 213 bus stops with 24 shelters and 12 benches.
• 95% have sidewalk connectivity and 78% are ADA compliant. Of course, the goal is to retrofit all to be 100%.
• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) will be running from the downtown Cary depot to downtown Raleigh by 2029. BRT routes will have over 50% dedicated lanes.
• A Rapid Bus Extension (less than 50% dedicated lanes) will go from the Cary depot to RTP.
• The Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility has received funding and will be built on Towerview court.
• A Downtown Cary Multimodal Center will be built between the railroad tracks and Harrison Avenue and North West Street. It will be in phase one of town hall campus redevelopment.
• The Downtown Cary Multimodal Center will accommodate local and regional bus service, Bus Rapid Transit, Intercity Passenger Rail, Commuter Rail, Ride Share, and Bike Share.

In the only action taken at the work session, the town council unanimously agreed to move the first meeting in June from June 6^th to Monday, June 10^th.

Council Meeting

Thursday night the town council held its last meeting of March. The agenda included four consent items, two public hearings, and one discussion item.

The Traffic Calming Policy Revision was pulled from the consent agenda so that the public could be made aware of current and future traffic calming measures.

A public hearing for the annexation of land for the Bel Canto development on Green Level West was held and will come back for a vote when council votes on the rezoning.

A public hearing was also held for the GoCary Service Changes. The council unanimously approved these changes.

The discussion item was to make the Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity task force a permanent Cary Advisory Board. This was also unanimously approved.

The council also held a closed session which lasted about half an hour.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• An email campaign of complaints about the quarry next to Umstead Park (The Cary Council is not a decision maker and at the time of this writing I have received 2625 emails asking the Cary council to stop mining).
• A question about our food waste program.
• A complaint about noise from a “nature killing subdivision because of Cary’s greed” (All property owners have the right to develop their land and no municipality has the authority to prevent them, nor should they).
• A complaint about the upkeep of the Grove at Cary Park.
• A complaint about the future Cary Multimodal Center.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a HRID meeting, a State of Cary Presentation, a ribbon cutting, the Farmers Market Opening, a Founders event, and an event for NC Senator Adcock.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 7^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday the town manager and I held our weekly meeting. Our topics of discussion included the Cary Tennis Classic, a VIP tour of the Downtown Cary Park with interested parties from out of town, the potential bond this fall, affordable housing, and road diets on Walnut Street and other areas of Cary.

Youth Leadership Cary

Tuesday morning I spoke to around 40 high school juniors from various Cary high schools about local government, community leadership, and potential career paths. I answered several questions before taking a picture with them.

State of Cary Glenaire

I had the opportunity to present the State of Cary address to Glenaire on Wednesday afternoon. This was the second time I have gave this address and included a few updates since the January presentation. I estimate that there were between one hundred and one hundred fifty in attendance. It was very well received and there were about a dozen questions afterwards.

CAMPO

Wednesday I participated in a meeting of the CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations) Executive Board. The agenda included two consent items, one public hearing, and six discussion items.

Under consent the committee unanimously approved minutes and an Apex Rail Switching Operations Relocation Study with an Interlocal Agreement and authorized the CAMPO Executive Director to execute the agreement.

After the Public Hearing the board unanimously approved Amendment #3 to FY2024-2033 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Under the discussion the board unanimously approved US 401 Corridor Study recommendations and the interlocal agreement for the US 1 North Toll Study and

authorizing the CAMPO Executive Director to execute the agreement.

The board also received information on the Triangle Transportation Choices/Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program, the draft FY 2025 Wake Transit Work Plan, an update on the NC 540 Bonus Allocation, and amendments and updates to the Executive Board Bylaws recognizing new members.

State of Cary Templeton

Thursday morning I presented the State of Cary address to about three dozens residents of the Templeton Senior community. This was my third presentation of the year. They were very interested in my remarks and followed up with great questions. This is my fourth time giving my address to them.

State of Cary Abbreviated Version Taped

Friday morning I did a taping of an abbreviated version of the State of Cary Address. We spent about an hour and a half taping various segments at the Downtown Cary Park. Hopefully, this will be short enough to use online.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

There will not be a Weekly Report next Friday. As a reminder, most staffed facilities, including Town Hall, will be closed on Friday, in observance of the holiday. Have a great weekend and enjoy this week’s edition of the Weekly Report.
Sean

Mayor Presents State of Cary

This week, Mayor Weinbrecht provided an updated State of Cary presentation to residents at the Templeton of Cary and Glenaire. After the presentations, he greeted many of the residents and answered questions they had about Cary.

Youth Leadership Cary

On Tuesday, 40 area high school juniors participating in the Chamber of Commerce’s Youth Leadership Cary program spent the day with Cary staff to learn about local government and potential career paths. The day began with a welcome from Mayor Weinbrecht, then an information session on the council-manager form of government, visits to 311, 911, and Cary’s traffic center, and a tour of the Downtown Cary Park were among the opportunities the participants experienced. 

Visit at Duke with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math athletes

On Tuesday evening, Councilmember Lori Bush and Chief Information Officer Nicole Coughlin engaged with women Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) athletes at Duke University, highlighting the concerning statistic that about 50% of women in STEM majors switch to other fields after their sophomore year. To tackle this challenge, Duke alum Sue Hartnett founded ReWriting the Code, an initiative that Cary actively supports through its summer internship and mentorship programs.

Draft Housing Annual Action Plan Open for Public Comment

Every year Cary invites organizations working in high impact housing initiative areas to apply for funding. Applications are evaluated based on alignment with Cary Housing goals and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) national objectives. As required by HUD, staff prepares a draft Annual Action Plan for public comment then brings it forward to Council for action. The public comment period for the 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan begins today and closes on April 23. Staff anticipates bringing the draft plan forward for a public hearing and Council action at the April 25 Council meeting. This year, Cary received a record number of funding applications from partner organizations and developers committed to furthering work across the housing continuum. The draft plan, which can be viewed on the Housing webpage, recommends awards totaling over $7.2 million.

Three Federal Grant Awards

Cary was awarded three federal grants totaling $5,520,709 to improve pedestrian, bicycling and transit infrastructure in our community. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Executive Board approved the LAPP (Locally Administered Projects Program) grants last week. The three projects include Optimist Farm Greenway,  which will improve bike and pedestrian connectivity in south Cary, GoCary Communications Equipment upgrades on vehicles which will enhance communication efficiency and safety, and GoCary’s Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility project. These grants represent not only a financial boon but also a vote of confidence in Cary’s transportation vision and sustainability. 

Ashworth Drug Store – Gone But Not Forgotten

The Page-Walker History Archives is the proud recipient of some wonderful Ashworth’s memorabilia donated by Mr. Ralph Ashworth. The items which include many photos, apothecary bottles, pharmacy items and even the first prescription Ralph ever filled will be on public display at the Page-Walker to commemorate the beloved business in the coming months.

Model Train Show

Last Saturday, the North Raleigh Model Railway Club showcased their N-Scale model trains at the Herb Young Community Center. People of all ages gathered to watch these trains wind through miniature cities and countryside landscapes. Visitors even had the opportunity to become Junior Engineers by operating the tracks and driving the trains. Operation Lifesaver provided valuable railroad safety tips, and club members hosted small workshops on scenery building. Throughout the day, over 1,000 visitors enjoyed the train show.

North Carolina Information Technology Leadership Forum 2024

Government Technology’s annual Information Technology Leadership Forum took place in Raleigh on Wednesday. The event provides a space for leaders to collaborate while addressing the most important policy, management and leadership issues surrounding the future of digital government. Chief Information Officer Nicole Coughlin participated in the panel ‘Smart Collaboration in the Triangle and Beyond’ and shared her perspective on the importance of working collaboratively. 

Signalized Pedestrian Crossing Now Operational

After resolving several unforeseen challenges, a crosswalk at the NC 55 and O’Kelly Chapel Road intersection now has a pedestrian crossing signal. Staff are happy to report that contractors have completed an upgrade project at this intersection to not only provide pedestrian traffic signals, but also add high-visibility crosswalks and pedestrian warning signs. This work was expedited by our design consultant, NCDOT, and our construction contractor.

Animal Services Visits Girl Scout Troop 619

Juniors in Girl Scout Troop 619 are working towards a bronze award by making a difference in the community. The team is working to raise awareness on responsible pet ownership and the value of rescues. This week, Animal Services Officers Haggist and Wilson took time to educate the scouts about their roles and facilitated a discussion with the girls on potential ideas to contribute to the upcoming Dog Daze and Pet Expo.

Black Creek Greenway Plant Rescues

On Saturday, volunteers from NC Native Plant Society along with Cary staff gathered at North Cary Park and hiked down to the Black Creek Greenway. The group rescued plants located within the clearing limits of the upcoming Black Creek Greenway Renovations Project that was awarded by Council at the March 14 meeting.

2024 Tobacco Road Marathon

On Sunday, the Tobacco Road Marathon once again electrified the streets of Cary, North Carolina, as runners from all over the country gathered to test their mettle against the clock and the American Tobacco Trail (ATT). On this mild March morning, 3,034 eager participants embarked on a 13.1 or 26.2-mile journey through Thomas Brooks Park and the scenic ATT.  In a stunning display of athleticism, the fastest full marathoner of the day, Alex Ekesa crossed the finish line in an astonishing time of 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 37 seconds.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, March 25
6:30 p.m.

Council Work Session
Thursday, March 28
4:45 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, March 28
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• An email campaign of complaints about the quarry next to Umstead Park (The Cary Council is not a decision maker and at the time of this writing I have received 2606 emails asking the Cary council to stop mining).
• A complaint about the Downtown Cary Park TV commercials.
• A request for Cary to enact a guaranteed income program.
• A complaint about a future rezoning proposal on Piney Plains.
• Multiple complaints from a citizen on e-bikes on greenways (they are allowed but everyone must adhere to the 15-mph speed limit).

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a VIP park tour, a Cary Tennis Classic event, a meeting with NC Senator Adcock, a council work session, and the last regularly scheduled meeting of the council.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, March 31^st, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

World University Games

Monday afternoon I met with local representatives for the World University Games which will be held in the area in July of 2029. These games are an international multi-sport event, organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

Cary will be part of the games hosting at all sports facilities including WakeMed Soccer complex, Cary Tennis Park, and USA Baseball. The Center at South Hills will also host if built in time. Other host cities include Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Greensboro.

The organizers expressed an interest in starting a 5-year countdown clock somewhere in Cary with a celebration this July.

Council Meeting Prep

Later Monday afternoon I met with key staff members to go over the agenda for Thursday’s council meeting. We talked about the expected crowd for the Public Speaks Out portion of the meeting that would request changes for Walnut Street. Since the town is already planning on doing more than what they have been proposing on social media, the manager planned to talk about it in his report prior to Public Speaks Out. We hoped that would reduce the need for a few of them to speak. The rest of the agenda seemed straightforward.

Cary Tennis Classic

Monday night I met with the board for the Cary Tennis Classic, formerly known as the Atlantic Tire Championships. We talked about the rebranding kickoff with key donors scheduled for March 26^th. I updated them on the potential bond this fall that would include the Cary Tennis Park upgrades.

Human Relations, Inclusion & Diversity Task Force

Tuesday evening, I attended a meeting of the Human Relations, Inclusion & Diversity Task Force. In my remarks to the group, I let them know that we are moving forward to making them a permanent board. The task force topics included Sunshine Week, the update of the Cary Community Plan, the Downtown Park, and the DEI Education Form.

Wynston Ridge Homeowners Association

Tuesday night I gave remarks at the end of the annual homeowner’s association meeting for Wynston Ridge. This is a community of about 100 homes built in the late 1980s and early 1990s located near the intersection of Holly Springs Road and Cary Parkway. In my remarks I talked about the potential bond this fall, the potential tax rate, and our downtown area. I am always happy to join homeowner association meetings if my calendar allows.

Town Council Work Session

The council met Thursday evening for a work session to discuss several items but mostly stormwater. The following are some of my takeaways on stormwater:

• Cary is well perceived in handling stormwater issues.
• The first floodplain map was issued in 1992.
• The first water quality rules were made in 1993.
• Up until 2001 residential lots were allowed in floodplains.
• In 2008 Cary required developers to mitigate flooding.
• Cary started the Walnut corridor pilot several years ago to model stormwater and monitor stream sensors. The outcome was policy amendments to require developers to mitigate to a 100-year storm event which is 7 ½ inches in 24 hours.
• Cary maintains 15 miles of culverts and 190 miles of storm pipes. There are 626 miles of total pipes with most on private property.
• Cary maintains 15,442 inlets out of 34,570.
• Cary maintains 91 stormwater control measures out of 1,436.
• Cary maintains 7 lakes and ponds out of 1169.
• Cary has no natural lakes or ponds. All were created by humans over the years.
• Cary receives over 870 stormwater related requests for help every year.
• Redeveloped lots must abide by today’s rules. So, if a lot is in the floodplain and the house is torn down, it will not be allowed to be rebuilt.
• Cary staff helps citizens with flooding issues even if it is not a town issue. They work with them on how to mitigate problems. Other municipalities don’t do this.
• Cary collects data from stormwater monitoring to validate models, create stormwater models for other agencies, and impact analysis.
• Cary had a 1000-year storm in the Swift Creek area in 2016. That is 5 inches of rain in 4 hours, which would have equated to 30 inches in 24 hours.
• The footprint of a 1000-year storm flood and a 100-year storm flood are similar.
• Cary monitors insurance claims for flooding. This helps create our actions which reduce insurance rates.
• The Downtown Cary Park’s water feature was designed to help reduce peak flows.
• Cary is a Stormwater Phase II community which is based on population. This will be changed to a Phase I community. This determines what we have to do with engagement, engineering, construction, and post construction. The Phase I designation will require additional data collection, program development, stream quality monitoring, and industrial monitoring.
• Cary spent $6.6 million on operating and capital costs for stormwater in 2023.
• Cary will spend $14.8 million in 2024 which will include the Symphony Lake dredging.
• Cary will be required to spend at least $9.8 million in 2025.
• Cary’s costs include preemptive work which saves money in the long run.
• Cary is the only community out of the top 23 communities that doesn’t use a stormwater Utility fund. We have legislative authority to do this. Currently, we pay from the General fund for stormwater costs.
• Cary will begin to study moving to a Utility fund which will include a stormwater master plan. This process will take several years.

Our work session concluded after about 1 ½ hours.

Town Council Meeting

Thursday night the council held its first regularly scheduled meeting of March. The agenda included 9 consent items, 2 public hearings, and 3 discussion items. The council chambers were full, and some were waiting in the lobby. The crowd were from two groups: the Walnut Street improvements and the Healthy Homes initiative.

In the manager’s report before Public Speaks Out the manager explained that the town was moving forward in the design and implementation of improvements to Walnut Street to add a median, bike lanes, and reduce the lanes from four to two. In the Public Speaks Out potion of the meeting most of the people spoke about improvements to Walnut Street.

The first public hearing was for the annexation of a property located at 0 Aviation Pkwy (at the southeast quadrant of the intersection of Aviation Pkwy and Liberty Hill Pass). With the annexation they would be able to connect to Cary utilities and develop the lot for a single detached dwelling unit. There were no speakers, and this was approved unanimously.

The second public hearing was to rezone approximately 9.19 acres directly south of Macedonia Road from General Commercial (GC) and Residential-40 (R-40) to Mixed-Use District (MXD) with a Preliminary Development Plan (PDP) to facilitate the development of up to 330 residential dwellings, with conditions to provide a minimum of 12,000 square feet of community gathering space, locate at least 60% of parking in a parking structure, and provide at least 25 electric vehicle charging stations. Five of the seven council members expressed the need for affordable housing with this project and the willingness to discuss potential partnerships. This rezoning proposal will now go to the Planning and Zoning Board for their review and recommendation.

In the first discussion item the council unanimously approved the Stable Homes Cary Program in partnership with Dorcas Ministries as the lead nonprofit organization. Stable Homes Cary will allow Dorcas to scale up its current program model to serve more community members in need, while creating capacity and expertise to provide support to residents who may be displaced due to specific large-scale property redevelopments, such as Chatham Estates. Dorcas will work in partnership with other nonprofits and government agencies, such as A Doorway to Hope, Passage Home, ONE Wake, Wake County Public Schools, Wake County Health and Human Services, NC Works, Wake Tech, and others to identify potential paths and to connect low- and moderate-income residents with resources.

In the second discussion item the council approved a rezoning located between Trinity Road and Old Trinity Circle, from Residential-12 (R-12) and Transitional Residential (TR) to Transitional Residential Conditional Use (TR-CU) with zoning conditions that limit uses to detached dwellings, townhomes, and accessory uses, provide two-car garages with wiring for future EV charging for all units, provide 2,000 square feet of community gathering space, and commit to 20-foot-wide streetscapes on local streets. The approval was 6 to 1 with one council member believing it was not a good transition to neighboring communities.
In the last discussion item the council unanimously approved the bid for construction of the FY 2024 Street Improvements Project.

The council meeting concluded after about two hours.\

Sustainable Development

Friday, I met with council member Bush, the Chief Information Officer, the Chief Development Officer, the Cary Chamber President, and a representative of local developers to talk about Sustainable Development specifically geothermal development. What is Geothermal Development? Basically, it is homes that are heated and cooled by water that is circulated about 40 feet below the surface since that stays at a constant temperature. Adding solar almost eliminates the need for any power outside the community. You can see a better explanation on YouTube here. We discussed Whisper Valley outside Austin, Texas where thousands of homes will eventually be built and self-sustaining. The key concern from local developers will be upfront costs. We all agreed that we need more information on those costs. I hope to see a sustainable development in Cary soon!

NC Courage Proclamation for Ring of Honor

Saturday, I attended the NC Courage match and presented a proclamation recognizing the 1^st inductee to the Ring of Honor. The wording was as follows:

RECOGNIZING SAM MEWIS AS THE INAUGURAL RING OF HONOR INDUCTEE

Whereas, the North Carolina Courage has proudly represented and called Cary, NC home since its inception in 2017, captivating audiences with unparalleled skill, dedication, and sportsmanship; and

Whereas, on February 14, 2024, the North Carolina Courage announced Sam Mewis as the inaugural inductee into the newly formed Courage ‘Ring of Honor,’ recognizing her exceptional contributions to the club during her tenure from 2017 through 2021; and

Whereas Sam Mewis’s illustrious career with the Courage has left an indelible mark on the organization, marked by numerous accolades including three NWSL Shields, two NWSL Championships, and the inaugural Women’s International Champions Cup; and

Whereas Mewis’s leadership, commitment, and passion for the game have not only propelled the Courage to unprecedented success but have also served as an inspiration to countless aspiring athletes across our community and beyond; and

Now, therefore, I, Harold Weinbrecht, Jr, Mayor of Cary, on behalf of the Cary Councilmembers and citizens who call Cary home, extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sam Mewis on her induction into the Courage ‘Ring of Honor,’ a testament to her enduring legacy and profound impact on our community; and invite all residents of Cary to join us in commemorating this momentous occasion, celebrating Sam Mewis’s remarkable career and her enduring contributions to the sport of soccer;

PROCLAIMED this 1^st day of February 2022.

To make it more fun for the crowd I had them yell out all the Whereas. The game was a blowout with the Courage winning 5 to 1. It was a good crowd, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Spa by Jing Ribbon Cutting

Sunday afternoon I attended a ribbon cutting for the expansion of Space by Jing & Li Aesthetics at Waverly Place. Their business has done so well over the last 5 years that they have expanded to the second floor of their building. We were blessed to be given a tour and I had a facial analysis done which showed that the virtual age of my left side was 65 while by right side was 68. I will be 68 in early June.

I am so impressed by Jing and other Asian entrepreneurs in Cary and wish them continued success.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Dear Mayor Weinbrecht and Members of Town Council:

In addition to our weekly roundup of stories, I am going to begin sharing, from time to time, some of the things that I have read this week that I found informative and thought you might as well. If you have trouble opening any of the stories, please let me know.

Researchers propose fourth traffic signal light for hypothetical self-driving car future

I hope the automakers are going to pay for all those potentially new traffic signals.

The Only Force Stronger Than Polarization? Rising Home Prices

This piece highlights the unique coalition behind affordable housing movements.

3 Types of Overthinking — and How to Overcome Them

Something most of us could use a little help with, at least now and then.

Please enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend.
Sean

Celebrating 311 Day All Week

Cary joined in the national celebration that is 3/11 Day, marking its fourth year in operations. Online educational campaigns for citizens spanned the week and captured thousands of views and positive engagement. Citizen advocates were treated to lunch and treats throughout the week, a team building event at Graffiti in downtown Cary, and participated in meditation sessions. With work volume growing to an average of 180,000 cases handled annually, it’s important to celebrate and recognize the team with intentionality and appreciation.

2024 Black History Month

This year, Cary expanded its programming for Black History Month to include a variety of activities and events throughout February. This expansive recognition and celebration of Black History & African American Appreciation Month warranted Cary’s Cultural Resources Division to be recognized in a National Parks & Recreation publication.

The 2024 theme was ‘Acknowledging the Past While STREAMing Into the Future.’ The month consisted of related films, adult and children’s art classes, concerts, art exhibitions, a poetic exhibition, book signings, culinary samplings, STEM programs, and a STREAM Symposium. Events were held in various venues across the town including, the Cary Arts Center, The Cary, Page-Walker Arts & History Center, and the Downtown Cary Park. A photo album recapping the month’s events is available for all to enjoy.

Association of IT Professionals Celebrates Women’s History Month

Chief Information Officer Nicole Coughlin shared her journey as a mom of boys in information technology leadership at last night’s Association of IT Professionals (AITP) – RTP Chapter event celebrating Women’s History Month. The event was held at North Carolina University Club and included a panel which shared experiences in the technology field. Nicole left the event feeling encouraged to see the potential in how the gender gap may close as the new generation starts to enter the IT workforce.

2024 Summer Camp Registration on RecTrac

Summer Camp registration, usually the largest registration day of the year, kicked-off on Wednesday.  Online registration opened at 7 a.m. to accommodate working parents and within 30 minutes almost 4,400 registrations had been successfully completed. By the end of the first day, 5,569 program registrations occurred and camp registrations were at approximately 70% capacity. Additionally, 99.5% of those registrations were completed online, setting another all-time high. Registration continues for Cary residents and non-resident registration will open on Wednesday, March 27. 

Regional Collaboration on the Future of Water Resources

On Wednesday, staff from Cary and Wake County met with Research Triangle Foundation (RTF) Planners to discuss the future of Wake County’s portion of Research Triangle Park (RTP) and its connection to Long Range Water Resource Planning (LRWRP). As the Cary LRWRP is currently being updated, this interagency coordination is critical for improving water demand forecasts and ensuring excellent, safe, and reliable water supply for future generations. Cary’s water supply is Jordan Lake, and our utility service area includes Cary, Morrisville, the RDU airport, and the Wake County portion of RTP.

Signal Upgrades

Earlier this week, staff from Public Works, Police, and Transportation worked together to complete signal upgrades at the intersection of Walnut Street and Kildaire Farm Road. These upgrades make the intersection safer for all pedestrians to cross, including the installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) devices that communicate crossing information through audible messages.

Repair Café

This year’s Repair Café event helped keep many items ticking and out of the landfill. Items brought in for repair by 75 citizens included chairs, turntables, toys, and an electric lawnmower. Local ‘fix-it coaches’ volunteered their time and skills to provide repair services and tips to help owners keep things in working condition. The event achieved a 69% repair rate.

InsideCary Civics Kicks Off 2024 Year of Staff Learning Opportunities

This week, employees gathered at the Academy Pavilion at Downtown Cary Park for the first InsideCary learning session of 2024, which focused on civics. The group learned about Cary’s council-manager form of government, what it means for North Carolina local governments to derive their authority from the state, and the importance of public records retention. Similar to Cary 101, InsideCary provides an opportunity for all employees to learn about Cary’s history, government, decision-making, culture, and the people and facilities that serve our citizens every day.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meetings on April 3^rd

Two rezoning meetings, 24-REZ-03 Wellington PDD Amendment and 24-REZ-05 Westley Manor, will take place virtually on Wednesday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. 

Upcoming Meetings

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, March 20
6:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, March 21
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about cars racing on Highway 55.
• A concern about an abandoned hotel at 1500 Regency Parkway.
• A complaint about a Cary police officer.
• Thanks to police officers who helped someone’s daughter after an accident.
• Support for the Stable Homes Cary program.
• A complaint about Walnut Street saying the council doesn’t take action until someone dies (Hurtful, not true, and from a previous candidate for town council).
• A complaint about a potential tax increase.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, Youth Leadership Cary, State of Cary at Glenaire, State of Cary at Templeton, CAMPO, and a taping of a condensed State of Cary.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, March 24^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Cary #1 for Renters

Monday the Triangle Business Journal ran a story to report that USA today had named Cary is the #1 municipality in the nation for renters:

“People looking to rent in Wake County should set their sights on Cary, a new study says.

A USA Todayreport on the best cities to rent in the U.S. ranks 315 cities — and Cary comes out as No. 1. Cary received the ranking due to financial accessibility, low crime and good schools.

Cary hit the top five in each of the categories that USA Today researched. It was named the best city for renting families, second best for pet owners who rent, and it ranked fourth for single renters.

The median rent in Cary is $1,719, while annual renter income is $73,872, according to data from Zillow and the U.S. Census Bureau. To determine affordability, USA Today looked at the percentage of rent-burdened residents — those spending more than 30 percent of income on rent — alongside typical rent prices.

Interestingly, the study found that 42.3 percent of renters in Cary are rent-burdened. Yes, that seems high. But four other cities in the top 10 had a higher percentage. The lowest figure in the top 10 is 36.9 percent for Santa Clara, California.

Cary’s growth in population — an increase of more than 80 percent over 20 years — has brought about more apartments and more commercial offerings. New apartments keep opening up, while even more are proposed in the town.

Retail offerings like Crawford Brothers Steakhouse, Life Time Fitness and Brewery Bhavana are coming to Cary. And the popularity of the downtown area is pushing plans for a large parking deck.

Cary was rated the best city for renting families due to the high quality of its schools, low crime and family-friendly attractions such as the new Downtown Cary Park.

Raleigh was ranked 11th on the USA Today list while Wilmington was 37th and Charlotte was 107th.”

Cary #8 South’s Best Cities on The Rise 2024

This week Southern Living ranked Cary as #8 city in the nation for “The South’s Best Cities on The Rise 2024”. Here is what they said about Cary:

“The Research Triangle’s innovative energy has rubbed off on this once-small suburb. A thriving arts and culture scene, excellent restaurants, and ever-growing downtown make Cary a worthy standalone destination. The long-awaited and recently opened 7-acre Downtown Cary Park now provides a centralized gathering space, further adding to the reasons the city landed on Livability’s 2023 Best Places to Live list.” 

If you click the link above, you will see the 17 best things to do in Cary according to Southern Living. We are proud to once again be recognized nationally.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Has it been a week already since we were together at the Council/Staff Retreat? I’m already looking forward to next year’s event. We are hard at work, diligently following up on the discussions from the retreat. Enjoy this week’s stories and have a great weekend.
Sean

Council Meeting Follow-up

From the recent Housing and Community Partnerships presentation, staff mentioned a map that tracks children’s outcomes in adulthood. This map is available here: https://www.opportunityatlas.org/

Construction to Begin on Cary’s Historic Ivey-Ellington House

Crews will begin rehabilitation work at the Ivey-Ellington House on March 11. This work will renovate the interior of the house, transforming it into office space for downtown park staff while preserving the home’s historical integrity. The exterior of the Ivey-Ellington House is being rehabilitated with improvements that are consistent with its historical character. The site will also feature new landscaping, incorporating ADA parking and walkways, a bio-retention rain garden, and an era-appropriate garden.
Visitors will still enter and exit at existing points and use the old library lot during construction even though fencing around the house is expanding. The rehabilitation work is anticipated to continue through Spring 2025.

Visiting East Austin’s Zero Energy Capable Community

Councilmember Lori Bush and Chief Information Officer Nicole Coughlin visited a 2000+ acre mixed-use community known as East Austin’s Zero Energy capable community to learn and understand its direction.

Their community-wide geothermal exchange infrastructure, or GeoGrid, uses the earth’s natural energy to heat and cool all of the Whisper Valley Homes, reducing home energy consumption by up to 70%. All homes also have Solar PV to generate electricity. Homeowners can use EcoSmart technology to monitor their energy usage in real time and learn better energy behavior. With a target of 7,500 homes, including single-family, affordable homes, multi-family, and tiny homes, along with 3 million square feet of commercial space, schools, and parks, they are creating a community with sustainability at its core. 

Cary Participates in Raleigh Chamber Sustainability Conference

Cary joined regional business executives, elected officials, and community leaders at the Raleigh Chamber Sustainability Conference this week. Panel discussion topics included regional water partnerships, Net Zero emission actions, zero waste opportunities, and global environmental challenges. Utilities Director Jamie Revels served as a panelist in the regional water discussion highlighting community engagement and business community partnerships that have fostered Cary’s actions in water resource management, solar energy production, emissions inventory development, reclaimed water service, and biosolids beneficial reuse. Jamie served alongside panelists Wake County Water Resource Manager Nancy Daly and Trophy Brewing Chief Brewing Officer Les Stewart, further emphasizing the benefits of regional partnership approaches.

Cary Senior Center Awarded with National Accreditation

On Wednesday, Brett Moraes, Operations & Program Supervisor, attended the Senior Advisory Board and shared the news that Cary’s Senior Center has been awarded national accreditation through the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Over a 12-month period, a self-assessment committee consisting of Cary staff, program instructors, participants, and other community partners worked together to complete the application.  Accreditation through the NCOA is considered to be the “Gold Standard” in senior center operations and has only been achieved by 3% of senior centers nationwide. This accreditation serves as evidence Cary is on the leading edge of providing the best-in-class programs and activities for seniors in our community. The award will be presented in May at NCOA’s annual conference in Alexandria, VA.

Enhancing Public Lands Through Invasive Plant Awareness

The Cary community gathered to enhance our natural lands in support of Invasive Plant Awareness Week. Through the efforts of 119 volunteers working a collective 256 hours, large volumes of non-native species were removed. Work took place town-wide including key watershed areas such as the Black Creek Greenway, Annie Jones Greenway, Carpenter Park, Dunham Park, Godbold Park, Bond Park, and Hemlock Bluffs. An additional 100 participants benefited from three outreach events, learning about common invasive plants in our area and how to support ecosystem health by planting native species.

Holly Springs Road & Ederlee Drive Sidewalk Projects

Construction of a new sidewalk along Holly Springs Road, near Jones Franklin Road, has been completed to close a short sidewalk gap. Pedestrians are now able to walk continuously along the north bound lanes of Holly Springs Road to reach shopping centers and other destinations. Guardrails will be installed in the coming weeks to address pre-existing roadway conditions. Crews have moved to Ederlee Drive to begin the second phase of the work, from Richelieu Drive to Avenue of the Estates. This sidewalk will close the remaining gap along Ederlee Drive, enhancing pedestrian accessibility to greenways, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, and increasing neighborhood connectivity. Along with the 5-ft sidewalk, conduit will be installed for the future expansion of our traffic signal facilities. Construction is expected to wrap up later this spring.

2023 Annual Biosolids Report

Cary utilizes thermal drying at both the South Cary and Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facilities (WRF) for managing and treating biosolids, a nutrient rich byproduct of wastewater treatment. Cary produces EPA-Certified, Class A Exceptional Quality biosolids by recovering valuable nutrients from the wastewater for beneficial reuse in a natural fertilizer and soil amendment product. In 2023, the North Cary and South Cary WRF together produced 3,817 dry tons and the Western Wake Regional WRF produced 3,184 dry tons of biosolids. Cary’s high-quality dried biosolids, known as Enviro-Gems are marketed to a vendor for use in the agribusiness industry. Read the entire 2023 Annual Biosolids Report  here. 

Crabtree Greenway Project to Begin Construction

Cary’s Crabtree Greenway Project from Bond Park to High House has reached a major milestone. Cary has issued the Notice to Proceed, and construction is set to begin for the greenway that increases access to Bond Park and connects the Preston soccer fields to the park facilities. This project received a $1,570,000 Federal LAPP Grant to offset Cary’s design and construction cost. Construction is beginning this month, with a targeted completion date of winter 2025. Lanier Construction Company has been hired to complete the project. The project begins at the existing trail system in Bond Park and will head north to an existing tunnel under Cary Parkway, then past the Preston soccer fields, and finally connect to High House Road and a proposed street-side trail. This project will complete an important gap in the Crabtree Creek Greenway corridor and provides another bike and pedestrian connection into Bond Park, the hub of the greenway system.

March into Earth Day

Cary’s annual spring environmental outreach campaign launched on March 1 with dozens of programs, celebrations, and resources for going green! Through a robust communications plan, the public is invited to join us in building a more resilient future with exciting opportunities in our six sustainability focus areas of Community, Energy, Natural Resources, Solid Waste, Transportation & Mobility, and Water Infrastructure.  

Duke University Graduate Students Tour South Cary Water Reclamation Facility

South Cary Water Reclamation Facility (SCWRF) hosted a group of graduate students from Duke University this week. The Urban Forestry and Greenspace Management class is being taught by former Cary employee, Katie Rose Levin. The class was on hand to learn about how Cary is incorporating greenspace management into urban and industrial type sites.

Upcoming Meetings

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, March 12
6:00 p.m.

Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Task Force
Tuesday, March 12
6:00 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, March 13
6:30 p.m.

Council Meeting Work Session
Thursday, March 14
4:45 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, March 14 
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about GoCary services.
• A complaint about missing trees in a buffer.
• A thank you for considering moving to the November elections.
• A thank you for planting flowers in a median downtown.
• A request for information about the Crabtree Greenway.
• A request for the Cary Parkway railroad crossing (this is a CAMPO decision).
• A request from Girl Scouts to place bat houses in Bond Park (staff is working with them).
• Congratulations on being one of the Best Cities on the Rise in the South.
• A complaint about private property damage due to the Maynard Road project.
• A complaint with obscene language about an event at the Indian Temple on highway 54.
• A complaint about Wake County School bus transportation (I provided Wake County School Transportation information)

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic board, a Human Relations Inclusion & Diversity board meeting, a Wynston Ridge Homeowners meeting, a town council work session, a town council meeting, and a ribbon cutting for Spa by Jing.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, March 17^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

I had a brief meeting with the town manager Monday evening. Our discussion included the upcoming retreat, a potential bond, and the Harrison Avenue extension.

Council-Staff Retreat

Friday and Saturday the entire council and about thirty staff members spend all day working on important town issues.

Council Dinner

Thursday night the council met for dinner, which was advertised as a public meeting. This is something that we do every year. We do not talk about town business and instead spend the time getting to know each other since we don’t have that opportunity as a group. I loved learning about our newest council members Sarika Bansal and Michelle Craig.

Ice Breaker

Friday morning the council and staff started with an ice breaker of “three truths and a lie” about each attendee. Other members were to guess the lie. It was a fun exercise that allowed us to learn interesting facts about each other. For example, one of my truths was that I was a foreman in a cookie factory.

Dr. Furman Presentation

Next, we had a leadership talk from Dr. Melissa Furman, who happened to speak at the annual Cary Chamber conference last summer. One of her interesting points is how different generations communicate and interact with others. She explained that this is based on events that shaped their lives. For example, being a baby boomer, I was shaped by the Cold War, the Vietnam War, Woodstock, Rock-N-Roll, the assassinations of MLK and JFK. These events influenced the goals I have in life and how I communicated with others. Of course, I am leaving out a lot of details. To find out more you can go here.

Meeting Wilmington Council

At lunch on Friday the council was scheduled to meet with three Wilmington Council members. Unfortunately, only one, Salette Andrews, was able to make it. It was interesting to share issues that each municipality was dealing with. We found out that council member Andrews was also a previously elected official in Arizona and how state authority there differed from North Carolina.

Capital Projects Update

After lunch future capital projects were presented to the council with the latest information. These are potential projects that the council has been discussing since last year’s retreat and could be on a bond this fall. After the presentation the council did an exercise to reprioritize major capital projects since there are two new council members. The ranking showed tennis and pickleball was first, four projects tied for second, and the Earnest Jones Property was a close third. Here is the order of the ranking with the estimated cost:

Cary Tennis Park Pickleball and Expansion Project: $60 million

• 30 pickleball courts for play and tournaments
• Clubhouse expansion including NC Tennis Hall of FameFlexible courts that can be converted into a 3000-seat stadium to hold higher professional tournaments. This will significantly increase economic benefit.
• Structured Parking

Cary Community Sports and Recreation Center: $560 million with $75 million from Wake County

• Community Center
• Senior Center
  • Flexible Competitive Space for multiple sports options
  • A 4000-seat arena
  • Structured parking
  • This has the potential to have an economic impact equal to or greater than all our sports venues combined. It will help transform the South Hills area.

Mills Park Community Center: $150 million

   

• Community Center
• Senior Center
• Structure parking.

Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million

• Downtown Cary to Fenton and to South Hills

Asian Garden: $10 million

• Rock gardens, water elements, winding paths, bridges, meditation areas, shelter, restroom, parking

Earnest Jones Property of 217 acres: $10 million

• Phase I – foot trails, restroom, parking, & restoration of historic structure

The council then spent the rest of the day discussing financing such a large amount of money. While financially Cary and its citizens could afford such a large bond, council was not comfortable with that amount especially when re-evaluation of properties will have an impact on citizens. End the end the council agreed that a $560 million Cary Community Sports and Recreation Center would have to be phased with the first phase not including the arena portion. And that the cost would have to be under $200 million which would result in a smaller design but keep all the features of the community center and senior center portion in tack. It is important to note that the bonds would be spread over ten years and the earliest sale would be 2027.

Saturday Recap of Friday

Saturday began with a group picture of all attendees and a recap of Friday. The council confirmed that a potential bond would not include an arena at South Hills.

Financial

Saturday’s first topic was a financial update. There were a lot of interesting facts on property values:

• Residential property value change in Cary averaged a 56% increase while Wake County averaged 53%.
• Commercial property value change in Cary averaged a 39% increase while Wake County averaged 45%.
• Cary’s assessed value was 34.4 billion in 2023 and now is 49.7 billion which is a 44.4% increase in one year.
• Our tax base was 70% residential and 30% commercial in 2020 and is now 68% residential and 32% commercial.
• Average residential property value was $415,951 in 2020 and is now $647,748.

There was also interesting information on individual property values. The staff presented six random properties in Cary showing the value of the property and taxes over time based on today’s dollars. All properties showed a significant increase in value but four out of the six showed a decrease in taxes (today’s dollars).

One of the examples was a house near Maynard, Cary Parkway, and Castalia Drive.

It was first built in 1982 with a value of $63,500 (today’s dollars) but today is worth $445,018 which is an increase of 601%. At the same time the original taxes in 1982 were $1,786 (today’s dollars) and today is $1,536.

A lot is attributed to the increase in property values. Some of the contributing factors noted since 1998:

• 81 miles of greenway
• 20 new parks (including Downtown Cary Park, USA Baseball, Cary Tennis Center)
• 4 new fire stations
• 215 street miles

Cary’s current tax rate is 34.5 cents per $100 of value which is the lowest in Wake County by 4.5 cents. Our revenue neutral rate would be 24.5 cents per $100 of value. Other points noted from the financial report included:

• A penny on the tax rate was $3.5 million last year and is $5.1 this year.
• To maintain levels of service staff recommends 32.5 cents per $100 of value.
• Services would have to be cut to move to a revenue neutral tax rate. Many factors such as inflation, additional expenses, supply chain, etc. are causing the increase.

The council will decide the tax rate at the beginning of the fiscal year 2025 which begins on July 1^st.

Council Elections

The rest of Saturday morning was spent talking about council elections. Currently council elections are held on odd years in October. If a candidate does not get 50% + 1 then there is a runoff in November. The cost of elections is shared with other entities holding elections during that time. For years Raleigh and Wake County shared the cost of October elections. Now Cary, by itself, is paying all the cost. In 2023 Cary paid $690,711 for the election and $133,796 for the runoff. The council agreed that Cary should consider moving to November for elections. But to do that Cary would have to give up the runoff and 50%+ 1. This could mean a council race with multiple candidates could result in the winner getting something like 30% of the vote which means that 70% voted for someone else. The council will discuss this further in the future.

The discussion on council elections also included a segment where two council members expressed the desire to consider even year elections to save money and have better voter participation. Staff pointed out that even year elections would cost the same as odd year elections in November. In addition, changing to even year elections would require legislative approval from a unanimous council, and since one council member stated that they would never agree to that, it became a moot point.

In my opinion, even-year elections would be very harmful to Cary. Citizens that vote in odd-year elections, in general, vote because they are engaged and care about local issues. In even year elections the ballots are very long with races on all levels of government. Council elections would be at the bottom. My biggest fear is that uninformed voters would marginalize informed voters and that partisan politics would play a bigger role in electing council members. Political parties hand out slate cards at the polls. It is amazing how many people take them. Voting for someone because they are a Democrat or Republican is not good for local government. It doesn’t matter if it is a Democrat or Republican that keeps you safe, puts out fires, provides water/sewer, runs parks, etc. If councils turn partisan, then they are more likely to engage in partisan issues such as passing resolutions for or against Israel or Humas. This has absolutely nothing to do with the core services we are sworn to provide. Cary, unlike most municipalities, has become one of the greatest places in the nation partly because we remain apolitical. Should we change? I think not!

Development

The presentation on development covered a lot of areas. The following are some of the points I noted:

• Cary’s office vacancy rate is under 13% while the Triangle, North Carolina, and the US are above 17%.
• Office vacancy rates are expected to grow in Cary to 16% by the end of 2025. By that time the Triangle, North Carolina, and the US will be around 20%.
• Interest rates have not significantly slowed development in Cary.
• 41% of Cary is working from home which is one of the highest in the nation.
• Fenton had a parking deck approved in January with 5 levels and 722 spaces. It should be completed in a little over a year.
• Fenton’s Crawford Steakhouse is scheduled to open this fall.
• The South Hills project is moving forward and will have a Public Hearing this spring.
• Alston Yards near Parkside Commons will have 850 multi-family units, 400,000 square feet of office space, 55,000 square feet of commercial space, 200 room hotel, and a landing for a pedestrian bridge across Highway 55. They should have a Public Hearing this spring.
• The Weston office park is being visioned for lakefront development. The council will have a work session on this during the fall.
• Weston Parkway is being studied to add bike-ped trails on each side as part of the visioning process.
• The town hall campus issued an RFQ in May of 2023. Eighteen applications were submitted. The council has not seen these and is expected to review them before the end of June. The council’s process is only to select a developer before the public gets involved to help decide what should go on the town hall campus.

Environmental Video

The council watched a short video on Cary’s numerous environmental initiatives. I noted that Cary has 161 EV charging stations, will be the 5^th community in the nation with an electric firetruck, and will be the 1^st in the nation with an electric garbage truck.

Housing

Staff presented over 30 slides covering our housing initiatives. Here are some of my notes:

• Cary has been making an impact and investing in housing initiatives for over a decade.
• Major initiatives are in progress, including development of Town-owned land and more housing options for seniors.
• As we evolve, we will continue using high-impact, proactive strategies to further Cary Housing Plan goals.
• Cary has 474 affordable units in progress which will be added to our 790 existing units.
• Rose Park Manor will have 80 affordable units and should be completed next year.
• The White Oak Foundation is building 15 affordable townhome units along with a daycare, and a resource center. They should be completed this year. They are working on an additional project for senior housing.
• Greenwood Forest Baptists Church is partnering with Cary owned land to build 60 to 68 units with daycare. This is in the beginning stages of the rezoning process.
• The Stable Homes Cary will supply housing stability support scaling up the current Dorcas model. There will be a council vote on March 14.
• Cary is working on changes to allow ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units). There will be a public hearing this spring.
• There is a Housing & Community Partnerships Website which will have resources for residents, project profiles, and an impact dashboard.
• Some of the things in progress or being considered for new housing opportunities include grants for housing, identifying land for housing, acquiring land for housing, changing to LDO to allow ADUs and other types of housing, transit-oriented housing zones, senior housing, entitlement incentives, and homebuyer down payment assistance.
• Some of the things in progress or being considered for existing housing rehab include Healthy Homes Cary, grants for housing rehabilitation, partnerships with rehabilitation partners, a landlord rental rehab program, and an affordable market housing inventory reinvestment strategy.
• Some of the things in progress or being considered for housing stability and affordable living support include Stable Homes Cary, workforce development, community programming, the Play it Forward program, Oasis Utility Bill fund, and the Digital Access Equity program.
• Some of the things in progress or being considered for nonprofit capacity building include strengthening partnerships with faith based and nonprofits, building capacity of nonprofits, participating in regional housing groups, facilitating partnerships with developers and lenders, and expanding support for nonprofit executive leadership growth.
• The Staff is proposing an 84% increase in the housing budget which would be $9.65 million.

Summary

We covered a lot of ground in two days but did not cover all we had planned. Some topics were cut short and will be covered in upcoming work sessions. Other topics were omitted such as a Stormwater discussion which is now scheduled for the March 14^th work session. A discussion about Cary events, such as the Cary Christmas parade, will also be held at a future work session. All in all, it was a great retreat, and I am proud and honored to work with a great council and the best staff in the nation.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A concern of a social media post that said, “I think some Molotov cocktails through the windows of some developers’ offices is what it will realistically take for meaningful change.”
• Invitations to several events.
• A complaint that someone in a van with Florida tags parks at Barnes and Noble at night and we are doing nothing about it (From what I understand the private property owners must complain about trespassing otherwise it is OK).
• A complaint about panhandling at Waverly (Again, if the private property owner is OK with it, there isn’t much we can do. Trespassing is up to the private property owner).

Next Week

Next week’s activities include private meetings.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, March 10^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Wake County Mayors Association Outing

Monday night I, along with my wife and two friends attended a Carolina Hurricanes game hosted by the Centennial Authority. Mayors from Raleigh, Morrisville, Zebulon, and Rolesville were also in attendance. The Wake County Mayors are blessed to be hosted by the Centennial Authority each year. It was a great time and the Canes won 6-3.

Tour of South Hills Mall

Tuesday afternoon I joined council member Smith, the town manager, and the chief development officer to meet with officials who will be redeveloping the old South Hills Mall. We talked about the vision for the area and the obstacles that would have to be overcome. Phase one of their development will depend on the Center that the council is discussing for that area. The developers plan to make the area a mixed-use development with a focus on walkability. Their concepts showed lots of trees and outdoor areas. Other council members will also be visiting this area in the coming days.

Town Manager One-On-One

I met with the town manager briefly Tuesday evening for our weekly one-on-one. Our topics included the future of town parades and future town elections.

CAMPO

Wednesday afternoon I participated in a meeting of the Executive Board for CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization). This board has 31 voting members from municipalities in Wake, Johnston, and Harnett counties as well as members from NCDOT. The agenda included three consent items, two public hearings, and four discussion items.

The Consent Agenda, approved unanimously, included minutes, 3^rd Quarter Wake Transit Work Plan Amendment Requests, and Mobility Management Program Funding Agreements to allow the implementation of a regional Mobility Management Program.

The first public hearing was for the CAMPO fiscal year 2025 Unified Planning Work Program which had no speakers and was approved unanimously without discussion. The second public hearing was for the 2025 LAPP (Locally Administered Projects Program) which also had no speakers. The LAPP program divides up about $25 million each year among members of CAMPO. Criteria previously approved by the board ranks each submittal from municipalities. The discussion centered around a Raleigh project that didn’t seem ready to move forward which would mean the next ranked project would move forward. The Raleigh representative assured the executive committee that they were moving forward, and it was unanimously passed.

The four discussion items were for information only and included information about the US 401 corridor study, an amendment to Fiscal Year 2024-2033 TIP (Transportation Improvement Program), a draft of the 2055 MTP (Metropolitan Transportation Plan), and a draft memorandum of understanding for the MTP.

As a result from a discussion at the meeting, CAMPO staff transmitted a letter Thursday afternoon to Wake County and GoTriangle outlining the Notice of Significant of Concern called by CAMPO, through the Executive Board, in accordance with the Wake County Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement (ILA) and in response to Wake County’s Notice of Significant Concern. The letter also notifies Wake County and GoTriangle that Vice Chair Lawter and Mayor Cawley have been appointed to serve on the Conference Committee that will be convened by Wake County to discuss the Significant Concern(s) raised by Wake County and CAMPO. Here is a copy of that letter:

“February 21, 2024

VIA U.S. Mail & email: david.ellis@wake.gov

David Ellis

County Manager

Wake County

P.O. Box 550

Raleigh, NC 27602

VIA U.S. Mail & email: clattuca@gotriangle.org

Charles E. Lattuca

Chief Executive Officer

GoTriangle

4600 Emperor Boulevard, Suite 100

Durham, NC 27703

Re: Appointment of Conference Committee Members & Notice of Significant Concern

Dear Mr. Ellis and Mr. Lattuca,

In response to the Wake County letter dated February 21, 2024, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Executive Board (Executive Board) has appointed two members to serve on the Conference Committee being convened by Wake County to address the Significant Concern issued by the County in relation to the Vehicle Rental Tax (VRT) funds allocated to the Wake County Transit Plan and the Wake County Transit Work Plans. The two members of the Executive Board appointed to serve on the Conference Committee are:

Vice Chair and Johnston County Board of Commissioners Chair R.S. “Butch” Lawter

Email: butch.lawter@johnstonnc.com  

Member and Town of Morrisville Mayor T.J. Cawley

Email: tjcawley@morrisvillenc.gov  

In addition, pursuant to Article X of the Wake Transit Governance Interlocal Agreement (ILA), this letter serves as formal notice that CAMPO, through its Executive Board, is issuing a Notice of Significant Concern relating to the portion of the Vehicle Rental Tax (VRT) funds allocated to the Wake County Transit Plan and Wake County Transit Work Plans.

The items of Signfiicant Concern to be addressed are as follows:

1. What “portion” of the Vehicle Rental Tax collected by GoTriangle will be allocated to Wake Transit in Fiscal Year 2025?

2. What “portion” of the Vehicle Rental Tax collected by GoTriangle will be allocated to Wake Transit in the ten-year period from Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2035, effectively setting capacity assumptions for the next update of the Wake Transit Vision

Page 2 of 2

One Fenton Main Street, Ste. 201 | Cary, NC 27511 | Phone: (984) 542-3601| http://www.campo-nc.us

Plan?

3. The financial outlook for GoTriangle’s Authority-controlled Funds, including the actual Fiscal Year 2023 financial results, Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, and long-range financial projections, which CAMPO understands as the driver for GoTriangle’s plans to recapture all Vehicle Rental Tax Revenues.

This Significant Concern will be addressed in tandem with the Significant Concern from Wake County through the Conference Committee convened by the County in accordance with Section 10.02 of the ILA.

We understand that the Wake County Transit Planning Advisory Committee (TPAC) is in the process of publishing a draft Recommended FY 2025 Work Plan and the decisions made through the Conference Committee process will be timely and helpful in this process.

The Executive Board understands that the duty to engage in dispute resolution is a material part of the ILA and the Board’s joint commitment to implement the Wake Transit Plan. The Board is hopeful the Conference Committee process will result in meaningful discussion and resolution of the concerns outlined herein.

Sincerely,

Chris Lukasina

Executive Director”

Economic Development Committee

Wednesday evening, I attended a meeting of the Economic Development Committee. The agenda included an Imagine Cary Community Plan Interim Update Overview by the Assistant Town Manager, a Quarterly report from the Vice President of Economic Development, a Management Update from the Chief Strategy Officer, and a Development Update from the Chief Development Officer.

An interim update of the Imagine Cary Community Plan was presented to the board. The board was asked to review the plan in detail and provide comments. The plan is available for review and comment to everyone and can be found here.

In the summary of Economic Development activity, I made the following notes:

• Class A Office has a 12.4% vacancy rate and is expected to peak at 16.4% by 2025.
• Regency has a 30% Class A Office vacancy rate compared to 17% in the triangle and 23% in the Raleigh-Durham area.
• Office tenants are looking for more amenities.
• It appears that most companies are using an average of 3 days in the office and 2 days hybrid.
• There is a tremendous amount of interest in the Cary and the Triangle area.
• Verizon may be expanding in Cary.
• Garmin is doing well and may expand into aviation, leveraging co-ops and internships.
• Costs are increasing rapidly, and some projects are 30% to 40% under budgeted.
• There are currently 31 active projects that could result in 6491 jobs, $3.3 billion in capital investment. Our biggest weakness is not having buildings or sites that meet immediate needs.
• North Carolina is the #1 state for Female tech.

The Chief Strategy Office gave a brief update of council-staff activities including our former Director of Economic Development’s move to become the President of Lee and Associates.

Cary’s Chief Development Officer provided a fiscal year 2^nd quarter update (October – December 2023) of activity within the town, and I noted the following:

• 30 rezoning cases came through to staff. The Viridis development was the only one approved.
• There were permits for 174 single family homes, 75 townhomes, 306 apartments, 175 hotel rooms, and 66,000 square feet of commercial space in the 2^nd quarter.
• An application has been submitted to tear down an office building in Weston to build multi-family units.
• Multi-family is very hot in Cary and surrounding areas.
• The entire rezoning process in Cary is taking about a year to complete.

The committee discussed various trends and observations before adjourning. The meeting lasted a little over two hours.

Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Saturday night my wife and I attended a celebration for Dr. Subhash Gumber receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine which is the highest honor in North Carolina. In attendance were Congresswoman Deborah Ross, NC Attorney General Josh Stein, NC Secretary of State Marshall, Sheriff Rowe, Cary Council member Bansal, Morrisville Council member Rao, and several former elected officials. The event was attended by several hundred. I along with about half a dozen others provided remarks.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

It’s been a very productive week, especially in terms of getting ready for the retreat. And speaking of the retreat, we’ll be sending out the agenda and supporting materials on Monday.  
Given that we’ll all be together on Friday, there will be no weekly report on March 1.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

Downtown Cary Park Neighborhood Meeting

Last night, the Downtown Cary Park hosted its first neighbor meeting since the park’s opening. We welcomed nearly 50 neighbors to answer questions and provide information about park operations. Topics of major interest included parking, upcoming programming, and food and beverage. Park staff were joined by Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton, Police Officer Ed Ross, and the team from Cary Park Ventures (the food and beverage operators for the park). The overall sentiment from attendees was very positive.

Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility Annual Disinfection Process Change

The Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility will begin its annual disinfection switchover  on March 1. In accordance with state and federal recommendations, each year, the treatment facility switches from its normal disinfection mixture of chlorine and ammonia to free chlorine, which is more potent. This change, combined with the flushing of Cary’s water lines, cleanses the system and helps ensure safe, high-quality water throughout the year. During the switchover period, which will last until April 11, residents and customers may notice a minor increase in chlorine odor. In areas near active hydrant flushing, water may also appear slightly discolored.  

Proactive Data Collection for Stormwater Planning

In keeping with our adaptive approach to stormwater management, we are utilizing light detection and ranging, LiDAR, technology to collect geographic information within Cary’s urban service area. Through a contracted service, a plane equipped with LiDAR is flying over Cary this week to collect topography, impervious surface, and building footprints data. As our current data is over 10 years old, this proactive initiative will benefit Cary staff and the community. From this collection effort, new datasets will be developed to inform future Cary projects, enhance basin flood modeling, and support community resiliency.  

Presentation to Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau Board

On Tuesday, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Board had their quarterly meeting in downtown Cary. Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Director John Collins provided an overview of Cary’s sports and entertainment venues, as well as other exciting information about Cary. After the meeting, Downtown Cary Park Manager Joy Ennis provided the Board with a tour of the Downtown Cary Park. 

Three Federal Grants Awarded to Cary

Cary has successfully secured federal grant funding totaling $5,520,709 to enhance greenway and transit infrastructure within our community. The grants, approved last week by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Executive Board, represent benefits to citizens and also a vote of confidence in Cary’s transportation vision and commitment to sustainability.

The three projects include  Optimist Farm Greenway, which is currently under design and will improve bike/pedestrian connectivity in south Cary. This project will receive $3,250,000 in grant funding towards construction. Additionally, GoCary will receive $270,709 to upgrade the communications equipment on their vehicles, thereby improving communication efficiency and safety. Lastly, GoCary’s Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility project is currently under design and will receive $2,000,000 towards construction.

Statewide Minority and Business Owned Business Enterprise Board Convenes in Cary

Cary’s Office of Business Inclusion welcomed the North Carolina Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Coordinators’ Network Board to Town Hall Campus on Tuesday for its Annual Board Retreat.  Discussion topics included recruitment and retention of diversity talent, collaboration with the NC Department of Administration’s Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses, and organizational programming for 2024. Cary staff, Denisha Harris, Assistant Finance Director, and Diamond Branch, Business Inclusion Specialist, both represent Cary on the Board of Directors.

Polar Doubles and Wheelchair Event

Last weekend, the Cary Tennis Park and the Western Wake Tennis Association hosted the Polar Doubles Adult Tennis Tournament. Registration for the event was the highest in almost 20-year history. The tournament also included, for the third straight year, the Up/Down Wheelchair Divisions. These divisions have doubles teams with a wheelchair player and a standing player paired together. There were 21 wheelchair players from across the state that competed in this event.

Citizen Science and Wildlife Protection

Cary’s Great Backyard Bird Count inspired more than 300 residents to join in this international citizen science initiative last weekend. Participants of all ages enjoyed nature education through informational sessions, guided walks, and bird box building events at Hemlock Bluffs, while many others accessed bird watching supply kits at five other facilities in Cary. Along with understanding the valuable role that birds play in our ecosystem, this project provides data that scientists will use worldwide to better understand bird populations, migration patterns, and climate change.

Blasting at Hidden Creek Subdivision

Mid South Drilling has applied for a blasting permit at Hidden Creek Subdivision, located at Yates Store Road and Mother Teresa Drive. The application has been reviewed, and the first blast is planned for Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. Mid South is proposing two blasts per day (morning/afternoon) Monday through Friday for the duration of the permit; however, weather, and other factors could change the proposed plan. The blasting permit is from Feb. 26 through March 26. Sauls Seismic will be providing written notification to neighbors about the upcoming blasting and has offered voluntary pre-blast inspections to all structures within 500 feet of the proposed blasting. Sauls will also be monitoring the blasting with five seismographs located around the site. A representative from the Fire Marshal’s Office will be on-site for each blast to ensure compliance with the applicable requirements.

Black History Month Programs

Each February, Cary celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to our community, state, nation, and world during Black History Month. For a full list of events, click here. 

In-Person Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Rap Session Resume

For the first time in four years, Cary’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosted an in-person Rap Session on Monday at the Herb Young Community Center guided by facilitator Tru Pettigrew. Leading the group in a deep dive discovery on inclusive leadership, participants came away understanding that an inclusive leader shows commitment to meeting people where they are to ensure they feel a sense of belonging while providing them with what they need to maximize their full potential.  Acknowledging Cary’s cultural tenet that anyone can lead, the two-hour discussion focused on the “Five Cs of Diamond Leadership” – Competence, Confidence, Commitment, Consistency, and Care and inspired all present to carry these inclusive concepts forward in their work.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, February 26
6:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, February 28
6:00 p.m.

Council/Staff Retreat
Friday and Saturday, March 1 -2 
8:45 a.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A concern about permitting for a business.
• Invitations to several events.
• A question about how fast pickleball courts would be built if there were a bond and it passed.
• A complaint about no overhead cover between the parking deck and the downtown library (Wake County oversees this and is reviewing).
• A complaint about future Christmas parades having the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” and that it is child pornography. (Cary Jaycees, not Cary, has authority to decide who is in the parade).
• Best wishes for the annual staff-council retreat with a request to focus on people and not political parties.
• A concern about a potential future connection of South Harrison and Kildaire.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, council pictures, and the annual council-staff retreat.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, March 3^rd, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Manager One-On-One

Monday evening, I met with the town manager for our one-on-one weekly. Topics of discussion included potential bond questions and the retreat. Our meeting was brief.

SkillPointe/NACCE Announcement

Wednesday morning I joined council member Craig at the Cary Chamber for an announcement by NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship), headquartered in Cary, of the acquisition of the SkillPointe technology platform. Founders of SkillPointe agreed to donate the technology platform valued at over $6 million, to NACCE, which is a national leader in entrepreneurship education in community colleges.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina’s labor force participation rate continues to face a worker shortage with only 55 workers for every 100 jobs. The SkillPointe platform helps grow the supply of skilled employees that employers need and lists over 1,000 community colleges and their 60,000 training programs organized under 80 in-demand career paths that require a low amount of training, connecting students to jobs with high earnings potential.

Downtown Cary Park Receives TBJ Space Award

Thursday evening I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson, council member Bansal, and several staff members for the Triangle Business Journal Space Awards in Raleigh. These awards were given to the top commercial and real estate projects. Cary received an award for the best State/County/Municipal project, and I was proud to accept the award on behalf of the town. Also receiving awards in the downtown area were SAAP (1^st floor of the Walker) for the best restaurant project, and Mackenan Property Group for the West End beer garden on Chatham Street.

A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by Triangle Business Journal President and Publisher Jason Christie, about the Downtown Cary Park. You can see that interview here.

Cary #2 Safest and Affordable in South

The News and Observer reported that GoBankingRates, a personal finance website, released a list of the 25 safest and cheapest cities in the South based on costs of living and the rates of property crime and violent crime. Cary ranked #2. The website analyzed those factors in the most populated cities in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Washington, D.C. Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

In addition to the stories found below, I would like to thank the staff for their excellent work dealing with two difficult challenges that occurred on Wednesday. Chief Sult and Cary PD, along with Cary FD, were incredibly effective in safely concluding a stand-off in which no one was harmed. In the second example of grace under pressure, Chief Cooper led a large interdepartmental team in resolving a long list of issues related to a power outage on Town Hall Campus. Both of these matters required decisive leadership coupled with supreme technical capabilities, and I am proud of everyone involved. Let us never take them – or each other – for granted.

Sean

Sri Venkateswara Temple Parking Rezoning (23-REZ-09) Discussion 

At the council meeting last week questions were raised about sidewalks and overhead power lines during the rezoning discussion. Regarding the timing of sidewalk construction along the existing Sri Venkateswara Temple site, the sidewalk is a commitment of the approved development plan for the new assembly hall (22-DP-6356) and specifically notes “sidewalk along NC-54 to be completed prior to Certificate of Occupancy issuance.” As for the question about the power lines in front of Bainbridge Cary Apartments (at the intersection of Chapel Hill Road and NW Maynard Road), there are no overhead utility lines along the Bainbridge Cary apartment site on Chapel Hill Road. Power lines are located on the opposite (north) side of Chapel Hill Road at this location.

Mills Park Food Waste Drop-Off Site

To celebrate the first week of service at the Mills Park food waste drop-off, Councilmembers Lori Bush and Sarika Bansal, accompanied by members of the Carolina Preserve Environmental Group, Towards Zero Waste volunteers, and Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar, visited the drop-off site. The group engaged with citizens who are embracing this additional opportunity to compost in Cary, with half a ton of materials already dropped off. Both of Cary’s food waste drop-offs accept food scraps (raw and cooked), including meat and bones, as well as specific paper products such as pizza boxes and paper towels. Citizens are encouraged to deposit their items directly into the bins or in a Biodegradable Product Institute (BPI) certified compostable bag, which is also available free at the site to encourage participation.

Council Member Bush Named Chair of Jordan Lake One Water

We are pleased to announce that Councilmember Lori Bush has been named Chair of the Jordan Lake One Water Coalition. The membership of Jordan Lake One Water (JLOW) elected Councilmember Bush as Chair of the coalition and its Board of Directors at their last meeting. JLOW works collaboratively with stakeholders and state regulatory officials to envision integrated strategies and water policies for the watershed. This is an especially crucial time for the coalition, as the  State Division of Water Resources is now initiating stakeholder meetings to discuss future regulatory policies within the watershed. Congratulations to Councilmember Bush! We are very thankful for your leadership in this important endeavor.

Councilmember Bryson Robinson Discusses Downtown Cary

This week, Councilmember Jennifer Bryson Robinson was interviewed about Downtown Cary for Morrisville Councilmember Steve Rao’s radio program, Leaders and Legends. In preparation for the show, staff compiled a list of appropriations to Downtown over the last 20 years. 

Symphony Lake Dredging

Symphony Lake dredging is moving forward on schedule. The dredging work will continue through March, prior to the new season at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, with the silt being deposited at South Cary Water Reclamation Facility following removal from Symphony Lake. Council members interested in a tour in March to observe the dredging operations may reach out to Ginny Johnson to schedule. 

Spring 2024 Program Registration

On Wednesday, registration opened for spring programs. Online registration remains popular with citizens, as 93% of the over 5,000 registrations were processed this way.  Registration for non-residents will open on Wednesday, February 21. Additional services in RecTrac are now available online, such as room and shelter reservations, as well as volleyball court reservations. 

Volunteers Help Grow Our Urban Forest

With community support, Cary is growing a more resilient urban forest and providing an adaptive approach to stormwater management through a native plant project. A multi-departmental collaboration utilized community volunteers to install native trees and shrubs including elderberry, sweet bay, and button bush along the edge of the natural wetland at Dunham Park. Staff provided hands-on instruction to the volunteers about the environmental benefits of ecosystem restoration. 

Cary Updates Water Distribution System Master Plan

As part of Cary’s commitment to comprehensive planning to guide the future of our community, Utilities has completed a multi-year effort to update our Water Distribution System Master Plan. This Master Plan update reflects current projections for future water demands and right-sized new water distribution and transmission mains in support of growth and development throughout Cary’s utility service area. The updated plan helps ensure the successful long-term design, engineering, and development of Cary’s water system infrastructure.

American Legion Honors Public Servants

Cary Police Lieutenant Frank Schelah and Cary Fire Captain Zane Franks are the recipients of the American Legion Post 67 2023 Officer of the Year and Firefighter of the Year awards. They were honored on Tuesday at a dinner held at the American Legion. Police and Fire are incredibly proud of these employees and grateful for the service of the men and women of Post 67.

North Carolina State University Student Tour at North Cary Water Reclamation Facility

On February 9, North Cary Water Reclamation Facility (NCWRF) staff partnered with North Carolina State University to provide an opportunity for several future environmental engineers. The students were tasked with developing a Preliminary Engineering Report for a local municipal wastewater treatment plant as part of their senior design project. The students chose to visit NCWRF to see a well-maintained facility with state-of-the-art treatment capabilities. The ‘Pack’ of seniors were engaged, and we look forward to future visits with Dr. Francis de los Reyes III and his students.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meetings on March 6

Two rezoning meetings, 6200 & 6308 Holly Springs Road and Searstone PDD Amendment, will take place virtually on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Meetings

Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, February 21
5:15 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, February 21
6:15 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about “aggressive begging” in Cary.
• A thank you for removing anti-Semitic graffiti from a pedestrian tunnel.
• A complaint about a backhoe tearing up asphalt on Glasgow Drive.
• A complaint that Cary isn’t doing anything about affordable housing.
• A complement on one of our affordable housing initiatives Stable Homes Cary.
• A complaint about a proposed rezoning next to Cameron Pond.
• A complaint about the entrance to the library from the parking deck not being covered. (This is controlled by Wake County not Cary. They have received our feedback on this issue.)
• A concern that improvements to the parking deck are to charge a fee. (Installing gates at the parking deck will help better manager parking within the deck not to charge a fee.)
• A complaint about someone homeless living in a van.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Wake County Mayors Association outing, a tour of the South Hills proposed development, a CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Executive Board meeting, an Economic Development Committee meeting, and an event for the presentation of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, February 25^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Council Meeting Prep

In preparation for Thursday’s council meeting, I attempted to contact each council member to learn of questions or concerns they may have had. Questions and concerns were expressed about rezoning 23-REZ-09, a rezoning proposal by the SV temple to allow overflow parking. Concerns and questions were related to not requiring the sidewalk along Chapel Hill Road. Later in the day I met with staff and Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson to go over the agenda items.

Town Manager One-On-One

Later in the day the town manager and I met for our weekly one-on-one. We talked mostly about the Kansas City trip, The Center, and a potential bond.

Umstead #1 Hotel in NC

Tuesday the Triangle Business Journal reported that the Umstead Hotel is once again the best hotel in North Carolina. You can read the story here.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force Meeting

The HIRD (Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity) task force met Tuesday night. Presentations were given on potential future center and inter-generational community center at South Hills and the inter-generational community center at Mills Park. The group discussed experiences in the Downtown Cary Park, the two newest parks in western Cary, and DEI education efforts.

Disney Invests $1.5 billion in Epic Games

Wednesday it was announced that Disney will invest $1.5 billion in Epic Games which is headquartered in Cary. Epic Games has included Disney playable characters into Fortnite in the past. The Disney CEO says that they plan to work with Epic Games to create a new virtual reality universe as well as new games and entertainment with more characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and other company properties. I was asked by WTVD to issue a statement. Here the statement I provided:

“I believe Disney’s investment in Epic Games is good news for Cary. We are glad that Epic Games is headquartered in Cary, and we look forward to seeing what impact this new investment will have on Epic and Cary. Hopefully, Epic and Disney will develop a long partnership. Regardless of your place or stage in life, millions of people around the world have found inspiration, happiness, excitement, and joy in the experiences offered by Disney and Epic Games, so collectively we can’t wait to see what comes next for those of us in Cary. We are excited to see how both companies will come together to stay on ‘Top of the Arc’ and what role Cary, NC plays in that.”

Stable Homes Cary

Wednesday staff provided finalized work to Council about a new partnership with Dorcas ministries for affordable housing. This was originally presented to Council at a work session in January and council agreed to move forward. The following is the staff summary of the new program, called Stable Homes Cary, with additional information:

Cary Housing Plan & Support for Housing Initiatives

• Two key foundations of Cary’s housing strategy are Partnerships and People First. Through projects and programs, Cary collaborates with local and regional partners to improve housing resources in Cary. These endeavors help ensure that all Cary citizens can enjoy the high quality of life that Cary has to offer.
• Since the adoption of the Cary Housing Plan in November 2021, Cary has launched several initiatives including Healthy Homes Cary to support those in need with home improvements; Cary’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Program to provide training for nonprofit leaders; and Cary’s partnership with Laurel Street Residential to develop 126 units of mixed-income housing on Town-owned property at 921 SE Maynard.

Stable Homes Cary – Dorcas Partnership

• Over the past year, Cary has been in discussion with Dorcas Ministries and other local groups interested in addressing housing instability, and in particular helping Chatham Estates residents. In addition to Cary and Dorcas, other organizations involved in the discussions include Taylor Family YMCA, Northwest Cary YMCA, The Carying Place, A Doorway to Hope, OneWake, and the Western Regional Housing Action Group.
• Through these discussions, Dorcas Ministries, a major Cary non-profit established in 1968, agreed to serve as lead agency to support the launch of a new program, Stable Homes Cary. Dorcas provides emergency relief and support services to residents experiencing housing instability. Dorcas integrates three key components: short-term emergency relief, case management, and referrals to other area providers.
• Dorcas also administers two existing Cary programs: the Oasis Utility Bill Program which assists residents with utility bill payments, and Play It Forward which provides scholarships to children for Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources activities.

• Stable Homes Cary will allow Dorcas to scale up their current program model to serve more community members in need, while creating capacity and expertise to provide support to residents who may need to relocate due to specific large-scale property redevelopments, such as Chatham Estates.
• Stable Homes Cary assistance will include individual case management to assess each household’s needs, to identify potential housing options, to connect residents with resources, and to administer relocation assistance disbursement. Dorcas’ expertise and data collection through case management will inform and determine relief needs.
• Cary will utilize previously budgeted housing funds to fund Stable Homes Cary and support the administration the Oasis Utility Bill and Play It Forward programs, including:

• a three-year allocation ($500,000 in 2024, $550,000 in 2025, and $600,000 in 2026) to increase Dorcas’ capacity, establish Stable Homes Cary, administer the Oasis Utility Bill and Play It Forward programs.
• an initial allocation of $800,000 to seed a fund for assistance to be disbursed exclusively to residents who need to relocate due to property redevelopment.

Chatham Estates Potential Sale

• As of February 7, 2024, Curtis Westbrook, owner of Chatham Estates, the 27.25-acre mobile home park located on 607 Cedar Street at the intersection of E. Chatham Street and SE Maynard Road, has listed the property for sale with broker Lee & Associates.
• The Listing currently includes the residential portion of the property. The current owner plans to maintain ownership of the commercial area Chatham Square Shopping Center and Maynard Plaza. There is not an advertised listing price.
• Cary continues to have a keen eye on the sale and welcomes the opportunity to work with any potential new owners to communicate Cary’s vision and needs as we do with all property in Cary. Until then, Cary will continue to communicate with the current property owner as they work to limit new tenancy.

The Stable Homes Cary will be brought to the Council for a vote in March.

Ashworth Drugs Closes

Thursday it was announced that the iconic business, Ashworth Drugs, located at Academy and Chatham, closed its business. This business has been in operation since 1957 and I remember it well as a child. I wish the Ashworth family the best in their future endeavors and hope to see a new business in its place soon. We will certainly miss their iconic presence downtown.

Council Work Session

Thursday evening the council held a work session and discussed retreat topics, the council calendar, connectivity requirements, the potential 2024 bond, and philanthropy.

Topics for the retreat include:

• The 2024 Bond
• Timing of municipal elections
• Development in Cary
• Downtown Issues
• Stormwater
• Cary Events such as the Christmas parade

The council calendar was reviewed, and no revisions were made.

The council asked staff to review connectivity requirements especially considering the Middleton Avenue complaints.

A potential 2024 bond was discussed at length. It was pointed out that most people are not sure what it means (bonds are essentially voter approval of a loan not whether a project should be built).

A discussion on the lack of Cary philanthropy. It was pointed out by a council member that Cary will eventually stop growing and funding could be an issue without philanthropy.

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council met for its first regularly scheduled meeting of February. The agenda included five consent items and one discussion item.

The auditorium was full because the group OneWake asked their members to show up and speak for Cary’s proposed Stable Homes Cary (see above). They had several speakers in the Public Speaks Out portion of the meeting.

The consent agenda was approved unanimously.

The discussion item was 23-REZ-09 for the SV Temple Parking. This will allow for overflow parking at the temple. In addition, they dedicated land so that the town could build a sidewalk along Highway 54. The proposal was unanimously approved.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

It was so good to be able to spend time with you this week, Council, both individually and collectively. During last night’s work session and after our regular meeting, I heard from several of you just how much you’re valuing the work sessions and the opportunities they bring for thinking out loud and free-flowing discussions. I couldn’t agree more – an excellent prelude to the retreat.
Thanks to you, we’re making good progress toward this year’s retreat, and the staff is fully engaged in making it our best.
Have a good weekend.
Sean

Girl Scouts Learn About Environmental Initiatives

Councilmember Sarika Bansal and Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar visited Girl Scout Troop 2327 to speak with the girls about trees, environmental initiatives, and sustainable practices. The information was well received by the troop, and the girls had insightful questions and engaging discussions.

TBJ Business Persons of the Year

Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson and Town staff attended a February 7 event celebrating Triangle Business Journal’s 2023 Business Persons of the Year, Cary developers Jordan Gussenhoven and George Jordan III. From the stage, both men credited the Town with giving them the confidence to invest in the Cary community. The panel, including several past winners and the 2023 winners, also discussed economic development, entrepreneurship, health care, and community development initiatives for the future of the Triangle region.

Soft Opening of Neighborhood Parks

Two new parks located in western Cary are now available to the public. While each park has some punch-list work remaining, staff has decided to allow soft openings to occur to facilitate the use of most facilities. A celebration for the opening of the parks will be scheduled later this spring.
The Neighborhood Park on McCrimmon Parkway features 12 new courts (six pickleball and six tennis) and hosts walking trails, a community garden, a playground, and public art.
The Neighborhood Park on Carpenter Fire Station Road features ballfields, a basketball/futsal court, a playground, an adult fitness area, dog park, public art, and a connection to the Panther Creek Greenway.

Cary Launches Online e-Commerce Store

This week, the branding team took a significant step in Cary’s rebranding initiatives with the launch of a new online store. This platform extends Cary’s merchandise availability beyond our two existing in-person locations and allows people to purchase branded merchandise from anywhere in the United States so they can represent Cary no matter where they reside. Visit the store and explore the collection at shop.carync.gov.

Downtown Library Parking Deck Gates Project

Contractors are wrapping up the installation of the parking gates at the Downtown Library Parking Deck. Now that the parking equipment and gate arms are installed, the contractor will continue to perform work behind the scenes to commission and test the smart parking system and will install signage before it is activated. This work will occur intermittently over the next month. Once the system is activated, parking will continue to be free of charge to the public. Cary will be able to use this new technology to better understand the use and capacity of the deck to help effectively manage parking. For more information about this work, please visit our website. 

ACC Championship Commits to Cary

Given our deep history of hosting nearly 90 college championships, the ACC views Cary as a great host, especially since we have hosted 49 ACC championships over the past 21 years. We will continue this legacy through 2029 as we have committed to each other to host Men’s & Women’s soccer and tennis over the next six years in Cary.

Cary Marketing Team Visits GRVCB at Tourism Talk Live

The Cary Marketing team attended “Tourism Talk Live” from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB) on Feb. 8 at The Ritz, a live music venue in Raleigh. Members of the GRCVB marketing team shared what they’ve been working on and how they can be a valuable resource to partners, like Cary, in promoting future visitation to Wake County.

Chamber Leadership Tour and Presentations

On Jan. 31, Cary PRCR hosted the Cary Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Cary program. The group consisted of 40 business leaders in the Cary area, including Assistant Finance Director Denisha Harris. The group took tours of WakeMed Soccer Park, The Cary Arts Center, and the Downtown Park. The tour ended at the Bark Bar for a great social outside.

Parks at West Lake Meeting

This week, staff met with residents of the Parks at West Lake community to discuss signal and sidewalk projects currently under design in the area. These projects include:

• New signal at Optimist Farm Road and Glade Hill Drive
• Upgrades to the existing signal at Optimist Farm Road and West Lake Road
• New sidewalk along two sections of Optimist Farm Road
• New sidewalk along West Lake Road from Optimist Farm Road to Piney Branch Drive

Staff shared key safety features included in these projects and listened to feedback from the residents. Final designs and permitting will continue through the fall.

Police Training and Awards

Congratulations to six of our leaders (Lieutenant Jenkins, Sergeants Pearson, and Marks, and Corporals Jones, Pyland, and Crossman) for completing the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA) Executive Leadership Institute training course. Furthermore, we are proud to announce that five of them have earned the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award for completing all three leadership institute courses. We are proud of their achievements and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Fire Recruit Academy 28

Fire Academy 28 reported for duty on Monday. These 21 individuals will train rigorously over the coming months to earn their required fire, rescue, hazardous materials, and rescue certifications, as well as immerse themselves in Cary’s culture before joining their fellow firefighters on shift.

Celebrating World Wetlands Day with Service Learning

Cary celebrated World Wetlands Day on Feb. 2 with a service-learning event. In collaboration with our nonprofit partners from the Carolina Wetland Association and environmental science students from Green Hope High School, staff organized an afternoon of litter collection in the wetlands that border the Cary Tennis Park and high school properties. Participants collected 160 pounds of litter and witnessed the wonders of a local wetland ecosystem via a short educational presentation.

Cary’s Compost Comes to Good Hope Farm

Cary citizens are helping to grow future crops at Good Hope Farm with compost generated from material collected at the Food Waste Recycling Drop-off. Through CompostNow’s Garden Partner Program, the farm received almost 40,000 pounds of finished compost this week, and almost 10,000 pounds of that weight was derived from Cary’s Food Waste Recycling program efforts in 2023. Through this partnership, 10% of the annual weight of food scraps collected are delivered back to the community as finished compost for our fields.

Upcoming Meetings

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, February 13
6:00 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, February 15
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A question about a sidewalk project (You can see the status of all sidewalks here).
• A question about how to get involved with a Public Transit working group.
• Complaints about a rezoning proposal 19-REZ-25 on Piney Plains Road. (This proposal, from 2019, has yet to be scheduled for a public hearing.)
• A request to walk through Taylor’s Pond over the extension of Middleton Avenue. This is related to 22-REZ-21.
• Several comments that support Chatham Estate residents (This property is up for sale and residents have stated they can’t afford to live anywhere else in Cary).
• A request for a ribbon cutting.
• A comment that downtown redevelopment should have a maximum of four story buildings.
• A complaint that the “town, manager agenda, supported by council” to turn Cary into North Hills because of the RFQ submittals last fall for town hall campus. (Part of my response: “The newest building on town hall campus is 20 years old. We are reaching the point of having to rehab many of the buildings. Currently the buildings and the community center are not meeting the needs of the citizens or staff. It makes sense to research to see if it is cost effective to redevelop the area and include a new town hall. An RFQ was issued last year to get ideas of what a developer would do in redevelopment. I haven’t seen any of these to date. We will have plenty of time to provide input of what we think should happen with the town hall campus. One thing for sure, with an acre going for $1 million downtown, it would be foolish not to explore all our options.”).
• A complaint that the library parking deck is not covered.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a SkillPointe/NACCE Announcement event, TBJ Space Awards, and a meeting of the North Carolina Metro Mayors.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, February 18^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.