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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Fayetteville City Council met Jan. 6, at 2 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers for the monthly work session to discuss matters relevant to the City.
The meeting was CALLED TO ORDER at 2 p.m. followed by the invocation offered by Councilmember Derrick Thompson and the Pledge of Allegiance lead by Mayor Mitch Colvin.
During City Manager Doug Hewett’s report, he shared that the city’s Economic and Community Development Department issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for local nonprofits and qualified partner organizations in November and will close Sunday, Jan. 26. Funding availability includes an Emergency Home Repairs program, Community Development services focusing on low-to-moderate income individuals and households, Homeless Response Support and Prevention, Affordable Housing Development, Opioid abatement programs, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids programs and services.
Councilmember D.J. Haire moved to APPROVE THE AGENDA.This was seconded by Councilmember Thompson. The motionPASSED UNANIMOUSLY (10-0).
Eleven OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS were discussed during the work session.
The first item discussed was the State Action Plan. The City staff prepared, with input from Council, the State Action Plan for consideration and formal adoption. The adopted plan will communicate and coordinate state funding and legislative advocacy agenda priorities. The proposed State Action Agenda addresses items the City will focus advocacy on in the year ahead impacting economic development for the region, the City’s relationship and support of the military installation and service members, improving public infrastructure and transportation, advancing public safety goals, and affecting the quality of life for Fayetteville residents. You can learn more about this item here.
The next item council, staff and partners discussed was the Federal Action Plan for 2025. Before the presentation began, Assistant City Manager Jodi Phelps highlighted successes from the previous community project successes through federal funding/federal action plan. During this presentation, the City’s federal lobbyists briefed City Council on the drafted Federal Action Plan and presented their work with the City to communicate and coordinate federal funding and legislative advocacy agenda priorities. The federal advocacy agenda is developed annually as a result of input from staff and Council and closely aligned with interests and priorities of legislators and agencies. With all input incorporated, the document will be formally adopted by Council and shared with federal representatives during office visits and conversations with our congressmen and senators. You can learn more here.
Both of the action plans will move forward to the Jan. 13 regular meeting for consent by city council.
City Council then went into closed session.
The work session was called back to order at 4:38.
The third item discussed during the work session was the new Changes to Building Code Inspector Certifications by the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board.Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the NCCOQB revised its rules for required qualifications for all levels of building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire inspectors. The occupancy tables for level I, II, and III inspectors, that were previously used have been removed. The new standards limit level I inspectors to only residential construction, level II inspectors to commercial construction, and level III inspectors are unlimited, across all trades. Councilmember Deno Hondros moved to receive the report and Councilmember Thompson seconded the motion. The motion gained consensus. You can read more here.
City Council then discussed the Makerspace Project Update, a concept master plan for a makerspace on City owned property located on the corner of Murchison Rd., Rowan St. And Bragg Blvd. and developed by SfL+a Architects. This concept master plan continues the development of a major gateway in the downtown corridor. Makerspaces are communal public workshops in which individuals gather to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, network, and build. Councilmember Malik Davis moved to accept the project update. Councilmember Courtney Banks-McLaughlin seconded the motion. The motion gained consensus. You can read more here.
The next agenda item focused on the introduction and proposal of aSentinel Event Review process. On June 10, 2024, the City Council took action to develop and implement a sentinel event review process for selected events that occur within the City, to include officer-involved fatalities. The City Attorney’s Office prepared an introduction to the process. Councilmember Mario Benavente moved to direct the City Attorney’s Office to proceed with the development and implementation of a sentinel event review process. Councilmember Banks-McLaughlin seconded the motion. This did not gain consensus. You can read more here.
The Proposed Ordinance to Prohibit Impeding Sidewalks/Blocking Streets and Sidewalks was then presented to City Council. A review of complaints about individuals and objects impeding or blocking sidewalks found that the city’s Code of Ordinances does not include a prohibition against doing so. All public sidewalks must be accessible to all pedestrians, including people with mobility concerns. The city has the general authority and control over all public streets, sidewalks, and other ways of public passage within its municipal limits, except those ways of public passage that are owned or maintained by the State of North Carolina. The city has the duty to keep such streets, sidewalks, and other ways of public passage open for travel and free from unnecessary obstructions. G.S. 160A296. This ordinance prohibits actions that block or impede the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles on public sidewalks and streets.Councilmember D.J. Haire moved to receive a consensus to adopt the proposed ordinance as drafted at the next regular City Council meeting and to partner with NCDOT when necessary. Councilmember Lynne Green seconded the motion. The motion gained consensus. You can read more here.
There were five councilmember requests heard at the work session.
Councilmember Thompson proposed to reinstate the red-light camera program. This effort is to slow motorist down and stop them from running red lights in the city. This request gained consensus. You can read more here.
During the second request heard, Councilmember Haire proposed to have the authority to use council travel budget as desired for purchasing additional city coins, cups, certificate plaques, new and improved city coin holders when council recognizes community members and residents. This request gained consensus to send to the policy committee to review for possible options. You can read more here.
The next request was submitted by Councilmembers Benavente, Greene, and Hondros to discuss term limits. There was a motion to direct policy committee to work with staff for term limits. This motion did not gain consensus. You can read more here.
The next councilmember request was submitted by Councilmembers Benavente, Greene, and Hondros to election reform. There was a motion to send this item to the policy committee for discussion. This motion did not gain consensus. You can read more here.
Lastly, Councilmember Benavente requested that the Bike Lane Code to be updated to address lack of clarity in Code Ordinances Section 16-294 and Section 16-263. There was a motion to send this request to the City’s Attorney’s Office to clarify the ordinance on bike lanes and define what bike lanes are. The motion gained consensus. You can read more here.
The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
The next City Council Regular Meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m.in Council Chambers in City Hall.Meetings also air live on Spectrum Channel 7, at FayTV.net and on the FayTV app available on your streaming device. Meeting agendas, supporting documentation and minutes are publicly available here. For more information about the Fayetteville City Council, please visit fayettevillenc.gov/citycouncil.
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