Quick dispatch from Raleigh, which has been pushing the New Urbanist dream for years now:
After months of rumblings, the Raleigh City Council has taken up the question of whether downtown Raleigh’s nightlife is going from “vibrant” to over-saturated.
Some downtown residents, most notably the downtown mogul Greg Hatem, have claimed that noise and alcohol are making the city’s core “unlivable,” as Hatem put it. On Tuesday, the City Council and city staff talked about public health, private business and safety.
“Is there some point at which having an unlimited supply of bars is going to preclude us from having those other kinds of retailers?” said Councilman Russ Stephenson, referring to the Fayetteville Street area.
You guessed it — one Raleigh City Council member wondered aloud “whether the city could lure more retail through some kind of government program.” But wait it gets better:
The city will spend an extra $12 million beyond original commitments on its Union Station plan, bringing its total price tag to about $79.8 million. That change will triple the city’s share of the overall cost, from $6 million to $18 million.
…The city will cover the budget gap through a combination of $8 million in savings from a Falls of Neuse project and $5 million in special bonds that don’t require voter approval. The extra $1 million will be held in reserve.
With this spending Raleigh taxpayers can best hope as many people ride the proposed light rail as ride the Burlington city buses.
