Sierra Club Volunteer on Raleigh's Comprehensive Plan

Responding to Raleigh's Comprehensive Plan
by Marvin Woll, Capital Group

The City of Raleigh recently introduced the Raleigh Comprehensive Plan for 2030. A large number of Raleigh citizens and city employees did an excellent job in developing this plan. It is a good plan; however, there are some sections that need to be revised.

In the section entitled Element C: Environmental Protection there is Policy EP 7 that calls on the city to "Increase the use of renewable energy to meet 10 percent of Raleigh's peak electric load". This is a section we need to respond to and change. We should be able to meet 30 percent of Raleigh's peak electric load with renewable energy by the year 2030.

In the section entitled Element B: Transportation there is B.2.4 which concerns Public Transportation. Action T25 mentions providing fixed guideway transit services within "10 to 15 years". Raleigh has been waiting a long time to develop a light rail system and we should change the timeline on this action section to "within the next 3 to 6 years".

You can respond to the Comprehensive Plan by going to http://www.raleighplanning2030.com/. You can also provide your comments to the plan by attending one of three workshops to be held on January 13,14 and 15. Information about these workshops can also be found at the previously mentioned website.

We only have December and January to respond to this plan and make changes. Your response is vital to the process of improving the environmental and transportation sections of this plan. The future of Raleigh and our environment will depend on your actions.