Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in New Bern, NC public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
21 issues with high priority
Pedestrian safety at downtown crossings
Members raised concerns about unclear pedestrian signals at Pollock/Middle and near Union Point. Staff are working on push-button signals with verbal commands near the courthouse and asked for feedback on new street signs on signal arms.
Downtown policing and event security
Police logged nearly 2,000 MSD calls, mostly security checks and traffic stops; only 3% tie to the major bars. Members flagged thin police presence at the Halloween street event and the drone-mitigation/TFR success at Mumfest.
Inner Court parking lot reconstruction
The Inner Court parking lot will be rebuilt in three to four phases starting around early 2027, with monthly leaseholders temporarily moved to the Craven Street lot. Bid advertisement goes out this month.
Rezoning of 1100 Pinetree Drive
A nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans wanted C-3 commercial zoning on 3.87 acres, but the Planning Board and land use plan said no. The Board denied it as filed but unanimously ordered a text amendment so a C-5 version can come back in two to four months.
Epiphany School special-use permit (TK facility)
A private school wants to run a transitional kindergarten facility on a small residentially-zoned lot at 2211 Henderson Avenue. The special use permit decision affects what can operate in that R-6 neighborhood and how nearby residents are protected by conditions.
Updates to Historic District Design Principles and Standards
The commission has finished collecting design-review comments and will start revising the standards that guide what property owners in New Bern's historic districts can build. The revised standards will go to the Planning and Zoning board next.
Certificates of Appropriateness for Three Historic Properties
Property owners in the historic districts need a certificate of appropriateness before changing building exteriors. This batch covers porches, decks, sunscreens, an outdoor bar, and two demolition-and-rebuild infill houses.
Housing Authority / Habitat for Humanity Partnership
Habitat wants to buy nine commission properties at a reduced price and build three houses at a time. The commission put eight lots on the sellable list, effectively setting aside its own earlier development plans for those streets.
Duffyfield Stormwater Street Closures
The stormwater project covering 59 acres won Stormwater Project of the Year from the NC chapter of the American Public Works Association. Commissioners still flagged safety concerns near the daycare center.
Communication with redevelopment-area residents
Commissioners were asked to lead community conversations so residents understand what's happening with redevelopment and don't fear being pushed out. A face-to-face session, possibly tied to the January retreat, is being considered.
Disposition of Redevelopment Parcels (First Avenue, Mechanic Street, Bloomfield Street, Sampson Street)
Agape Adams and Yellow Creek both plan homes in a 100-year floodplain, raising homes 8.5 feet with tiered grading. Commissioners flagged runoff concerns for neighbors and tabled the Mechanic Street bid until drawings arrive.
Clarifying and Revising Purchasing Conditions for Salable Lots
The Property Sales and Marketing workgroups were to discuss revising purchasing conditions and adding signage to lots the city wants to sell.
Avenues Project
The Housing Authority bought 721 and 703 First Avenue for $63,000 to build four townhomes and two single-family rentals with a park. The commission extended the affordability covenant from five to fifteen years so the homes stay income-restricted long term.
Revenue Bond Financing
The city is laying groundwork for a big electric infrastructure push — new Southeast substation, Glenburnie transformer replacements — financed by revenue bonds up to $31 million. Engineering had to start before financing, so tonight's votes keep the plan moving.
Initial zoning of US 70 parcels as Commercial 3
Two newly annexed parcels totaling 5.86 acres along East US 70 would be zoned Commercial 3 (C-3), opening the door to commercial development on the highway corridor. What gets built there depends on this designation and later approvals.
Water and Sewer Infrastructure Replacement
Aging water and sewer lines in the DeGraffenried Hart neighborhood will be replaced by a local contractor for $659,665.
C-3 Commercial Rezoning of Two Agricultural Parcels
The board was scheduled to hold a public hearing and possibly adopt a rezoning of Tax Parcel IDs 8-210-044 and 8-210-23001 from agricultural to commercial use. What gets built there could shape traffic and neighborhood character.
Feral Cat Management
New Bern is weighing how to address feral cat colonies that nuisance neighborhoods, with consultants recommending a community-wide census before spending on remedies like TNR and spay-neuter clinics. Ordinance changes may clarify that TNR volunteers aren't cited for releasing sterilized cats.
Demolition by neglect and enforcement cases
Commissioners voiced frustration that demolition-by-neglect cases can drag on for years — one East Front Street case has run 30 years. They discussed ways to speed things up, including coordinating with the city's nuisance abatement and minimum housing programs and reviewing the enforcement flowchart.
Demolition by neglect at 221 E. Front St.
A downtown building has been in demolition-by-neglect status since the 1990s. Slow but steady repairs continue — windows, roof covering, and a rebuilt two-story porch — with a repointing application expected soon.
Long-running demolition by neglect at 221 E. Front St.
One of the city's longest-running demolition-by-neglect cases, dating back to the 1990s or earlier. The update notes real progress: windows repaired and reinstalled, temporary roof covering along the parapet, and a two-story wood porch being rebuilt with exact replacement — plus a repointing COA application coming soon.