Greensboro needs protest petitions
It seems to me when watching the Greensboro City Council meeting recently there were a whole lot of people who were none too happy with the outcome of the Friendly Avenue and the Garden Lake Drive rezoning cases.
I think 37 years of not having a protest petition is enough, given that other cities in the state, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Kernersville, Wilmington and High Point, have this option. It seems to me that it is time to amend the 1971 Law Session Chapter 29, House Bill 127, Section 11, to give the citizens of Greensboro a fighting chance against a pro-development City Council.
A valid protest petition makes the local city council have to have a super majority of votes for the proposal to pass, not just a majority. Mr. Hails (City Planning Director Dick Hails), it might be a good thing to brush up on the process of a protest petition because I see a future for it in Greensboro.
The citizens need to make their state and local representatives aware of this issue and to make Greensboro abide by North Carolina General Statute 160A-385(a).
Keith Brown
High Point
Comments (2)
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to the citizens of Greensboro. If this issue of Protest Petition gets swepped under the rug it will be there for a long time. All you need to do is get in touch with the mayor and city council of Greensboro and tell them you would like to see the Protest Petition be a part of the rezoning process. You will also need to talk to your State Representative to let them know that it is unfair that every other city in this state abides by the Protest PEtition but Greensboro is exempt. The State Representatives are the ones who can pass a bill to get this overturned. Do your part I have done my part and will keep doing my part to seek a fair shake in this blatant act of injustice in the state of North Carolina.
Posted on February 14, 2008 8:56 PM
How can the City of Greensboro continue to abuse the rights of its citizens. Why are we the only city unable to use the "protest petition?" How has the city gotten away with denying us our rights for 37 years. It is not surprising that the developers have "taken over control" and our growth is "out of control." Reinstate the "protest petition" and give back the City of Greensboro to the people!
Posted on February 27, 2008 3:54 PM