Let Raleigh renew itself

RALEIGH -- Raleigh is a wonderful place to live, work and raise families. With a central location, strong economy and close proximity to some of the nation's top-ranked schools and universities, Raleigh is consistently positioned in the top tier of the nation's honored cities.

One of Raleigh's best attractions is its beautiful neighborhoods, some built decades ago and some that are newly constructed. These neighborhoods offer family-friendly amenities including neighborhood schools, parks, pharmacies, grocery stores and restaurants.

But, over time, many of the homes in the older neighborhoods have aged to the point that they are in need of major renovation, inside and out. Plumbing is old and corroding. Wiring is outdated and dangerous. Heating and air conditioning systems are sub-par and inefficient. Energy saving insulation is inadequate or non-existent.

Many homeowners purchase houses with the goal to update, add on or totally rebuild. It's a fundamental right for a property owner to have the ability to do so. It's a right that I and many others took for granted -- until recently.

Unfortunately, recent actions by the City Council have reminded us that sometimes we need to speak up to fight for these important rights.

Since last October's election, a few members of the new City Council have taken aggressive steps to interfere with homeowners' rights to improve their property. A few members of the council have suggested regulations that, if enacted, would severely restrict building and renovating.

The members of the council who support these measures are backed by a small but vocal minority of residents who believe that the government should be more involved in regulating the renovation and rebuilding of private property. These residents complain that too many older, smaller homes are being torn down and replaced with larger homes. This process is called "infill" and some residents oppose it. They claim that there is a problem with infill in Raleigh and they support measures that will effectively put an end to most infill projects.

But it only takes a quick study of city records to learn that only 3 percent of all new home construction in Raleigh since 2002 resulted from infill projects -- a total of around 600. The City Council's overreaction will cause serious negative implications for any Raleigh homeowner hoping to build, rebuild or remodel a home.

And whether you agree with the style of a new home or think it does not align with the architecture of the neighborhood, property owners should have the freedom to live in the house they choose -- without government interference. Just as important, the city simply does not have the resources or manpower to undertake the enormous level of regulation of remodeling and rebuilding that the proposed restrictions would require.

Renew Raleigh is a group of homeowners, property owners and small business and service providers who are working together to stop the City Council from moving forward with policies that will adversely affect property rights and decrease home values. In its mere four-week existence, Renew Raleigh's membership has grown to 500-strong Raleigh residents who share the goals of sound, responsible growth by discouraging urban sprawl, easing traffic congestion, encouraging living in older "walkable" communities, reducing requirements for new infrastructure and providing a boost to Raleigh's tax base to fund schools and parks.

As the City Council moves forward considering new regulations, I urge all of Raleigh's homeowners -- and potential homeowners -- in neighborhoods across the city to learn more about the issue by visiting www.RenewRaleigh.org and to consider joining the hundreds of other citizens who are speaking out to preserve the rights of property owners across the city.

(Philip Miller is chairman of Renew Raleigh. He is also a homeowner who does not want any additional restrictions in place that will affect the plans he has for his 50-year-old, 1,900-square-foot house. )