Brian Barnes

The meeting commenced with roll call and an encouragement for collaborative work. Key agenda items included a presentation and recognition of Mr. Chapman from Bucknam Elementary School as the second Apex Peak Star Award recipient, detailing his leadership in the Veterans Day celebration and the development of an outdoor learning environment. The council also unanimously adopted the consent agenda and set the regular meeting agenda. Furthermore, two proclamations were presented and read: one proclaiming February as Black History Month for 2022, and another recognizing the Health for Humanity Yogathon 2022. The session concluded with an open public forum, which included one comment submitted via email.

The meeting focused on several agenda items related to the Bee City initiative. Key discussions included updates on the Pollinator Demonstration Garden project at Apex Nature Park, which involved removing existing non-native plants and relocating them. The committee is planning the next steps for the garden, including deciding on materials for a path, beautifying an existing fence line, and seeking community involvement via work days scheduled for mid-April. Furthermore, the committee addressed the annual renewal of the Mayor's Monarch Pledge, outlining tasks for the town. Updates were also provided by the sustainability office regarding the creation of a greenhouse gas inventory for the town to meet its 2050 clean energy goal, development of a sustainability webpage, and research into grant funding, including an application for electric vehicle charging stations.

The regularly scheduled council meeting addressed several items, including modifications to the agenda structure. Presentations were postponed to the following meeting. The consent agenda was approved with one item removed for later discussion. The agenda structure was then finalized, including moving a public hearing due to an applicant's request for continuance. The public forum saw significant discussion from residents expressing concerns regarding the Wake County Public School System's draft proposal for school reassignment, specifically involving White Oak Elementary and similar middle schools, citing issues with calendar changes (traditional vs. year-round), capacity data, and increased student travel across highways. Residents also voiced strong opinions regarding controlled growth and adherence to the Apex 2045 plan, proposing stricter voting requirements for density increases above the plan's guidelines.

This meeting served as a follow-on to a previous remote planning board meeting held on January 11, 2021, to allow for additional public input on four public hearing cases. Key discussions revolved around Rezoning Case 20 CZ 11, the Roberts Road property POD. The board reviewed five revised conditions presented by the applicant, including reductions in maximum residential density (to 3.2 units per acre/33 total units), limitations on the construction entrance location, removal of a crawl space requirement, revision of the national builder restriction to require custom homes, and specifications for pedestrian access to Roberts Road. A significant portion of the meeting involved summarizing numerous public comments received via email and voicemail since the prior meeting, focusing on issues such as meeting participation, perceived lack of notification for initial hearings, concerns about traffic impacts (including high school and construction traffic), requests for direct road access, impacts on property values due to housing mix, and concerns regarding tree removal/preservation. Specific concerns regarding Pollard Place extension crossing stream buffers and the proposed tree removal offset calculation were also detailed.

The meeting commenced with recognition of the Youth Council. Several proclamations were presented, including one for Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month (March 2023), one for Kappa Day (March 24, 2023), recognizing the Citizens Assisting Police in Apex (KAPPA) organization and its 1500 volunteer hours in 2022, one for Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March 2023), and one for Girl Scouts of the USA Appreciation Week (March 14th through March 21st, 2023). Additionally, March 2023 was proclaimed Women's History Month. During the agenda setting, a motion was passed to move 'New Business' until after the 'Closed Session.' The public forum featured comments regarding persistent speeding issues on Mason Street, noting the presence of young children and heavy traffic flow, and concerns about unauthorized truck traffic in the designated 'No Truck Zone.'