Goldsboro · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Goldsboro public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Summit Road Conditional Zoning (CZ-04-26)
Generation Village seeks to rezone its Summit Road property to residential — the change would affect what can be built between Ridgecrest Drive and North Oak Forest Road.
Central Gardens Phase 2 Annexation
The city annexed 51 acres of its own vacant wooded land on Royall Avenue — a "donut hole" inside the city limits — so services and boundaries are clear. No residents are affected since the city owns the land.
McLain Street/Hwy 70 Annexation and Rezone
A pair of linked hearings: bringing land near the Park East Industrial Park into the city and rezoning it. Growth here could shape development along the Highway 70 corridor.
Tommy's Road Conditional Zoning (CZ-03-26)
Brock Works LLC wants to change its Tommy's Road property from residential to Highway Business conditional zoning — neighbors may weigh in on what commercial uses could arrive.
Proposed Census Residency Changes and Military Undercount
A proposed rule change would count service members at their tax-filing residence, not where they live — potentially costing Goldsboro population and funding tied to Seymour Johnson AFB. A resolution may come next meeting.
Unified development ordinance update
A new state law forces Goldsboro to delete all minimum parking requirements from its development code by January 1, 2027 — council members protested but had no legal choice.
Public Records
Goldsboro rolled out a new online portal that makes requesting city records much faster and less painful. No more wrestling with old-school bureaucracy just to get public documents.
Corner Pocket pool hall special use permit
A new alcohol-free pool hall and gathering spot is coming to East Elm and South Berkeley, run by a couple with 20 years of restaurant experience. It passed all four quasi-judicial tests unanimously.
Recovery Month and community outreach (CCRD)
The Commission for Community Relations and Development is holding its first recovery month celebration Saturday at the Hub and asked the council to keep honoring its funding commitments for gun violence prevention, roundtables and the MLK luncheon.
The HUB Designated a City Park
The James & Pine Black Business District memorial parklet and the West Oak Pocket Park became official city parks, with the parks department taking on maintenance at about $1,300 and $2,500 a year respectively. Council made sure long-term upkeep is budgeted, not just the ribbon cutting.
Coronavirus relief fund reallocation decision
The city may extend its COVID funds up to a year (~$300,000), reopening the question of courts versus ballfield lighting; council wants it on next month's agenda after consulting tourism.
Animal Ordinance Modernization
Chapter 91 gets its first real update since the '60s and '70s — clearer rules on animal pens, breeding, nuisances, and rabies, aligned with state law. It should speed up cases that have dragged 18-24 months.
Citywide noise ordinance rewrite
The draft noise ordinance sets a 7 p.m. cutoff for musical rehearsals, which would squeeze the Funk Nation youth drum line whose students don't get home from school until 5:30. Council leaned toward 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., finding an indoor space at Edgewood, or granting a city authorization — and stressed the ordinance is citywide, not just about the drum line.
Downtown nightlife rules loosened
Council raised the bar/nightclub cap to three per downtown block face, scrapped cross-street distance measurements, and kept only a shared-wall ban next to churches and schools — aiming to fill vacant storefronts.
Improper Demolition
Goldsboro city leaders are cracking down after a building was illegally torn down without proper permits. Expect new code enforcement rules and policy updates to stop property owners from skipping the legal demolition process in the future.
Future Fire Station Locations
A consultant analysis found Goldsboro's fire stations are well-placed today, but recommends relocating Stations 1 and 3 slightly, and identifying six future station areas as the city grows — with property acquisition built into capital planning.
Transit Bus Replacement Funding
Council kicked in $75,000 from fund balance to cover taxes and fees on eight new federally funded buses that exclusively serve Goldsboro's five bus routes — plus a new $35 monthly pass pilot.
Investing Idle City Cash for Higher Returns
Council hired Valley View Consulting to help manage the city's cash and investments, aiming to boost interest income by hundreds of thousands of dollars a year at a fee of roughly $40,000.
EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant
The city's $500K EPA brownfield grant has completed seven Phase I environmental assessments; four sites — including a former dry cleaner and the city-owned former cottonseed oil plant — are recommended for Phase II testing to prepare them for redevelopment.
Floodplain development and FEMA buyout lots
About a third of the city sits in a floodplain. Council debated whether to allow elevated building (like at the coast) to reclaim land, and criticized scattered FEMA buyout lots that can never be redeveloped. The upcoming UDO rewrite will set those rules.
Downtown Master Plan and MSD Reinstatement
The budget reinstates the downtown municipal service district tax rate at .235 to fund downtown improvements, and one council member proposed shifting $70,000 of the downtown master plan cost to a grant, the MSD fund, or the DGDC nonprofit — sparking debate over who should pay for a plan that benefits the whole county.
Cell Phone Stipends and Device Inventory
The city spends roughly $85,000 a year on cell phone stipends and pays for 259 city-issued devices. Some Verizon usage data looks wrong, so staff will fix the report and draft a formal allowances policy for council action later this year.
Veteran Homelessness and Stand Down Event
VA caseworkers and New Hope Community Center pitched a July 15 Veterans Stand Down — a one-stop event where homeless veterans can get housing vouchers, healthcare enrollment, and community resources. The council waived fees, closed the street, and unanimously backed it.
Nursing Education Funding Classification
A resident urged the council to advocate against a proposed federal rule that would exclude nursing from the "professional degree" definition, limiting student loans for advanced nursing programs — a concern for rural care access and Wayne Community College.
Public Safety Building Conditions
The public safety building has settlement, humidity, and failing bathrooms. A $998,450 short-term fix was approved to make conditions livable for officers until a new facility is built in three to five years.
Truck Traffic in District One Neighborhood
Councilmember Jones reported that oversized trucks are still cutting through the North End neighborhood on Neil and Alabama toward Highway 117 despite earlier discussions, endangering an area with a park and children.
$3.8M Equipment Financing
The city is borrowing about $3.8 million at 3.23% to finally catch up on replacing worn-out vehicles and equipment — police cars, trucks and more — after years of deferred purchases.
HOME Funds Redirected to Abbott Crossing
About $900,000 in HOME funds were formally added to prior action plans for the Abbott Crossing affordable housing project on Graves Drive — no new spending. A resident raised concerns this pulls focus from promised West Oak neighborhood investments.
Herman Park Center Demolition Funding
The city accepted $250,000 in federal HUD money secured through Congressman Murphy's office to tear down the Herman Park Center.
Dillard Goldsboro Alumni Community Programs
The alumni group showed how last year's $10,000 funded summer meals, a back-to-school hygiene drive for 113 students, and a Christmas event for 83 kids, and wants to repurpose unspent funds for neighborhood beautification and two $1,500 scholarships at Goldsboro High.
Engineering Design Manual for Infrastructure Takeovers
New Section 6.8 of the UDO puts the city's water, sewer, and stormwater engineering standards into binding code — developers now know exactly what's expected, and the city gets standardized as-builts and a formal deed-of-dedication process.
Business Development Plan Adopted
The city's new Business Development Plan and Framework was adopted with three small fixes — staff and council see it as a roadmap they'll be glad to have in a few years.
Downtown Special Event Center Approved
The former Artesian Village on North Center Street becomes a rentable event venue with a bar — weddings, parties, food truck events — run by Superior Court Judge Billy Strickland's family. It's expected to help draw people downtown.
Eureka water system merger could unlock $15 million grant
The city is negotiating a single agreement with Eureka; merging water systems could make Goldsboro eligible for a $15 million grant. A February 11 meeting will explore expanded interlocal service agreements with Seymour Johnson AFB partners.
McNair Heights redevelopment breaks ground on first home
The first residential unit in the McNair Heights redevelopment had its wall-raising, with the city having invested over seven figures in infrastructure. Residential growth there is expected to attract commercial development to the city's core.
Administrative Appointment
Goldsboro just got a brand new assistant city manager, Kellianne Williams, to help keep daily operations running smoothly. She'll be stepping in to manage the nuts and bolts of city hall.
Government Leadership Appointment
Beverly Weeks is officially stepping up as Goldsboro's new Mayor Pro Tem, taking her oath of office. She'll be helping steer city leadership and local decisions moving forward.
Four-way stop at Walnut and Claiborne
Council adopted a four-way stop at Walnut and Claiborne, where speeding and crashes have plagued residents. Council members flagged that similar 'drag strip' residential streets — like Best and Walnut, and Stronick near the new jail — may need the same treatment.
Yard waste and leaf pickup complaints
Councilman White reported District 6 residents waiting three months for yard waste pickup under the new four-yard limit, saying citizens shouldn't have to escalate to get basic services. The city manager engaged on it the same day.
Ethics Controversy
Goldsboro Council Member Beverly Weeks is facing heavy scrutiny over her non-profit organization. This controversy is raising serious questions about the accountability and integrity of local leadership.