Willie Taylor Speech to the Guilford Delegation on Protest Petition

The speech below was for the Lobby the Legislator Meeting on Monday April 21, 2008 in front of the Guilford County delegation. Willie Taylor from the Coalition of Concerned Citizens had the opportunity to speak about Protest Petitions. Enclosed is the speech:

Representative Jeffus and members of the NC General Assembly Guilford Delegation, thank you.

YES, I ask for your continued support of the Greensboro Public Library, but I am here tonight to speak to another concern that for the immediate time, takes precedence – the absence of the law of protest petition in Greensboro.

Earlier this year several communities appeared before the Greensboro City Council for rezoning issues at the same time as my community. At least four of these communities, Garden Lake, off New Garden Road, Guilford College, Franklin Blvd. extension (the Clapp Farm community, and my community of single family houses and town houses west of Guilford College off Friendly Avenue) felt the Council decisions were made without any compromise, added conditions to the developer’s proposal, or serious consideration of the residents of the communities. In all four cases, large numbers of people were present. Members of these four communities and other citizens who question what is occurring have come together to form a Coalition of Concerned Citizens, secured a professional leader and plan to expand as broadly and diversely as possible. I am speaking on behalf of our coalition.

During this recent rezoning process we learned of the State Protest Petition that Greensboro had been exempt from in 1971, but is in effect in all major North Carolina cities and our neighboring cities of High Point, Kernersville, Winston-Salem and others. We have also learned that most people in Greensboro and Guilford County had never heard of this law and without the wonderful coverage by YES! Weekly, many of us would not know the history.

I am here tonight to ask on behalf of these communities that you pass legislation to provide the citizens of Greensboro with protest petition rights. From the letters of response to the News and Record’s “Question of the Week: Should Greensboro residents have the right to challenge City Council zoning decision through protest petition, there seems to be consensus in Greensboro that we need it sooner than later. Please note that one of the handouts is an editorial from the News and Record that concludes “Greensboro property owners are due the same right to petition state law allows residents of other cities”. Please return to us the right of protest petition.

Thank you.

Guilford Hills Neighborhood Meeting talked about Protest Petitions

It was a pleasure to speak in front of the Guilford Hills Neighborhood meeting on Saturday morning 4-26-08. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to tell the citizens of Greensboro about Protest Petitions and how it is time for a bill to be passed to make Greensboro comply with North Carolina General Statute 160a-385 and 386. My motto in the quest is one neighborhood at a time and it was a pleasure to speak in front of a neighborhood where I grew up in. The audience was very receptive to my explanations of Protest Petitions and how they can go about making Greensboro comply.

If there is any neighborhood association who would like for me to speak to them in Greensboro about Protest Petition please e mail me from this site. Thanks again to the Guilford Hills Community for letting me speak to them today. Have a great weekend.

Coalition of Concerned Citizens Speaks to Guilford County Legislators

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens spoke to the Guilford County Delegation from the great State of North Carolina on Monday night 4-21-2008.

Many issues were brought up from ethics on the local level, eniment domain, annexation and surprise surprise PROTEST PETITION'S in GREENSBORO.

It was great to hear the citizens of Greensboro speak out at this meeting from Willie Taylor to Jack Masarie to Bob Kinard to Linda Wilkinson to Harry & Pat Clapp to Claire Homes. I hope they got the message that 37 years of exemption is enough and it is time that Greensboro abides by North Carolina General Statute 160a-385 and 386 in regards to PROTEST PETITIONS.

The North Carolina Guilford delegation in attendence were as follows:
Rep. Alma Adams, Rep. John Blust, Rep. Laura Wiley, Rep. Maggie Jeffus, Rep. Pricey Harrison, Sen. Phil Berger, Sen. Katie Dorsett and Rep. Earl Jones

Absent were : Sen. Kay Hagan but Steven from her office was there, Sen. Stan Bingham.

It was also interesting to see Lee Porter and Gary Rogers from the Triad Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition otherwise known as the TREBIC CARTEL try to make their point that they oppose bringing back PROTEST PETITIONS to Greensboro.

It is funny to see that the TREBIC CARTEL'S members are also from other parts of Guilford County like let's say High Point but guess what High Point abides by PROTEST PETITIONS.

For the TREBIC CARTEL chairman Gary Rogers to say that back in 1971 Greensboro had a lot of foresight into exempting themselves from Protest Petitions was laughable. Add to that laughable statement from Marlene Sanford President of the TREBIC CARTEL who said she wants the state to look at repealing PROTEST PETITIONS altogether rather than returning the power to Greensboro citizens. Good luck in trying to get that passed.

This issue is not going away anytime soon. It is really tough to get laws passed in the short session of 2008 General Assembly. But believe me in saying that in the long session in 2009 if a bill hasn't been passed by then , I would say the issue of Protest Petitions for the citizens of Greensboro will be front and center. Just like it was tonight at the meeting.

Yes Weekly Letter from BJ Weatherby about Protest Petitions

Yes Weekly has a letter from BJ Weatherby who is a member of the League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad website on bringing back Protest Petitions to Greensboro. On the main page of the League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad is a Action Item: write to your legislators about restoring Greensboro's right to petition zoning changes with information and contact list in a PDF file.

It is time to Lobby the North Carolina Legislature from Guilford County on Monday April 21st from 6:00pm - 8:00pm in Greensboro at the Melvin Municipal Building which is City Hall on Eugene Street.

Keith Brown went to High Point to Lobby the North Carolina Legislature from Guilford County on April 14th and received a positive response from the Legislators.It was a great experience to speak in front of them and I hope more will get the chance in Greensboro on whatever issue you may have to speak about to the Guilford County Delegation.

Lobby the Legislators on Protest Petition in High Point and Greensboro

The Guilford County legislative delegation who are a part of the House and Senate of this great State of North Carolina will be holding 2 meetings the next 2 weeks.


The first hearing will be in High Point, Monday, April 14, 6 to 8 p.m. at the High Point City Council Chambers: 211 S. Hamilton Street.


The second hearing will be Monday, April 21, 6 to 8 p.m. in Greensboro at the Melvin Municipal Building which is City Hall on Eugene Street. That meeting will be televised on cable channel 13.

This is a great chance to lobby the Guilford County delegation on why they need to pass a bill to make Greensboro comply with a North Carolina General Statute 160a-385 and 386. The momentum to get this bill passed is growing and the reaction I am getting as to what a Protest Petition is and why Greensboro is exempted shows that the more people find out about this the more they want this bill passed. I hope to see you there.