Barber Hints at Passage,Wade Won't Say, and Matheny Stands There Like a Lump On A Log

Three Greensboro City Council members held a news conference today to talk about a myriad of issues involving the City of Greensboro. In attendance were Mike Barber, Trudy Wade and Zack Matheny.

CLICKHERE to see the video or click on the title above

Item #9 was about Protest Petitions in Greensboro

Here is what Mike Barber had to say at the 12:46 mark on video

"We believe that the Protest Petitions will likely be included in our legislative agenda on Wednesday night. Based on our conversation with other council members the 5% threshold seems a bit low that the state is currently operating under. But that alone will not likely keep this council from sending it up with the other items to consider."

This is great to hear from Greensboro City Council member Mike Barber on this issue to the citizens of Greensboro. Then around the 32:10 mark of video, Greensboro citizen Willie Taylor spoke about the public trust, and how the community becomes disenfranchised with the council on zoning issues in their neighborhood. Willie Taylor believes that bringing back Protest Petitions will make a better place for the neighborhoods and the developers, and land owners. After hearing David Owens and his speech earlier in the week she can see Greensboro as being a better place with Protest Petitions.

Then on video Amanda Lehmert asked Mike Barber where he stood on the issue . He then passed it over to Trudy Wade.

Trudy Wade then said this,"we want to have the same rights as others. She then said that she is not going to take a right away from Greensboro that Charlotte has." But Trudy Wade won't commit till the citizens have been heard on Wednesday. To hear her say that she is not going to take away a right Charlotte citizens have . We know that every city in this state abides by Protest Petitions , so in conclusion it would mean to anyone who saw the video that she is for reinstatement of Protest Petitions, we will see.

One aspect everyone is soooooooooooooooooooooooo hung up on is the 5% rule. Let get a few facts straight on this issue . Back in 2005 the North Carolina legislators changed the way Protest Petitions were calculated because some properties were not squared properties so to get a 20% of a side of property wasn't a good part of the law. So the legislators came up with a formula that since 20% of corner makes for 5% of one side they said that 5% will be the new law or you can call David Owens from the Institute of Government he explained it to us very eloquently.. The city of Greensboro can get hung up on the 5% fine then lobby the whole state to change the % rule but don't hold the citizens from having Protest Petitions when every other city in this state abides by this 5% rule in Protest Petitions.I don't see Mayor Smothers from High Point or Pat McCrory from Charlotte have a platform for getting rid of Protest Petitions. It makes for better neighborhoods and better development.

There was another Greensboro City Council member Zack Matheny in attendance who was there and had this to say about Protest Petitions for Greensboro, "absolutely nothing".

Our coalition cannot stress the importance of everyone all over this triad area of North Carolina to say to the Greensboro City Council to
"Bring Back Protest Petitions to Greensboro"

all you need to do is on the left hand side of blog is a link to the City of Greensboro e-mail center.