2030 Comprehensive Plan Update, April 2024

Environmental Protection

As a capital city and as a community at the headwaters of the river, Raleigh is uniquely positioned to champion the recovery and protection of this important natural resource. The Water Quality and Conservation sub-section of this Section outlines various strategies to make this goal of recovery a reality. Looking beyond the river, and at the watershed as a whole, both water quality and water quantity will play significant roles in the city’s ability to meet the needs of its growing population. Streams within Raleigh should be valued; should meet their intended uses from a regulatory water quality perspective; and should be safe, stable, and fitting natural corridors for enjoyment and quiet reflection in the midst of urban activity. Finally, regional air quality in the Triangle area has shown improvement in recent years, but significant effort will be needed to sustain and expand upon this trend. Regional cooperation will be essential to meaningful progress in the enhancement of air quality. This Section’s policies

on energy security and climate change preparedness will help to ensure that Raleigh is doing its part for this regional and global environmental challenge. To track the efficiency of the city’s policies, any of the Comprehensive Plan’s vision themes that may be relevant to a particular policy are indicated by one of six icons. The vision themes are: Economic Prosperity and Equity. Expanding Housing Choices. Managing Our Growth. Coordinating Land Use and Transportation. Greenprint Raleigh. Growing Successful Neighborhoods and Communities. In this Section and throughout the Plan, Key Policies used to evaluate zoning consistency are noted as such with an orange dot ( ).

5-6