Appearance Commission

COVID-19 Notice

The State of North Carolina, Wake County, and the City of Raleigh have all declared States of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 virus. Some City of Raleigh board and commission meetings are hosted virtually. Read more on the legal notice.

Meets

Current Agenda - May 20, 2021 (BoardDocs)

1st & 3rd Thursday of each month
4:30 p.m.
The Appearance Commission hears Design Alternate requests at its first meeting of each month (the 1st Thursday of each month) and Administrative Alternate requests at its second meeting of each month (the 3rd Thursday of each month).

Filing Calendar
Please see the Design Alternate Application for information regarding the deadline to submit Design Alternate requests.

Location

Virtual: The next regular Appearance Commission meeting will be conducted on May 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Appearance Commission public meetings are broadcast and available for viewing by the public via the following methods: the city’s website; the city’s YouTube Channel or Channel RTN-11. The Appearance Commission public meetings can also be listened to by telephone. For instructions on how to listen by phone, please contact Carter Pettibone at 919-996-4643 or carter.pettibone@raleighnc.gov. Archived videos of past meetings are also available. Watch live streaming or videos on RTN 11.

Meeting Minutes
View on BoardDocs

How to Participate in the May 20, 2021 Meeting

Current Agenda – May 20, 2021

All individuals (including, but not limited to, all attorneys, applicants, property owners, witnesses, and neighbors) must sign-up in advance to participate in the Appearance Commission meeting.

To participate you must sign-up, no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, May 17. Individuals who sign-up to participate will receive an email with additional instructions and information upon sign-up. Per instructions in the email, all presentations, documents, exhibits and any other materials are due by 5 p.m. Friday, May 14.

If you would like to sign-up to speak or have any questions about participating in the May 20, 2021 Appearance Commission meeting or otherwise, please contact Carter Pettibone at 919-996-4643 as soon as possible, but no later than May 17.

Design Alternates

The Appearance Commission hears and decides requests for Design Alternates from the City’s Unified Development Ordinance. When hearing Design Alternates, the Appearance Commission sits as a quasi-judicial body and conducts an evidentiary hearing on the Design Alternate request.

The Appearance Commission is now accepting Design Alternate applications. The Commission began conducting evidentiary hearings on Design Alternate requests at its October 1, 2020, meeting. Among other requirements, to be placed on an agenda, a Design Alternate application must be submitted a minimum of 60 days prior to the meeting at which the application will be heard. More information regarding the application process can be found in the Design Alternate Application.

Design Committee

The Design Committee is a subcommittee with the purpose of discussing potential options for the Commission to present to the City Council in 2021 for Commission review of certain projects. The Design Committee currently meets in a virtual environment.

Current Agenda - February 12, 2021
Meeting Schedule: Meeting at 12 p.m.
Meeting Location: Virtual
Discussion Items:
Design review options for the Commission

If you are interested in participating, please email lee.stevens@raleighnc.gov.

Committee Assignments:

Will Gaskins
Jake Levitas
Christopher Roberts
Adam Walters

Purpose

The Appearance Commission was established by City Council in 1973 to provide guidance, advice, and recommendations regarding the visual quality and aesthetic characteristics of the City of Raleigh. As of July 2020, the Appearance Commission also hears requests for Design Alternates from the City’s Unified Development Ordinance, acting as a quasi-judicial body. The commission consists of 15 members, the majority of whom have special training or experience in architecture, landscape architecture, horticulture, city planning, or related design fields. The members shall reside within the City limits or within the planning and zoning jurisdiction of the City.

The Commission also appoints standing committees to undertake special design-related outreach and education efforts such as the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards.

Appearance Commission Members

Corey Bates Chair 2309 Ridge Rd. Raleigh, NC 27612 Serving: Second Term 12-5-21	Candice Andre Vice-Chair 1012 Winona Rd. Raleigh, NC 27609 Serving: Third Term 12-3-21	William Dodge 2409 Rockridge Ct. Raleigh, NC 27612 Serving: First Term 6-18-21
Martha Eberle 2312 Euston St. Raleigh, NC 27610 Serving: Second Term 5-21-22	Marcus Tuttle 1201 Gunnison Place Raleigh, NC 27609 Serving: First Term 3-5-23	Will Gaskins 1222 Clifton Place Raleigh, NC 27604 Serving: First Term 2-4-22
Patrice Gilmore 4613 Westminster Dr. Raleigh, NC 27604 Serving: First Term 10-6-22	Katherine Hogan 319 Fayetteville St., Unit 305 Raleigh, NC 27601 Serving: Second Term 11-8-21	Jake Levitas 2513 Remington Rd. Raleigh, NC 27610 Serving: Second Term 5-5-22
Megan Beach 764 Saint Beach Rd. Raleigh, NC 27610 Serving First Term 6-2-22	Corey Mason 2321 Blue Ridge Rd. #202 Raleigh, NC 27607 Serving: First Term 11-19-21	Chad Parker 4007 Brownstone Ct. Raleigh, NC 27609 Serving: Second Term 11-18-21
Bernard Thaxton 2313 Fox Hill Circle Raleigh, NC 27610 Serving: Second Term 7-21-21	Adam Walters 621 Kirby St. Raleigh, NC 27606 Serving: Second Term 4-2-23	Chris Roberts 1610 Weatherford Circle Raleigh, NC 27604 Serving First Term 7-7-22