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Town Council Workshop Meeting

Town of Holly Springs · Town Council
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 6:00 pm

Work session Civil rights and nondiscriminationHousing and affordability

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

The Holly Springs Town Council workshop covers three main discussion topics: a briefing on non-discrimination ordinances (comparing state, federal, and other municipalities' approaches, after a planned Wake County presentation fell through), a primer on the Town's 2023 Affordable Housing Study to prepare Council for a fuller discussion at the upcoming Annual Retreat, and a review of the draft Annual Retreat agenda with the retreat facilitator. No votes or binding decisions are expected; the Council is being asked for direction and feedback on each topic.

The meeting also includes open discussion time and a closed session, with no agenda detail provided on the closed session's subject.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Council reached consensus to move forward with adopting the Wake County Nondiscrimination Ordinance. Town Attorney John Schifano explained that the county ordinance, in place since 2022, covers employment, housing and public accommodations and lets municipalities opt in; enforcement runs through mediation and, if that fails, a court order, with no reporting back once a case is referred to Campbell Law School's restorative justice center. Council member Kara Foster said her own business in Apex had incurred no added cost under the county ordinance. Schifano said he could bring a resolution back in February, though the interlocal agreement may take longer.

Development Services staff gave a lengthy primer on the 2023 Housing Affordability Study ahead of the Annual Retreat, walking through area median income tiers, the region's "missing middle" housing gap and land use, subsidy and tenant-protection tools, without any decision expected or made. The Town Manager and retreat facilitator Dr. Peg Carlson reviewed the draft Retreat agenda; Council agreed to add e-bike and scooter safety and the naming of Eagles Landing Park to the Retreat's "parking lot" session, and to fold community engagement into the governance discussion. In open discussion, council members raised e-bike safety on the greenway and aging-in-place housing, and reached consensus to add a Holly Springs Black History presentation to the February agenda. Council then voted unanimously to enter closed session under N.C.G.S. 143-318.11(a)(4) to discuss an economic incentive, and later voted unanimously to leave closed session and to adjourn at 8:38 p.m.

How the votes went

No votes were taken on the Nondiscrimination Ordinance or housing items; Council reached consensus rather than voting. Council voted unanimously, on a motion by Council member Chris Deshazor seconded by Council member Sarah Larson, to enter closed session to discuss an economic incentive; unanimously, on a motion by Deshazor seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Annie Drees, to leave closed session; and unanimously, on a motion by Deshazor seconded by Larson, to adjourn.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Holly Springs's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Discussion item · 4Procedural · 3Closed session · 1
  1. 1 Welcome / Call Meeting to Order
    Procedural
  2. 2 Workshop Overview
    Procedural
  3. 3 Non-Discrimination Ordinance (NDO)
    Discussion item Civil rights and nondiscrimination
    Town Attorney John Schifano and Jay Osborne will review state and federal nondiscrimination law and how other municipalities have written their own NDOs; a planned Wake County staff presentation on the county's NDO implementation was cancelled. Council is asked for direction on further information or action.
  4. 4 Affordable Housing Study Primer for the Annual Retreat
    Discussion item Housing and affordability
    Development Services staff will summarize the Town's 2023 Housing Affordability Study and its "Housing Affordability Toolkit" as background for a fuller housing discussion planned at the Annual Retreat, and will lay out possible policy paths for Council to consider.
  5. 5 Annual Retreat Agenda Preparation
    Discussion item
    The Town Manager and retreat facilitator Dr. Peg Carlson will present the final draft agenda for the Annual Retreat, including one late topic request from the Mayor, for Council's last round of feedback before the retreat.
  6. 6 Open Discussion
    Discussion item
  7. 7 Closed Session
    Closed session
  8. 8 Adjourn
    Procedural

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