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Board of Commissioners — Work Session

Wake County · Board of Commissioners
Monday, August 11, 2025 at 2:00 pm · Wake County Justice Center

Work session Elections and districtsGrants and outside fundingHealth and human servicesIntergovernmental agreementsParks and recreationPublic facilitiesRezoningSchools and education

Agenda document Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Wake County commissioners reviewed a joint process with the City of Raleigh for awarding $23.5 million in hospitality tax capital grants, received an update on the county's comprehensive parks and recreation master plan, and got a progress report on the Wake III Health and Education District campus, where Wake County, Wake Tech and WakeMed plan to swap land parcels this month.

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

No votes were taken; this was a discussion-only work session. Assistant County Manager Michael James outlined a competitive process to award $23.5 million in hospitality tax and interlocal funds jointly with the City of Raleigh, with $15.5 million decided by both governments and $8 million left to county discretion; awards are expected by February 2026. Commissioners pressed for details on scoring transparency, a youth voice on the evaluation panel, and what happens to a separate $75 million previously set aside for a Cary sports complex that is no longer moving forward, which staff said will go through its own review starting in early 2026. Parks, Recreation and Open Space Director Chris Snow and a consultant from Design Workshop presented public engagement findings for the county's Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, including survey results showing trail proximity and access as residents' top reasons for visiting county parks, and answered commissioner questions about mapping park access relative to municipal amenities and farmland preservation areas. Facilities Director Mark Forestieri updated the board on the Wake III Aggregate Campus Vision Plan for the Health and Education District, including a series of land transfers among Wake County, Wake Tech and WakeMed scheduled for board action on August 18.

Speaking at this meeting

Public comment runs 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the first regular meeting of the month and 2:30 to 3 p.m. at the second. Speakers get three minutes. Written comments can be submitted online between 9 a.m. and noon on the day of a regular meeting.

Wake County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (6)

Discussion item · 2Presentation · 2Other · 1Procedural · 1
  1. Meeting Called to Order: Chair Susan Evans
    Other
  2. 1. Agenda
    Discussion item
  3. 2. Selection Process for Hospitality Tax Capital Projects
    Discussion item Elections and districtsGrants and outside fundingIntergovernmental agreements
    Staff outlined the joint Wake County/City of Raleigh process to award $23.5 million in hospitality tax funds, including minimum project requirements, evaluation criteria, and a timeline running through a February 2026 vote. Commissioners asked about scoring transparency and the status of a separate $75 million once set aside for a now-cancelled Cary sports complex.
  4. 3. Wake County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan
    Presentation Parks and recreation
    Staff and a consulting landscape architect presented public engagement and inventory findings for the county's parks master plan update, including survey data on why residents visit county parks and where access gaps exist relative to municipal park systems.
  5. 4. Wake III - Aggregate Campus Vision Plan for the Health & Education District
    Presentation Health and human servicesPublic facilitiesRezoningSchools and education
    Staff updated the board on the Wake III Health and Education District master plan, including milestone progress since a 2022 rezoning and a series of land transfers among Wake County, Wake Tech and WakeMed scheduled for board action on August 18.
  6. Adjourn
    Procedural

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