What local government did, 4–10 October

Two counties take up property values this week. Wake County commissioners hold a public hearing Monday evening on the schedule of values for the 2027 revaluation, which will reset more than 88% of a $316.2 billion tax base, with adoption set for 19 October. On Tuesday night Orange County commissioners receive the final report from GAR Associates, hired in May to audit the 2025 revaluation that residents questioned. GAR finds the values meet minimum statistical standards and several office practices do not, and recommends a sales-comparison approach for homes and a statistical appraisal specialist on staff.

Housing and land use fill most of the rest. Chatham County's Planning Board reviews Fearrington Preserve on Tuesday: a request to rezone about 372 acres in Baldwin Township to a Compact Community district, with a first plat for 574 lots. Chapel Hill's Planning Commission opens its hearing the same night on the rewritten Land Use Management Ordinance, whose September draft cuts the downtown size limit back to 20,000 square feet. On Wednesday the Chapel Hill council hears the town's own plan for a new fire station and up to 105 affordable apartments at 101 Weaver Dairy Road Extension. Cary's council takes up the Hatcher Property rezoning, 52 homes on Saunders Grove Lane, on Thursday, along with a ban on smoking and vaping in parks, greenways and enclosed public places.

Homelessness runs through Monday. Durham County commissioners hear reports on street medicine and the Hope Day Services Center. Wake commissioners vote on buying 3211 Bramer Drive for $4.15 million as a shelter for women, and a Wake committee hears that federal changes to SNAP could cost the county about $12 million a year from 2027.

Several of these take public comment. On Monday, Wake holds its revaluation and Wendell fire district hearings, and Fuquay-Varina hears WakeMed's rezoning for a freestanding emergency department and a 105-home planned development on Sunset Lake Road. Wake Forest hears the Franklin Street Townes request to replace a promised pool and clubhouse with a canopy and playground on Tuesday, and Durham's council holds five hearings at its Thursday work session, including two annexations.

60 boards met across 19 governments, with 423 agenda items on file.

Written when 47 of this week's meetings had posted an agenda; 61 have now. The counts below are current.