Apex News for May 2025
Town Council Updates, Community Town Hall coming, Apex earning national accolade's, new place for donuts and more
Hi everyone! I’ve got a quick update for you with highlights from our recent public safety work session, a preview of next week’s busy Council meeting, and a few other things I think you’ll want to know. From a new fire station and utility bill updates to donuts and national rankings, there’s a lot going on in Apex right now. Let’s dive in.
Public Safety Work Session
Key Take Away: Apex will be opening a new fire station soon and may partner with the county rebuild an existing station
Last Tuesday we held a work session where we got a semi-annual public safety update from our Police and Fire Chief.
Topics from fire focused on discussing the recommendations from a 3rd Party study of our fire response posture in Apex. Key activities include opening Fire Station 7 (in progress), staff increases, and looking forward to rebuilding station 2 - perhaps in partnership with Wake EMS.
Similarly, we got a presentation from our new Police chief about the strengths and challenges he sees in the organization. It’s been around 180 days since he came aboard, and the presentation served as his assessment. I look forward to hearing more from the Chief and how I can support his plan for the department going forward.
Apex Named #7 Best Place to Live
Key Take Away: We’re awesome
Quick Note: Did you see? Apex was named the #7 Best Place to Live in the Country by US News and World Report! Raleigh was #155, Cary was #5 (they’re not bad either).
I think this is a huge deal - and another testament to the strength we have as a community and as a destination. Apex is firing on all cylinders and I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of the leadership team.
Community Town Hall
Key Take Away: A Town Hall is being held on June 2nd at the Halle
We have scheduled a “Community Town Hall” where your town elected officials will meet to informally discuss any issues on your mind and take questions. It’s been a few years since we’ve done this, and I’m hoping (if there is interest) to do this quarterly or at least semiannually going forward.
The event is June 2nd at 5:30pm at the Halle. RSVP here.
I will answer some “presubmitted” questions at the event, time permitting. If you have question but can’t attend, please leave a comment below. The event will not be recorded or live streamed, but a general account of the event will be posted by the Town (and likely myself as well).
Town Council Meeting Preview
Key Take Away: The next Town Council meeting will be a long one with 13 public hearings
Next Tuesday we have a packed agenda. The headline is our final budget hearing, leading to a potential adoption of the budget. Last chance to get in comments - check out my summary here of events so far.
Grace Christian is on the agenda. They have an annexation request and a transportation plan amendment, but I don’t believe their project requires a rezoning as I currently understand it - and it will be built by right.
Altera Heights has raised the most questions; it’s an affordable/attainable housing project off of Wimberly Road near the upcoming Park. The land had been previously designated for office/commercial, which is where the controversy is. They are offering now 12% as regulated affordable units, but argue all units are meet the definition.
New Hill Commons PUD is a mixed use development (low density single family and some commercial space) off of New Hill Olive Chapel Road.
Courtyards at Wimberly and Greenway Waste Expansion are also on the agenda - long night.
Baker’s Dozen Donuts Open in Apex
Key Take Away: Mmmm donuts
Quick shout out to Baker’s Dozen (and their apple fritters!) for opening an Apex location! Delicious. You can find them across highway 55 from Beaver Creek, near Starbucks - where Belgium Cafe used to be.
Utility Bill Recalculation Form Open, Bills Coming
Key Take Away: Utility mailing issue has been resolved and the form for a bill recalculation is live
Two quick updates on Utility Bills. First, you’ll recall (or may have realized) utility bill mailings were delayed in May due to the vendor everyone locally uses (Cary, Apex, Raleigh, etc) going out of business. That issue has been resolved and a new vendor identified, contract signed, and the delayed paper bills should be going out soon.
Second, the form to request a utility bill recalculation by the 3rd Party Reviewer (BerryDunn) I previously discussed is live. As I mentioned last time, you probably do not want to do this, as the 3rd Party Review concluded that the majority of customers were underbilled primarily due to missing base charges. Nonetheless, if you believe your account is incorrect, you are now able to request an individual account review by BerryDunn. In particular customers with very high water usage are likely the category of accounts which could be found to have been overbilled. The form is live until July 31st.
That’s all for now.
-terry
1. Will there be pedestrian bridges over the ultimately expanded Peakway, including for safe kids route to school?
2. I have never had trouble finding parking downtown, and go fairly frequently. Businesses continue to leave and turnover quickly (e.g. Gail & Grace), which seems to indicate lack of foot traffic even with low parking waits. And, much of what is there now is office buildings/space or businesses that close early. As such, why are we increasing parking lot size instead of amenities to draw people near there, including folks from varied income backgrounds? E.g. Cary downtown park
3. When will we connect legacy neighborhoods to greenways and provide them protected walkable greenspace and not just focus on the southwest and western side of Apex? That area is growing, yes, but that doesn't mean that the town cannot make opportunistic acquisitions within the bounds of 540, 64 and highway 1.
4. For affordable housing, where is that being focused by the council? Is there an allowance and targeting of affordable housing in growing areas like southwest and west of apex, or just legacy apex?
Yeah, great place to live? Yeah, it used to be, Long before Money Magazine, and others dictated! Great places to live are like a roulette wheel. Note, Dictate, Build, then the mass migration starts. Roads can't handle the traffic, and their is not enough schools. It's like a roulette wheel for the builders, Cities Counsels, etc... "They love the Taxes"! People coming here are creating the same place they just escaped from. Then, it won't be a good place anymore! Just ask, BUF, ROC, ORD, NYC, CA, FL.... It's all a BIG MONEY GAME! The only losers are Quality of life, and the residents that lived here decades ago before all this crap started!!! Look at down town Cary, even Apex... , Apartments, Apartments, this is what you have created. I came here when I was 13/yr. old in 1968/yr. my dad's family is all from here. I'm thinking about moving... This place is becoming a disaster!! Just look at what they are going to do to Waverly Place!! The same outfit that created Fenton, in Cary!! Same...business model. Not good................................... :-(