Land use, riparian rights, electric rates, licensing agreement, municipal elections, street closures, city-owned property and more, on Tuesday night’s city council meeting agenda.
The New Bern Board of Aldermen will receive input from the public, consider approving changes to a mutual aid agreement; starting the upset bid process to sell city-owned properties; closing city streets for parades and an event; holding public hearings on changes to the electric rate schedule and the city’s zoning map; talking about forming a working group to review electric energy and changes to New Bern’s elections; approving a license agreement with Riverfront Hospitality, LLC and authorizing the execution of a riparian waiver form; approving changes to Federal Alley and an agreement with Colonial Place Condominiums; and other items on March 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Pollock St. in New Bern, NC.
Petition of Citizens
Members of the public will have an opportunity to share their thoughts at the beginning of the meeting during Requests and Petition of Citizens.
Consent agenda
The consent agenda items are bundled into one item and voted on without discussion unless the aldermen decide to move it to the regular agenda, which allows for discussion.
Community Development Block Grant
The Board of Aldermen will consider calling for a public hearing on April 14 for the 2026 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires Entitlement Cities, like New Bern, to submit an annual action plan as part of the application for funding which summaries how the needs and goals will be addressed. When the city receives notification of its annual allocation, staff will develop the plan. A public hearing is required to give citizens an opportunity to comment on the draft plan, according to the meeting packet.
Mutual Aid Agreement
The board will consider changes to a resolution that they adopted in February that’s related to the Mutual Aid Agreement with Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point for Fire Protection and related Services. A provision requires “City of New Bern emergency personnel will be escorted by MCAS CHERPT’s police or fire and emergency personnel when accessing MCAS CHERPT to provide emergency assistance outlined in this MAA,” has been added to the agreement and the aldermen will consider approving the change, according to the packet.
Upset bid process for 1013 Bloomfield Street
The BOA will consider initiating the upset bid process for 1013 Bloomfield Street. Agape Adams bid $3,000 to purchase the 0.116-acre residential property which was acquired through tax foreclosure in 2009. The tax value is $6,000.
Upset bid process for 1017 Bloomfield Street
The board will consider initiating the upset bid process for 1017 Bloomfield Street. Agape Adams bid $3,000 to purchase the 0.143-acre residential property which was acquired through tax foreclosure in 2018. The tax value is $6,000.
Temporary street closures
They will consider:
-A request from the New Bern Civic Theatre to close the 400 Block of Pollock Street on May 8 from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. for the Jagged Little Pill Red Carpet Event (Setup at 5 p.m. and teardown complete is 10:30 p.m.).
-A request from Swiss Bear to close the 100 and 200 blocks of South Front Street, 200 block of Craven Street, 300 block of Pollock Street and 200 block of Middle Street from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. for a rolling parade of Budweiser Clydesdales. (Setup at 2:30 p.m. and teardown is 7 p.m.)
-A request from Swiss Bear and the New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce to close Princess Street, Liberty Street, the 200-300 blocks of Jones Street, and the Brown Bear Parking Lot from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the 300-1000 blocks of Pollock Street and 200 block of Craven Street from 10 a.m. till 12 p.m.
The board will also consider approving the Feb. 10 meeting minutes.
Regular agenda
Changes to New Bern’s zoning map
The Board of Aldermen will consider holding a public hearing and establishing initial zoning for 3406 Old Airport Road. The property was annexed in October 2025, and Keith Weems requested the property to be zoned R-8 residential. The Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended the aldermen approve the request.
They will also consider conducting a public hearing and rezoning 3.87 acres at 1100 Pinetree Drive from R-10A Residential to C-3 Commercial. The property was annexed in October 2025, and O’Brien Family Wellness, Inc. requested the property to be zoned R-8 residential. The Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended the aldermen approve the request. The P & Z Board unanimously recommended denial of the request.
Electric rates
The board will consider holding a public hearing and consider changing the Electric Rate Schedule to reflect an overall 2% increase in electric revenues and adjusted rate components with increases averaging 0.9% for residential, 5.2% for small general service, 3.2% for medium general service, and 2.1% for large general service and unmetered services,” continuing the power cost adjustment, and removing the load profile data service, according to the meeting packet.
A little history: 50 years ago, New Bern’s Board of Aldermen agreed to a partnership with Apex, Ayden, Belhaven, Benson, Clayton, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Farmville, Fremont, Greenville Utilities Commission, Hamilton, Hertford, Hobgood, Hookerton, Kinston, La Grange, Laurinburg, Louisburg, Lumberton, New Bern, Pikeville, Red Springs, Robersonville, Rocky Mount, Scotland Neck, Selma, Smithfield, Southport, Tarboro, Wake Forest, Washington, and Wilson to form the North Carolina Municipal Power Agency 3, now known as the NC Eastern Municipal Power Agency. The Power Agency jointly purchased ownership interest in several Carolina Power & Light’s nuclear and coal-fired power plants and issued municipal bonds to finance the projects, as reported here.
CP & L merged with Florida Progress Corp. in 2000 and rebranded as Progress Energy in 2003. Progress Energy was renamed Progress Energy Carolinas.
NCEMPA raised electric rates by 18 percent in November 2008 to February 2009, and the New Bern Board of Aldermen passed the costs onto electric utility customers, as reported here.
Progress Energy and Duke Energy merged in 2012, which expanded Duke Energy’s services to Florida, allowing them to form the largest electric investor-owned utility in the U.S.
New Bern’s Board of Aldermen reduced electric rates by 18 percent between 2015 and 2017 after NCEMPA sold their ownership interest in generating units at four power plants. “Under the terms of the agreement, Duke Energy Progress and NCEMPA have entered into a 30-year wholesale power supply agreement to continue meeting the needs of NCEMPA customers,” according to a press release.
In 2023, the Municipal Power Agency passed on a $53 million fuel adjustment charge to its member utilities, like New Bern, for power costs (like natural gas, ash handling, shipping, etc.) incurred in 2021 and 2022. The BOA approved a 6 percent rate increase in July 2024. NCEMPA passed on another fuel charge for $40 million in 2024 for costs incurred in 2023 and the Board of Aldermen approved a 6 percent rate increase implemented a power cost adjustment with restrictions in December 2024. The BOA approved a 3 percent increase with a PCA balancing factor in August 2025.
In late 2025, Duke Energy Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas announced plans to merge, as reported here.
Formation of Working group to review electric energy
The Board of Aldermen will talk about forming a working group to review electric energy with the director of the Department of Public Utilities.
New Bern’s municipal elections
The Board of Aldermen will also consider talking about changes to New Bern’s municipal elections.
Background: The Board of Aldermen and mayor have talked about moving New Bern’s elections for at least a decade. The 2017-2021 aldermen and mayor talked about moving the elections to even-numbered years, which would extend their terms to almost 5 years, and then the U.S. Census was delayed due to the pandemic and lawmakers allowed the city to move the election to May 2022.
In 2023, the 2022-2025 alderman and mayor considered moving the elections to give them more time in office and said the move would save money. They also talked about several options, as reported here.
In January 2025, the mayor told the Board of Alderman they needed to consider cost of early voting, as reported here.
The 2025-2029 Board of Aldermen and mayor talked about moving the elections to 2030 during the retreat. Several of them said they wanted to keep the city’s elections nonpartisan.
The city attorney said, “I strongly recommend a unanimous decision on local bills
It was also said that the board would run the risk of the legislature changing elections from nonpartisan to partisan as they’ve done across the state. The video can be found here.
Licensing agreement and riparian waiver
The Board of Aldermen will consider a license agreement with Riverfront Hospitality, LLC and authorizing the city manager to execute a Riparian Waiver Form.
The company wants to construct “an extended deck with railing, a stairway, and stadium-style seating at the Doubletree Hotel. The improvements would be located on approximately 1,102 square feet of city-owned property between the hotel and riverwalk. The proposed agreement grants a non-exclusive, personal license for a term of up to 15 years.” The general public would have access to the seating.
Changes to Federal Alley
The board will consider approving a licensing agreement with Simmons Property Group, LLC. The city received a North Carolina Department of Commerce grant to enhance the Federal Alley. The proposed project includes adding “an exposed aggregate sidewalk, artwork, landscaping — including river rock, lighting and signage.” The agreement also allows the city mount lighting along the back of the structure as well as a sign above the entrance to alley. “The city will reimburse the cost of installation for the lights and will provide electrical service for the lighting,” according to information in the meeting packet.
The aldermen will also consider approving an agreement with Colonial Place Condominiums, LLC to make improvements to Federal Alley with the NC DOC grant funds. “Enhancements will include an exposed aggregate sidewalk, artwork, and landscaping with river rock, lighting and signage. This agreement allows the City to install signage that will be connected to the condominiums,” per the packet.
City-sponsored events
The Board of Aldermen will also consider changes to city sponsored events to include removing the library book sale and the Twin Rivers YMCA 5k and 10k because they haven’t been held in several years, according to the packet.
Appointments
The aldermen will consider making appointments to the Board of Adjustment, the Police Civil Service Board and the New Bern Area MPO Transportation Advisory Committee.
Meeting agendas and packets can be found here, and videos are available City 3 TV, the city’s Facebook page and the city’s YouTube channel.
Editor’s note: Article updated to include additional information about the regular agenda items.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.