2010

Council rezones property

Slugline Publication Date Section(s) Page Byline Council-rezones-property Wilson Daily Times August 20, 2010 Local News

Residents living along Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway got their wish Thursday night when Wilson City Council rezoned properties from business to residential. Thirty property owners will be affected. Most of the affected owners asked for the change in addition to the Highway 301 Advisory Committee, a city committee formed to address revitalization along U.S. 301. Revitalization efforts include business development. Those goals took a turn during the past year when members of the Washington-Carver Heights Neighborhood Association were concerned about a used car lot opening on the parkway between two homes, said James Haney, president of the neighborhood association. "Back in 2003, when we formed the (Highway 301) task force, we were told business would come in there," Haney said. "During the past four years, the only business we've seen come in there is a car lot between two residents' homes. If it stays B4, it could disrupt the neighborhood." The rezoning includes 17 properties on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, six on Atlantic Street, three on Tacoma Street and four on unaddressed lots. Alice Freeman asked the council if two properties, which are owned by her mother and niece, next to the area could be included in the rezoning request. Attorney Jim Cauley said that the properties would need to be voted on at a later date due to requirements of notifying area residents. Also during the meeting, Councilman Bill Pitt asked the council to remove the council appointments to boards, commissions and committees from the consent agenda because he is concerned about minority representation on the boards. Pitt didn't object to the reappointments of David Allgood, Mary Langston and Thomas Lucas and appointment of Van Paul Etheridge to the Highway 301 Advisory Committee. "I have recently read and looked at all the boards and committees and task forces and there's a very low amount of minorities on these boards," Pitt said. "With 49 percent of our city being

minorities, we need a higher percentage of minorities on our boards." Pitt asked the council to seek applicants that will bring more diversity. Mayor Bruce Rose said the city advertises and is doing all it can to recruit residents to serve. "There's not (anything) that says white, black, male or female," Councilman James Johnson III said. "I don't know what the ratio is or that we keep a record." Councilman A.P. Coleman said he hopes all council members will encourage residents to apply. Councilman Donald Evans said he doesn't see that the city is receiving a lot of applicants for the posts. Council approved the appointments to the Highway 301 Advisory Committee. In other matters, the council voted to: * Set a Sept. 16 public hearing for two voluntary annexations that include 8.45 acres along Raleigh Road Parkway near Raven Ridge Drive for Ashbrook West Commercial Park and 3.09 acres on Brewer Court off N.C. 58 for additions to the Windfield Colony subdivision. * Giving $50,000 each to the Voluntary Energy Assistance program, Preservation of Wilson, the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments and Barton College for marketing the city, $18,000 to Wilson 2020 and $10,000 to the Whirligig Festival from its discretionary fund. * Join the Water and Wastewater Agency Response Network that would include sharing resources during emergencies. * Fund the first-year installment for a traffic enforcement unit that be will be paid for through a 2010 Governor's Highway Safety Grant of $302,014, with a local match of $53,296. The funding pays for three officer salaries and benefits, patrol vehicles and associated equipment. The Wilson Police Department has been approved to receive grant funding for a total of three years for the unit. * Apply for a N.C. Rural Center Building Reuse Grant for the former Smurfit Stone building on Wilco Boulevard. In May, the business left the 128,760-square-foot building and within two months began negotiations with a glass recycling company that is expected to bring 40 jobs. * Approve an interlocal agreement with Wilson County and policies for a rehabilitation assistance program for a $200,000 grant the city has been awarded by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency for its 2010 single-family rehabilitation program. rochelle@wilsontimes.com | 265-7818