Board will wait to eye location for new shelter
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on November 15, 2006 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Planning Board will wait until December to decide whether to reccommend changing a zoning ordinance that could allow for the construction of the county's new animal shelter.
The board tabled the decision at its meeting Tuesday night as part of a continuing debate over where to locate the proposed 10,000-square-foot, $1.2 million structure.
The existing animal shelter, about a 1,000-square-foot facility built in 1956, is located in the city of Goldsboro's jurisdiction, Wayne County Planning Director Connie Price said. County officials have said they would like to see construction begin on the new facility in January, but as of now, that site has yet to be determined.
The city's zoning ordinance allows for the construction of an animal shelter, but the structure may not be built on city land, Price said.
Wayne County officials had requested Goldsboro City Council rezone some of the county's land on the north side of Eighth Street between Humphrey Street and Wayne Memorial Drive.
During a public hearing in September, many business owners near the proposed shelter location opposed the rezoning request because they said they believed an animal shelter would decrease the value of their land and customers would be steered away by the smells and sounds of an animal shelter. The council later voted against the rezoning request.
It was then that Price said he realized the county's zoning ordinance would have to be changed to allow for the construction of an animal shelter if it is built on county land outside of a municipality. No existing county zone allows for such construction.
County Manager Lee Smith said the county is looking at several locations in and around Goldsboro to coincide with criteria established by two anonymous donors willing to give $200,000 toward a new animal shelter. The shelter must be built in a central location and meet other stipulations.
Although the animal shelter might still be built on Goldsboro property, Price suggested that the planning board recommend a zoning ordinance change that allows heavy industry, community shopping, light industry and airport zone uses to include the construction of an animal shelter. These changes would also prohibit the construction of an animal shelter in a residential zone.
"I suggest we try this to be ahead of the curve," Price said.
Planning Board Chairman George Aycock and board member Tom Buffkin said the board must consider the needs of county property owners before making a recommendation to the county commissioners. The seven-person board, consisting of Aycock, Buffkin, Arthur Bowden, Muriel Mereday, Steve Keen, Christopher Cox and Jo Ann Summerlin, agreed and unanimously tabled the issue until the board's next meeting on Dec. 12.
In other business, the planning department created maps detailing possible zoning surrounding the Goldsboro-Wayne Municipal Airport. The airport currently has a moratorium placed around it to limit development until county officials, the planning board and airport officials can consider the airport's plan for the next 20 to 30 years and zone the area accordingly. Planning board members said they want to have more input from airport officials before making a decision that could affect its future business.
The board approved a recommendation that would allow two acres of property adjacent to Young's Auto Center off of U.S. 117 South in Dudley to be rezoned to heavy industry. Owner Ricky Young said he wants to expand his business by building a salvage yard. Young had requested his property be rezoned last year. The planning board recommended the change to the commissioners, who voted against the issue. By law, Young had to wait one year before he could make the request again. The planning board unanimously approved the request Tuesday night.
The board also approved allowing Price and County Attorney Borden Parker to study how improvements can be made to Kimberly Lane, a small, damaged road near Stoney Creek Church Road that isn't in good enough condition to allow emergency vehicles to pass easily. Nearby property owners sad a 12-year-old girl died in a house fire three years ago and it was difficult for firefighters to get their truck to the scene.
Three preliminary plats were approved by the board. About 30 lots each were approved at William Acres, a subdivision in Indian Springs near N.C. 111, and Carriage Park, a subdivision in Pikeville off of Antioch Road. About 75 lots were approved at Cambridge Farms, a subdivision on the west side of Friendly Drive with its intersection of Braswell Road in the Fork Township.