City Council will rule on request for new club
By Anessa Myers
Published in News on December 18, 2007 1:46 PM
Goldsboro City Council heard four people speak Monday night about rezoning Superior Court Judge Jerry Braswell's property to allow for a possible bar.
Braswell asked council to change the zoning at the site, located on the west side of South Slocumb Street between Olivia Lane and Wilmington Avenue, from neighborhood business to general business conditional district to allow a "place of entertainment with ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) permits."
Braswell described the proposed establishment as a "jazz and blues club."
Braswell was the first to speak to the council Monday, and said he is just trying to "enhance the value of the property."
"This property is located in historically what has been, what I would describe as a commercial corner," Braswell said.
He said that he made an effort to contact residents around the property in an attempt "to determine the best use of the facility," and he said that he did not hear any negative comments about his proposal.
"I would submit that what we propose to do is not inconsistent with what has been done in this vicinity," he said.
Braswell added that the "place of entertainment," as the proposal states, is not intended to attract or allow younger adults. It is for adults 30 years of age and older.
"There is a lack of location of social establishments, particularly in that part of town," he said.
Other residents spoke for the bar, agreeing with Braswell that there is really no place for older adults to go in that area.
Henry Battle was one of those who spoke.
"You have my dearest regards, you take a man of your status and a man of your position coming and doing what you propose," he said. "There is really nowhere for black adults to go."
But one resident was not at all happy with the proposal.
"I'm really appalled that someone is trying to put a club and sell liquor in that area," Mary Rhoe said. "We've been trying to clean up Slocumb Street. I have got so I don't even pass that corner, with drug trafficking and shooting."
The site is currently occupied by a building that holds a coin-operated laundry, beauty salon and grill. With the new zoning, the bar would occupy the area where the salon was and would only operate when the grill and coin-operated laundry were closed.
The existing building area is 7,605 square feet with 647 square feet of that area proposed for the "place of entertainment." The bar would also include five tables with two chairs each and would be open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thurs-day through Sunday.
Council is expected to make a decision on the rezoning proposal during its Jan. 7 meeting.
Council heard another public hearing Monday regarding a street name designation.
A 545-foot long section of Salem Church Road was abandoned with the realignment of the road in the vicinity of Fedelon Trail, and one resident along that section has maintained a Salem Church Road street address but has problems with mail delivery.
Relatives of the resident have expressed concern about rescue personnel having difficulty finding the address since it is no longer on Salem Church Road. The resident has requested that the street section be designated as Salem Hill Lane.
The resident's daughter spoke for the street name designation during the public hearing.
Three dilapidated dwel-lings, located at 907 Aycock St., 404/406 N. Kornegay St. and 407 S. William St., were also condemned by council.
In other business, council approved consent agenda items including an amendment to the police budget; annual certification for membership in the state's firemen's and rescue squad worker's pension fund; emergency repairs at the water reclamation facility; sale of city-owned surplus property; revision of site, landscape and building elevation plans for the AT&T Call Center; appropriation of funds for unemployment compensation benefits claims; a new inspections position; rescheduling of 2008 council meetings due to holidays; and departmental reports.