County will consider proposal to give $25,000 to air show effort
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 14, 2011 1:46 PM
Wayne County commissioners Tuesday for the first time will consider appropriating $25,000 for the Wings Over Wayne Air Show to be held April 16-17 on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
The additional money is being sought to bring in more expensive profile performers for the show.
The commissioners will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. in their meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex. An agenda briefing will be held at 8 a.m.
According to an economic impact statement attached to the board's agenda, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base contributed $592 million to the county's economy in 2009.
The air show has attracted 100,000 to 150,000 people to the county and this year's goal is 200,0000 to 300,000.
A public hearing will be held at 9:15 a.m. on a rezoning petition by John Harrell.
The county Planning Board has recommended approval. The public hearing is required before commissioners can act.
Harrell is seeking rezoning of approximately 10 acres of land on the west side of Woodland Church Road near U.S. 13 in Brogden Township from Residential-Agriculture 20 to Village District.
The land is within the one-half mile extension of the base noise area, but is outside the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base noise levels and accident potential zone.
The county has received a letter from base officials saying that the request is compatible with the land use information in the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone Report and that they have no objection to rezoning.
The rezoning would allow the property to be used for residential or small commercial use. The current zoning does not allow commercial use.
The board also will consider approval of three subdivision plats:
* Donald Gray Mitchell final, owner/developer Effie Mitchell, one lot on Mitchell Road, Brogden Township
* Diann T. Baker final, owner/developer James R. Taylor, one lot of Lancaster Road, Pikeville Township
* Chris Fields preliminary, owner/developer Earl B. and Angela D. Oliver, 53 lots on Davis Mill Road, Nahunta Township
* Oliver Heights preliminary, owner/developer Earl B. and Angela D. Oliver, 10 lots on Piney Grove Church Road, New Hope Township.
Commissioners will consider a request by the Wayne County Library Board to name the library community garden in memory of Bill Smith.
Smith, who died in January, served on the library board and the North Carolina State Library Commission. He also was active in creation of the garden.