County will eye rezoning request
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 28, 2011 1:46 PM
A rezoning request for land in the Mar Mac community that stirred some controversy among county commissioners last month will be back on the board's agenda when it meets Tuesday morning.
No one from the public spoke during a public hearing that lasted less than a minute two weeks ago.
However, Commissioners Jack Best and Andy Anderson had reservations about approving the rezoning and the board took no action.
Tuesday's meeting will get under way at 9 a.m. in the commissioners' room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex. An agenda briefing will start at 8.
John Harrell has petitioned the county to rezone 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 rezoning would allow the property to be used for residential or small commercial use. Commercial use is not currently permitted.
The county Planning Board has recommended approval and County Planner Connie Price told the board at its Feb. 15 session that Harrell wanted the change "hoping" to make the property more attractive to a potential buyer.
Price said the rezoning would allow a buyer to have more options on the use of the land.
Both Best and Anderson expressed concerns that allowing rezoning on a "hope" could snowball across the county. They said that the person who is going to do something on the property should be the one requesting the rezoning.
However, Commissioners Steve Keen, Sandra McCullen and Chairman J.D. Evans said they saw no problem with the request.
Best said he also is concerned that the aging F-15 Strike Eagle fleet based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base will eventually give way to the next generation of aircraft.
At this time, the county does not know what the noise level or flight patterns will be for the new aircraft, he said.
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.
In other business Tuesday, the board will consider applying for $75,000 in Urgent Repair Program funds through the North Carolina Housing Finance Authority. No local match is required.
The money would be used to make emergency repairs to 10 to 12 low-income, owner-occupied houses. At least one member of the household must have special needs -- elderly, disabled or a child 6 years of age or under with an elevated blood lead level. Household incomes cannot exceed 50 percent of the area's median income.
The funds may be spent in the county and its small municipalities, but not within the city of Goldsboro.
The average repair costs will be $5,000 to $6,000 per house with a maximum of $6,000.
Commissioners will be updated on senior citizens activities including:
* Wayne County Senior Health Fair on March 17 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Herman Park Center
* Silver Arts Follies on April 19 at the Paramount Theatre
* Wayne County Senior Games May 2-6 at various locations.
Also on the agenda are presentations by the Wayne County Marketing Committee and about the Dancing With the Wayne County Stars fundraiser for the Wayne Education Network.
The board will be asked to adopt a proclamation designating March as Develop-mental Disabilities Awareness Month in the county.