City Council rejects zoning request
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on April 17, 2012 2:20 PM
Despite concessions by the developer, the Goldsboro City Council denied a request Monday night to rezone the southeast corner of North Berkeley Boulevard and Ridgecrest Drive.
The issue became a divisive one during a public hearing March 19 as six individuals spoke out on the rezoning, which would change the land's zoning codes from office and institutional to neighborhood business.
Opponents to the rezoning said they feared the impact of additional traffic on Ridgecrest Drive, especially if the corner was to become a restaurant.
Mayor Pro Tempore Chuck Allen said the three scenarios presented for the development of the land would impact the neighborhood in drastically different ways. One scenario was for a retail establishment, one was for a sit-down restaurant and the third was for a combination of those two uses.
At the April 2 meeting, other council members said they wanted to delay the vote until it was certain that the Department of Transportation would allow for a right-in, right-out entrance from Berkeley Boulevard to reduce congestion on Ridgecrest Drive.
The developer seemingly addressed the council's concerns, as the proposal denied Monday night contained only two scenarios with the elimination of the proposal to put only a restaurant on the land. A new conceptual drawing also contained a right-in, right-out from Berkeley Boulevard and Planning Director Randy Guthrie informed the council that the state DOT had approved the installation of such an entrance/exit at the site.
Faison and Associates, which has represented the prospective owner of the property, added in the letter of explanation that its dual use proposal would contain traditional retail or an ice cream or frozen yogurt shop and a fast casual full-service sit-down restaurant serving alcoholic beverages. The neighborhood business zoning does not allow for drive-thrus.
District 6 Councilman Jackie Warrick, who represented the residents on Ridgecrest Drive until the recent redistricting, made the motion to deny the request during the regular meeting. The motion was seconded by District 3 Councilman Don Chatman and was approved by a 6-0 vote.
District 2 Councilman Bob Waller was not present at the meeting.