Hookah lounge on city agenda
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on August 18, 2013 1:50 AM
A hookah lounge could be coming to Goldsboro in the near future.
A public hearing will be held at the Goldsboro City Council meeting Monday night for the public to comment on the proposed use of the former Kwik Stop Food Store on Ash Street as a hookah lounge and coffee shop.
A hookah is a waterpipe used to smoke vaporized flavored tobacco called "shisha" by filtering it through water.
The lounge would employ two people and operate from 3 p.m. until midnight Monday through Thursday and on Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. the following morning.
After the public hearing, the Planning Commission will send a recommendation to the City Council, which will have the final say as to whether the conditional use permit is authorized.
Also on the agenda for public hearings are the proposed use of the former site of Teasers Nightclub as an Internet cafe and two area sites for use as cemeteries.
The work session is being moved back an hour to 6 p.m. in the city hall addition due to a light agenda. The council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers as usual.
On the consent agenda is a budget amendment to allocate funds for the local match for Community Development Block Grant and a HOME Investments Partnerships Program grant money received by the city after the 2013-14 fiscal year budget were approved.
City Council will vote whether to approve changes to the city personnel policy that will affect city employee pay and benefits as well as separation and leave of absence regulations.
Two street closing requests will come before the City Council for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and fire truck pull and the second for Piper's Promise, a 5K and kids' walk to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House and Riley's Army.
The closure would be requested along Center Street from Spruce to Ash streets from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 14 to allow time for the race and subsequent celebrations.
The torch run would close off Center Street between Spruce and Chestnut streets between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Aug. 19.