Panera project one step closer
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on June 3, 2014 1:46 PM
Bread, barbecue and a budget.
The Goldsboro City Council approved a $54 million spending plan for the 2014-15 fiscal year -- and site plans for a Panera Bread and Smithfield Chicken and Bar-B-Q -- at its Monday meeting.
But the budget, thanks mainly to Councilman Chuck Allen, will need to be adjusted slightly before it is ready.
Allen suggested that the board appropriate an additional $10,000 to the Wayne County Museum -- the organization would have, without these additional funds, received $12,000.
The extra money would allow the museum to expand the hours of its director, Brantley Partin -- time he said he would use to catalog the vast amount of artifacts stored at the museum.
"They asked for $22,000 and we're giving them $12,000," Allen said. "That's a $10,000 difference. Let's allocate that for a year. Let's do it for one time."
Councilman Bill Broadaway agreed with Allen about the need to expand the hours for Partin, who currently works as a part-time director.
"In essence, this will give them the money to get the items cataloged," he said. "We have got a window of opportunity here while we have Brantley Partin working for us over at the museum."
Allen said that allocating the funds this year would allow the city to see the progress made as a result of doing so.
The budget amendment is expected to come before the council in July.
But the budget was not the only big ticket item discussed Monday.
The council also approved site plans for a number of proposed businesses, including a Panera Bread and Smithfield's Chicken and Bar-B-Q.
The board approved a request by investors for the Panera project to change the zoning for the property on the corner of Berkeley Boulevard and Ridgecrest Drive from a Neighborhood Business Conditional District to a General Business Conditional District to allow the installation of a drive-through window on the business.
Area residents spoke against the use at the May 19 council meeting, but the city followed through with the Planning Commission's recommendation approving the use with a fence around the back of the property.
The proposed Smithfield's Chicken and Bar-B-Q approved Monday night would be built at the intersection of U.S. 70 and N.C. 581 in front of the Rosewood Walmart.
Access to the restaurant would be provided through the existing parking lot at the shopping center.
The board also approved a used car lot at the corner of Berkeley Boulevard and New Hope Road, an auto repair business on Grantham Street and a coin laundry business on Cashwell Drive.