Neighbors tell City Council they are against solar farm, massage clinic
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on October 20, 2015 1:46 PM
Goldsboro's City Council chamber was standing room only Monday night as several public hearings drew both supporters and opponents.
During a public hearing regarding whether to allow a rezoning of property on Salem Church Road that would allow construction of a solar farm, two people stepped forward to voice concerns about the proposal.
Christopher Howell said he grew up on the property, currently owns land near the proposed site, and is concerned about the value of his and his neighbors properties depreciating if a solar farm is built on the site.
Attorney Beth Trahos represented Highwater Solar and spoke in favor of the rezoning. The 14-acre property is currently owned by William and Mary Howell, who would be leasing the land to the company for the construction of the solar farm, Mrs. Trahos said.
Solar farms make little to no noise, and would cause no serious trouble if built on the property, she said.
"Solar farms are good neighbors. They're low intensity uses, they are not staffed, there are no buildings on site, there's no need for water or sewer, they're low to the ground and the solar panels themselves at their peak, since they're mounted on racks and the rack are driven into the ground without the benefit of concrete so they're easy on the ground and soil, are about 10 feet tall at their peak," Mrs. Trahos said.
William Howell, who was not at the meeting, is Christopher Howell's uncle. The property was recently clear-cut of all its trees.
"This property is adjacent to my mother's estate, and we know, after talking with business people that are much more in the know than I am on these matters, and financial experts and people who are helping with the management of her estate today, we know that the property will be depreciated immediately when a solar farm is put in," Christopher Howell said.
It would also be an eyesore, he added.
Another neighbor, Stephen Howell, also spoke in opposition to the measure -- he is of no relation to Christopher or William Howell.
His concern is that since the property falls in the city's one-mile extra-territorial jurisdiction, the property owners have no council member representing them.
"I'm assuming that this is within the one-mile jurisdiction of the city of Goldsboro, is that correct? Is that why we're before the City Council?" Stephen Howell asked the council members. "And to me, you know, we do not have a voice being represented here tonight. There is no one up here that we can vote for to me that has our interest at heart."
Stephen Howell also voiced concerns about the solar farm damaging the aesthetics of the property.
"What really bothers me is prior to maybe less than six months ago, when I stood out my front door, all you saw was trees," Stephen Howell said. "Now where this solar farm is prepared to go, all the trees have been timbered. So now, whenever we look out our front door, all we're going to see is a solar farm. That concerns me as a property owner, I also own a house on Salem Church Road that joins this property, and another lot beside this house, so we are impacted every way that you go. And to me, the solar farm would hurt our tax values. We have invested lots of money in our neighborhood of hundreds of homes."
The next public hearing to draw public comment was on a request by Mark Kuhns to be issued a conditional use permit to construct an accessory dwelling on his property on Shelley Drive.
"The purpose of this is not to rent it out. It's not going to be an eyesore," Kuhns said. "My wife's mother passed away this year, and they (her parents) lived in Michigan. They come down here for the winter time because it's very harsh up there, and we want to give him (the father-in-law) a place where he can feel like it's his."
But Carl Martin spoke against the proposal, saying he has noticed a trend in his neighborhood of accessory dwellings being built and that they are indeed eyesores.
"I empathize with the property owner's desire to provide his father-in-law with a part-time residence during the winter months," Martin said. "I understand what it's like to be in the North, having been raised in New York City. I've experienced many of those cold winters, and as a result of that, I decided to move down and have my house built here in the South."
The last hearing of the night regarded a request for a conditional use permit by Kathy Moore to open a massage therapy clinic on North Herman Street.
Rose Goodyear spoke against the request, claiming the site does not have enough room for the required number of parking spaces.
"Not only the parking, but I wanted to make sure to be clear that this business was going to be compatible with the area and registered with the North Carolina State Attorney General's office and Better Business Bureau and all of that, to make sure it's of our Christian values," Mrs. Goodyear said.
Denise Kearney rebuked the implication that Mrs. Moore's massage clinic would be anything but professional, speaking in favor of the request.
Mrs. Moore has already been operating a massage clinic in Goldsboro for 15 years and wishes to relocate the business to North Herman Street.