Hearing to be held on events ordinance
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 4, 2016 1:45 AM
The public Monday morning will have the opportunity to comment on a proposal before Wayne County commissioners to establish a special events ordinance for the county.
Should the ordinance be approved, commissioners are also expected to adopt a fee schedule to cover the cost of county personnel and equipment used at special events.
Commissioners normally meet on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. However, state law requires that newly elected commissioners take their oath of office on the first Monday in December following the November election.
All seven commissioners were re-elected in last month's general election. None had opposition.
An agenda briefing will be held at 8 a.m. The formal session will start at 9 a.m. Both will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
Commissioners will be sworn in and then select a new chairman and vice-chairman at the start of the 9 a.m. session.
The public hearing on the special events ordinance will start at 9:30 a.m.
The ordinance would apply to events attracting 500 or more people.
There are some exceptions -- events sponsored by local, state or federal government agencies, or schools located in Wayne County; regular church or worship activities or events; businesses holding events in venues designated to hold large numbers of people and where there is already a safety and emergency plan approved by the county.
There would be no cost to apply for a permit, but event organizers could be responsible for the cost of law enforcement and EMS provided by the county.
The fees being considered are:
* $20 per hour to be paid directly to county personnel involved in traffic control, event security, fire safety, medical safety or other facility and/or event support.
* ambulance standby, $41.50 per hour.
* quick response vehicle standby, $25.50 per hour.
* law enforcement vehicle, $19.75 per hour.
Payment would be required prior to the event being held.
The ordinance would not apply to any special events inside the corporate limits of a municipality.
However, it would include the extra-territorial jurisdictions surrounding a municipality.
In other business Monday, the board will consider motions to:
* approve commissioners' voting delegate for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners' 2017 Legislative Goals Conference.
* establish a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2017, on a request by Cedric Jackson to rezone 1.60 acres in the Saulston township from airport to residential agricultural-20.
* schedule a board budget retreat at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 18, at the Goldsboro Event Center.
* approve a resolution designating exempt and non-exempt county employees (for overtime pay) retroactive to Dec. 1.
* approve a revised Spring Forest preliminary subdivision plat.
* approve a revised Spring Forest Phase I final subdivision plat.
* act on a Duke Energy grant for three plug-in electric vehicle charging stations.
At 8:30 a.m., commissioners will hear a property tax exemption appeal by Highwater Solar 1. The county tax office earlier this year denied the company's application for the property tax exemption.
Commissioners will meet at 9:30 a.m. as the Board of Adjustment to hold a public hearing on a special use permit for the proposed Hood Solar Farm, 1185 Mark Edwards Road, Goldsboro.
Public comments will be taken at 9:15 a.m. Speakers will have four minutes to comment on their topic of choice.
Consent agenda items include: Application for Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion, Property Tax Exclusion Present Use Value and Elderly or Disabled Exclusion; approval of non-primary entitlement approach lighting system replacement grant agreement for the Wayne Executive Jetport and budget amendment; and budget amendments.