Council to discuss new Herman Park Center
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on January 15, 2017 1:45 AM
The Goldsboro City Council is set to consider design plans that could one day lead to construction of a new 52,000-square-foot, two-story Herman Park Center on Ash Street.
The council will consider the plans Tuesday during its regular meeting, at 7 p.m., in City Hall, 214 N. Center St.
The recommended plan was selected from six options, which were reviewed by the public in August.
The plan includes a two-story, 20,000-square foot gymnasium, another 9,000-square-foot gymnasium, multiple rooms for adults, youth, arts and crafts and outside amenities.
HH Architecture, which is working under a $39,500 city contract, will add the designs to the Herman Park Master Plan and will provide the council with the estimated cost of construction in the future.
The city council has not voted on construction for the building, which is estimated to cost close $10 million. A decision is expected this year.
In other business, the council will consider conditional-use permit requests for an internet sweepstakes business and a convenience store interested in relocating along South Slocumb Street.
The council is expected to vote on a permit that would allow the owner of Brookside Mart to move his store from 2000 S. Slocumb St. to a larger building, at 1717 S. Slocumb St.
An earlier conditional-use permit request for an internet sweepstakes business in the Village Square, at 207 S. Berkeley Blvd., will also be revisited.
The property owner, Chris Boyette, also a member of the Goldsboro Planning Commission, is asking council to deny the permit.
Boyette said he has another possible tenant for the building and decided to choose the "path of least resistance," after the permit request created controversy from nearby business owners.
The owners of the All American Barber Shop have been concerned about the location of the business, after Parkash Patel, who owns other businesses in the city, asked for a permit to open an internet sweepstakes business.
"I had another opportunity that presented itself there that I'm in negotiations with," Boyette said.
The council plans to hold a public hearing, near the beginning of its meeting, for a conditional-use permit request from Mazin Saleh, who is interested in opening an internet sweepstakes business in the Southeast Plaza shopping center, at 211 N.C. 11 South.
The business would have 30 gaming stations and operate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
The request will go before the planning commission this month and the commission will recommend council action during its Feb. 6 meeting.
Also during Tuesday's meeting, the council will consider:
* A reimbursement agreement with Duke Energy, which has approved a $10,000 grant for the city to install a dual-port electric vehicle charging station, planned to locate in the John Street parking lot downtown.
* A five-year lease agreement with the Yamaha Motor Finance Corp. for 58 new golf carts, at a $48.95 cost per month per vehicle, for the Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course.
* A proposal from the Travel and Tourism Department to enter into a $29,880 contract with Igoe Creative for marketing and advertising of the 2017 Wings over Wayne Air Show on radio, television and billboards.
The council will meet for a work session at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Annex, at 200 N. Center St.
The reinspection of properties condemned after Hurricane Matthew, a W.A. Foster Recreation Center suspension policy, mobile office, and council retreat dates will be discussed.