DOBSON – Three properties attended county officials last week on requests for zoning changes. Two went well, but one met with opposition.
Two of the rezoning requests were for someone who wanted a place to operate a small business. One man talked about his furniture making / retouching work and another said he wanted to sell golf carts and possibly vehicles.
The third request concerned the construction of a housing unit for several residents in Bannertown.
The Surry County Commissioners Council heard speakers on both sides of the issue involving 174 New St., which is the road that runs behind the Dollar General store at US 52 Business.
Manuel Contreras owns 1.3 hectares of land along New Street. He already owns a small unit of six families on the street. The land and construction tax amounts to $ 164,000, according to a report by the Planning Council to the council. Contreras wants to add another similar unit to the side.
Joseph Jose Melendez spoke on behalf of the landowner.
Melendez said that the owner remodeled the existing unit, doing everything according to the book, and that he wants to do everything according to the new apartments.
Randy Parker, who lives across the street on Gwyn Avenue, said during the renovation, “there were a lot of robberies in the community.”
“The people who are there now have wild parties, drinks, noise, ordinary music coming out of the speakers,” said Parker. Regarding the new structure, he said: “I object”.
Haywood Easter said it occupies two lots on New Street.
One of the main concerns he has with any additional housing on the short street is the condition of the road.
“Vehicles cannot travel side by side,” said Easter.
He said he has been in talks for several years about the North Carolina Department of Transportation extending New Street south to the US 52 bypass. Then truck traffic could be directed from NC 103 in Flat Rock away from the intersection from the city center on Renfro Street / East Pine Street and then to the highway on New Street.
With the possibility of much more traffic in the residential neighborhood, the question arises of widening the roads for people’s personal effects, as well as the danger of children entering the road. This could be made worse by adding multifamily units there, he believed.
“I have nothing against the current owner,” said Easter. “I think his world. … He did a wonderful job repairing the apartments. “
“In the past, there was a lot of drug activity in the apartments,” he continued. That hasn’t been the case since Contreras took over, but it may still be a concern in the future.
“To be honest with you, we are opposed to these apartments being built before anything is done (to improve conditions).”
Easter said he knows he will lose the fight against the apartments because Contreras owns the property, pays his taxes and has the right to pursue the American dream. But he wanted to draw attention to the problems in the neighborhood “before we rush into it”.
Chelsea Ward told the commissioners, “I feel like I am the one who would be most affected by the apartments, because I am the property next to the lot.”
Like Easter, she said she has nothing against Contreras and thanks him for repairing the existing apartments.
“I think it helped the neighborhood,” she said. “I feel like we have better people there now, without any problems.”
However, she feels that having an apartment building next to her would take away her personal privacy and decrease the value of her property.
There are some trees between the lots to create protection, but Ward fears that they will be cut down during construction.
Johnny Easter, the county’s development services director, explained that with condition use zoning, commissioners and the planning council can establish certain conditions before approving the rezoning.
For example, the first building was built before there was a municipal water service on the street, said the director. If Contreras wants to build a new complex, both buildings must be connected to Monte Airy’s water and sewage service.
Commissioner Larry Johnson noted that the neighbors do not appear to have any problems with the landowner and how he is trying to improve the property, and asked if anyone came to the planning council meeting to complain.
Johnny Easter said that no one came to the planning council, although he did receive some calls and those concerns were brought to the attention of the council.
Commissioner Van Tucker said that commissioners generally vote yes or no, but wondered if commissioners could vote no and send it back to the planning board to address some of the issues raised.
The director said that this could be done, and said that this rezoning only affects land use. Any structure that was built on that land is another matter and would have to go through the proper licensing process with the municipality.
The director said that this second issue would cover topics such as adequate retreat from the road facade, adequate parking for families and possible privacy buffers / fences between it and neighboring lots.
President Mark Marion asked Melendez if Contreras would have a problem complying with conditions like buffering and parking.
Melendez said he would be forced to do everything for the book and follow county conditions. “He is very specific about how he wants things to be done.”
After hearing Easter, the commissioners decided to send the rezoning back to the planning board to address these issues.
The director said he would like to give the owner ample chance to prepare for the meeting, so he suggested the board meeting in March instead of February.
• The next rezoning order came from Lorn Perkosky, who plans to open a 1.77-acre business on Cook School Road, at the rear of Kevin Powell’s Foothill Ford, said Johnny Easter.
The order covers two plots: one 1.32 acres for the business and the other 0.45 acres next to it.
The director said the issue was unanimously approved by the planning board, as he had no objections.
Perkosky admitted that he did not know that he could not simply use the land in any way he wanted. He said he could not imagine anyone wanting to use the land for residential construction because it is so close to US 52 that there is a lot of noise from the road.
In fact, because of the noise outside, he said it looks like a good place to put up a workshop that would occasionally make its own noise.
The commissioners approved this request.
• Tony Tilley came before the council for a new zoning at 0.92 an acre on Tom Jones Road in Ararat. He wants to sell golf cars and cars.
The planning council noted in its recommendation that there are already two commercial structures on the Tilley estate.
Tilley said buffering is not an issue, as three-quarters of the surrounding space is his other property there.
Like Perkosky, Tilley was quickly approved by the county council.