Shortly after the meeting begins at 6 p.m., the commissioners will hold three public hearings for rezoning requests. The first hearing will be for Howard Lichtenberger’s request to rezone a one-acre lot at the corner of Old Westfield Road at Matthews Road. Lichtenberger first came before the board in February to request the rezoning of the property from Rural Agricultural to Highway Business-Conditional so he could open a sports bar. The planning board recommended that the property be rezoned but that arcades, private recreation clubs, drinking establishments, billiard or pool halls, indoor recreation, and night clubs and places of entertainment be removed from the list of permitted primary uses.
The issue has been held in limbo ever since, but Planning Director Kim Bates said on Friday that Lichtenberger had indicated that he would move forward with a plan that fit planning board regulations. One permitted use for the property would be a restaurant, but items such as pool tables or electronic games would be disallowed if the commissioners follow the planning board’s recommendations. The commissioners will discuss the topic on Monday.
The commissioners also will hold two other public hearings regarding zoning requests. One rezoning applicant is Sharon Lowe, who has requested a 21.54-acre at 1039 Red Hill Creek Road be rezoned for single-family residential purposes. This would allow stick-built, modular and doublewide manufactured homes to be located on the property. The final request is from Randy Stanley to reclassify a 16.74-acre tract at 118 Aranda Lane, off of Highway 601 South, from Rural Agricultural to Manufacturing Industrial for industrial purposes.
At 6:30 p.m., Brent McKinney with Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) is scheduled to give a transportation update to the board.
Then at 6:45 p.m., Lloyd Payne, town manager of Elkin, will come before the board to talk about improvements to the Elkin Tennis Courts. These courts are used by the high school and middle school in Elkin and for tournaments, but the courts have begun to deteriorate. Engineers have recommended a complete renovation, which would cost an estimated $299,400. Elkin is requesting a dollar-for-dollar match from the county to cover a portion of the project. The proposal is for the town and county to provide roughly half of the funding.
Around 7 p.m., the board will recognize people for receiving the North Carolina Award for Outstanding Volunteer Services. Then the board will take a break.
John Shelton, Emergency Services director, is scheduled to come before the board at 7:30 p.m. to discuss a proposed AirCare helicopter placement in Surry County. In a letter submitted to the board, Shelton said that North Carolina Baptist Hospital has proposed basing a helicopter at the Elkin Airport. The contract would include hiring four Surry County paramedics with the hospital funding all salaries, benefits and training. Shelton said in the letter that the service will “allow quicker response times to those in need.”
The meeting will conclude with general business from the county manager and commissioners and a closed session to discuss personnel and economic development matters.
The meetings of the Surry County Board of Commissioners are regularly held at the Surry County Government Center, 118 Hamby Road, Suite 329, Dobson. This meeting is open to the public. Any person with a disability needing an accommodation at the meeting should contact the county manager’s office at 401-8201. Elkin residents should call 366-8201.
Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.
Post a Comment
