Final draft of Parks and Recreation Master Plan ready

By Mark Wineka

mwineka@salisburypost.com

Salisbury City Council will receive Tuesday the final draft of a Master Plan update for Salisbury Parks and Recreation.

The Master Plan looks at parks and recreation needs and facilities in Salisbury through 2020 and represents an update of a 2000 plan.

The city once again selected Woolpert of Charlotte to serve as a consultant for the plan update.

Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St.

Council also will consider a separate master plan for Lincoln Park.

In another matter Tuesday, council will consider amending the site plan for a proposed Courtyard Marriott off East Innes Street, near Interstate 85.

Bhupendra Patel has asked that the footprint and elevations of the hotel building approved earlier be changed to reflect a new Marriott prototype.

The four-story hotel's size has been reduced from 99 to 94 rooms, and the exterior will have more curves on the ground floor, according to engineer Kevin Rosensky of Wilson & Lysak Inc. of Greensboro.

Patel told a Post reporter last week that he hoped construction on the hotel could start by early 2010. The site is located behind the Blue Bay restaurant where a Howard Johnson hotel once stood.

The hotel would be about 55,000 square feet. The Planning Board voted 7-0 for the site plan change last week.

Kelley Properties no longer owns the property.

In other agenda items, council will:

- Hear from a committee of Mayor Pro Tem Paul Woodson and Councilman William "Pete" Kennedy about a proposed site plan and rezoning for a new Taco Bell restaurant on Jake Alexander Boulevard near N.C. 150.

At its meeting July 21, council agreed to have additional discussion with the developer, landowner and surrounding neighbors and businesses.

The committee met July 24.

- Hear reports on Congestion Mitigation Air Quality sidewalk projects, the fiber-optic utility's progress and the recent award of a COPS grant to cover the cost of four existing Salisbury Police officers for the next three years.

- Receive a report from the Salisbury Housing Authority about its completion of the Carpenter's Corner apartments at Old Concord Road and South Shaver streets.

- Recognize Finance Manager Wade Furches for obtaining the Certified N.N. Public Finance Officer designation.

- Recognize budget analyst Evans Ballard for obtaining the Certified Budget and Evaluation Officer designation.

- Recognize the Management Services Department for receiving the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

- Proclaim Tuesday as National Night out in Salisbury and Aug. 15 as the Great American Smoke-Out.

- Consider the closing of the 100 block of West Fisher Street from 2-8 p.m. and the 100-200 block of North Main Street from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 4 for the United Way Kick-off.

- Consider the partial closing of the 200 block of West Fisher Street from Church Street to just east of the Wrenn House parking lot from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 10 for the Rowan Blues and Jazz Society festival.

- Consider giving Police Chief Mark Wilhelm the authority to award custody of the retired canine Jagger to his handler, Officer Mark W. Shue.

Council meetings are streamed live at www.salisburync.gov/council/webcast.html and shown later in the week on Time Warner Cable's Access 16 television station.