By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
Salisbury City Councilmen William “Pete” Kennedy and Mark Lewis will serve on a committee looking at Livingstone College’s request to close Old Plank Road between Thomas and Craige streets.
The college also has asked the city to participate in the $50,000 cost of building a resulting cul-de-sac on Old Plank Road, if the section were closed.
Council held a public hearing on the proposed closing Tuesday. Two nearby residents spoke against the closing, part of a campus renovation project that State Alexander, executive assistant to the president, said would be more pedestrian friendly for students and faculty.
Reginald Brown, who lives at Thomas and Torrence streets, submitted a petition against the closing.
Brown warned that it would increase traffic on West Thomas Street and the response time for emergency vehicles.
“We have enough traffic over there now,” Mamie Anderson of West Thomas Street added.
Lewis said it was difficult to reach a decision on the closing Tuesday without more study and Kennedy’s input. Kennedy could not attend Tuesday’s meeting.
Lewis and Councilman Bill Burgin wondered aloud what kind of precedent the city would be setting if it participated in the college’s costs for a cul-de-sac.
“That’s a pretty good hit,” Burgin added.
City staff raised concerns about closing a portion of the road. They said it failed to support a policy of the Salisbury Vision 2020 Plan that promotes “a fully connected honeycomb of streets” and “multiple, alternative outlets from the area to adjoining neighborhoods and major streets.”
Staff members also warned of the precedent that would be set and reminded council it must find that closing the road wasn’t contrary to the public interest.
Burgin encouraged the council committee to include representatives from fire, police and traffic engineering in their discussions about the college’s request.
In another matter, council set Aug. 21 as the public hearing date for a proposed ordinance that would give it the authority to issue or deny demolition permits in the downtown historic district.
The N.C. General Assembly ratified House Bill 1202 in June which gave council permitting authority on downtown demolitions with adoption of a local ordinance.
Similar legislation was passed this year for New Bern, Cary and Wake Forest. The first local bill of this nature was ratified in 2005 for Statesville.
Salisbury City Council wanted greater authority over demolitions after the razing in 2006 of three century-old structures on West Fisher Street, to make way for a planned expansion of First United Methodist Church.
On another downtown matter Tuesday, City Council recognized partners involved in paving the way for Downtown Salisbury Inc.’s recent $1 million purchase of the Empire Hotel on South Main Street.
Downtown Salisbury Inc. is now seeking development proposals for the property, sold by the Ragsdale family of Jamestown.
Mayor Susan Kluttz recognized Dick Huffman, president of Downtown Salisbury Inc.; Randy Hemann, executive director of DSI; William G. Ragsdale III, William G. Ragsdale IV and George Ragsdale, former owners of the property; and the seven banking partners who are absorbing the carrying costs of the building.
The Ragsdales made a gift sale of the property to DSI. The family’s gift is the difference between the appraised value of the Empire Hotel and the $1 million it received in the sale.
The banking partners are Bank of North Carolina, Citizens South, Community Bank of Rowan, Community One, F& M, First Bank and Wachovia.
Lewis said a special nod should go to Brian Miller and Burt Brinson, both of Citizens South, for their roles in bringing all the competitive banks together on this project.
Lewis said Paul Fisher, chief executive officer of F&M Bank, also serves as a role model for everyone in the local banking business.
F&M services the revolving fund for Downtown Salisbury Inc., and its example made it easier for the other banks to come on board for the Empire Hotel project, Lewis said.
Huffman said that the out-of-town developers who have visited Salisbury to look at the Empire Hotel have been impressed with what’s happening in the downtown and “blown away” by the seven-bank partnership.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka@salisburypost.com.