Kannapolis Council OKs sign ordinance
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009
By Hugh Fisher
hfisher@salisburypost.com
KANNAPOLIS ó After contentious debate, the City Council chose an option for modifying the city’s unified development ordinance, ending months of wrangling over how to handle existing businesses with poles and no signs.
Councilman Richard Anderson first brought the case of the Merita Bread Store on North Cannon Boulevard to the council’s attention at the Aug. 11 session.
The store, part of a multi-unit building, had a signpost from which the case which would hold a lighted sign had been removed.
Under the existing law, the store would have had to pay a $300 fee and go before the Board of Adjustment to get permission to replace the sign.
Currently, individual signs are not permitted at multi-tenant buildings. One marquee-type sign is permitted for all tenants.
Anderson has argued strenuously for changes to the law which would allow individual signs without the expense or potential to be turned down.
“The problem is those that are pre-existing have no option under the current ordinance,” Anderson said. “And it has taken us six months, as of this meeting, to get something done for our small business owners.
“Should the Board of Adjustment not agree, then that request is dead in the water, unless they (the business owners) want to pursue it in the courts,” Anderson said.
Anderson moved to adopt a new ordinance that would have allowed each tenant its own sign. But that motion died without a second.
Councilman Kenneth Geathers then moved for another option presented by city staff, allowing multiple signs for existing developments if the Board of Adjustment agrees ó in essence, giving an official status to the previous process.
Councilman Darrell Hinnant seconded that motion. It passed unanimously.
But Anderson then moved to waive the $300 fee to have the Merita store’s case heard by the Board of Adjustment.
Mayor Pro Tem Randy Cauthen seconded Anderson’s motion. After members discussed the precedent that such a vote would set, the measure failed on a 2-to-4 vote, with Hinnant, Geathers, Roger Haas and Mayor Bob Misenheimer voting against.
Councilman Gene McCombs was absent from the meeting due to illness.
In other business:
– The council unanimously approved a measure to use Community Development Block Grant funds to plan and construct the extension of Wood Street in central Kannapolis.
Extension of this street over an existing gravel service road will allow new development on nearby land owned by Prosperity Unlimited.
A 17-unit subdivision of affordable single-family homes is planned for that parcel.
Approximately $1 million in grant money will be devoted to the project.
– Council members voted down a resolution of support for the CONNECT Regional Vision and Action Agenda, a measure that would have asked Kannapolis to participate alongside 16 other counties in North Carolina and South Carolina in managing growth and related issues.
Al Sharp, executive director of the Centralina Council of Governments, gave a presentation on the plan.
The program would have had Kannapolis appoint a liaison to meet with representatives of other county and municipal governments.
That person would “participate actively in appropriate cabinets, work groups, and other decision-making bodies as requested,” according to the draft resolution.
Kannapolis would also agree to use CONNECT’s agenda as “a guide in their own decision-making about community growth.”
Council members were not impressed.
Geathers noted that potential member governments included those suing Kannapolis over the interbasin transfer agreement to bring water in from the Catawba River.
Cauthen was concerned about the potential of giving up Kannapolis’ ability to compete with other cities and counties for business investment.
“We also want a shot at other types of development,” Cauthen said.
Hinnant said he was worried that this compact would add another layer of government bureaucracy to planning.
“How can you tell me that this is not another layer of ‘meet and eat?’ ” Hinnant said, referring to regular invitations he said he gets for luncheon discussions.
Kannapolis is one of about 10 municipalities to turn down the agreement, out of some 20 surveyed, according to Sharp’s comments.
– Council members voted unanimously to earmark proceeds from a forthcoming book of historic Kannapolis photographs for use in local preservation activities.
The book, produced by the city, will be published in December; 2,000 copies are being ordered. The books will sell for approximately $35.