By Emily Ford
eford@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Neighborhood advocates are encouraging people to support creation of the city’s first housing commission by attending a public hearing at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
“Please come to show support for strong action to save our neighborhoods,” Garth Birdsey said on the Facebook event he created.
So far, eight people on the Facebook invitation have said they will attend the hearing, which will be held during Salisbury City Council’s regular meeting at 217 S. Main St.
Council members will consider establishing the Housing Advocacy Commission, which would not fine homeowners or landlords but would work with city staff and community groups on housing issues.
Among other duties, the nine-member group appointed by City Council would:
• Meet with city staff quarterly to hear about neighborhood conditions and housing activities.
• Educate people about tenant right and tenant/landlord responsibilities.
• Provide a forum for issues related to fair housing and tenant/landlord responsibilities.
• Partner with groups to improve community conditions.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, City Council will consider:
• Adopting the long-awaited Salisbury Bicycle Plan, a one-inch-thick document that suggests many ways to encourage more people to ride bikes, including a network of bike lanes and loops throughout the city.
• Closing Barringer Street 1 p.m. until midnight Oct. 22 to accommodate the Brick Street Live Series at Castaways.
• Accepting a $900 grant from the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program.
• Establishing a 30-day comment period for naming the future flag concourse in City Park “Patriots Flag Concourse and Memorial.”
• Awarding a contract not to exceed $100,000 to McKim & Creed Inc. for professional engineering services related to the Second Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant Elimination Project, contingent upon funding assistance provided by Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
• Adopting a text amendment to the city’s Uniform Construction Standards Manual to establish a minimum 24-inch vertical separation between sanitary sewer lines and storm drain lines in accordance with N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Minimum Design Criteria.
• Public comment.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.