By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
LANDIS — There have been rumors about plans for a home at 400 South Main Street to be turned into a McDonald’s. The property owner worked to dispel that rumor at Monday’s board meeting.
Marshall Miller with 522 Properties LLC told the board he has no immediate plans to redevelop the property, located at the intersection of South Main and West Rice streets, and is surrounded by other residential properties.
The company made a request to have the property rezoned from office institutional to general business.
Miller said he has not been in talks with McDonald’s about the property nor does he have any interested buyers.
Miller said it would bring in more tax revenue for the town if it were used as something other than a rental property or continued as a residence. The company just wants to be able to market it for a better retail opportunity.
The property needs electrical upgrades, the roof replaced, heating and air conditioning work, which would cost more than $50,000. He said the property is not liveable.
There’s several properties in the Landis and China Grove area that have businesses buffering residential areas including Family Dollar, Captain’s Galley Seafood, NAPA Auto Parts, Miller said.
A few residents spoke against the request, including Kay Corriher, who lived in the house about four years ago.
“The house is perfectly liveable,” she said.
She was the last person to reside in the home.
Corriher said she wouldn’t be opposed to it being a doctor’s office or lawyer’s office.
Since the early 1900s, the structure has been a residence.
“It’s beautiful the way it is. I’m against it,” said Matt Turner.
Turner’s property borders the property. He said he worries about noise and light pollution if the property is turned into a restaurant or other similar business.
Willie Pollard said he lives behind the property and is also against the zoning change.
“I didn’t hear any details about renting it or what they’ve tried to do with trying to sell the house,” Pollard said.
Pollard said he was “strictly against it.”
Donnie Johnson also said he’d like to know what’s going to be placed there before its approved.
The planning board gave the zoning request a negative recommendation while the staff said the property is located in a mixed use area it would not adversely affect the neighborhood.
The board approved the request amid groans and whispers from the crowd.
The board approved two other zoning change requests. One property at U.S. North and Old Beatty Ford Road and the other located at U.S. 29 North and Coldwater Street extension, both from light manufacturing to general business.
Neither properties have any immediate plans to place a business on the property but make the request to allow for better use of future retail developments and greater opportunity for future growth.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.

In other action
The Landis board also:
• Approved a resolution in favor of reinstating state funding to the N.C. Transportation Museum.
Foundation board member Sturgis Bryan spoke to the board about offering its support to the museum.
State proposed cuts reduced funding to the museum by 50 percent and will eliminate all state funding next year, Bryan said.
He asked the board to sign the resolution and contact their state representatives and push to reinstate funding.
• Set April 16 as a date for its first budget workshop. The board will meet at 6 p.m.
• Changed next month’s  meeting to May 14 at 7 p.m. because of Special Olympics activities the week before.