GRANITE QUARRY — All signs point to Granite Quarry.
Rather, the Granite Quarry Board of Aldermen hopes at least eight new state directional signs will.
Aldermen passed a resolution Monday night asking the N.C Department of Transportation for the signs.
“So people know we’re here,” Mayor Pro Tem Bill Feather said.
The sign recommendations come from the Planning Board, whose members recently met with DOT Division Engineer Pat Ivey, and from a newly formed town revitalization team.
Locations for the signs directing motorists toward Granite Quarry would include Interstate 85 at Julian Road, Interstate 85 at Innes Street, Jake Alexander Boulevard at U.S. 52, Heilig Road at Faith Road, Faith Road at Old N.C. 80, Faith Road at Byrd Road and U.S. 52 at N.C. 49.
Feather said the revitalization team also could be looking for the DOT’s help in erecting way-finding signs on state-maintained roads within the town limits. They would direct people to specific areas of the town (not businesses).
Elsewhere, following up on a traffic issue brought to them in March, aldermen agreed to parking restrictions on South Walnut Street in front of Granite Quarry Elementary School.
Police Chief Mark Cook and Sharon Gardner, risk manager for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, expressed concerns in March that the number of vehicles parking in front of the school on South Walnut Street would restrict access by fire, emergency and law enforcement vehicles.
The school-related parking also was eating up on-street spaces used by neighboring residents to the school.
Based on Cook’s recommendations, aldermen agreed to these items:
• No-parking signs will be placed on the school side of South Walnut Street from Bank to Wall streets, covering a period from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. on school days.
• To ensure residential parking for apartment residents who do not have off-street driveways, the town will paint eight spaces and mark them for residential parking only from 109 S. Walnut St. towards Bank Street.
Cook said this will allow two parking spaces per apartment, plus two additional spots.
• The current no-parking lines on South Walnut Street and the allowed parking spaces on South Walnut and Lyerly streets will be repainted.
“We also felt with the marked parking for the apartments and with the reduction of parked cars by school staff,” Cook said, “there is not a need to develop parking passes for the residents.”
Principal Vicki Booker has directed all teachers and staff to park in the staff parking lot and not on the street, and Cook said “this has greatly reduced the parking issue in itself.”
In a couple of other matters connected to the DOT, Feather said residents should be reminded of a significant change coming in July, when the Division of Motor Vehicles begins collecting property taxes on automobiles at the same time people are renewing their vehicle registrations.
Separate property tax bills on vehicles will no longer be sent out from county tax offices, according to officials. “It’s going to be interesting,” Mayor Mary Ponds predicted.
Feather also asked town Maintenance Director Kim Cress to see whether the DOT could provide a roadside cleanup crew for the section of Old N.C. 80 from the town limits to Faith Road. He said the litter along the road makes it look like a ticker-tape parade had been held.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.