By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — After approval from the Planning Board, a once-controversial Catawba College rezoning request will be heard on Tuesday by the City Council.

The request would rezone a swath of land located north of the campus to a classification that would allow for reuse of homes for college-related purposes or campus expansion. Additionally, the college wants to rezone three parcels to a classification that aims to provide environmental protections.

In late March, the Salisbury Planning Board approved the request, which was modified to satisfy neighbors on the south end of Catawba’s campus. The original request proposed rezoning property in neighborhoods to the south of campus, too. It was removed after lobbying from residents who live near the college.

The Salisbury City Council will consider the modified request at 5 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall — 217 South Main St. A public hearing will be held in conjunction with the request.

The city’s staff report says Catawba College is proposing the rezoning “to allow for additional growth opportunities, as well as further protect environmentally sensitive lands.”

One part of the modified request would change 17 residential parcels of land to the city’s institutional campus classification. The parcels are located along North Park Drive and Duke Circle.

Catawba College has either acquired or will receive a majority of the property along the two roads, according to the city’s staff report.

Meanwhile, the land Catawba wants to change to open space preserve is “heavily encumbered by floodplain and/or floodway,” the city’s staff report says. The open space preserve land sits near or adjacent to Grants Creek.

In other business on Tuesday’s agenda:

• City Council will receive an update from Police Chief Jerry Stokes.

• City Council will hold a closed session to discuss an unnamed economic development matter.

• As part of its consent agenda, the council is scheduled to award a $175,177.50 contract to RDR, Inc. for the Ryan Street Waterline Upgrade Project.

• As part of its consent agenda, the City Council is schedule to approve a $10,000 grant to help with the repair of a brick wall on the side of Wong’s Chinese Restaurant on East Council Street.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.