By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — There was no opposition or any comment by residents this week on a rezoning request by a local businessman who wants to rent property to a construction company to be used for storing and crushing concrete.

The town board met Monday and held a public hearing, but town officials said no one spoke against the plan.

The request was made by Archie Jarrell for property off Interstate 85 Exit 81 on a frontage road at the end of Montclair Avenue. The property is a little less than 5 acres and essentially is an access road that runs parallel to Interstate 85 on the northwest side and is accessible by Long Ferry Road. It kind of dead ends into this property.

The property is undeveloped and is adjacent to Schwann’s and land that is owned by Salisbury’s waste treatment plant, said Town Planner Joe Morris.

The closest residential property is on Heiligtown Road about a quarter of a mile away.

The property would be used as a concrete recycling yard. The plan is to lease it to Central Piedmont Builders Inc., whose owner is Peter Vriesema.

The materials storage yard would take concrete from construction sites. The company would bring in equipment to grind up the concrete into an aggregate that is suitable for roadbed and paving on parking lots. This keeps the concrete out of landfills, Morris said.

Jarrell requested the property be changed from highway business to economic development zoning. It is outside the city but in the zoning jurisdiction.

Morris said the matter went before the East Spencer Planning Board in April and was approved as a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen.

There was some concern about the possible noise from the concrete crushing equipment, but Vriesema assured the board that noise from traffic on the interstate would be much louder. The crushing will be very infrequent, he said.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.