East Spencer to have public hearing to adopt budget, conditional use permit for charter school

Published 12:00 am Sunday, June 3, 2018

By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER —  On Monday the town board will consider the approval of a conditional use permit to rezone a building that would house the Essie Mae Kiser Foxx Charter School, but first the community will have an opportunity to give their thoughts during a public hearing scheduled during the board’s meeting.

The charter school, named for the late Essie Mae Kiser Foxx, who was a longtime East Spencer fixture and community advocate. The school will have an Aug. 22 opening, but are looking to use the former Northside Community Development Center, located at 729 N. Long St., as the location for the school.

The metal building is located on .92 acres across from Holmes Iron and Metal and is zoned R3 or residential. The building is owned by the Church of God of Prophecy.

The school officials never closed on a previous property located behind the former Dunbar Center and they needed a temporary site. The school would lease the building for a few years while they raised funds for a more permanent structure.

The Long Street building most recently housed a daycare center. The planning board held a courtesy hearing May 8 to formulate a recommendation to the board.

Conditional use permits are quasi-judicial and must include the swearing-in of those who want to comment, a presentation of the issue at hand, as well as testimony from those proponents of the rezoning and those opposed to it.

The board will also have a public hearing to adopt the 2018-19 budget. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at town hall, 105 S. Long St.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.