Salisbury Planning Board discusses two large rezoning projects

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 26, 2018

SALISBURY — A city official outlined two zoning projects for the Planning Board for members to “chew on” ahead of a public discussion at a Tuesday meeting at City Hall.

The large rezoning projects include converting institutional campuses to community interest zoning and converting Westwood subdivision to mobile home district neighborhoods.

“We’re finding that you have other IC/CI uses that are not campus-oriented,” said Preston Mitchell, development and code services manager for the city.

The board discussed what Mitchell could add to his presentation to allow them to properly address residents who have concerns about the conversion.

“What I’d like to do next is go back and I’ll do exactly what y’all have asked,” Mitchell said. “One, I’m going to add zoning and nonconforming columns, and then what I’m going to do is sort by zoning and put them into groups like (John) Schaffer was talking about.”

Mitchell said generally, the rezoning will benefit nonresidential properties but may not be appropriate for residential properties. Board members asked if everyone must comply with the rezoning even if they are against it.

“As we get into it, we may find that some folks may not want to do this,” Mitchell said. “If they don’t want to do it, that’s fine. I don’t think it would be very cool if the city said we converted the IC to CI, this is something that you have to do. That’s not the environment that we’re in right now.”

PJ Ricks, a Planning Board member, responded to Mitchell.

“We would be up in arms. Period,” she said. “If you tell us, we have to do something and you should not tell us we have to do it.”

Mitchell said he would make the additions to prepare the Planning Board for owners’ comments by the Oct. 23 meeting.

Mitchell also presented converting the Westwood subdivision zoning to MHD-neighborhood.

He said the subdivision has manufactured and mobile homes, and with the conversion it will allow the Planning Department to better address changes they want.

Randy Reamer questioned the bounds of the proposed area, citing his familiarity with the subdivision. Mitchell said they can continue to discuss this and bring it back at the Oct. 9 meeting.

The board briefly discussed an electronic message center for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College that would be seen from Interstate 85.

It also appointed a liaison to the technical review committee. John Schaffer will be the regular nonvoting member, and Dennis Rogers will be the alternate.

“It’s valuable for Planning Board to have a seat at the table,” Bill Wagoner said.

The board talked about two vacancies and trying to find people to fill them.

The next Planning Board meeting is at 4 p.m. Oct. 9.