03/28/2024
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medline-elizabethtown-councilThe Elizabethtown Town Council met in their noon work session to review the agenda for Monday night’s Town Council meeting.

The board heard from Angie Medlin regarding the Connect NC Bond grant application for Tory Hole Park in the amount of $500,000.  She explained to the board that the town has already applied for the Duke Energy grant for the park as well.

Medlin said the project, if funded, will consist of adding Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility to the park and to the proposed items in the first phase of the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant improvements.

Some of the elements proposed for Tory Hall Park include swings near the river, a fishing pier and an elevated board walk, to name a few things. She noted that the proposed location of the swings along the river front would require there to be some timber removal.

There are also plans to incorporate an interpretive trail into plans for the park.

Medlin said the goal of the Duke Energy grant is to improve access to waterways, which the Tory Hole Park boardwalk will provide for visitors.

Also on the agenda will be four public hearings. The council reviewed information for those hearings.

Public works Director Pat DeVane spoke regarding the Amendment to Chapter 51 of the town’s Code of Ordinances regarding Backflow prevention/Cross Connection Control. DeVane said that the NC Plumbing Code and Nc Department of Environment and Natural Resources have codes in place to prevent back flow situations frock occurring. DeVane said the town has been following their codes for the past 15 years.

He said the town has a potable water system and the purpose of the backflow device is to prevent contamination of the water system.

“The back flow device eliminates that from happening,” said DeVane.

The program is limited to businesses and industries in the town, added DeVane. He told the board there is no fee presented with the adoption fo the ordinance.

The second public hearing is regarding a special use permit for a Solar Energy Generating Facility on M & M Street. In a related matter, the board is also schedule to conduct a public hearing regarding a 90-Day moratorium on Solar Farms.

Councilman Herman Lewis noted that he did not wish to reside near any high voltage transmission lines. Lewis also pointed out there is a drainage problem which occurs with the priority in question.  He also expressed concerns about the proposed decommissioning process once the solar farm has outlived its life expectancy.

In discussion on the related matter father moratorium, Town Manager Eddie Madden noted that the town currently does not have any ordinances that deal sole with solar farms. He said in the past, town staff have always followed the the town’s code involving public utilities. 

He also noted that the developer has voluntarily conformed with the requirements that will be presented to the board fo their consideration.

Mayor Sylvia Campbell said, “We are going to have to deal with it. It (solar energy) is the up and coming thing.”

Madden added that the board will have to decide where solar farms are permitted to be constructed.

The board will also hear a special use permit application request from Advantage Capital for Education regarding the Emerau:Bladen Charter School. According to information provided in the town’s agenda, The school is to be located on a pretty located between NC 87 East and Airport Road. The school will initially enroll 300 students and is projected to grow to 1,100 students over a seven year period. The board is expected to vote on the matter at tonight’s meeting.

The board will also consider approving the grant agreement for design services for the new airport terminal building at the ELizabethtown Airport. the project is funded through grant funds form the NC Division of Aviation. The project engineer is W. K. Dickson and Chris Adams is the architect.

Also, the board will be asked to approve a contract with Design Lines Ltd. for interior design work for the airport terminal building. This group also performed the interior design work for the Smithfield Airport. Madden said interior design work is not part of the grant and if approved the funds for this portion of work will have to come from the fund balance.

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