By Joy Warren
The Elizabethtown Town Council met in regular session Monday evening for their final meeting of the fiscal year. At 5:30 p.m., there was a scheduled meeting for Town Council Members, Planning Board Members and Zoning Ordinance Committee Members to review the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Process. During the 7:00 p.m. meeting a public hearing was held. Mr. Dale Holland outlined the process of rewriting the Zoning Ordinance. “This process is needed as the Town’s Zoning Ordinance is out of sinc with federal and state level requirements”, stated Holland. An Advisory Committee has been established and will meet on June 16th. He encouraged citizens to come to the meetings and to follow the progress on the dedicated website at www.elizabethtownzoning.org. Council approved an ordinance for the Citizen Participation Plan for the Zoning Rewrite.
The second public hearing on the agenda was for comments regarding the FY 2016-2017 Budget. Eddie Madden, Town Manager indicated that there would be no tax rate increase, but the Sewer and Sanitation rates would increase. There were no public comments. Council later approved the Budget Ordinance as presented.
The final public hearing was held regarding changing a parcel of property on Mercer Mill/Brown Marsh Rd from Residential Agriculture to Bypass-Commercial. Public comments indicated that the property would be used for two billboards. Several adjacent landowners spoke against the proposed rezoning and indicated that the heirs of a property adjoining the parcel had not been notified as previous landowners were deceased. Later in the meeting Council decided to table the rezoning ordinance so that the current landowners could be contacted.
Mr. Cecil Marsh made a request to the Council to provide more handicapped parking downtown. He also indicated that there needs to be more ramp access to the sidewalks on Broad Street.
Mayor Campbell presented the Paul R Brown Leadership Academy with a plaque recognizing their positive accomplishments since starting the Academy. Roland T. McKoy, Headmaster accepted the plaque. The academy is the only public military Charter School in the state. They graduated their first class of Seniors this year and all six are heading to college.
In administrative matters, Council approved the Inmate Labor Contract with the NC Department of Public Safety; approved the Sign Proposal for Browns Landing at Lock and Dam #2; reappointed Wayne Edge to Elizabethtown ABC Commission and David Clark and Lee Greene to the Airport Commission; approved agreement with Sage Design Services for Tory Hole Park and preparation for PARTF Grant for Greene’s Lake and Conservation Park at the Industrial Park; approved the amended Customer Service Policy for the Utilities Department; and approved Utility Releases, Monthly Financial Report and Budget Amendments as presented.
The July meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, July 11th due to the July 4th Holiday.
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