Regular Meeting
The
Staff Members Present:
2 and 3. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and the
meeting opened with an invocation by Rev. Otis Byrd, pastor of
4. Agenda
Adjustment: The
Motion By: Sack
Second By: DeBenedetto
Vote: Unanimous
Items Added to the
Agenda: Presentation of a flag that
flew in combat over
Items Removed from
the Agenda: None.
Consent Agenda
Items Moved to New Business: Item
9h., a resolution regarding I-540 construction and its funding.
Other Changes: None.
5. Public
Comment: At this time, an opportunity was provided for
members of the audience who had registered to speak to address the Council on
any variety of topics not listed on the night’s agenda. The following input was recorded: None.
6. Black History Month Proclamation – Mayor Sears presented a proclamation
designating February as Black History Month.
Presenting the proclamation to
Councilman Womble, Mayor Sears noted that
In homage to those who stayed in
Action: None.
6b. American
Flag – CW4 of the U.S. Army Tom
Wilson presented to Mayor Sears on behalf of the Town of
Mayor
Sears accepted the flag, nicely framed in a shadow box also holding a
photograph of the Black Hawk helicopter, an American flag patch and other
details. He said he was honored and he
thanked CW4 Wilson for the gift and for his service and for the service of all
military personnel.
The
Council expressed its appreciation, too, leading a standing ovation for CW4
Wilson.
7a.
Action: None.
7b. 2008
Farmers Market Update – Ms. Robin
Pfister, the town’s farmers market coordinator, gave an update of the upcoming
She presented information on programs that will be held
in cooperation with other Town entities, the market’s new sponsorship program
and some long-term goals.
Ms. Pfister said the market will be held each Saturday
from May through October in the Town Hall parking lot.
Action: None.
8a. Public Hearing:
Holly Grove Middle School, 07-SEU-11 – Mr.
Zawadski said the Town has received a request for a Special Exception Use to
locate a middle school near the intersection of Avent Ferry Road and Cass Holt
Road.
Mr.
Zawadski said that this project is being tabled to March 4 because the
transportation impact analysis still is being reviewed.
Mayor
Sears opened the public hearing to accept sworn testimony and qualified
evidence. Under oath administered by the
Town Clerk, the following provided testimony to be recorded: None.
There
being no testimony, the public hearing was continued.
Action: The Council approved a motion to continue the public hearing to resume at
Motion By: Sack
Second By: Womble
Councilman DeBenedetto
asked Mr. Zawadski to consider the Planning Board’s concerns about emergency
evacuation of students (in the case of an emergency at Shearon Harris Nuclear
Plant.)
Vote:
Unanimous.
8b. Public
Hearing: Rezoning Map Petition,
07-REZ-17 – Mr. Jones said the
Town has received a petition proposing to rezone approximately 118.24 acres
located along Little Moccasin Lane at Ralph Stephens Road from R-30 Residential
to CB: Community Business.
He said the subject property is located within the Southern
Gateway Area Plan and is designated as a
Mr. Jones explained requirements and purposes of the CB:
Community Business district.
He reported that the Planning Board recommends approval
of the rezoning petition. Discussion at
the Planning Board meeting included a concern about how potential traffic flow
would be managed.
Councilman Dickson noted that traffic flow and access
points would be determined during the site plan process, and Mr. Jones agreed.
With
that explanation completed, Mayor Sears opened the public hearing to accept
input. The following comments were
recorded:
Hugh
J. Gilleece – Mr. Gilleece, on
behalf of the developer and the property owner, spoke in favor of the rezoning
and said he was available if the Council had any questions.
The
Council had no questions.
The
public hearing was closed.
Action #1: The Council
approved a motion to accept the following statement as true: “The requested zone map change from R-30 to
CB is consistent with Vision
Motion By: Dickson
Second By: DeBenedetto
Vote: Unanimous
Action #2: The Council
approved a motion to adopt rezoning ordinance R08-02 to
approve Zone Map Change Petition #07-REZ-17 to change the zoning of 118.24
acres of Wake County
Motion By: DeBenedetto
Second By: Womble
Vote: Unanimous
A copy of Rezoning Ordinance R8-02 is
incorporated into these minutes as addendum pages.
9. Consent
Agenda: The Council approved a motion to approve all
items on the Consent Agenda. The motion
carried following a motion by
9a. Minutes - The Council approved minutes of the Council’s regular meeting held
9b. Budget
Amendment Report – The Council
received a report of monthly amendments
to the FY 2007-08 budget approved by the Town Manager. A copy of the budget amendment report is incorporated into these minutes
as addendum pages.
9c. Set Winter
Retreat Dates– The Council set a special
meeting to convene at
9d. FY 2008-09
Budget Public Hearing Date – The Council
set a public hearing for 7 p.m. Tuesday,
9e. Resolution
08-03 – The Council readopted Resolution 08-03 entering
into an interlocal agreement with NCDOT for a traffic signal at the
intersection of Optimist Farm Road and Sunset Lake Road and adopted the related
budget amendment. A copy of Resolution 08-03 and budget
amendment are incorporated into these minutes as addendum pages.
9f.
9g.
9h. Resolution
08-04 – This item was removed during agenda adjustment.
9i. Resolution 08-05 – The Council adopted
Resolution 08-05 endorsing in concept the potential exchange of real property
with another land owner. A copy
of Resolution 08-05 is incorporated into these minutes as an addendum page.
9j. Resolution 08-06 – The Council adopted
Resolution 08-06 accepting dedication of land at Cross Pointe from Stafford
Land Company. A copy of Resolution
08-06 is incorporated into these minutes as an addendum page.
9k. Budget
Amendment, $105,200 – The Council adopted amendments to the FY 2007-08
budget in the amount of $105,200 to cover cost of renovations to
9l. Carroll
Property - The Council authorized the town manager to execute
a Special Warranty Deed for the remainder portion of Carroll property on
9h. Resolution
08-04 – Mayor Sears asked Ms.
Stephenson to provide additional information about the I-540 project.
Ms.
Stephenson reported:
The
roadway now is being called “Triangle Expressway” and would run from Hwy. 55 in
It
is scheduled to go to bid this summer;
Scheduled
completion is 2011;
The
roadway is 19 miles from Hwy. 55 to
The
roadway is estimated to save 40 minutes a day in a commute;
Southern
Expressway, the portion of the loop that crosses over to
Reed
Simmons, director of public affairs for the Turnpike Authority, -- Mr. Simmons
addressed the Council, and reported that gap funding in the amount of $20
million is being requested from the state.
There
will be no toll booths on this roadway.
Instead, the road will be designed with open-road, overhead technology
that will bill motorists.
At
the end of the 40-year bond, the enabling legislation requires that the tolls
be removed… the same legislation also mandates that tolls collected would
remain in this area.
Councilman
Womble asked if there was any guarantee that the tolls would be eliminated
after the bonds were paid because of maintenance costs.
After
the bonds are paid, Mr. Simmons said, the Turnpike Authority will turn the I-50
right of way and maintenance over to NCDOT.
Councilman
DeBenedetto said he maintains that this portion of the roadway should not be
funded by tolls and that state leaders should be held accountable.
Councilman
Sack said he realizes that the consensus among the populace is that there be no
tolls, but that they also want the road.
He pointed out that the roadway is not in the state budget until 2032,
and he says he cannot do that to citizens who deserve an access to the north, even
if it means access to
Councilman
DeBenedetto maintained his position
Councilman
Dickson said he also felt the funds should be identified with the use of tolls.
Action: The Council
approved a motion to adopt an amended version Resolution 08-04 opposing the use
of tolls on The Triangle Expressway.
Motion By: Womble
Second By: DeBenedetto
Vote: The motion carried following a
3-1 vote. Councilmen DeBenedetto, Womble
and Dickson voted for the motion.
Councilman Sack voted against.
The
Council discussed emphasizing language in the draft resolution so that it is
exceptionally clear that the Town of
10. Other
Business: Councilmen commented on the good job staff did
on creating the popular rain barrel program.
Councilman Sack said he felt the Town should increase
efforts of recycling. He pointed out that
11. Manager’s
Report: Mr. Dean reported that the Town has turned
the spigots off from the City of
Councilman
Sack asked about water in the line. Mr.
Dean advised that
12. Closed
Session: None.
13.
Adjournment: There being no further business for the evening, the
Respectfully Submitted on
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Addendum pages as referenced in these
minutes follow and are a part of the official record.