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Sylva planning board hears proposal for conditional-use permit
By Stephanie Salmons
During the Sylva Planning Board’s Jan. 10 meeting, members heard from Don Arrington and Randy Kinsland, who have recently formed the recycling company Metalwood Inc. The pair requested a conditional use permit to continue with their plans.
Metalwood will be located off Skyland Drive on the old Stillwell property.
Arrington said the business will have two components. The first part of the business is collecting scrap metal. As opposed to taking metal to a staffed recycling center, individuals can bring scrap metal, which could also include junk cars, washers or dryers, to Metalwood, where they will be paid for the metal.
Arrington said the business’ second component would include accepting construction and demolition waste. The company will charge for this, but it will be a price that is competitive with what the county charges, he said. The company will not be allowed to accept solid waste or regular trash. All machinery will be hidden within the building, and no debris will be visible from the outside, he said. As soon as scrap metal is delivered to Metalwood, it will be crushed and placed in a trailer then will be removed and resold to a regional processing center.
Arrington told board members that a portion of the company’s budget has been set aside for landscaping and fences and assured them that measures will be taken to keep contaminants out of Scotts Creek; a floor drain would lead to a collection box, he said.
The company, which Arrington said would provide four new jobs, will take steps necessary to meet noise ordinance requirements.
Planning board members voted unanimously to recommend that the Sylva town board approve a conditional use permit for Metalwood.
Also Jan. 10:
– Board member Bill Graham brought up discussion of low- to middle-income work force housing.
“That is an issue that needs a solution” Planning Board Chairman Milt Wofford said. “Land in Sylva is so expensive and (there is) so little of it that’s buildable, it makes it difficult to build moderate income housing. I think there are some solutions we could look at down the road.”
– Planning Director Jim Aust asked the board to review an ordinance for interpretation. According to Aust, the county has contracted with an architect group to do a study to determine the feasibility of converting the former Southern Lumber property into the county school bus garage and administrative offices.
Aust said that the property is in the B-2 district and the current zoning ordinance mentions nothing about government facilities or maintenance garages. Aust said that he had to go back to the R-2, because whatever is permitted in the R-2 zoning district is permitted in the B-2.
According to Aust, the R-2 residential district permits government facilities, schools, libraries, fire protection and emergency medical services under a conditional use permit.
However, Aust said there is some ambiguity with the zoning ordinance. Aust said he wants to clarify that this would first be allowed before the county proceeds with its plans.
The board determined that since the bus garage would be an auxiliary facility for the schools, it fits the criteria.
– Aust told board members that the town would not be able to enact a ridgetop ordinance because none of the ridgetops within the city limit meet the necessary requirements of having an elevation of 3,000 feet or greater and of rising at least 500 feet from the adjacent valley floor. As for hillside developments, Aust told The Herald that the planning board is looking to control grading on slopes of 15 percent and above and is looking to control densities and intensities at 30 percent or greater to help maintain mountain stability.
Wofford reported on the Planning Board’s activities during the Sylva town board’s Jan. 17 meeting.
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