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Sylva leaders look at proposed town steep-slope regulations
By Stephanie Salmons
Sylva leaders heard from town planning board member Bill Graham last Thursday, March 20, about a draft of the steep-slope and hillside development regulations put together by the planning board.
The draft ordinance states that its aim is to regulate development and growth on land with a slope of 15 percent or greater in order to “preserve the town of Sylva’s unique character, conserve the public health, safety and general welfare and to promote environmentally sound design and planning.”
The planning board voted unanimously March 17 to give the draft ordinance to the town board for comments after reviewing changes made following the planning board’s Feb. 14 meeting.
Graham said Planning Director Jim Aust is, through this ordinance, looking to provide definitions for technical terms, designate hillside and steep-slope areas, establish grading allowances based on the degree of slope, establish corridor-width standards, and provide standards for artificial slopes.
The ordinance also proposes to limit structure height up the slopes and work for protection of the ridgetops within city limits.
“We found it to be very tricky because you can limit the height of structures based on steepness of the slopes, but then you have to do something else when you get to the top because it’s flat again,” Graham told town board members.
At the planning board meeting, members discussed what steps to take next as far as getting the document adopted by the town.
“We don’t want to get too far along until we get the (town board members) to understand that it’s a pretty restrictive document,” planning board member Luther Jones said.
Jones said the planning board is making a suggestion to the town board, and that it is up to town leaders to make a final decision.
Town board member Stacy Knotts, who attends the planning board meetings, said that she and other town board members would like to know that the planning board supports this regulation.
“There’s a lot of work that has been put into this,” Mayor Brenda Oliver said. “We appreciate the efforts of our volunteers.”
Also March 20:
Knotts said that she was approached by Greening up the Mountain organizers about refunding vendor fees required for the festival.
The fees are $5 per vendor, Knotts said, adding that the town had made the refund the year before. She made the motion that the money be refunded.
Town Manager Jay Denton told the board that the town has refunded the money in the past since fees cannot be waived.
Board member Harold Hensley objected, saying that money is above what is budgeted for the Downtown Sylva Association, which sponsors the festival. Hensley has been vocal about his opposition for additional funding for the DSA.
Board member Ray Lewis said that he thought the board should wait to see what the town budget is going to look like before deciding to refund the vendor fees.
“It’s a way we can contribute to the festival directly,” Knotts said.
Board member Maurice Moody, who also serves on the DSA board said the money doesn’t go to fund DSA, but instead helps with the festival itself.
Board member Sarah Graham, who is also DSA director and the wife of Bill Graham, said the festival is funded through sponsorships.
“The success of the festival is based on the cooperation of those who organize it and the town staff,” Sarah Graham said. “It’s a good example on how the DSA and the town can cooperate to do good things for the town of Sylva. We appreciate the help that you give.”
Knotts’ motion was seconded by Moody. Sarah Graham excused herself from the vote. The motion was passed 3-2 with Hensley and Lewis opposing and Oliver casting the tie-breaking vote.
– Oliver asked Denton for an update on Bryson Park. Town leaders met with Sylva resident Charles Allen in January about potential upgrades to the park, which has historically served the town’s African-American community.
The town received a $10,000 grant from the county, which board members voted to use for renovations at Bryson Park. However, before allocating the money, board members wanted input from the people who use the park most.
Allen said in January that community members would like to see three separate areas: a family area, a playground area for younger children and an area that would cater more toward adolescents that would include basketball courts.
Sarah Graham said that it was her understanding after that meeting that the “ball was in our court” because town board members need to decide how much additional funding they would put with the $10,000 grant.
“That was my understanding as well,” Knots said. “They met and came up with the things they wanted, and I thought it was our turn to take a look at that and see how much we could afford to do and what certain elements are going to cost.”
Sarah Graham said that it would be nice to talk to members of the community again and see where their priorities are. Denton said that he would contact Allen again.
– Police Chief Jeff Jamison told board members that he had submitted another grant to the Governor’s Highway Safety program for additional equipment. Jamison also told board members that the detective division conducted an underage drinking campaign, in which there were 36 business checks of places that sell alcohol.
Of the 36, Jamison said there were eight citations issued.
Jamison said the maximum age for volunteers to help with the checks is 19 and they are required to carry their real identification cards and must tell clerks their real age if asked, Jamison said.
The volunteers were equipped with a wire and were accompanied by an undercover police escort, he said.
–Aust told board members that there were a number of new business applications. The Kole Kim building near Zaxby’s is complete, and B & B Gifts and Interiors has opened in one space there. The store will offer home decor and gifts, he said.
Aust added that New Creation Windows and Doors in East Sylva Shopping Center is hoping to open April 7. That store will be a show room of doors and windows for new construction projects and renovations, Aust said.
Aust also told the board that the demolition of Kirby Ensley’s Virna Lisa trailer park would soon be under way.
In November 2006, Aust found that Ensley’s property had dilapidated and unsafe trailers, some of which were occupied. Eleven of the 12 trailers were found to be in such bad shape that Aust ordered them torn down and removed. Only one of the structures was suitable for rehabilitation, Aust said at that time.
– Knotts brought up concerns about storm water run off along Savannah Drive. Oliver said that if it continues to be a problem that the town’s street committee could look at it.
“It is a problem,” Knotts said.
Board members agreed to contact the N.C. Department of Transportation about correcting some of the problems.
– Earlier in the month, board members met to discuss potential uses for the $3.5 million the town received in October from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund in exchange for the development rights to the town’s 1,088-acre Fisher Creek watershed, now known as Pinnacle Park.
That money was banked, and Sylva leaders agreed to use the interest earned to fund town projects.
Denton told board members that he had met with state Transportation Board member Conrad Burrell regarding a proposed Sylva-Dillsboro sidewalk that was discussed during a budget workshop earlier this month.
One suggestion was for a sidewalk connecting Sylva to Dillsboro, and another was to upgrade the parking lot at Pinnacle Park.
Denton told board members that Burrell is supportive of the proposed sidewalk and advised him to contact Division 14 Engineer Joel Setzer to discuss the project.
Denton also said he talked to Kayla Hudson of the Soil and Water Conservation District about assistance improving the Pinnacle Park parking lot. He and Public Works Director Dan Schaeffer plan to meet with Hudson to discuss the parking lot, he said.
The Scotts Creek pedestrian bridge is also near completion, Denton said.
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