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By Lynn Hotaling
Sylva officials Aug. 7 approved a floodplain variance that will
allow a local church to proceed with construction of storage units
aimed at generating revenue to fund its planned expansion.
LifeWay Community Church requested the variance in order to expand
existing storage units on its Railroad Avenue campus. Income from
the units is earmarked for the church's building fund.
Approval of the variance does not jeopardize the town's standing
with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said zoning administrator
Jim Aust, who told town board members that he thought the proposed
construction could be done safely. Before voting to approve the
variance, board members stipulated that hazardous materials, explosives
or petroleum products may not be stored in the units.
The base flood elevation for Scotts Creek along the LifeWay property
is 2,029 feet, and the new units will be built on a concrete slab
at 2,029.1 feet, Aust said.
A variance is required because Sylva's flood damage prevention
ordinance requires new construction be 2 feet above base flood
elevations annotated on the Federal Insurance Rate Map, which
match those determined by FEMA, Aust said.
Mayor Brenda Oliver's concern that stored materials might damage
the environment in the event of a flood led to the inclusion of
the ban on storage of potentially hazardous materials.
LifeWay Assistant Pastor Scott Woodard told board members the
storage units will be temporary and that the church's master plan
calls for their removal.
Also Aug. 7:
- Despite a petition requesting that Sylva Police Officer Joe
Frigo resume his foot patrols on Main Street, Frigo will continue
to patrol N.C. 107 by automobile, said town board member Maurice
Moody, chairman of Sylva's public safety committee.
Sylva businessman Livingston Kelley appeared before the board
last week to ask them to return Frigo to his downtown duties.
"We did enjoy the time when Joe Frigo was on Main Street,
and we'd like to have him back," Kelley said.
The committee invited merchants to a July 30 meeting to discuss
the situation, Moody said, but decided to stick with the original
decision to put Frigo in a car so he could cover more area.
"Joe did an excellent job, and he was an excellent ambassador,"
Moody said. "But we felt the work he's doing by patrolling
in a car is more of an asset."
- Board members tabled a request from Cavanaugh and Associates,
engineers for the Moody Bottom sewer project, to approve change
orders totaling $60,000.
Cavanaugh's Jason Robinson made the request based on additional
costs associated with the added backfill necessary due to poor
soil quality on Allens Branch.
Cost of the extra dirt required was $55,000, Robinson said, and
the company is requesting an additional $5,000 for increased project
administration. Robinson also asked board members to extend the
contractor's completion deadline by 27 days to allow for time
lost due to the summer's rainy weather.
Board member Moody said he'd like to review the original contract
before making a decision about the change orders but recommended
approval of extending the completion date to Sept. 1.
Board members will meet Friday, Aug. 15, at 9 p.m. to discuss
the change orders further.
- Town Board members approved a secondary road right of way agreement
with the N.C. Department of Transportation that will allow DOT
personnel to initiate safety improvements on Chipper Curve Road.
DOT plans to straighten the portion of the road behind the Sylva
Fire Department and Jackson Paper - the curve for which the road
is named, said Town Manager Richard McHargue.
- Board members voted unanimously to create a professional district
on Skyland Drive. No opposition to the plan was voiced during
the public hearing that preceded the Aug. 7 meeting.
The new zoning district will include property on the north side
Skyland Drive from Mills Branch to Jack Hennessee's driveway and
will allow doctors,' lawyers' and other professional offices,
as well as residential use, said zoning administrator Aust.
- Board members agreed to sell two parcels located near Keener
Cemetery. The two tracts have been appraised for $7,000, and the
town has expended some $5,200 in foreclosure and cleanup costs,
Aust said.
It was decided to advertise the property for bid, with the appraised
value listed as the minimum bid.
- Town board member Eldridge Painter was appointed to the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board for a full, four-year term. Painter was
first named to that board in February to fill the vacancy created
by the resignation of Brucie Green.
- Board members adopted a resolution of intent to close Hooper
Street, located off Keener Street, in accordance with a neighborhood
request. A public hearing on the street closing is scheduled for
Thursday, Sept. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, immediately prior
to the town's 7 p.m. regular meeting.
- Delivery on a garbage collection truck has been postponed until
Sept. 8, said Daryl Cheatham, public works director.
Town officials voted in February to proceed with in-house garbage
collection and contracted with GDS of Hendersonville to provide
residential trash collection until town personnel were equipped
to take over the job.
- Board members approved Cheatham's request to purchase a flail
mower for $7,500. The mower will fit the town's existing tractor
and will allow town personnel to mow roadsides within the city
limits, Cheatham said.
- Board member Audrey Tritt indicated she'd received a complaint
from Possum Holler resident Joe Thompson about a ditch town personnel
dug to alleviate storm water runoff from the end of King Street.
The open ditch in Thompson's back yard is 3 feet deep, and the
dirt is thrown off to the side, Tritt said.
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