Herald's history series:

Town board OKs rezoning area for shopping center

From The Sylva Herald - Dec. 16, 1976

Mrs. W.E. Grindstaff and Harold Grindstaff had petitioned for 145 acres of their properties located on both the east and west sides of the downtown connector of the Sylva Bypass to be rezoned from Zone RA-7 to Zone Business.

The Town Board of Commissioners voted to rezone the portion from Mrs. Grindstaff's house to the bypass right-of-way, area for the proposed shopping center, reported Town Clerk Ed Nicholson.

Other portions of the property may be rezoned later for business as other proposals are submitted, he said, explaining the Town Board's action will have the affect of controlling the classes and quality of businesses that may locate in the area.

The town clerk also pointed out that under the Board's action the firm proposing the shopping center will be required to submit landscaping plans, along with the building plans, for approval.

Sylva's Board of Zoning and Adjustments earlier last week had voted to recommend to the Town Board of Commissioners approval of the petition filed by Mrs. W.E. Grindstaff and Harold Grindstaff. The vote came at the end of a public hearing on the petition. Nicholson said that since the Zoning Board has already held a public hearing on and recommended rezoning the 145 acres, additional public hearing will not be required by the Board of Commissioners to rezone other portions of the property for business.

Concerns expressed by Zoning Board members at the hearing held December 6 included a concern about water runoff during and after construction on the site; concern about the beauty of the area, whether landscaping is included in the plans; concern about traffic safety, on leaving and entering the site; concern of the effect on the downtown business area. Those concerns were conveyed to the Board of Commissioners.

Known locally as "Grindstaff Cove," the area is termed Sylva's most beautiful entrance. And Nicholson indicated that the reason the Board of Commissioners did not rezone the entire 145 acres at the regular meeting last Thursday night, December 9, was that a blanket rezoning for business would leave little control over types of other business structures that may be built in the area in the future.

Also during the meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved a change order in the town's water system expansion project. The change order will add five fire hydrants on Fisher Creek, costing a total of $5,645. A portion of the cost is to be paid by the town and a portion by the county.

No action was taken by the board on proposals discussed by Dr. Ralph Morgan concerning burying electric power lines on Mill Street when the proposed improvements to that street are made, and of including planters in the improvements.

Editor's note: This is the weekly installment of a review of our back issues as The Sylva Herald and Ruralite celebrates its 75th anniversary throughout 2001.

Back to Archive: 12/20/01.