Wilson makes third attempt to have property rezoned

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: January 02, 2010

MORGANTON --

The third time could be the charm for a woman who wants her property rezoned along one of the city's busiest roadways.
The Morganton City Council will hold a public hearing and consider rezoning 2.49 acres along Burkemont Avenue and Henredon Road from residential medium to general business.
Doris Wilson, who owns the property, asked twice before for the property to be rezoned so she can offer it for business development. Because everything else along Burkemont Avenue is a business, she said, the rezoning makes sense.
But Wilson has faced opposition from people who live along Henredon Road and say business development would create more traffic and headaches for their quiet neighborhood.
The Morganton Planning and Zoning Commission voted after a public hearing to pass along a negative recommendation to the city council. However, that recommendation does not bind the city council to vote against the rezoning.
The city staff recommends rezoning the land.
Morganton Mayor Mel Cohen is one of two council members who voted for the property's rezoning in 2008. After reading the plan and zoning commission's minutes from the public hearing and its vote, Cohen said he doesn't understand why the commission voted against rezoning.
The city recently approved the Mission 2030 land-use plan, Cohen said, and it calls for zoning the area where Wilson's property is located for business. The commission voted for the land-use plan, Cohen said, but then turned down a rezoning request that fits in with the plan.
Councilman Larry Whisnant also voted to rezone the property in 2008. He said he'll listen to the arguments again this time, "but that's pretty much business out there. I don't know what else it could be."
He'll wait and see whether something said Monday changes his mind.
Mayor Pro Tem Alfred Hamer said he voted against rezoning the property in 2008, but the situation now is different. That's because the old Henredon Furniture property along Fleming Drive is being developed for a Walmart Supercenter. Hamer said part of the development calls for closing off Henredon Road. Because of that, Hamer continued, business development on Wilson's property may not generate as much traffic as the neighbors fear.
But Hamer said he, too, is taking a wait-and-see approach to the issue. He wants to hear what city staff and others say at Monday's public hearing.
Councilmen Forrest Fleming and John Cantrell also said they will wait until Monday to make up their minds.
"We'll have to listen to both sides and make a decision for the third time," Cantrell said.
Both he and Fleming voted against the rezoning in 2008.
The Morganton City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of city hall.

Wilson makes third attempt to have property rezoned

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