Morganton City Council approve controversial rezoning

Credit: Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

Wilson Road resident Andrea Kirk reacts to the city council's vote to approve rezoning of Doris Wilson's property on Monday at the City of Morganton council meeting.

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: January 05, 2010

The city council on Monday night resolved a rezoning dispute that first arose about five years ago.
The Morganton City Council voted 4-1, with John Cantrell opposing, to approve Doris Wilson's request to rezone 2.49 acres along Burkemont Avenue and Henredon Road.
The vote came after a public hearing where neighbors along Henredon Road pleaded with the council to deny the request or to rezone it general business conditional use.
Some of those neighbors left after the vote, visibly upset with the council's decision.
Some neighbors have argued that rezoning the property for business will create more traffic through their neighborhood and be more dangerous.
David Kirk fought against the rezoning each time it came up. He said the council's vote took the side of one person's desire against 27 homeowners'.
"I feel the city council supported the special interest that put them on the council," Kirk said.
He and his wife, Andrea, alluded to local developers who might want to purchase the property and who have influence over the council.
Rhonda and Robin Mabe stayed after the meeting to talk to some council members and get information on options for the neighborhood.
Councilmen Larry Whisnant and Cantrell told the Mabes the neighbors can come back to the council to request closing Wilson Drive, just past Wilson's property coming off of Burkemont Avenue, to Henredon Road.
That would keep any traffic a potential business attracts from going through the Henredon Road neighborhood. Any traffic from the business would have to use Burkemont Avenue to enter and exit the property, the Mabes said.
They plan to ask the council to close the road, Rhonda Mabe added.
Steve Settlemyer, city attorney, told the council a road can be closed as long as there is a way to access it.
The neighborhood on the other side of Henredon Road will have a Walmart Supercenter as a neighbor. The council rezoned the site for Walmart in August from heavy industrial to general business conditional use. The developer, WRS Realty, agreed to put in a cul-de-sac to keep traffic from Walmart entering Henredon Road.

Morganton City Council approve controversial rezoning

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