BY DONNA SWICEGOOD
A plan to transform the Monroe Street area into a gateway for the City of Statesville was presented to city council Monday night.
Monroe Street is the southern gateway into the city, Assistant Planning Director Herman Caulder said during the presentation, and revitalization efforts could turn it into a more positive representation of Statesville.
Ultimately, the area could be comprised of mixed-use industrial/retail developments and multi-family and single family housing, Caulder said.
The area currently contains industrial as well as some residential uses. Housing developers are looking at the area for development, Caulder said.
Lesley Marion and Jay Daniels, planning department staff members, addressed several properties, both commercial and residential, that are in violation of city ordinances. Some property owners have been cited for those violations.
Daniels said some of the commercial properties that are out of compliance have been on code enforcement’s radar for some time. Speaking about one business on Monroe Street, Daniels said, efforts have been ongoing to address the issues.
Council member Doris Allison asked what the council can do to help make sure that these issues are addressed.
Caulder replied that council needs to support the code enforcement staff. Bringing some of the properties into compliance with the code may require legal action, he said.
Meanwhile, there are some positive things happening in the Monroe Street area, including new homes being built on Jost Street and a developer looking to build new homes on a vacant lot on Monroe Street.
Mayor Costi Kutteh said the plans for Monroe Street are encouraging.
OTHER BUSINESS
♦ Council also approved the second reading of an amendment to the rezoning for a planned unit development on River Hill Road. The owner of the property requested changing the text to allow for 57 single-family homes instead of the proposed 97 townhomes. At the July council meeting, he said the market for townhomes had declined, and he was having difficulty finding a builder for the project.
With the proposed changes, Caulder said, the development will still meet the requirements of a PUD since it will include cottage homes, work/live facilities and retail.
Council approved the amendment by a 6-1 vote, with C.O. Johnson casting the lone no vote.
♦ Council also approved a request from a developer on Amity Hill Road to utilize city water services for a subdivision called Kelly Farms.
The subdivision will be located outside of the city limits and annexation is not on the table, Caulder said. The developers will pay to extend the city’s current water line 3,100 feet to accommodate the subdivision and residents will pay the rate of 2.5 times what city residents pay for water.
♦ City Manager Ron Smith said the city is rolling out a new notification system for power outages. The Outage Management System, he said, will notify residents by email or text about power outages but residents must go online or call to update their information. Information is available on the city’s website, www.statesvillenc.net, or by calling 704-878-3419.