BY DEBBIE PAGE

The Troutman Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended approval of a request from Iredell County to rezone approximately 24.906 acres on the fairgrounds property from Heavy Industrial to Light Industrial on Monday night.

The change was requested because of tentative plans for the Iredell County Fairgrounds to construct a farmer’s market, which is not a permitted use in Heavy Industrial zoning districts.

Town Planner Andrew Ventresca said the staff recommended approval of the proposed rezoning because the 2018 Troutman Strategic Plan and accompanying Future Land Use Map indicate that this area be developed as “Civic” land uses, including parks, libraries, government buildings, and churches.

The county said the site will remain as the county’s fairgrounds.

Though the Light Industrial District is not in conformance with the Civic designation in the 2018 Strategic Plan, Light Industrial is a less intensive district than the current Heavy Industrial District and is consistent with the zoning designation of the surrounding parcels.

OTHER BUSINESS

The board also recommended approval of a request by Peter Shenone to rezone 0.99 acres at 334 South Main Street from Suburban Residential to Local Commercial.

The parcel is located to the east of the Troutman American Legion property and currently has a single-family home on the site.

If approved by the Town Council, the need for a traffic impact analysis will be determined once the use of the property is determined. If the future use exceeds 100-peak hour trips or 1,000 trips a day, a TIA will be required.

The Local Commercial district is a newly created zoning district established to fill a gap in the ordinance allowing for small scale commercial/service uses in areas where residential development does not fit.

This district is intended to provide less intense commercial and service uses to the area in which it is located. Such districts shall be located on major or minor thoroughfares or at crossroads not suitable for residential development.

The town’s Future Land Use Map contained within the Troutman Strategic Plan recommends that this site and its environs be developed for “Office-Institutional.”

With this property being approximately an acre in area, located on a major thoroughfare, and in close proximity to Office-Institutional and Highway Business zoned properties, the staff determined that Local Commercial zoning still fits the area.

The next Planning and Zoning Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 23, at 6 p.m.