BY DONNA SWICEGOOD

The Statesville City Council voted unanimously on Monday to deny a request to rezone some 28 acres for a 70-unit single-family housing development, citing concerns about one of the roads that would have been impacted by the construction.

A request was made to rezone the property on Japul Road near Beauty Street from R-10 to R-8, which would decrease the requirement for each lot from 8,000 to 6,000 square feet, explained Matt Kirkendall, senior planner for the city.

The main concern expressed by City Council members was the condition of Japul Road, which is currently a privately-maintained road.

Ian Anderson, architect for the proposed Harmony Vistas project, told council that the developers met with residents of the area in November. That concern was voiced by residents as well, according to Anderson.

In response to those concerns, the developer dropped plans for an entrance into the subdivision from Japul Road and would only consider that as a last resort, he said.

Council member Lisa Pearson expressed concerns that the construction traffic for this subdivision, along with the traffic for a nearby subdivision, Greenbriar Ridge, would tax the already poor condition of Japul Road.

“The road is not in the best shape,” she said.

Council members David Jones, James Pressly and Doris Allison shared that view.

Marie Martin, who said she’d lived on Japul Road since 1981, said the road was just wide enough to accommodate two vehicles and, the presence of two ponds, was also a danger for vehicles.

Those ponds, she said, were also an asset to the community, providing a home for several species of animals.

Martin, along with another resident, Jim Dobson, said the increase in traffic from the addition of 70 homes would also create additional problems for those traveling west on East Broad Street. Both said, during peak hours, making that left from Safriet Road to East Broad Street is alreade difficult and adding more cars would make it more challenging.

Jones made the motion to deny the request, citing the road conditions as the primary reason. The motion was then approved unanimously. Pressly did encourage the developer to come back with the request if a plan to improve the road was included.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business:

♦ The council approved a request to declare a home at 319 Monroe Street as uninhabitable but expressed concerns about the fate of a woman currently living on the property.

Lesley Marion, minimum housing and code compliance supervisor, presented photos of the structure, which was damaged by a tree that fell through the roof and has created unlivable conditions both to the interior and exterior of the house. She said the house has not had electricity since 2014.

Marion explained that city staff contacted a number of agencies in an attempt to help the woman find another place to live but she has not applied to any of those offers.

City attorney Leah Gaines Messick said the woman will not immediately be displaced. A court proceeding for eviction will be necessary to remove her from the property. That will take some time, she said.

Allison expressed her appreciation to those attempting to help the woman, who is currently residing outside of the house because of its condition.

♦ Council also recognized the acceptance of the Garfield/Green Street area into the Historic District National Register Listing.

The designation, said Mayor Doug Hendrix, represents several years of hard work by city preservation staff, the Statesville African-American Heritage Preservation Commission and historians from the Iredell County Public Library.

He called the designation an “important milestone” which recognizes the cultural and historical significance of the area.

Pearson, who is a liaison between council and the heritage preservation commission, said former Mayor Costi Kutteh also deserves credit as well. “It was actually his idea to come up with this,” she said.

She said a huge event is planned for this summer to celebrate this, possibly in coordination with Juneteenth.

♦ As part of the consent agenda, which is approved in one motion unless a council member asks for an item to be moved to the regular agenda, council approved the second reading of a rezoning request for three parcels on Dover Road and to annex those parcels into the city limits. The request was to rezone the parcels to heavy industrial.