Town of
Regularly Scheduled
Planning Board Meeting
Wednesday June 6, 2007
MINUTES
Members Present: Chairman
Staff Present: Manager
Tim Barth, Planning Director
Others Present:
Chairman Brede called the meeting to order at 3:42 p.m. in the Town Hall Boardroom.
Approval of the Minutes:
April 4, 2007 & May 2, 2007
MR. PAULEY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
CHAIRMAN BREDE SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Final Platt Approval: Smoky
Mountain Creekside Villas
Mr. Pinter came before the Board on May 2, 2007 for preliminary plat approval. The following motion was made at the May 2, 2007 Planning Board Meeting.
█Excerpt
from the May 2, 2007 Planning Board Meeting.
CHAIRMAN BREDE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY PLAT PRESENTED
FOR SMOKY MOUNTAIN CREEKSIDE VILLAS WITH THE FOLLOWING CORRECTIONS: THE SEWER
LINE LOCATION SHOULD BE SHOWN CORRECTLY, SHOW THAT THE GARAGES HAVE BEEN
ELIMINATED, INCLUDE THE ROAD NAME, SHOW THE ROAD TO BE 24-FEET PAVED EXTENDING
OUT TO US-19, TAKE THE PARKING AT THE OLD GO CART TRACK OFF, AND PUT IN THE
FLOODWAY NOTATION ON THE REVISED MAP.
MR. CARVER SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
█Excerpt
ends
The final plat shows the corrections as requested.
Director Clark explained that the Zoning Board of Adjustment granted Mr. Pinter a variance for building separation on May 10, 2007.
█Excerpt
from the May 10, 2007 Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting
1.
In April
2006, the Zoning Board of Adjustments allowed Mr. Pinter to have residential
use in the commercial district.
2.
In May 2007,
the Planning Board approved the Preliminary Plat.
3.
The Zoning
Ordinance requires structures to be separated by at least 20-feet.
4.
The Town of
After reviewing the map, showing the utility easement the following
motion was made.
MR.
WIGHT MADE A MOTION TO GRANT THE VARIANCE FOR SMOKY MOUNTAIN CREEKSIDE VILLAS.
MS.
DENNIS SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
█Excerpt
ends
A letter of credit was received for all utilities and road construction from Jones Brother’s Construction and Carolina First Bank. The Town is confident in the assessments.
Ms. Johnson, an environmentalist at heart, asked Mr. Pinter if the trees would remain.
Mr. Pinter responded that he has saved the trees from the little village, a previous business, to transplant later. A buffer will be placed between the residential use and the commercial area.
The flood plain goes from 2788’ to 2794’ in elevation. The surveyor will be staking out the corners of the buildings for absolute accuracy.
MS. JOHNSON MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FINAL PLAT AS PRESENTED.
MR. CHAMBERLIN SECONDED THE MOTION.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Land Use Plan: Recommendation to Town Board of Aldermen
Chairman Brede stated that he has not had enough time to review the final version of the Land Use Plan. He suggested continuing this meeting until June 13 to have the final revisions made.
The following changes were proposed.
◙ Chairman Brede would like to see one dwelling per two acres or greater for homes located 3400’ or greater elevation (R-0 Rural Residential).
◙ Chairman Brede would like to see three single-family homes or eleven multifamily homes (R-2 Residential 2 Medium Density) and 4 single family homes or twelve multi-family units in the R 3 High Density Residential.
◙ Re-examine building height.
◙Change district that Travel agencies can be located.
◙ Change district that Bar/night clubs can be located.
An Implementation matrix was given to each member. This is a “road map” of how the Land Use Plan will be enacted. Director Clark explained the difference between adopting the Land Use Plan and the appearance criteria.
The Public Informational Meeting and the Aldermen’s Public Hearing both will focus on the Land Use Plan. At this point, there is not a change in the zoning ordinance or the zoning map.
Public Workshop(s)
date setting: Land Use Plan
The public workshop/ informational meeting will be held June
26, 2007 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30p.m. After the representative from Benchmark
Inc. addresses the audience, the planning board members, the representative,
and the planning director will break out into small groups to provide citizens
the opportunity to ask questions. There will be copies of the Land Use Plan
available for public review. Maps
showing the different districts will be displayed throughout the boardroom.
Smokey Mountain News is going to do an article on the plan. The draft plan will go out to the Clerk’s
sunshine list. The meeting will be
advertised in the Mountaineer Newspaper twice. The meeting will be advertised
on the Town owned signs. Posters and
flyers will be distributed throughout
Other Business
Chairman Brede had great concerns about the time it has taken to get the example drawings for the design criteria and the amateurish design of the drawings. Chairman Brede felt the criteria design drawings should already be completed.
Chairman Brede suggested giving the illustrator a due date for the final product or it will be considered a breach of contract and she will not be paid. Chairman Brede stated that he could provide Manager Barth phone numbers of other illustrators.
It was the consensus of the Board that:
a. The final drawings be complete and in hand by June 13 or the contract is invalid.
b. The entire board is disappointed in the time delays as well as the preliminary product.
c. Communication between the Planning Board members and the Town staff has been lacking.
d. The Board members wanted the Land Use Plan and the design requirements in place prior to the season opening in an effort to avoid situations such as the orange building. The Town is in a motivated state, therefore protection is needed because the Town will not grow in a positive direction where appearance is consistent.
Manager Barth and Director Clark explained how the design criteria and the Land Use Plan is not dependant on each other.
Director Clark made clear that the Land Use Plan is the cause and then the effects come in the recommendations.
Due to the Planning Board members’ sense of urgency, a public hearing for the Council to gather comments will be conducted optimistically by July 24, 2007 Council meeting.
Mr. Chamberlin expressed his frustration over the amount of time it has taken to get to this point, as well as the number of special meetings that have been called, all in an effort to get this plan adopted before the season began.
Ms. Johnson reminded fellow members that there might be more rebuttal than expected at the informational meeting. The Land Use Plan comes first, and then the different elements are added. (Ms. Johnson sketched an umbrella as representation) In addition, this is an election year, which sometimes causes excessive caution.
The zoning map will not be adopted with the Land Use Plan.
ON MOTION OF MR. SCHREIBER, SECONDED BY CHAIRMAN BREDE, WITH ALL IN
FAVOR, THE MEETING WAS CONTINUED UNTIL 3:30 P.M. ON JUNE 13 AT 5:20 P.M.
________________________________
Chairman
_________________________________
Vickie Best, CMC, Town Clerk
6. Adjournment