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GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO[1. Meeting opened by Mayor Odham. Prayer Coordinated by Mayor Odham. Pledge of Allegiance.]
THE NOVEMBER 25TH, 2025 NEWBURN BOARD OF ALDERMAN MEETING.PRAYER TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN BY ALDERMAN ROYAL.
FATHER, WE PRAY TONIGHT FOR YOUR GUIDANCE.
WE PRAY FOR HARMONY AND UNDERSTANDING, KNOWING THAT YOU CREATED UNITY IN THE MIDST OF DIVERSITY.
WE PRAY, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU WILL UNITE US WITH A COMMON PURPOSE, A DEDICATION ALONG WITH A COMMITMENT TO ACHIEVE EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
I PRAY TONIGHT THAT WE WILL HEAR YOUR VOICE, THAT WILL BE BE LED BY YOUR SPIRIT, AND THAT WE WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR WHOLE DUTY IS, AND THAT IS TO FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
I PRAY YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
AND MAY WE ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF OUR MISSION, WHICH IS TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS WITH COMPASSION AND FAITH.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO STAND, PLEASE DO SO.
I PLEDGE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ALDERMAN FERGUSON.
[3. Approve Agenda.]
THREE IS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.STAFF HAS MADE THE REQUEST THAT ITEM NUMBER 16 BE PULLED, UH, FOR A FUTURE MEETING.
SO MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 16.
CERTAINLY HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED.
[Consent Agenda]
THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEMS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN.MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
DOES THAT A ROLL CALL? STARTING WITH DERMAN FERGUSON.
[8. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 3610 M. L. King, Jr. Boulevard from I-1 Industrial to C-3 Commercial.]
A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE.36 10 MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD FROM I ONE INDUSTRIAL TO C3 COMMERCIAL MS. ROOF.
OUR, UH, FIRST REZONING REQUEST OF FOUR.
THIS EVENING IS 4 36 10 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR BOULEVARD.
THIS IS A REQUEST FROM TWO FARMS INCORPORATED.
THE REQUEST IS TO GO FROM THE CURRENT ZONING OF INDUSTRIAL ONE TO THE PROPOSED ZONING OF COMMERCIAL THREE.
THIS IS ON MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD, AS I JUST STATED, NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH TRENT ROAD, KIND OF ACROSS FROM THAT HARRIS TEETER SHOPPING CENTER.
THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PROPERTY AND PROOF OF POSTING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW IS OUR A HUNDRED FOOT BUFFER OF PROPERTY OWNERS WHO WOULD'VE RECEIVED A MAILING NOTIFYING OF THE, OF TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SCREEN BEFORE YOU SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT ZONING I ONE, WHICH IS A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, AND THE PROPOSED ZONING IS COMMERCIAL THREE.
UH, COMMERCIAL THREE IS FOR HEAVIER USED RETAILING, DURABLE OF DURABLE AND CONVENIENCE GOODS.
THESE ARE KIND OF BUSY STORES BECAUSE ALL FOUR REZONING REQUESTS THIS EVENING ARE TO GO TO C3.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A PICTURE OF WHAT C3 IS.
THINK OF YOUR WALMARTS, THINK OF YOUR MALLS, THINK OF YOUR FEST FOOD RESTAURANTS, YOUR CAR DEALERSHIPS IN YOUR APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
OFTEN WE HAVE THE CHART THAT SUMMARIZES OUR PERMITTED USE.
WE KNOW THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY, BUT THOSE THINGS I JUST DESCRIBED ARE WHAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE IN A C3 DISTRICT.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY ON HIGHWAYS AND HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS.
THIS IS THE MAP OF OUR, UH, EXISTING ZONING CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN SEE AS WE MOVE DOWN MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD, WE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE RED.
AS WE COMMERCIALIZE OUT IN THAT DIRECTION.
THE HATCHED PROPERTY IS REQUESTING TO ALSO GO TO
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C3.THE GRAY IS THE INDUSTRIAL, AND THEN THE YELLOW IS A RESIDENTIAL, UH, 15 DISTRICT.
OUR LAND USE MAP, OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP, AND OUR LAND USE PLAN HAS THIS CATEGORIZED SIMPLY AS DEVELOPED.
YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THIS PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED.
WE HAVE ROYAL FARMS THERE TO THE RIGHT OF THAT PARCEL.
OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD AT THEIR MEETING ON OCTOBER 16TH DID RECOMMEND APPROVING THIS REZONING BASED ON CONSISTENCY WITH OUR LAND USE PLAN.
UH, THE FACT THERE IS ADJACENT PROPERTY, QUITE A BIT OF IT ACROSS THE STREET AND ON MLK JUNIOR BOULEVARD, ALREADY ZONED C3 AND C3 USES ARE CONGRUENT WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THAT AREA.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE THE COURT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS SCOTT ANDERSON.
I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF TWO FARMS. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS REQUEST TO YOU.
UM, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THIS REQUEST IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE LAND USE PLAN.
UM, IT HAS SUPPORT BY STAFF AND WITH RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING BOARD.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
ANYONE ELSE? MAY I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE VOTE HEARING.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE C3 ZONING.
YOU NEED GET RIGHT TO THE EXACTNESS OF IT.
UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE A C3 ZONING FROM I ONE FOR THAT PARCEL OF PROPERTY.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
I'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ROYAL.
[9. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 1506 S. Glenburnie Road from R-6 Residential to C-3 Commercial.]
PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE.1506 SOUTH GLEN GLENBURNIE ROAD FROM R SIX RESIDENTIAL TO C3 COMMERCIAL.
THIS IS A REQUEST FROM NEW VISION MINISTRIES TO REZONE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AT 1506 SOUTH GLENBURNIE ROAD.
THE CURRENT ZONING IS R SIX AND THE PROPOSED ZONING AGAIN IS C3.
THIS PARCEL IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF ACRES.
THIS IS OUR LOCATION RIGHT HERE ON SOUTH GLEN BURNIE ROAD, WHERE IT INTERSECTS WITH ELIZABETH AVENUE.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE PROPERTY AND PROOF OF SIGN POSTING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ILLUMINATED IN YELLOW, AS ALWAYS, IS OUR A HUNDRED FOOT BUFFER OF MAILED NOTICE.
OUR R SIX ZONING DISTRICT IS A HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT WHERE WE TYPICALLY SEE SMALLER, LOTS AND SMALLER HOMES.
IN OUR C3 ZONING DISTRICT IS, AS I DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY, OUR HIGHER INTENSITY, LARGER COMMERCIAL USES THAT WE TYPICALLY SEE ON HIGHLY TRAVELED ROADS WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAYS.
OUR USE COMPARISON IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
OUR RESIDENTIAL SIX DOESN'T ALLOW TOO MUCH.
SOME CIVIC USES, SOME, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES MULTIFAMILY WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
AND WE'VE DESCRIBED OUR COMMERCIAL THREE DISTRICT PREVIOUSLY.
HERE YOU SEE WE HAVE C FIVE DOWN THERE, UH, SOUTH OF THE PARCEL THAT'S IN THE BLUE.
WE'VE GOT C3 ALREADY, UH, CREEPING DOWN THIS MAIN DRAG HERE.
AND THE PROPOSED ZONING, OF COURSE, IS TO GO TO C3 IN THE HATCHED AREA.
AGAIN, OUR LAND USE PLAN HAS THIS PARCEL CATEGORIZED AS DEVELOPED.
THIS IS AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, THE CHURCH IS THERE AT THE TOP OF THE PARCEL AND THE REST OF IT IS UNDEVELOPED RIGHT NOW.
PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD RECOMMENDED THIS ONE AS WELL, UNANIMOUSLY ON OCTOBER 16TH, BASED ON CONSISTENCY WITH THE LAND USE PLAN AND TRENDS IN THE AREA AND ADJACENT PROPERTY ALREADY BEING ZONED C3.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
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OKAY.AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIS IS FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR ALDERMAN.
I'M WITH THE LAW FIRM OF WARDEN SMITH, AND I'M REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT HERE, WHICH IS NEW VISION MINISTRIES, AND THEY ARE THE OWNER OF THIS PARCEL.
THE PARCEL WAS RECENTLY SUBDIVIDED INTO TWO PARCELS, AND THE CHURCH, UH, HAS PLANS TO BASICALLY SELL THE ONE PARCEL AND THEN REBUILD, UH, BUILD A NEW FACILITY ON THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE PARCEL.
THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE IT REZONED, UH, TO C3 BECAUSE, UH, THEY, THEY ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BEING ABLE TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF THAT FOR THE CHURCH AND, AND BE ABLE TO BENEFIT THE CHURCH.
I DO HAVE SOME MATERIALS THAT I'D LIKE TO HAND UP TO THE BOARD WHILE THOSE MATERIALS ARE BEING HANDED OUT.
AND MR. MERRILL, I'LL CONTINUE IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, BASICALLY THE MATERIALS I'M HANDING OUT ARE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL MAPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH VERY QUICKLY, UH, FOR YOU ALL.
THERE'S ALSO A COPY OF OUR ZONING APPLICATION IN THOSE MATERIALS, WHICH I BELIEVE YOU ALL ALREADY HAVE.
UM, BASICALLY THE MATERIALS THAT I'VE HANDED UP INCLUDE, UH, IN ADDITION TO OUR APPLICATION LAND USE MAP PLANS OUT OF THE LAND USE PLAN, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY WITH THE LAND USE PLAN.
UM, THOSE MAPS INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE EMPLOYERS, UM, AROUND THE AREA, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION ROUTES, UH, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ZONING DESCRIPTIONS, NATURAL FEATURES, FLOOD ZONING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND AS YOU WILL SEE FROM ALL OF THOSE MAPS, UH, THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS IN THAT AREA.
UM, WHICH FITS THE LAND USE PLAN.
UH, IT IS BASICALLY WITHIN TWO OF THE, UH, IN BETWEEN TWO OF THE FOCUS AREAS.
BUT BEING ON THE GLEN BURNIE CORRIDOR, IT'S ON A COMMERCIAL, UH, CORRIDOR THAT IS FOR, IT'S AN ENTRANCEWAY CORRIDOR INTO, UM, INTO NEW BERN.
AND SO, UH, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THIS, UH, PARTICULAR PARCEL, UH, ZONING REZONED COMMERCIAL THREE.
UH, THE THIRD TAB IS A, UH, FURTHER OUT ZONING MAP, UH, FROM THE CURRENT CITY ZONING MAP.
AND I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT THE, IF YOU NOTICE THE, UH, SORT OF ROSE COLORED AREA, MY COLORS AREN'T AS CLEAR AS THEY ARE UP ON THE SCREEN.
BUT, UH, THE ROSE COLORED AREA IS BASICALLY ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, INCLUDING THEIR C FIVE ACROSS THE STREET, C FOUR, THE PINK, PINK AREAS ALSO.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE RED CIRCLE IS WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED.
SO IT FITS WITHIN, UH, THE, THE FACT THAT THERE'S COMMERCIAL UP AND DOWN THE, THE GLEN BURN CORRIDOR.
THE LAST THING IS A, UM, BASICALLY A SUMMARY OF, UH, COMPATIBILITY POINTS THAT I PUT TOGETHER, UH, BASED ON THE LAND USE PLAN, UM, IT MEETS THE OVERALL GOALS OF THE LAND USE PLAN IN THAT IT SUPPORTS LAND USES THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING AREA LAND USES.
UH, IT IS, UH, PROPERLY SIZING INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ENCOURAGING BUSINESS TO DIVERSIFY THE ECONOMY.
UH, THE DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, ALSO SUPPORT COMMERCIAL ZONING OF THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS AN ENTRANCEWAY AND IT LEADS BETWEEN HIGHWAY 70, ALSO DOWN TO 17 AND THEN UP TO NEWS BOULEVARD.
AND IT CONNECTS ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, THE CURRENT ZONING, UH, SUPPORTS COMMERCIAL ZONING BECAUSE THE GLEN BURNIE ROAD CORRIDOR, UH, CONNECTS THOSE AREAS.
AND, UH, THAT CORRIDOR IS ALMOST FULLY ZONE ZONED COMMERCIAL.
SO WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL, UH, ZONE THIS, UH, REZONE THIS AS C3.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE GERALD, UH, PASTOR GERALD BALDWIN.
HE IS THE, UH, HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE HIM TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND JUST TALK TO YOU.
AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR ALDERMAN.
I'M THE PASTOR OF NEW VISION MINISTRY.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, PASTORING THAT CHURCH SINCE 2013.
UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THAT CHURCH OVER THE LAST 11, 12 YEARS IS REALLY REACH OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TRY TO SERVE THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE WORSHIP.
UH, WE SERVE DOWNTOWN EVERY, UH, SATURDAY, UH, FREE FOOD TO INDIVIDUALS AND TAKE PRAYER REQUESTS.
WE HAVE A, STARTED A PROGRAM IN CRAVEN COUNTY CALLED ADOPT A TEACHER.
AND SO AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY ACADEMIC YEAR, WE ADOPT ONE FIRST YEAR
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EDUCATED CRAVEN COUNTY SUPPLYING ALL NEEDS FOR THE CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING PROCTORS OR VOLUNTEERS.UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE WOMEN'S SHELTER.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH CRICKET WIRELESS TO PROVIDE THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR, UH, FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED.
AND SO, WHILE WE ARE A SMALL CHURCH, WE HAVE DEEP TIES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND OUR DESIRE TO SELL THIS PROPERTY IS THAT THIS CHURCH HAS BEEN ON THIS LANCE THE EARLY, MID SEVENTIES.
UM, AND THIS FIELD JUST KIND OF SAT THERE.
AND SO WE DON'T DO FISH FRIES, WE DON'T DO CAR WASHES.
WE OPERATE WITH THE FUNDS WE HAVE FROM THE SMALL CONGREGATION THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO SELLING THIS PROPERTY WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE DOING THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS AND EVEN EXTEND, UH, TO DO MORE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MR. MAYOR, JUST TO WRAP UP, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE MATERIALS THAT I'VE HANDED UP BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD TONIGHT.
AND AGAIN, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU'LL EXAMINE THIS PROPERTY C3 AND WE'RE READY TO ANSWER ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO WE CLOSE THE HEARING.
A SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, MOTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE.
1506 SOUTH GLEN BURN ROAD FROM R SIX RESIDENTIAL TO C3 COMMERCIAL SECOND.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN ASTOR.
MAYOR, DO YOU NEED A MOTION? DID YOU WANT THE, THOSE EXHIBITS? DID YOU WANT A MOTION OF SORTS ON THAT? ERIC, YOU HAD MADE A COMMENT THAT YOU, I JUST ADD MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD OF THE MEETING.
DO YOU NEED A MOTION ON THAT? NO, SIR.
[10. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Initially Zone 4301 US Hwy. 70E as C-3 Commercial.]
NEXT UP, ITEM NUMBER 10, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE TO INITIALLY ZONE 43 0 1 US HIGHWAY 70 EAST SC THREE COMMERCIAL MS. ROOT.UH, THIS IS A INITIAL ZONING FOR 43 0 1 US HIGHWAY 70 EAST.
IT IS APPROXIMATELY 0.94 ACRES.
THE PROPOSED ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY IS COMMERCIAL THREE.
THIS WAS RECENTLY ANNEXED, I BELIEVE, IN OCTOBER INTO THE CITY LIMIT.
HERE'S A LOCATION, OUR LOCATION, UH, NEAR ON 70 NEAR WEST THURMAN ROAD.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF OUR PROOF OF POSTING AND A PICTURE OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON ON THIS PROPERTY.
HERE'S AN ILLUSTRATION OF OUR MAILED NOTICE RECIPIENTS.
COMMERCIAL THREE, AGAIN, HIGHLY TRAVELED, UH, ROADWAYS AND HEAVIER COMMERCIAL USES.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL DEFINITION OF OUR C3 ZONING DISTRICT.
THIS PROPERTY VERY MUCH MEETS THE INTENT OF THIS DISTRICT.
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL THREE IN THIS AREA ALREADY OF OTHER ANDEX IN PROPERTIES AND SOME, UH, HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL RIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY THERE.
HERE'S AN AERIAL IMAGE OF THIS PROPERTY.
UM, AGAIN, ON OCTOBER 16TH, OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD DID RECOMMEND UNANIMOUSLY, UH, APPLYING C3 ZONING ONTO THIS PARCEL BASED ON CONSISTENCY WITH THE LAND USE PLAN AND TRENDS IN THE AREA AND ADJACENCY TO THE C3 ZONE PROPERTY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.
YOU HAVE ANY ANSWER? ANY QUESTIONS? WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
HEARING NONE AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 10.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME.
I MAKE A MOTION TO BE CLOSED ABOVE THE HEARING.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON ITEM NUMBER 10, YOUR HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ZONE, UM, 43 0 1 US HIGHWAY 70 EAST TO C3 COMMERCIAL ZONING.
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SAY AGAIN? I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN BEST.
[11. Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Adopting an Ordinance to Rezone 3328 Neuse Boulevard from C-4 Commercial to C-3 Commercial.]
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ING ORDINANCE TO REZONE.33 28, NO BOULEVARD FROM C FOUR COMMERCIAL TO C3 COMMERCIAL MS. RU.
UH, THIS IS A REQUEST FROM PB AND J PROPERTY GROUP FOR A REZONING AT 33 28 NEW BOULEVARD.
IT IS CURRENTLY ZONED COMMERCIAL FOUR ZONING C FOUR OR NEIGHBORHOOD ZONING, AND THE REQUEST WAS TO GO TO COMMERCIAL THREE ZONING.
THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS JUST OVER A HALF ACRE.
OUR LOCATION HERE IS ON NEW BOULEVARD.
UH, THAT ANGLED ROAD RIGHT THERE YOU SEE IS RACETRACK ROAD.
JUST FOR REFERENCE, THIS IS PROOF OF OUR SIGN NOTIFICATION FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND OUR MAILED NOTICE NOTIFICATION.
OUR COMMERCIAL FOUR ZONING DISTRICT, AGAIN, IS ON TYPICALLY HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS, HEAVIER COMMERCIAL USES, BIG BOX STORES, FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, COLLAR CAR DEALERSHIPS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE TYPICALLY WHAT WE SEE.
OH, I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING TO C3.
THE C FOUR IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, BUSINESS DISTRICT.
THIS IS SMALLER OFFICES, VERY MUCH SMALLER STORES, NOT THE THINGS I JUST DESCRIBED THAT ARE IN C3.
JUMPING AHEAD IN OUR USE COMPARISON C FOUR.
AND IN THIS, UM, IT DOES ALLOW SOME RESIDENTIAL, SMALLER OFFICES, THINGS THAT GENERATE LESS, LESS TRAFFIC AND THAN OUR COMMERCIAL THREE, UH, USES THAT ARE SUMMARIZED THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
AND I'LL, I'LL CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, UH, THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF, OF NEW BOULEVARD, WE DO SEE, UH, QUITE A BIT OF C3 ZONING ON THIS SIDE AS THE PARCEL THAT'S BEING REQUESTING.
THE C3 ZONING IS SURROUNDED BY C FOUR ZONING, THOSE LOWER INTENSITY COMMERCIAL USES.
AND IF WE WERE TO PULL THIS MAP WAY BACK, YOU WOULD SEE A, A GOOD DEAL OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY UP TO THE TOP OF THE SCREEN AS WELL.
OUR LAND USE MAP DOES HAVE THIS AREA AS DEVELOPED AS MOST AREAS ON DEVELOPED ROADS HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED IN OUR LAND USE PLAN.
THIS IS THE AERIAL IMAGERY OF THE PROPERTY AND THIS IS ANOTHER IMAGE OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
SO FOR THIS ONE, AT THEIR MEETING ON OCTOBER 16TH, THE PLANNING ZONING BOARD, UH, DID NOT RECOMMEND THE REQUESTED REZONING.
THEY ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED A DENIAL OF THE REQUESTED REZONING.
THEY FOUND IT TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE AREA.
AND WERE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE LARGE RANGE OF MORE INTENSE USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN THE C3 DISTRICT ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET.
THEY FOUND IT TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE LAND USE PLAN AND INCONSISTENT WITH THAT SIDE OF THE STREET AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
SO THEY AGAIN, ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS ONE WAS NOT APPROVED TO YOU ALL.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
JESSICA, WOULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK TO THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PROPERTY? OOPS.
COLLEEN MIGHT NEED TO HELP ME.
I'LL LET HER DO THE DIRTY WORK BEHIND THE SCENES THERE.
THE NEXT ONE, I THINK IT IS THE ONE THAT SHOWED THE GARAGE.
THE ONE THAT SHOWED THE BUILDING ITSELF STREET? YEAH.
WASN'T THERE ANOTHER ONE? THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE.
IT'S EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND TO WHAT'S TO THE LEFT OF THAT, FACING THAT PHOTO.
WHAT BUILDING IS THAT TO THE LEFT, DO YOU KNOW? OH, YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT.
NO, IT USED TO BE A IT IS A TIRE PLACE.
IS THE, THE LITTLE BUILDING HERE IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED.
NOW THAT, THAT, THAT ISN'T THERE, THE ONE THAT IN YOUR FIRST PICTURE, IT'S JUST NO KIND OF NEED TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
STAFF CAN'T ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 11.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE DO SO AT THIS TIME, AS YOU CAN TELL, I LOOK IT
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I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH MOOSE BOULEVARD.IT'S A, IT'S A HIGHLY TRAVELED ROAD.
BELIEVE ME, WE'VE GOT EVEN I OWN, WE OWN THE PROPERTY, THE LONG DRIVEWAY NEXT TO THAT RAGGEDY BUILDING.
I WAS TELLING YOU, THERE IS A LONG OAK COVET TREE DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS OURS IN OUR HOME IS BACK IN THE BACK.
WE HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHO HAS PERMISSION TO GO THROUGH OUR DRIVEWAY TO GET TO THEIR PROPERTY.
I WISH YOU HAD THE PICTURE UP THERE OF THE LAYOUT.
NOW THEY'RE SHOWING A PICTURE OF THIS RIGHT HERE.
IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S NO ROOM THERE.
THE BUILDING IS IN THE CENTER.
THAT BUILDING YOU SAW RIGHT THERE IS IN THE CENTER OF THAT PROPERTY.
THERE IS A BUILDING AT THE BACK OF IT THAT IS SKINNY THAT THEY'VE GONE IN AND REDONE.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH BUILDING THEY'RE TRYING TO GET INTO, BUT WHERE YOU SAW THAT RAGGEDY BUILDING, THEY'VE GOT A DRAWING THAT ON THAT RIGHT HAND SIDE, RIGHT BY OUR PROPERTY.
THAT'S, THERE'S NO BUILDING THERE.
THEY'RE IN THE CENTER OF THE NEW LOOKING BUILDING.
YOU SAW, MA'AM, IF, IF YOU'RE NOT IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE, THE FOLKS AT HOME WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
SO
MRS. GRADY, WHO OWNED THAT PROPERTY BEFORE SHE SOLD IT, YOU MIGHT, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TWO.
I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN THREE CARS ON THAT INSURANCE PROPERTY.
'CAUSE SHE DOES A LOT OF BUSINESS INSIDE.
SO, BUT WE ALL FIGHT FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF GETTING OUT ON NEWS BOULEVARD.
IF I'M COMING OUT MY DRIVE AND A PERSON IS OVER ON HER LOT OR OVER TO NEXT DOOR, WHICH IS UH, UH, THE TRAILER PARK, I ALWAYS EDGE BACK SO THAT THOSE FOLKS CAN GET OUT SAFELY AND THEN I CAN GO OUT.
SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE A LITTLE THING WE DO FOR EACH OTHER TO, SO WE GET OUT ON THE HIGHWAY SAFELY, BUT IT IS A BUSY STREET AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S SOME TYPE OF A ANIMAL, SOMETHING GOING ON IN THERE.
BUT IF IT'S IN THE, IF IT'S ON THE, THE LONG BUILDING THAT'S AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, THIS, IF IT'S ON THE FRONT BUILDING THAT IS SITTING ON THE CENTER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO THAT DRAWING IS OFF THAT THEY'VE GOT UP THERE.
BECAUSE ON THIS SIDE IT'S NEXT TO OUR DRIVEWAY AND THERE'S NO BUILDING THERE.
AND THERE'S THAT OLD TY BUILDING THAT'S, IT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN REALLY.
SO I'M, I'M NOT AGREEING WITH THEIR DRAWING, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC IS HEAVY THERE AND I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE 50 YEARS, SO I KNOW THAT PLACE VERY WELL.
AND LOOK, IF THERE'S ANY NOISE OR ANYTHING, MY NEIGHBOR HAS DOGS THAT ALARMED YOU TO IT ALL.
I WANT TO SAY A LEAF FALLS AND THEY LET IT BREATHE, BUT, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A LEAF, BUT IT'S A LOT OF NOISE OUT OF THOSE ANIMALS OUT THERE.
SO MA'AM, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, MA'AM, I, I CONCUR WITH YOU.
THAT IS A VERY BUSY TRAVEL STREET AND WE HAVE THE WALMART YES.
THERE'S WRECKS ON IT ALL THE TIME.
I WOULD HATE TO HAVE TO TURN OUT MY YARD ONTO THAT STREET, ESPECIALLY DURING PEAK TIMES OF THE DAY.
I DON'T, I TRY MY BEST NOT TO HAVE TO GO OUT DURING RIGHT.
MY NAME'S SARAH SEWELL AND I'M HERE FOR P PB AND J PROPERTY GROUP.
UM, UH, SO HE PURCHASED THE, PURCHASED A LOT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO FROM, UM, THE GRADY WHEN THEY, THE OLD, IT'S THE OLD GRADY INSURANCE BUILDING.
THERE'S THREE UNITS THAT WE'D LIKE TO RENT OUT TO TENANTS.
AND RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S C FOUR GENERAL OFFICE USE.
UM, AND WE ARE BOTH DOG TRAINERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET A FACILITY IN NEW BERN THAT CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE A DOG TRAINING FACILITY.
UM, SO WE ARE CLASSIFIED AS A KENNEL, BUT REALLY WE'RE JUST MEETING MEETING DOG OWNERS THERE TO DO LESSONS, MAYBE GROUP CLASSES AND THEY'LL GO HOME HOUR OR TWO MAX.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO GET IT REZONED TO C3 IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY IT WAS VOTED AGAINST, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, EVERYTHING'S ALREADY COMMERCIAL.
LIKE I DON'T, I KIND OF WANTED TO KNOW WHY.
UM, YOU DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T, THE BOARD DIDN'T FEEL IT FIT THE LAND USE.
UM, AND THEN I'LL LET YOU TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT YOU DO.
[00:30:01]
THE, THE PLAN FOR THE BUILDING IS NOT TO BOARD ANIMALS.WE WANT TO USE IT FOR VERY SMALL, IT'S A SMALL BUILDING.
SO SMALL GROUP CLASSES, MAYBE FIVE PEOPLE AND THEIR DOGS AT A TIME.
UM, CONSULTATIONS, LESSONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE WILL BE NO CARS IN A BUSY PARKING LOT.
UH, THE DRIVEWAYS WILL NOT BE BLOCKED.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS HOURS, I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THE SHELTER.
UM, COLONIAL CAPITAL, CR AND PAMLICO WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED AS WELL AS OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS.
UM, WE OFFER A LOT OF FREE LESSONS IN PEOPLE'S HOMES FOR THAT.
SO IT WOULDN'T ALL BE CONDUCTED ON THE SPACE, BUT IT WOULD BE A GOOD MIDDLE GROUND FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.
UM, AND TO KEEP DOGS AT RISK OUT OF THE SHELTER.
I WORK WITH A, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, SUPPORT HERE FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, POSITIVE WAR.
UH, ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE SPACE IS TO USE THAT, UH, SPACE FOR ME TO HELP, UM, WORK WITH THE SPECIFIC TASKS FOR THE SERVICE.
SO WE HAVE SOME SERVICE DOG PAIRS THAT ARE NOW OFFICIAL AND THEY NEED WORK ON THEIR SPECIFIC, UM, TASKS.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE USE OF THE BUILDING AS WELL.
SO THE BASIC DAY-TO-DAY WOULD BE SMALL GROUPS LESSONS AT A TIME.
AND ALSO WE WANT TO USE IT FOR, UH, COMMUNITY WORK AS WELL.
SO IT'S LIKE THE, THAT BUILDING YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE, UM, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE TWO OFFICE BUILDINGS, ONE ON EACH SIDE, LIKE RENT TO INDIVIDUAL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
SO IT'LL HELP US BE ABLE TO DO THE DOG THING AND THE BUILDING BEHIND IT.
BUT ALSO LIKE ANYONE ELSE GONNA RENT IT, IT WOULD JUST GIVE THEM MORE OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IF THE TRAFFIC IS ALREADY BAD SO THAT IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT MORE, LESS SO, I, I JUST DON'T SEE, UM, I DIDN'T SEE WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY WILL, WILL, WILL THE DOGS BE THERE OVERNIGHT? WILL NO, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
CAN WE'VE NEVER PLANNED ON BOARDING THEM AND DOGS, CAN YOU PLEASE, CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC? THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME.
DOG'S DREAM IS ALREADY ACROSS THE, THE ROAD WHERE THEY BOARD DOGS THAT AREN'T EVEN TRAINED.
SO ANY DOGS WE HAVE ON OUR PROPERTY ARE, THEY'RE TRAINED.
LIKE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE A NUISANCE.
UM, THAT'S, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE, WE'VE HAD.
SO YOU SAID THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T STAY OVERNIGHT, CORRECT? THEY DO NOT.
SO THE ONLY DOGS ON THE PROPERTY WILL BE MEETING US WITH THE OWNERS TO DO LESSONS, BASICALLY SHOWING THEM HOW TO TRAIN THEIR DOG AND THEY'LL LEAVE.
THIS IS, I MENTIONED AS WELL, THIS IS, I'M IN MY THIRD YEAR OF BUSINESS.
SO WE ARE IN A POINT OF EXPANSION.
UM, THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT I'M STARTING OFF.
WE ARE TRYING TO EXPAND AND GET A, A MORE SOLID PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND, UM, THAT WAY THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO IF THEY NEED HELP.
WILL YOU HAVE ANY FENCED IN AREA FOR THE, THAT THE DOGS WILL BE RUNNING FREE IN? NO, THEY'RE ALL LEED THEY'RE ALL ALWAYS GONNA BE LEACHED AND UNDER SUPERVISION.
THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA BE LEACHED AND UNDER SUPERVISION AND IMPROVING THEIR BEHAVIOR.
AND APPRO YOU SAID APPROXIMATELY FIVE DOGS AT A TIME? AT MOST, AT MOST.
THAT'S ALL THAT'S GONNA FIT IN THERE.
WHEN WE DO THIS WOULD BE FROM EIGHT TO FIVE, NOTHING OR ANY NIGHT TIME BUSINESS HOURS.
BUSINESS HOURS AND THEN MAYBE A CLASS OR TWO, SIX O'CLOCK AT THE LATEST.
AND NEXT DOOR IS, UM, THE TIRE SHOP WHO'S OPEN TILL PROBABLY SIX TO SIX TO SEVEN O'CLOCK.
UM, AGAIN, DOG'S DREAM IS ACROSS THE STREET, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, SO I, YOU KNOW, I COULD SEE IF WE WERE DOING THIS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT AN
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
MAY I SPEAK AGAIN? YOU SURE CAN.
THE TIRE BUSINESS IS NOT OPEN TO 5 57 O'CLOCK.
NO, IT, IT CLOSES AT A REGULAR HOUR.
THEY HAVE MADE TWO APARTMENTS IN THE FRONT BUILDING, THE ONE THAT'S SITTING IN THE CENTER AND THEY'VE ALSO GONNA HAVE TWO AT THE BACK NOW DOWN THE ROAD WHEN SOMEBODY ELSE COMES AND WANTS TO PUT IN THEIR CT A C3 WHATEVER.
UH, THERE'LL BE MORE TRAFFIC THERE 'CAUSE HE'S GONNA, HE'S MAKING IT INTO LITTLE OFFICES SO MORE TRAFFIC CAN BE IN THERE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, SO IT IS GONNA GET HARRY IN THERE MORE.
ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK CAN COME FORWARD.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE COLONIAL CAPITAL HUMANE SOCIETY HERE IN NEW BERN.
UM, I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT.
THIS FACILITY IS GOING TO MEET A GROWING LOCAL NEED FOR RESPONSIBLE DOG TRAINING, BUT IT ALSO DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CANINE REFLECTION TRAINS DOGS FOR BOTH MY FACILITY AND FOR CRAVEN PAMELA ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER.
THE TRAINERS BEHIND THIS PROJECT HAVE A LONGSTANDING, UH, COMMITMENT
[00:35:01]
WITH BOTH OF US.THEY VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO EVALUATE DOGS, ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES, AND PROVIDE TRAINING THAT INCREASES EACH ANIMAL'S CHANCE OF BEING ADOPTED.
THEIR INVOLVEMENT HAS ALREADY MADE AN IMPACT BY HELPING DOGS OVERCOME FEAR, ANXIETY, AND OTHER CORRECTABLE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED TO LOWERING THE EUTHANASIA RATES HERE IN CRAVEN COUNTY.
THEY'VE GIVEN DOGS A SECOND CHANCE ON SAFE LOVING HOME.
AND THEIR CONTINUED PRESENCE IN THEIR RESOURCES IN A DEDICATED FACILITY WILL EXPAND THAT IMPACT EVEN FURTHER.
APPROVING THIS FACILITY MEANS SUPPORTING THE SERVICE THAT ACTIVELY STRENGTHENS THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS, LOCAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
FOR THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THIS FACILITY AND ALLOW THEM TO IMPROVE AND CONTINUE THEIR HARD WORK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
MY NAME'S COURTNEY GIBSON AND I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH PAW OF WAR.
UM, I MET LAUREN AT, UH, PAW OF WAR WHEN SHE'S THERE TO HELP OUT WITH ALL THE TRAINING THAT'S GOING ON AND, UM, SHE'S REALLY HELPED ME AND TO HELP THE DOG.
UH, I'M NOT A CITY PLANNER AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH ALL CONSTRUCTION, BUT I'M NOT A CRAVEN COUNTY RESIDENT.
SO I DROVE HERE TODAY AND IT TOOK ME AN HOUR TO GET HERE WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION AND TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING ON.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANY OF US ARE SLOWING IT DOWN OR STOPPING IT.
WHAT LAUREN'S DOING, IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING IN CARTER COUNTY FOR ME TO GO TO.
SO CRAVEN COUNTY'S WHERE I'VE GOTTA GO.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND ALDERMANS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PAW WAR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
WE TRAIN VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR DOGS TO BECOME GOOD COMPANIONS.
UM, THERAPY DOGS OR SERVICE DOGS.
SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM IN LATE 2021, MID 2022, WE'VE TRAINED OVER A HUNDRED DOGS.
MANY OF THOSE, I'D SAY ABOUT 40 OF THEM HAVE PASSED THEIR CANINE GOOD CITIZEN.
SO IT'S OUR GOAL TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITIES DOGS ARE BEHAVED AND GOOD.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR FOCUS ARE ON THOSE WITH, UM, DISABILITIES.
SO, UH, T-B-I-P-T-S-D OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP, UH, LARGE NUMBER OF VETERANS ACTIVE DUTY AND FIRST RESPONDERS IN THIS AREA.
LAUREN HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT.
WE'VE NOW GOT A DOZEN SERVICE DOGS THAT ARE FEDERALLY CERTIFIED.
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH FIVE LEVELS OF TRAINING AS WELL AS FOUR EVALUATIONS.
UM, SHE'S ALSO AN A KC EVALUATOR TO, UH, EVALUATE THE DOGS AS CANINE.
GOOD CITIZENS COURT IS ONE OF OUR DOGS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND HIM A DOG.
'CAUSE IF A VETERAN COMES TO US AND THEY DON'T HAVE A DOG, WE WORK WITH THE SHELTER.
WE WORK WITH RESCUES, WE WORK WITH, UH, THE HUMANE SOCIETY TO FIND THEM A DOG.
SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OF OUR SERVICE DOGS IN TRAINING OR SERVICE DOGS COME TO THIS LOCATION AND DO THEIR WORK TASKS SUCH AS LEARNING HOW TO BRACE TO GET UP IF THEY HAVE FALLEN, UH, DOING A DEEP MASSAGE TO HELP THEM COMFORT THEMSELVES IF THEY FEEL ANXIETY EXITING, PICKING UP, UH, A AN ITEM THAT THEY DROPPED ON THE FLOOR AND THEY CAN'T REACH.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TEACHING THEM TO DO.
SO, UM, AND THEN WE DO A LOT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS MICROCHIPPING VACCINES.
WE HAVE A SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC SCHEDULED AT THE END OF JANUARY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE TIED IN WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND LAUREN HAD HER, UH, CANINE TEAM HAS BEEN A PART OF THAT.
SO WE, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED HERE IN NEW, WE DON'T HAVE A FACILITY.
SO WE TRAIN AT THE HAVELOCK VFW.
WE ALSO HAVE DONATED PROPERTY IN SWANSBORO FROM A PRIVATE CITIZEN.
WE WERE TRAINING IN WINTERVILLE.
UM, WE ALSO TRAIN AT THE NEW BERN MALL.
OUR ADVANCED DOGS GO TO THE NEW BERN MALL, OR WE DO THEIR URBAN TESTING HERE IN NEW BERN.
WE USE THE ELEVATOR AT THE O MARK BUILDING TO TRAIN THE DOGS HOW TO USE IT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO, HOW TO BEHAVE IN AN ELEVATOR.
SO WE DON'T, BUT I'M HOPING MAYBE ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES WE CAN PURCHASE.
'CAUSE MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LOOKING FOR PROPERTIES SO THAT WE CAN OPEN
[00:40:01]
A LARGER TRAINING FACILITY HERE IN NEW BERN AS LONG AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY CENTER.AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY YEARS YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS? UM, WE HAVE MO WE MOVED HERE IN 2021.
WE STARTED OUR FIRST GROUP CLASSES IN, UH, APRIL, 2022 AT THE VFW IN, UH, NEW BERN.
SO PAUSE OF WAR HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE, UH, FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
WE RETIRED AND MOVED HERE AND OPENED A, A PROGRAM HERE, MY HUSBAND AND I.
OKAY, SO LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO YOU WILL BE TAKING SOME OF THE, UH, I'M GONNA SAY, UM, PET SERVICE DOGS, WHATEVER, FROM SOME OF THE CLIENTS AND TRAINING THEM, OR YOU WOULD BE ASSISTING.
NO, IT WOULD BE LIKE COURT AND ELLIE WOULD COME TO LAUREN AT, TO THE BUILDING AND THEY WOULD BE TRAINED ON SPECIFIC WORK TASKS.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE NO INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT? WELL, I HELP, I HELP ORGANIZE THE CLASSES, ARRANGE THE CLASSES.
MY HUSBAND LAUREN AND ANOTHER, UH, VOLUNTEER TRAINER DO THE TRAINING.
AND WE TRAIN THE PERSON TO TRAIN THEIR DOG.
WE DON'T TRAIN THE DOGS, SO WE TRAIN THE PERSON.
SO THEY BUILD THAT BOND TOGETHER THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I COULD TALK ABOUT? PAUSE WAR ALL NIGHT.
I'M A BENEFACTOR OF PAUL'S WAR.
THEY SAY NONPROFIT, THEY MEAN NONPROFIT.
THEY GET, THEY CHARGE NOTHING FOR VETERANS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS.
LAUREN HAS DONATED HER TIME TO TEACH THESE TASKS TO HELP VETERANS OVERCOME THEIR DISABILITIES.
MY DOG, MANDY HERE, SHE'S IN TRAINING.
WE ARE LEARNING OUR TASK, BUT CORE AND BUBBLE BEAR BACK THERE.
SO THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION, PAUL WAR DOESN'T JUST TAKE, UH, THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH LAUREN LIGHTLY.
SO IT IS OUR HOPE THAT YOU WOULD PROVE THIS REZONING.
OH MY, UH, I DO WANT TO, UH, MENTION THAT THAT MAP IS WRONG.
WHERE THAT IS SETTING, THERE IS TRAVEL THAT THEY GO IN, GO BEHIND THAT WHITE BUILDING THAT'S IN THE CENTER OF IT.
THESE FOLKS ARE SUPPOSED TO GO IN THIS BACK CORNER HERE IN THE LONG BUILDING IN AT THAT CORNER, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY.
AND I, I JUST THINK IF YOU'VE GOT ANIMALS, IT'S TERRIBLE TO PUT 'EM ON A HALF AN ACRE.
AND, AND I WANT TO ASK THE F*****G, HAVE THEY TRAINED 'EM TO POTTY IN THE COMMODES WHERE THEY'RE GONNA TIAK.
THERE'S CONCRETE, THERE'S A, A BLACKTOP OUT THERE AND THEY'VE LEFT A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THEY NEED A BIG PIECE OF PROPERTY TO FEEL SAFE WITH ANIMALS.
MY NAME IS DOUG LIO AND I AM A, UH, BOTH A VIETNAM VETERAN AND RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS BUBBA BEAR AND I'VE HAD HIM FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.
AND I GREW UP TRAINING MY OWN BIRD DOGS HUNTING AS A BOY.
BUT WHEN, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE NOTHER PROGRAM.
AND THESE, THESE ANIMALS ARE WELL TRAINED.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN SEND YOUR ANIMAL OFF TO A SCHOOL, HAVE 'EM TRAINED, AND YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOTTA BE TRAINED BY A TRAINER, UH, SEPARATELY AND WITH YOUR DOG.
THAT'S NOT THE BEST KIND OF PROGRAMS. THIS, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS AND THIS, THIS LITTLE GUY, UH, FIT IN THE PALM OF MY HAND WHEN I GOT, WHEN HE WAS GIVEN TO ME.
UM, AND THE THINGS HE DOES FOR ME, NO BIGGER THAN HE IS, AND AS BIG AS I AM, HE CAN HELP ME GET UP OFF THE GROUND WHEN I CAN'T GET MYSELF UP.
[00:45:01]
AND HE'S, HE'S INTELLIGENT.UH, WHEN I'M HAVING PERSONAL ISSUES, UH, DREAMS OR WHATNOT, HE WILL WAKE ME UP BY PUTTING HIS, HE'LL GET UP ON THE BED OR WHEREVER AND PUT HIS PAW ON ME AND THAT SETTLES ME DOWN.
I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT HAD MY WIFE NOT TOLD ME THAT.
AND SHE USED TO BE SCARED TO DEATH TO WAKE ME UP SOME NIGHTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT I'D EVER INTENTIONALLY HARM HER, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK ENOUGH ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
AND SINCE LAUREN CAME ON BOARD, UH, SHE'S AN OUTSTANDING TRAINER AS WELL, AND EVEN KEEL.
AND I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THESE DOGS ARE WELL BEHAVED EVEN WHEN, EVEN THOUGH THEY START, MOST OF THEM PROBABLY FROM PUPPY HOOD.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T THANK PAWS OF WAR LAUREN AND, AND THE OTHER TRAINERS THAT HAVE DONE THIS FOR US.
IT MEANS A LOT TO THE VETERANS AND, AND I SAY VETERANS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MAY WORK IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
THEY MAY BE AN AMBULANCE ATTENDANT OR OR WHATNOT.
THIS PROGRAM IS OPEN TO THEM TOO.
FIRE FIREMEN AND FIRE AND WOMEN.
I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK TO ONE PARTICULAR SEX, BUT TO ALL OF US.
AND, UH, ANYWAY, I'LL, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, BUT I'D HATE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM NOT BE HELPED AS MUCH AS IT CAN.
I KNOW YOU'RE READY TO GO HOME.
I JUST WANNA ADDRESS THAT THESE DOGS WILL NOT BE CHAINED OUT IN THE YARD RUNNING FREELY.
UM, LAUREN AND CANINE REFLECTION HAVE USED OUR FACILITY BEFORE MANY TIMES TO OPEN TRAINING FOR PUPPIES AS WELL AS ADULT DOGS.
LIKE THE, THE LADY MENTIONED THERE WILL BE NO MESSES LEFT.
OUR FACILITY IS ALWAYS LEFT SPOTLESS.
EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO IS AMAZING.
THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE DOGS IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW AND WE DON'T HEAR THEM.
SO I CAN GUARANTEE THAT WHEN THOSE DOGS DO GO THERE, IF THEY START BARKING, IT WILL BE CORRECTED.
THEY'VE DONE THAT WITH MANY OF OUR DOGS AT THE FACILITY AND IT DOESN'T TAKE BUT MINUTES BEFORE THEY CORRECT THOSE ACTIONS.
SO IT REALLY WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE IN MY OPINION.
I LOVE THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR DOGS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR THEM.
IT'S NOT THAT I WOULD, I WOULD REQUEST THAT ONE OF Y'ALL PLEASE GO OUT AND VISIT THE LOCATION, LOOK AND SEE HOW TINY IT IS THERE FOR ANYTHING ELSE TO GO IN THERE.
LIKE MS. GRADY, HERS WAS, IT WAS, UH, TWO OR THREE CARS.
I NEVER SAW ANYTHING OVER THERE OTHER THAN THAT.
BUT THEY BLACK TOPPED IT REAL NICE.
WE BLACK TOPPED, BUT GO AND LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE THAT IS NOT RIGHT.
BUT THE WHITE OR LIGHT COLORED BUILDING SITTING IN THE CENTER IS IN THE CENTER.
AND THE OTHER LONG BUILDING THAT THEY, I THINK ARE WANTING A PART OF IS IN THE BACK.
BUT THERE'S GONNA BE FOR TWO, THERE'S GONNA BE SOMETHING ELSE GOING IN THERE AND TWO THINGS ON THE FRONT.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU IT'S GONNA BE BAD FOR THIS LITTLE ELDERLY LADY.
AND I CAN'T SAY ANYMORE WHETHER OR NOT, BUT THEY DO GET A BIG PIECE OF PRODUCT.
I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
UM, COULD YOU COME BACK, THE LADY THAT RUNS THE PROGRAM? I, IS THIS THE SAME PROGRAM THAT YOU USE LIKE THE MALL FOR ONCE A WEEK? YES SIR.
SOMETHING I JUST DO PERSONALLY SEPARATELY ASSOCIATED, BUT IT'S NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED.
THANK THE PLAN IS TO USE THE BUILDING FOR THAT.
I WANT GET MS. RULE TO COME BACK.
UM, I I IF YOU CAN JUST GIMME A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHY I KNOW IT SAYS, UM, THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD DENIED THIS.
UM, I KNOW IT SAYS IT DOES NOT, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY PLAN USE.
UM, CAN YOU GIMME A REASON WHY? SURE.
SO AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE, THE ZONING MAP, WE COULD SEE THIS IS ONE THAT COULD GO EITHER WAY BECAUSE THERE IS ALREADY C3 RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE ADJACENT.
I'LL REFOCUS THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU AREN'T BEING ASKED
[00:50:01]
TO APPROVE THIS SPECIFIC FACILITY.I, I BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED WAS SOMEBODY PURCHASED A BUILDING, LEASED IT OUT, DIDN'T QUITE DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, DIDN'T SEE WHAT WAS NECESSARILY ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED IN A BUILDING.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT LANDED US HERE WHEN THEY, UH, CALL UP OUR OFFICE AND SAY WE'D LIKE A ZONING PERMIT.
AND YOU LOOK AND WE WENT INTO THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND THE CLOSEST USE BECAUSE A DOG TRAINING FACILITY IS NOT LISTED IN OUR USE TABLE.
OUR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY WHO LEADS OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD WITH STAFF, UH, AT, AT THE TIME BASED ON INFORMATION THEY LOOKED AT, CONSIDERED THIS WOULD BE THE CLOSEST THING TO A KENNEL AND WAS PROCESSED IN THAT DIRECTION.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THERE ON THIS PARTICULAR USE IS NOT KENNELING.
THEY'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR TODAY.
THIS IS TRAINING THAT IS DONE DURING CERTAIN HOURS AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WHERE THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD WAS CONCERNED WAS ALLOWING THAT BROAD RANGE OF USES ALLOWED IN C3 ON THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL, WHICH IS A RELATIVELY SMALL, AND THEY FOUND ALLOWING ALL THOSE C3 USES ON THE, ON THAT SIDE OF THE STREET WAS INCONSISTENT.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU, YOU ALL FIND THE SAME THING.
I ARGUMENTS COULD BE MADE AND IT COMPELLING DECISION COULD BE MADE THAT IT IS, UM, APPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
AND, UM, SCOTT CAN ALSO ADD A LITTLE BIT INTO, INTO HOW WE GOT HERE TOO AS WELL.
I WANNA INVEST, LET, LET, LET'S START BIG PICTURE BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY GONE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF, OF DOG TRAINING AND, AND THIS IS NOT A DECISION TONIGHT THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH DOG TRAINING.
UM, TO, TO YOUR BROADER QUESTION.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD'S, UM, METHODOLOGY, WHICH IS THE SAME AS YOURS, IS TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE POSSIBLE USES IN A C3 ZONE.
IN FACT, WE ARE SPECIFICALLY NOT ALLOWED TO CONSIDER ANY SPECIFIC USE.
WE MUST CONSIDER ALL THE POSSIBLE USES.
THE EXAMPLE I GIVE FOR A C3 IS A GAS STATION.
AND ONCE THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED C3, IT IS LIKELY TO BE C3 TILL THE END OF THE WORLD.
WHICH MEANS ONCE IT'S A C3, IT COULD BE A GAS STATION AT ANY POINT.
IT COULD BE A GAS STATION THE DAY AFTER YOU REZONED IT, OR 10 OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO WE'RE MAKING VERY BIG DECISIONS ABOUT A CORRIDOR AND A SPECIFIC PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WE'RE NOT MAKING NARROW DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER WE LIKE FLORISTS OR DOG TRAINING OR FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS.
SO THAT'S WHERE P AND Z CAME DOWN IN THEIR VIEW THAT IN INTENSIVE VIEWS ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN.
THAT BEING SAID, UM, EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, UM, MAY LEAD US DOWN A PATH THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH REZONING THIS PROPERTY, BUT LASERING IN ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS USE CAN BE ALLOWED IN A C FOUR AS IT EXISTS RIGHT NOW.
AND MY THINKING, AND I WANNA TALK TO STAFF AND THE APPLICANT A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, BUT WE MAY WELL BE ABLE TO ISSUE A ZONING PERMIT AS LONG AS THERE IS NO OUTDOOR USE.
AS LONG AS THERE IS NO OVERNIGHTING, THEN THIS MAY WELL BE ABLE TO CHECK THE BOX FOR A C FOUR AND THAT WAY THEY CAN HAVE THEIR, THEIR DOG TRAINING ACTIVITY EVEN IF YOU DECIDE THAT THE PROPERTY SHOULD NOT BE REZONED TO C3.
SO, SO MY COMMENT WAS GOING TO BE, IF YOU LOOK AT TABLE PERMISSIBLE USES A VETERINARIAN CLINIC IS ALLOWED, WHY WOULD THIS NOT BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT A VETERINARIAN CLINIC WOULD BE THAN A KENNEL? YES SIR.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
I I THINK THE, THE POTENTIAL OF OVERNIGHTING AN OUTDOOR USE IS WHAT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN, UM, STAFF ON THE WRONG PATH TO CONSIDERING A ZONING PERMIT.
SO CAREFUL WHEN I SAY THIS, WHAT I, I DON'T BELIEVE OPERATIONALLY WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE PLANNING AND ZONING PROCESS, THROUGH A PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD HEARING ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
ALL THESE FOLKS COMING FORWARD WHEN I COULD HAVE LOOKED AT THIS TABLE PERMISSIBLE USES AND MADE THE ARGUMENT, THIS IS VET CLARINET MORE SO THAN IS, UH, KENNEL.
WE ARE STILL OPEN IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WHILE SHE'S COMING UP, SCOTT, LET ME ASK YOU, IF, IF YOU THINK THAT THIS, IT COULD WORK THIS OUT, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO, I MEAN, SHE'S READY TO START OUR BUSINESS TOMORROW.
[00:55:01]
RECLASSIFIED.'CAUSE I SAID IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE'RE LIKE FIXING THE DOGS JUST KIND OF, IT'S KINDA LIKE THERAPY.
AND THEY, THEY SHOT THAT DOWN.
HE ASKED THEIR LEGAL ADVICE AND THEY SAID, WE ARE MORE IN LINE WITH A KENNEL.
EVEN THOUGH VETERINARIANS KEEP DOGS OVERNIGHT ALL THE TIME.
THEY EVEN BOARD THEM ANIMAL CARE CENTER BOARDS, DOGS, WHILE PEOPLE GO ON VACATION.
SO YEAH, I I DON'T, WE WERE ASKED TO PAY $750 TO BE HERE.
UM, AND NOW TO FIND OUT THAT IT'S, YEAH.
UM, WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO START A BUSINESS AND CONTINUE.
I DO THINK, DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE? BECAUSE I, SOMEONE SHOWED ME A WEBSITE.
THEY WILL, BECAUSE WE OFFER A TYPE OF TRAINING CALLED BOARD AND TRAIN.
WHICH IS WHEN I BRING A DOG TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE HE HAS SEVERE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES.
EITHER AGGRESSION, SCARED, WHATEVER, THAT I CAN'T JUST DO IN ONE LESSON THAT DOG'S GONNA BE AT MY HOUSE AND I DON'T LIVE IN CITY LIMITS.
UM, BECAUSE I WANT THAT DOG WITH ME 24 7.
IF THERE'S SUCH SEVERE YEAH, I DO KNOW THAT WAS IN THE FALL THAT WAS THROWING THEM OFF.
BUT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO KENDRICK, I BELIEVE LIKE, WE'RE NOT, LIKE IT'S, WE'RE MORE IN LINE WITH YVETTE, BUT THEY, SO, BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND SO IF I MAY, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU'RE NOT INTENDING TO USE THIS AS A KENNEL.
YOUR INTENT IS TO TRAIN INSIDE THE FACILITY WHEN IT IS OPEN, CORRECT? CORRECT.
LIKE I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH OWNERS LIKE SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK TO, FOR HOUR TO TWO HOURS AND WE WILL HAVE A TRAINING SESSION AND THEN WE GO HOME.
UM, IF I KEEP A DOG IN MY POSSESSION, IT'S GONNA BE, I'M GONNA BRING IT TO MY HOUSE 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA WANT TO STAY THERE ALL DAY.
I DON'T LIVE THERE, YOU KNOW, TYPE THING.
SO I, I SUSPECT THE, THE, THE WEBSITE IS WHAT GOT STAFF LOOKING AT THIS DIFFERENTLY.
READING THAT TO MEAN THAT THIS FACILITY WAS GONNA BE USED TO BOARD NOT YOUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT GOT HIM DOWN THE KENNEL PATH.
IT'S HARD WHEN YOU GET STUCK DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE AND DON'T REALLY, YOU KNOW.
OKAY, SO MR. ATTORNEY, WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THIS? YEAH.
WELL, UM, THE DECISION IS BEFORE YOU TO, UM, TO, UH, REFLECT ON THE DECISION TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY OR NOT.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY AND FIND THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH CITY'S LAND USE PLAN, THEN YOU WOULD ADOPT THE ORDINANCE.
IF NOT, THERE'LL BE A MOTION TO UM, FIND THAT, UM, I THINK YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATE RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKAGE THAT, UM, THIS, UM, REZONING WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S LAND LEASE PLAN.
COULD COULD I ASK GO AHEAD HONOR.
I I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND I WANT TO KNOW, HOW DO WE PROCEED WITH PERHAPS REVISITING THIS, IF NOT IN, UH, MAKING A DECISION IN THIS MEETING, BUT IN A, UM, NEXT MEETING TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE REVIEW.
CERTAINLY I APPLAUD, UM, THE WORK, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR VETERANS.
UM, AND, AND HELPING IN THAT MANNER.
I HAVE TO ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE RESIDENTS AND THE IMPACT THAT'S ON RESIDENTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES HERE.
BUT AGAIN, IF WE CAN REVISIT THIS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TONIGHT IF THERE'S SOME ALTERNATIVE THAT YOU CAN PRESENT.
MY PLAN TOMORROW MORNING IS TO GET WITH STAFF AND VERIFY THAT, UM, AND THE APPLICANT THAT THERE WILL BE NO OUTSIDE TRAINING AND THERE WILL BE NO OVERNIGHT KENNELING.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THEY CAN GET A ZONING PERMIT TO DO THEIR, THEIR DAYTIME TRAINING IN THAT SPACE WITHOUT A REZONING.
AND SO WE WOULD NEED THOSE TWO CONTINGENCIES INCLUDED.
THE BOARD TONIGHT WOULD NOT ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT MYSELF TOMORROW MORNING.
YOU SAID IF THEY SAID THERE WILL BE NO THIS AND NO THAT I'M SAYING YES MA'AM.
THE APPLICANT WOULD NEED TO CONFIRM TO STAFF IN WRITING.
SO THAT THE ZONING PERMIT WILL REFLECT THAT THERE WILL BE NO OUTDOOR TRAINING, NO OVERNIGHT BOARD.
AND THAT WAY IT WILL, WE CAN CHECK THE BOX THAT THIS WILL JUST BE AN, AN INTERIOR USE ONLY.
I GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING, YOUR HONOR.
UM, CAN CAN WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE CAN YES.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
MS. RU, UM, YEAH, THE CHALLENGE THAT WAS, WELL THE CITY ATTORNEY AND MY STAFF DISCUSSED, AND THIS IS KIND OF HOW WE GOT HERE, WAS THAT WE HAD A KENNEL AND WE HAVE A VETERINARIAN.
THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS AND DOG TRAINING DID NOT FIT INTO EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
COMBINED WITH THE WEBSITE THAT SUGGESTED THERE WAS KENNELING IS HOW WE MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION.
[01:00:01]
SO THIS IS NOT A VETERINARIAN AND IT IS NOT A KENNEL.UM, AND THESE, THE LEGAL ADVICE WE HAD STARTED WITHOUT THIS EXTRA INFORMATION WAS WE GOT HERE TONIGHT THIS WAY.
UM, AND FOOD PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, UH, BASED ON THE MORE INTENSIVE USE OF THE KENNEL, WHICH CLEARLY THEY HAVE EXPLAINED IS, IS NOT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE OLD DAYS, SIR.
AND WE TRIED TO TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL USE OF PEACE PROPERTY.
UM, TONIGHT I THINK ON HIGHWAY 17, WHICH IS A HIGH TRAFFIC CORRIDOR AREA, WE DID A C3 SOUTH GLENBURN, WE DID A C3 HIGH HIGH TRAFFIC.
UM, ACTUALLY WE DID ONE ON HIGHWAY 70 HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND THE NIGHT WHERE WE'RE AGAIN TALKING ABOUT A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ZONING MEETING, BUT, UM, I WOULD JUST ASK IN THE FUTURE THAT IF, IF ALDERMAN OR ZONING BOARD MEMBERS, UM, DEVIATE, DIGRESS FROM, UH, THE THE SUBJECT TOPIC, WHICH IS THE ZONING THAT PLEASE IF I DO IT, CORRECT ME ON IT.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS BACK TO THE DEFINITIONS OF, OF, UH, EITHER C FOUR, C3, C3 IS, UM, A HIGH CORRIDOR AREA.
UM, AND, AND I THINK, AND, AND CORRECT ME, UM, MR. DAVIS, BUT IN MOST CASES ON THESE THINGS, UH, WHEN A PERSON COMES UP WITH A, A A, A NEW USE FOR A BUILDING, THAT PRETTY MUCH IS VETTED THROUGH THE ZONING DEPARTMENT.
AS FAR AS SPECIAL USE OR ANY THAT, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND, AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE KIND OF HIT THE GAME HERE, SO TO SPEAK.
THIS IS ABOUT ZONING AND MY MOTION WOULD BE IF I AM OUTTA ORDER, I WOULD, IT IS IN WARD FIVE.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY ALDERMAN OUTLAW IS IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THAT STAFF DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR DIRECTION TO GO IN AND THEY CHOSE A MORE ARDUOUS PATH VERSUS A PATH OF LEASE RESISTANCE, WHICH HAS NOW PUT THE BURDEN ON THIS APPLICANT.
NUMBER ONE, THEY PAID THE FEE.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THROUGH THIS HEARING TONIGHT, THE ATTORNEY, I BELIEVE SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE ALLOWED TO DO IT IN THE EXISTING ZONING THAT'S THERE.
UM, SO BEFORE WE WERE TO REZONE THAT I WOULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD THAT WE AT LEAST TABLE THIS.
SEE, WE'RE, WE'RE BACK TALKING ABOUT USE THOUGH.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE ZONING.
I, I DIDN'T, WE'RE BACK TO TALKING ABOUT A, A PARTICULAR USE.
I, I THINK IF I CAN CHIME IN, I, I MEAN, I REALLY THINK THAT TO FRAME THIS, AND I, I BELIEVE IT, IT'S BEEN FRAMED THIS IS A REZONING REQUEST.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE USES ALLOWED BY CHANGING THIS.
I THINK THE ISSUE HERE, AND I I DO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR THAT THE PROCESS HERE FAILED OR WAS FLAWED, SUCH THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE FROM MIDDLE PERMISSIBLE USES, NOT ONLY IF IT'S A TOSS UP BETWEEN VETERINARY CLINIC OR A KENNEL, OR EVEN IF IT'S OPERATIONS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT AND SERVE CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS ON THE PREMISES, SUCH AS OFFICES OF ENLISTS, A HOST OF EXAMPLES, UH, FROM WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT, I BELIEVE THE WAY IN WHICH THESE FOLKS ARE SERVING CUSTOMERS AND CLIENTS AND DOGS, THAT THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AN OFFICE, WHICH IS ZONED AS A MATTER OF RIGHT, IN C3 AND C FOUR.
AND I BELIEVE FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, THAT WHEN THERE IS A TOSSUP OF USE, THAT WE ARE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF FREE AND UNFETTERED USE OF PROPERTY SUCH THAT I, I DO THINK THAT TOMORROW THEY WILL BE TALKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND STAFF ON GETTING A ZONING PERMIT.
SO TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS REZONING REQUEST UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING TO ALLOW STAFF TIME TO WORK THROUGH WHETHER A REZONING IS NECESSARY, AND IF NOT, WHETHER A REFUND OF THAT, UH, FEE IS APPROPRIATE TO THEN REPORT BACK TO US AT OUR NEXT MEETING AND WE CAN TAKE IT UP AT THAT TIME.
I, I MAKE SUBSTITUTE MOTION BASED ON THURMAN ROAD.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS REZONED AS C3 FOR A TYPE OF USE, AGAIN, WHICH WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, I MAKE SUCH MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS PARCEL FOR C3.
WE, WE'VE GOT TO QUESTION ONE IS, IS, UM, ALDERMAN FERGUSON'S MOTION GOING TO GET A SECOND? ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE WAITING FOR A SECOND FOR ALDERMAN FERGUSON'S MOTION.
BECAUSE THE FIRST IS FURTHER DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE FIRST MOTION HAD A SECOND.
IT NEEDS TO BE HEARD FIRST, THEN WE CAN GO ALTERNATIVELY.
SO JUST TO, JUST TO CLARIFY, MY MOTION WOULD BE TO TABLE THIS REZO REQUEST TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
[01:05:01]
AND AT THAT TIME, I BELIEVE STAFF WILL REPORT TO US THAT THAT REQUEST IS MOOT BECAUSE THEY WILL LIKELY GET A PERMIT, IN WHICH CASE THEY WOULD WITHDRAW THEIR RESOURCE REQUEST, IN WHICH CASE THEY WOULD WITHDRAW THEIR RE RESERVE REQUEST.DOES EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY HEARD THE, WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY? IT'S JASON ANDERSON AND I'M HEARING FROM HIM.
I WAS, I, BECAUSE WE'RE HEARING FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I, I HAVEN'T THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE OWNER? YES.
MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU HAD SAID AND DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT ACTUALLY IT CAN BE C FOUR THEIR, WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT TO THAT, THAT THEIR BUSINESS TO BE CAN BE C FOUR.
THE PROPERTY IS ZONED TO C FOUR, RIGHT? ALREADY.
AND AS LONG AS THERE IS NO OUTDOOR TRAINING EXACTLY, AND THERE IS NO OVERNIGHTING RIGHT.
THEN THEY CAN DO DAYTIME TRAINING IN THAT FACILITY WITH JUST A ZONING PERMIT.
SO, AND THERE'LL BE NO NEED TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO C3.
SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, ZONING IN HERE, WOULD IT BE CONTRADICTORY FOR US TO APPROVE THIS AS C FOUR OR YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND YOU HAVE GOT TO TALK TO STAFF BEFORE WE CAN DO THAT.
WHICH IS THE MOST INTENSE USE, WHICH IS ALDERMAN OUTLAWS POINT OF THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS NOT, NOT TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON DOG TRAINING.
IT'S TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON WHETHER THIS PARTIAL SHOULD HAVE THE MOST INTENSE COMMERCIAL USES OR NOT.
AND THE MOTION THAT PASSED WAS TO TABLE THAT DECISION TO SEE IF THE APPLICANT MIGHT WITHDRAW THEIR REQUEST TO REZONE AND TAKE IT FROM YOU SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SO, I MEAN, THEY ARE HERE NOW.
WOULD THEY BE AMENABLE TO THAT TO SEE FORWARD? WELL, IF THEY DON'T HAVE, WELL, IT, IT IS THEN WE WON'T EVEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WELL, I THINK TOMORROW MORNING WE WANT TO MEET AND, AND CONFIRM THE FACTS OKAY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR PERMIT.
BEFORE THEY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH DRAWING THEIR REQUEST.
SO FOR SOME REASON ANOTHER CANNOT BE WORKED OUT TOMORROW, WE'LL BE ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? BUT ALSO YOU NEED TO COME UP, SHE CAN'T COME UP.
PUBLIC HEARINGS BEEN CLOSED, SO CAN STAFF WORK WITH HER ON WHAT WE'VE DECIDED TONIGHT SO THEY'LL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW? I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR, SO YES, SIR.
[12. Update on New Utility Bill Printing Services.]
12, UPDATE ON NEW UTILITY BILLING SERVICES.MR. BOUCHARD IN 60 SECONDS OR LESS, JUST KIDDING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR O I'M BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
TONIGHT I'M HAPPY TO, UH, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PROGRESS REGARDING OUR MIGRATION.
UM, OUR PROJECT TO MIGRATE FROM OUR CURRENT BILL PRINT SERVICE PROVIDER TO OUR NEW BILL PRINT SERVICE PROVIDER, WHICH IS CALLED DOUM.
I BELIEVE THIS, UH, THIS SERVICE WILL BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMER AS WELL AS THE UTILITY AND FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF THIS NEW SERVICE IS IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOT FROM OUR CUSTOMERS OVER WHAT'S LACKING IN THEIR BILL AND WHAT'S LACKING ON THEIR, THEIR PAYMENT PORTALS AND THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS.
IT SHOULD LEAD TO AN IMPROVED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
UM, INCLUDED IN THIS BILL PRINT, THIS NEW FORMAT OF A BILL, UH, I'LL SHOW YOU HERE IN A SECOND, IS AN ENHANCED SUMMARY.
BRINGING BACK GRAPHICAL FEATURES TO THE BILL, THERE'S AN EXPANDED MESSAGING CENTER.
UM, THERE'D BE DAILY ACCOUNT INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE ON AN ONLINE PORTAL.
UM, CUSTOMERS CAN MAKE AN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT VIA THAT ONLINE PORTAL.
AND AS AN END RESULT, I THINK IT REALLY IMPROVE, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE EFFICIENCY IN THE OFFICE.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS, UM, BASED ON THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE EXISTING PORTAL TO KEEP REAL TIME PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS.
[01:10:01]
QUESTIONS.DID I MAKE A PAYMENT TODAY? CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? NO, I CAN'T NOT TILL IT PROCESSES.
AND WE GET A LOT OF THOSE CALLS, SO I THINK THIS SHOULD RESOLVE THAT, THAT PROBLEM.
UM, STEPPING UH, THROUGH WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS OUR CURRENT BILLING FORMAT.
I THINK WE INTRODUCED THIS IN 2022.
IT SEEMED LIKE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT THEN BASICALLY, UH, WE, WE, WE ITEMIZED AND BROUGHT OUT THE, UM, SERVICES, UM, BETWEEN ELECTRIC WATER WASTEWATER SOLID WASTE, SO THE CUSTOMERS COULD CLEARLY SEE THOSE BEING ITEMIZED ON THEIR BILL.
WE ADDED SOME ENHANCED ICONS, UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE LOST THE HISTORICAL GRAPHS THAT EVERYBODY, UM, LIKED AND ARE VERY HELPFUL TO ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS TO THE CUSTOMER OF, OF, OF THEIR USAGE WISE, THEIR BILL HIGH OR LOW THIS MONTH.
SO WORKING WITH DOSIM, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST PAGE OF THE NEW BILL FORMAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE TOP LEFT HAND SIDE IS, UH, UM, A PLACEHOLDER FOR AN ACCOUNT.
HEADER INCLUDES ACCOUNT NUMBER, THE BILL DATE, UM, ACCOUNT NAME, SERVICE ADDRESS, THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION BELOW THAT, DIRECTLY BELOW THAT IS A NEW FEATURE, WHICH IS A CHARGE BY PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL BILL PER SERVICE THAT THE CUSTOMER IS RECEIVING.
I THINK THAT'S VERY INSIGHTFUL AND I'M HOPING OUR CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE AND LIKE THAT.
BELOW THAT IS A MUCH LARGER EXPANDED MESSAGE CENTER THAT WE CAN USE FOR CAMPAIGNS OF INFORMATION AND JUST TO KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS INFORMED.
MOVING OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, ON THE VERY TOP, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE DUE DATE AND THE DATE AND THE AMOUNT DUE DIRECTLY BELOW THAT IS A SUMMARY OF CHARGES ITEMIZED PER SERVICE THAT THE CUSTOMER'S RECEIVING, AND THEN BELOW THAT, THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE.
UM, MOVING FARTHER DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE A QR CODE THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN USE TO, UM, LINK THEM IMMEDIATELY TO THAT ONLINE PORTAL AND THEIR, THEIR E-BILLING ACCOUNT WHERE THEY CAN MAKE A PAYMENT OR LOOK AT THEIR PREVIOUS AND CURRENT CHARGES.
AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE, OF THE PAGE IS THE TYPICAL REMITTANCE COUPON.
TAKING A LOOK AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE BILL, OVER ON THE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU HAVE, UH, YOUR METERING AND BILLING, UM, DATA INFORMATION SUCH AS YOUR METER NUMBER.
WE'RE ABLE TO NOW ADD, UM, SOME WEATHER INFORMATION.
UM, AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGH THAT BILLING PERIOD, GIVE YOU THE AMOUNT OF DAYS DURING THAT BILLING PERIOD, THE REEDS FROM THE METER, UM, WHICH GIVES YOU YOUR USAGE OF BOTH, UH, ELECTRIC WATER, UH, WASTE WATER AND SOLID WASTE.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS THE FEATURE I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE EXCITED ABOUT IS AN EMER REEMERGENCE OF THE GRAPH AND HISTORICAL USAGE.
AND AT THE BOTTOM, UH, IS, UM, A REMINDER AND INFORMATION, UH, FOR MEANS AND, AND METHODS, A WAY THAT WE CAN, I SHOULD SAY METHODS THAT CUSTOMERS CAN, CAN MAKE A PAYMENT ON THEIR UTILITY BILL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, STAFF HAS, IN SUPPORT OF THAT, I SHOULD SAY, STAFF HAS CREATED A LEGEND, UH, TO HELP CUSTOMERS UNDERSTAND THEIR BILL.
BASICALLY GOING THROUGH PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I DID.
UM, YOU LINE UP THE, THE LEGEND, UM, NUMBER FOR ITEM, FOR EXAMPLE, ITEM A ON THE LEFT WITH ITEM A ON THE RIGHT.
AND IT'LL GIVE YOU A BASIC IDEA OF, OF WHERE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION ON YOUR BILL.
AND THIS WILL BE GOING OUT AS WE EDUCATE OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, TOWARDS THEIR NEW BILLING FORMAT.
WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
LIKE THIS, THIS BILL SAYS PAST DUE AFTER APRIL 10TH.
IF, IF I WALKED INTO THE OFFICE FORT TOTTEN APRIL 10TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK, WELL LET'S SAY I DID IT FROM MY HOUSE AND PAID THE BILL ELECTRONICALLY.
I'VE HAD SOME FOLKS COM COMPLAIN TO ME THAT THEY GOT A LATE FEE AND THEN THEY SAID THEY HAD, THEY WERE TOLD WITHIN THE CITY THAT WHEN IT'S PAID ELECTRONICALLY, IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY REGISTER WITH THE CITY FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT IT WAS PAID AT FOUR O'CLOCK ON APRIL 10TH.
AND THAT DO, I MEAN, IS THERE THE SYSTEM WE HAVE, HOW, HOW IMMEDIATE WHEN SOMEBODY PAYS UH, THE BILL, IT IS THE CITY AWARE OF IT, IT LACK THE LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION ON A REAL TIME BASIS.
[01:15:01]
DOES LAG, BUT MAKING THE HOW, HOW MUCH IS WHAT QUESTION, I GUESS WOULD BE WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE LAG? IT'S A DAY.SO IF SOMEBODY MAKES, IF SOMEBODY COMES INTO OUR OFFICE AND MAKES A PAYMENT AT FOUR O'CLOCK BECAUSE ON THE DUE DATE THEY'RE NOT PENALIZED IF THEY PAY IN PERSON, BUT THIS IS, IF THEY PAY ONLINE, WE'LL DO WE'LL, WE'LL ACKNOWLEDGE THE SAME THING.
THEY, THEY WERE, I WAS BEING TOLD THAT THEY PAID IT ON TIME, BUT THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO MEET.
THERE WAS THAT DELAY AND THEY GOT A LATE FEE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE IF I JUST WELL, I MEAN THE ONLY, WHAT WHAT I WAS GOING WITH IS, IS, IS IS THERE A MORE INSTANTANEOUS CREDITING WITH THIS SYSTEM OR ANOTHER SYSTEM THAT AS SOON AS THEY MAKE AN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT IS IS CREDITED? IT'S POSTED.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S THE SOLUTION TO THAT? THIS SYSTEM SIR? THIS SYSTEM? YEAH.
WELL, I MEAN, OKAY, SO, SO CHARLIE, AM I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THIS, THIS NEW SYSTEM TAKES PLACE, THAT A CUSTOMER CAN LOG INTO THEIR ACCOUNT ONLINE AND THEY CAN SEE IN REAL TIME, THIS IS WHAT I OWE.
IF I GO AHEAD AND MAKE A PAYMENT ONLINE, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY REFLECT THE, THE NEW BALANCE.
IF ZERO OR STILL OWE CORRECT, THEY'LL SEE IT POSTED.
AND WILL IT ALSO SHOW, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW DETAILED THAT IS, BUT WILL IT ALSO SHOW THE KILOWATT HOURS USED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD? CURRENTLY? YES.
IT, IT'LL SHOW ALL THAT PAYMENT INFORMATION.
AND ALRIGHT, SO THIS, THIS NEW SYSTEM WHEN WE, WHEN THIS STARTS, HOPEFULLY BY SOMETIME AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, THIS WILL BE MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY.
I AND ON THE GRAPH ITSELF, WILL IT POPULATE FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS OF SERVICE OR OR DO WE HAVE TO START BASICALLY FROM NO, WE BROUGHT HISTORY OVER.
SO INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE MONTHLY BILL, THE CUSTOMER WILL GET THE UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEW UTILITY BILL SLIP ALONG WITH THAT BILL? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO SEND THAT OUT TO THEM SEPARATELY.
UM, THERE'LL BE A LINK IN THEIR NEW BILL THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO OUR WEBSITE THAT WILL HAVE THIS, UM, UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEW UTILITY BILL CONNECTED TO IT SO WE WON'T HAVE TO PAY THE EXTRA CHARGE FOR THE INSERT.
ANOTHER QUESTION, UM, I SEE THAT YOU GOT LISTED YOUR 5% LATE PENALTY FEE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE LISTED WHAT A DELINQUENT FEE IS.
AND I THINK WHAT IS THE DELINQUENT FEE AMOUNT? IS IT A SET AMOUNT? IT IS.
SO THAT WOULD NOT BE ON THE BILL.
IF YOU THINK IT'S IT'S SET DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, I THINK YES.
MIGHT BE A LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR SOMEONE TO LOOK AT, READ THAT.
IT'S LIKE, OH WOW, GREAT FEEDBACK.
I'M GONNA BE CHARGING AN ADDITIONAL 30, $35 IF I DON'T GET MY BILL PAID ON TIME.
OR AFTER THE 10 DAYS, I'LL SEE IF I CAN CLARIFY THAT.
BUT OTHERWISE THE BILL, BUT OTHERWISE I LIKE THE, THE NEW BILL.
I MEAN, MY, MY CAT COULD UNDERSTAND IT.
THIS IS, UH, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WE HOPE THAT, UH, WE HOPE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE EQUALLY EXCITED AND THAT, UH, THE UTILITY BENEFITS FROM IT, IT, IT, IT BRINGS SOME EFFICIENCIES.
THE BREAKDOWN IS I, I I LIKE THAT.
I LIKE THE, THE CHARGES BY SERVICES BREAKDOWN.
CHARLIE, ANY, UM, AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO KNOW THIS, BUT PERCENTAGE, ROUGHLY OF PAYMENTS THAT ARE MADE THROUGH THE LOCKBOX IN CHARLOTTE? NOT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT REVENUE WISE, BUT THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS, ANY IDEA WHAT PERCENTAGE GOES THROUGH THAT LOCK BOX? WELL, I TRACK IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
I HAVE IT WITH ME IF YOU WANT ME TO PULL IT OUT.
UM, IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE.
UM, AND THAT, IS THAT PART OF THIS GROUP THAT DOES THE INVOICES, DO THEY DO THE COLLECTIONS THROUGH THE LOCK BOX OR A OS IS THE SYSTEM? OKAY.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT, A OS IS OUR CURRENT BILL PRINT PROVIDER ELECTRONIC PAYMENT, UM, PORTAL.
THAT'S THE NAME OF IT THAT WILL CHANGE WHEN WE GO WITH LIVE WITH DOSIM.
BUT PRESENTLY, UM, WE'RE AVERAGING WITH THE ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS ABOUT 7,400 PAYMENTS PER MONTH THROUGH THAT METHODOLOGY OF CASHIERING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
[01:20:02]
OKAY.[Items 13 - 15]
UH, WE CAN, UH, CONSIDER ITEMS 13, 14, AND 15 TOGETHER IF YOU WOULD LIKE.NUMBER 13 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CELL OF 8 4 1 BLOOMFIELD STREET.
AND NUMBER 14 IS CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CELL OF 8 41 PEY AVENUE.
AND ITEM NUMBER 15 IS CONSIDER APPROVING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CELL OF 8 2 7 BLOOMFIELD STREET.
MR. HUGHES ON THE FIRST ITEM OF BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,000 WAS RECEIVED, UH, FOR THE PURCHASE OF 8 41 BLOOMFIELD.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED BUT NO UPSET BIDS WERE RECEIVED.
IF SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $3,768 29 CENTS AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE $2,231 71 CENTS.
THE PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED JOINTLY BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE AND IS A VACANT 0.116 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $6,000.
ON THE SECOND PROPERTY, UH, BID WAS RECEIVING THE AMOUNT OF $5,400 FOR THE PURCHASE OF 8 41 PAY THE AVENUE THE BID WAS ADVERTISED, BUT NO ADDITIONAL BIDS WERE RECEIVED.
IF SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $3,517 94 CENTS AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE $1,882 6 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS.
THE PROPERTY IS A VACANT 0.06 ACRE RESIDENTIAL TRACK WITH A TAX VALUE OF $5,400 THAT WAS REQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY IN FEBRUARY OF 2019 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE.
THE THIRD PROPERTY, WE RECEIVED A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF 8 27 BLOOMFIELD STREET.
THE BID WAS ADVERTISED WITH NO ADDITIONAL BIDS RECEIVED.
IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD FOR THIS BID, THE CITY WILL RECEIVE $602 39 CENTS AND THE COUNTY WILL RECEIVE $2,397 61 CENTS FROM THE PROCEEDS.
THIS PROPERTY IS A VACANT 0.056.
THANK FOR A RESIDENTIAL TRACT WITH A TAX VALUE OF $6,000 AND IT WAS REQUIRED IN NOVEMBER, 2017 THROUGH TAX FORECLOSURE BOARD.
HAVE QUESTIONS? IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SALE OF 8 4 1 BLOOMFIELD STREET.
APPROVE THE SALE OF 8 41 PIER AVENUE AND APPROVE THE SALE OF 8 27 BLOOMFIELD STREET.
OKAY, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO SELL ITEMS 13 THROUGH 15.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR I GUESS MAYBE MR. DAVIS.
UH, USUALLY THE PROCEEDS FAVOR THE COUNTY AS IN NUMBER 15, BUT ITEMS 13 AND 14 THEY FAVOR US.
IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? YES, SIR.
MOST LIKELY THERE WERE NUISANCE EXPENSES AND NUISANCE TAKE A PRIORITY.
IS THERE FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL STARTING WITH ALDERMAN FERGUSON.
AND IF YOU RECALL, WE PULLED ITEM NUMBER 16, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER
[17. Appointment(s).]
17 FOR APPOINTMENTS.DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE TONIGHT? YES, MR. MAYOR, THE, UH, THERE ARE THREE SPOTS ON THE MSD THAT ARE IN ONE YEAR TERMS ENDING IN DECEMBER.
ALL THREE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE WILLING TO SERVE AND, UH, TO, TO SERVE A SECOND TERM.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, TO APPOINT VON LEWIS, JOHN HAROLDSON AND MIKE LEE, UH, WATSON.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? OKAY, UH,
[18. Attorney's Report.]
ATTORNEY'S REPORT GOT THE REPORT.MY MAYOR, CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
[19. City Manager's Report.]
A FEW THINGS FOR YOU.JUST AS A REMINDER, CITY OFFICERS WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH AND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH IN OBSERVANCE OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
TRASH COLLECTION WILL RUN ONE DAY BEHIND IF YOUR SERVICE FALLS ON THANKSGIVING DAY.
BULK WASTE COLLECTION RESUMES ON MONDAY.
AND AS A REMINDER, WITH THE HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, ICE SKATING AT UNION POINT PARK WILL BEGIN ON FRIDAY AT 1:00 PM AND THAT WILL GO PRETTY MUCH THE MAJORITY OF THE WEEK THROUGH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.
WE WILL LIGHT UP THE SEASON ON FRIDAY, STARTING AT UNION POINT PARK AT 6:00 PM SAND WILL LIGHT THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND ALL OF THE DECORATIONS IN THE PARK.
WE WILL THEN WALK DOWN MIDDLE STREET WHERE SANTA WILL LIGHT UP BEAR PLAZA AT 6:30 PM AND THERE WILL BE A VARIETY OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ON MIDDLE AND P*****K STREET.
ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH, THE TITAN AIR SHOW WILL RETURN TO UNION POINT PARK THAT STARTS AT 4:30 PM ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH.
THE CITY OF NEW BERN CHRISTMAS PARADE WILL START AT 10:00 AM AND THE ROUTE WE WILL BE USING AGAIN WILL BE GEORGE STREET TO P*****K STREET.
AND SO THAT'S ALWAYS A, A GOOD PARADE.
AND THEN LATER THAT EVENING, THE COASTAL CHRISTMAS FLOW TILL WILL BEGIN AT 5:30 PM AT UNION POINT PARK.
UM, AS AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE HAVE HAD, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF A STRING OF FIRES, UNFORTUNATELY RECENTLY, UH, IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, SIX RESIDENTIAL
[01:25:01]
AND TWO COMMERCIAL FIRES.AND SO THANKSGIVING IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES OF THE YEAR FOR, FOR, FOR COOKING.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU ARE COOKING, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU, YOU, UM, MONITOR WHAT YOU'RE COOKING INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
NEVER WALK AWAY FROM A COOKING SOURCE.
DON'T WEAR LOOSE CLOTHING AROUND A FLAME.
KEEP FLAMMABLE LOT ITEMS AWAY FROM THE HEAT SOURCES.
MAINTAIN A KID FREE ZONE AROUND THE STOVE, THE TURKEY FRYER OR OTHER COOKING SOURCES, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SMOKE DETECTORS, UH, CLOSE BY AND A FIRE EXTINGUISH YOUR OWN HAND.
WE HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
HOW MANY ENTRIES DO WE HAVE IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE THIS YEAR? SO REGISTRATION IS CURRENTLY GOING ON NOW.
I BELIEVE WE ARE ABOUT AT 75 OR 80 RIGHT NOW.
I ANTICIPATE THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE BETWEEN ONE 50 AND 200, UH, FOR THE PARADE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A LARGE PARADE AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW THAT IS CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR.
[20. New Business.]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ALDERMAN FERGUSON.IF EVERYONE HAS A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING ALDERMAN.
UM, I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF ALDERMAN FERGUSON THAT WE HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND, UM, LET ME KNOW WHEN THE FOOD IS READY.
UH, MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT, UM, PROBABLY A YEAR AGO, UH, THERE WAS THE HUMANE SOCIETY AMONG ANOTHER ORGANIZATION CALLED PAM CODE CRAVEN.
PAM CODE TNR PROJECT THAT WAS EXPLAINING THEIR PROJECT TO US HERE.
UH, BASICALLY THE, UH, CRAVEN PAM CODE TNR PROJECT, UH, AS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL, UH, TRAP IN NEUTER CATS IN DIFFERENT COLONIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, SEVERAL NEW COLONIES HAVE SHOWED UP IN NEW BERN.
UM, TO DATE THIS PROJECT HAS, UH, TRAPPED IN, IN NEUTER SPADE 2009 CATS.
AND JUST IN THE CITY ALONE, 492 CATS HAVE BEEN, UH, CAUGHT.
AND, UM, NEUTERED, UH, THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, AND AS A RESULT OF A BRAND NEW COLONY THAT HAS SHOWED UP INSIDE THE CITY, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF MY A RP FUNDS, UH, BE GIVEN TO THE CRAVEN PAMELA CODE TNR PROJECT.
AND I'LL HAVE, UH, IF IT'S APPROVED, I WILL HAVE THEM CALL YOU AND GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE I DON'T, SHE ASKED IF IT COULD BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE VETERINARIAN HOSPITAL OR IF IT NEEDED TO BE PAID TO THE CRAVEN PANEL CODE TNR, SO SHE CAN CALL YOU TOMORROW AND WORK THAT OUT IF YOU DON'T MIND.
SO IS THAT YOUR MOTION? THAT'S MY MOTION.
IS THAT ALLOWABLE FOR OUR A RP FUNDS? YEAH, I'VE ALREADY CHECKED.
UM, IT SERVICING THE CITY PUBLIC'S NOT, IT'S, IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO SPEND IT, I WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK.
BUT IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO SPEND IT ON CAMP GENERAL FUNDS, THEN YOUR MICROPHONE, KIM.
IF IT'S ALLOWED WHEN THEY GO BACK AND LOOK FOR GENERAL PURPOSES, WE CAN SPEND IT OR WE CAN SPEND THE END GENERAL PURPOSES.
BUT DIDN'T HE SAY CRAVEN COUNTY? AND THAT'S WHERE THE CRAVEN PAMELA CO TNR PROJECT.
SO WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? SO IT'S A CRAVEN COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
WELL, NEWBURN IS IN CRAVEN COUNTY.
THE MONEY'S GOING TO A NEW COLONY OF CATS THAT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS IN NEWBURN.
ALL THE MONEY WILL BE USED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS COLONY OF CATS INSIDE THE CITY OF NEW.
SO THE SERVICES ARE BEING PERFORMED FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE CITY.
I I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE GONNA CHECK INTO IT TO SEE, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN TIMES THAT I'VE ASKED ABOUT CERTAIN A RP FUNDS BEING I CAN USE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS AND I WAS DENIED.
AND THIS SEEMS THIS IS GOING TO A FIVE OH ONE C, WHATEVER YOU CALL 'EM, A ORGANIZATION, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
[01:30:02]
HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.ANY OPPOSED? A HAVE IT ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T, DO NOT ALL INVEST NEW BUSINESS.
I JUST WANT, WELL, THERE'S NOBODY HERE FROM THE POLICE, BUT, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UM, I'VE SEEN SO MANY POLICE ALL OVER THE CITY TODAY IN THEIR PULLING, UH, CITIZENS AND I GOT SOME PHONE CALLS ASKING ME WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHY I'M, I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT TO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
HE MAY BE AWARE OF ANY SPECIAL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
NO, WE, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY, UH, SPECIAL PROJECTS GOING ON, BUT WE, WE WILL BE INCREASING OUR POLICE PRESENCE FOR THE THIS WEEKENDS EVENTS BECAUSE OF, UH, EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UM, IN OTHER LOCATIONS, UH, DURING THE TREE LIGHTING EVENTS.
WELL, I KNOW I'VE GOT SOME CALLS FROM TWO CITIZENS AND THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW THERE'S POLICE ALL OVER, STOPPING PEOPLE ALL OVER BLUE LIGHTS EVERYWHERE.
AND I WAS LIKE, UM, DIDN'T KNOW.
UH, I HAVE THE THANKSGIVING THERE.
DO WE NEED A CLOSE SESSION? NO, SIR.
UH, IF NOT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND FURTHER DISCUSSION.