HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93010_1065 (2)easily accessible, people were drinking and smoking in it. She said the site was a
hazard, especially for the neighborhood children.
Code Enforcement & Planning Director Lynn Niblock said he visited the
property and observed the same conditions mentioned by Mrs. Booker. He said the
house appeared to be structurally sound, but esthetically, there were problems. Niblock
said the owner had agreed to board -up the structure and clean the site this week. Mr.
Niblock said his office would follow-up on the matter to insure that the owner had tried
to improve the situation.
Commissioner Williams asked what steps would be taken if the site was not
cleaned up.
Niblock said the county did not have an ordinance that specifically addressed the
problems, and presently, the only available remedy would be under state law with the
condemnation of buildings provision. He said the state law was narrow in content and
basically a structure had to be in an imminent life-threatening condition. Niblock said it
would be difficult to make a case since the house on Kennedy Drive was vacant. He
said that if the county took the property owner to court, it would involve a lengthy and
drawn-out process.
Presentation from Ombudsman Cindy Kincaid Regarding the 2002 Year -
End Reports for the Nursing and Adult Care Home Advisory Committees: Ms.
Kincaid was accompanied to the meeting by nursing and adult care committee members
Katie Barker, LaRue Burleigh, Sue Donaldson, Pat Culbertson, Charles Donaldson,
Barbara Lippard, Fem Sexton, and Gene Hall. She said Region F (nine counties) had
250 volunteers who were a part of over 1800 statewide advocates for the residents of
nursing and adult care facilities. Kincaid said the volunteers received 15 hours of
orientation, 8 hours of on-going training, and there was also facility training. Ms.
Kincaid said the committees were mandated through the General Statutes and
legislatively empowered to serve as the residents' advocates. She said the committees
were the only agency that had the residents as the focal point of their work, and this was
accomplished through quarterly visits with the patients, their families, and the facility
administrators. Kincaid said Region F had grown to over 14,000 long-term care beds,
and it was the largest in the State. She said Iredell County, alone, had over 739 nursing
home beds and 833 adult care beds.
The board members thanked the nursing and adult care committee volunteers for
their invaluable services.
Frank Laxton of 172 Tennessee Circle, Mooresville, N.C., Speaks in
Reference to "Quiet Waters": Laxton said the facility known as "Quiet Waters"
started operations as a retreat center in January of 2001. He said the facility had been
tax exempt since 1998, except for one off -water lot. Mr. Laxton questioned how the
facility, or the "single family residence," had received tax exemption from the tax
assessor since retreat centers were not allowed in Resort Residential (R -R) districts in
1998. Mr. Laxton said that for over 20 years, retreat centers were not allowed in R -R
districts until May of 2002. He said the owner's request for a special use permit was
denied by the board of adjustment (October 2002), but the decision had been appealed
to the courts. He said that in 2001, the neighbors started complaining about the owner
operating a bed and breakfast. Laxton said the county investigated, and the owner said
there wasn't a bed and breakfast, or a retreat center, and the structure's usage was for
"having acquaintances over for dinner and prayer." Mr. Laxton asked how a person
could receive tax exemption for "dinner and prayer," especially when the application
indicated the person would operate a retreat center. Laxton said he had a copy of a
letter from St. Therese Catholic Church dated in February of 2001 (same time the owner
said there wasn't a retreat center) that stated, "Our faith formation department
contributed $380 to Quiet Waters Retreat Center in exchange for meeting rooms and
board."