HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-05-2024
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March 5, 2024
IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PRE-AGENDA SESSION
March 5, 2024
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in pre-agenda session on Tuesday, March
5, 2024, at 4:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room located in the Iredell County
Government Center 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chair Melissa Neader
Vice Chair Bert Connolly
Scottie Brown
Gene Houpe
Brad Stroud, Sr.
Staff present: County Manager Beth Mull, Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson,
County Attorney Lisa Valdez, Finance Director Deb Cheek, and Clerk to the Board Amy
Anderson.
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Neader called the meeting to order.
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: County Manager Beth Mull went over the
following adjustment:
ADD: VIII.8 Request from Emergency Medical Services for approval of Budget
Amendment #34 to purchase two ambulances and the accompanying equipment.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider a request from Owner/Applicant Lee Phil Rotella of Lake
Vision Development, LLC, to rezone three parcels of land at the corner of Brawley School
Road and Drye Drive, approximately 1.6 acres. Planning Director Matthew Todd gave a
background on the request. Initially, the Planning Board recommended denial of the request and
the commissioners sent the request back to the Planning Board. The Planning Board recommended
denial of the second request and at that point the commissioners asked for the applicant to consider
a conditional request. The applicant did so and held a Public Input Meeting. No one attended the
meeting to share feedback. The Planning Board voted 7-2 to recommend in favor of the rezoning
request.
Commissioner Houpe asked about the proposed conditions.
Todd said the applicant has narrowed the list of permitted uses to a contractor’s facility.
The applicant added on to an adjacent property that was not properly zoned. The rezoning would
bring the business into compliance. There are watershed restrictions on how much more the
applicant can do on the property. Todd said the applicant got a little ahead of himself with the use
however he has made the property look a lot better.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
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March 5, 2024
Request from Planning & Development to consider calling for a public hearing on
March 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in regard to a text amendment to the Land Development Code.
Planning Director Matthew Todd requested approval to call for a public hearing on March 19,
2024, at 6pm regarding a text amendment to the Land Development Code. Last year, the State
adjusted the number of children allowed in a home-based childcare facility. Todd explained that
an in-home childcare operator contacted staff regarding the text amendment. An in-home childcare
operator contacted staff wanting to go by the State numbers, but the local ordinance would not
allow it. The text amendment would mirror state regulations by allowing the addition of two
additional children in an in-home childcare facility. Todd noted that the City of Statesville recently
approved a similar text amendment.
Commissioner Houpe asked if the text amendment would align the County with the State.
Todd said yes. It will also remove the County because the State regulates the number of
children by age.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Parks & Recreation for approval of Budget Amendment #33 to
appropriate donated funds to purchase a memorial bench for the Recreation Center in honor
of Barbara Turner. Parks & Recreation Director Tate Osborne requested approval of Budget
Amendment #33 to appropriate donated funds to purchase a memorial bench for the Recreation
Center in honor of Barbara Turner. Members of the Recreation Center donated the funds for a
bench in honor of beloved employee Barbara Turner.
Chair Neader remarked what a kind gesture to honor Ms. Turner.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from the Library for approval of a 3-year contract with Spectrum to provide
internet access at the Statesville and Troutman libraries and authority from the Board for
the Library Director to sign the Service Order. Library Director Juli Moore requested approval
of a 3-year contract with Spectrum to provide internet access at the Statesville and Troutman
libraries and authority for the Library Director to sign the Service Order. The current contract
expires June 30, 2024. Spectrum remains the least expensive provider and the cost of the main
Library will be reduced from $899 per month to $675 per month, and the Troutman Library rate
will stay $350 per month. Moore noted that the contract has been reviewed by County Attorney
Lisa Valdez.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from the Library for approval to apply for E-Rate discounts. Library Director
Juli Moore requested approval to apply for E-Rate discounts in the amount of $7,884. E-rates is a
reimbursement available through the Federal Communications Commission. Internet for the
Statesville and Troutman libraries will be under a new 3-year contract with Spectrum. Internet
service for the Harmony library will be a month-to-month service with Yadtel/Zirrus.
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March 5, 2024
This item was placed on consent.
Request from the Finance Department for approval to amend the annual budget
ordinance to include the Opioid Settlement Fund. Assistant Finance Director Caroline Taylor
requested approval to amend the annual budget ordinance to include the Opioid Settlement Fund.
When the Opioid Fund was started, the Local Government Commission (LGC) recommended that
the funds be put into multi-year funds. Throughout the process, the LGC has looked more into
what counties can do and the only multi-year fund the County can do in a Special Revenue Fund
is a Grant Project Fund and has determined that the Opioid Funds are not grant project funds since
it is settlement funds. The LGC recommends moving the funds from a multi-year fund to an annual
fund which requires an amended budget ordinance. Taylor noted this is the same budget brought
to the Board in June 2023 except for adding two Community Paramedics that the Board agreed to
by consensus during the recent Winter Planning Retreat.
Chair Neader asked if the change simplifies things for Finance staff.
Taylor said it is hard to make the transition because the expenses thus far have been in a
multi-year fund, but going forward it will simplify the process.
This item was placed on consent.
County Construction Projects Update.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meetings on
February 6, 14, and 20, 2024. There were no additions or corrections.
This item was placed on consent.
Request from Emergency Medical Services for approval of Budget Amendment #34
to purchase two ambulances and the accompanying equipment. EMS Director Blair Richey
requested approval of Budget Amendment #34 to purchase two ambulances and the accompanying
equipment. This will alleviate some of the delivery timeframes the department is experiencing.
Mull noted the Board discussed this item at the recent Winter Planning Retreat. There may
be additional purchases in the future. Staff tried to cover the big-ticket items within the Budget
Amendment, however there may be some additional items needed.
Chair Neader expressed appreciation to the staff for working on this critical need.
Commissioner Brown asked if Opioid Funds can be used to help fund these items.
Mull said no, the Opioid Settlement Funds have certain parameters based on the terms of
the settlement.
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March 5, 2024
This item was placed on consent.
COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT
County Manager Beth Mull gave an update on the following:
• Winter Planning Session Day 2 will be Monday, March 18 from 9am – 4pm at the Public
Center.
• Iredell-Statesville Schools now has a schedule for Weathers Creek High School. They are
planning for bids to be back on April 30, 2024, and will make a presentation to the Board
in May.
IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MINUTES
March 5, 2024
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, March 5,
2024, at 6:00 PM, in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room of the Iredell County Government Center,
200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Board Members Present
Chair Melissa Neader
Vice Chair Bert Connolly
Scottie Brown
Gene Houpe
Brad Stroud, Sr.
Staff present: County Manager Beth Mull, Deputy County Manager Susan Robertson,
County Attorney Lisa Valdez, and Clerk to the Board Amy Anderson.
CALL TO ORDER by Chair Neader.
INVOCATION: by Commissioner Brown.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: led by Chair Neader.
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: County Manager Beth Mull went over the
following adjustments:
ADD: VIII.8 Request from Emergency Medical Services for approval of Budget
Amendment #34 to purchase two ambulances and the accompanying equipment.
MOTION by Commissioner Stroud to approve the agenda as presented.
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS & RECOGNITIONS
(None)
APPOINTMENT BEFORE THE BOARD
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March 5, 2024
(None)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public hearing to consider a request from Owner/Applicant Lee Phil Rotella of Lake
Vision Development, LLC, to rezone three parcels of land at the corner of Brawley School
Road and Drye Drive, approximately 1.6 acres. Planning Director Matthew Todd presented the
following rezoning request. The applicant is requesting to rezone the property from Residential
Agricultural and Highway Business to General Business – Conditional District. Todd noted the
condition is to limit the use to only a Contractor’s Facility. There was a public input meeting held
onsite and no one spoke. The Planning Board voted 7-2 recommended approval of the request.
Staff supports the request, and the request matches the 2045 Horizon. Todd said the rezoning
would bring the property into compliance.
Commissioner Brown asked if there would be a fence around the property.
Todd said the applicant will have screening options as well as work with the existing
vegetation.
Commissioner Houpe thanked the applicant for considering the conditional request.
Chair Neader asked if the rezoning is conditional to the applicant’s business.
Todd said yes, a contractor’s facility.
Chair Neader opened the public hearing.
Owner/Applicant Phillip Rotella said he looks forward to bringing the property into
compliance. He thanked the Board for their patience throughout the process.
Chair Neader asked Rotella if he feels the property is sufficient for business future growth.
Rotella said yes. The business has a certain clientele in the Brawley School Road area and
would like to continue to grow but not exponentially.
Chair Neader asked if the work is done on the customer’s property.
Rotella said materials are stored onsite, but the work is done at the client’s property.
Commissioner Stroud thanked the applicant for working with the County throughout the
rezoning process.
MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to approve the zoning map amendment, and
to make a finding that said approval is consistent with the 2045 Horizon Plan, and is also
reasonable and in the public interest because: The property lies within the 2045 Horizon Plan
Corridor Commercial designation, it is surrounded by various existing commercial uses, the
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March 5, 2024
conditions of the request aim to safeguard surrounding landowners, and it will initiate bringing an
existing use into zoning compliance.
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
Iredell County
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING STAFF REPORT
REZONING CASE # 2402-1
STAFF PROJECT CONTACT: Leslie M. Meadows
EXPLANATION OF THE REQUEST
This is a request to rezone three parcels of land at the corner of Brawley School Road
and Drye Drive, approximately 1.6 acres, from split-zoned Highway Business
(HB)/Residential Agricultural (RA) to General Business Conditional District (GBCD). This is
a conditional request which will limit the permitted GB use as attached to the request.
OWNER/APPLICANT
OWNER/APPLICANT: Phillip M. Rotella, Lake Vision Development, Inc.
PROPERTY INFORMATION
ADDRESS/LOCATION:
754 and 748 Brawley School Road; more
specifically, PINs#: 4637919474.000,
4647010570.000, & 4647011743.000.
SURROUNDING LAND USE: Adjoining and
diagonal to this site are a variety of NB
and CB/CB-CUD uses (which converts to
HB/HB-CUD under the current LDC) in
the surrounding area. Properties directly
to the north and south are still residential
in nature.
SIZE: The total acreage to be rezoned
includes approximately 1.6 acres.
EXISTING LAND USE: Metal building (warehouse/storage) and former single-family
dwelling turned office space, that has been operating as a Contractor’s Facility.
ZONING HISTORY: The properties were originally zoned, Residential Agricultural (RA)
when county-wide zoning was established in 1990. In 2021, Mr. Rotella rezoned the
most western parcel (PIN#: 4637919474) to Highway Business (HB) in order to build a
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March 5, 2024
sizeable, stand-alone warehouse-type structure, for a small building supply dealership
(indoor). In time, the site has become a hub/storage facility for Mr. Rotella’s growing
construction company, Lake Vision Development, Inc. The use has spread over onto
Mr. Rotella’s adjoining residential parcels; including the former residence which is now
office space for the business. In 2023, Mr. Rotella attempted a straight GB rezoning of
these three parcels. After much debate, the Iredell County Board of Commissioners
advised Mr. Rotella to reapply as a conditional rezoning request, and waived the 180-
day waiting period for submittal of another request on the same properties.
OTHER JURISDICTIONAL INFORMATION: The property is inside of the Town of Mooresville’s
Urban Service Area. Future annexation and/or public utilities may be made available in
the future. The Town of Mooresville has been made aware of the request. No feedback
has been received.
OTHER SITE CHARACTERISTICS: This property is located within the regulated WS-IV-CA
Critical Watershed Area for Catawba/Lake Norman. Proposed new development will be
limited to the Non-Residential Low-Density Option for 24% built-upon area. The Non-
Residential High-Density Option is not allowed along Brawley School Road in the County’s
jurisdiction. This rezoning and combination of parcels will aid the applicant in adhering
to the site’s watershed restrictions. The property is not located in a flood hazard zone.
UTILITIES: This site is currently served by well and septic, but could have access to public
utilities through the Town of Mooresville in the future.
IMPACTS ON LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND/OR FACILITES
TRAFFIC: Brawley School Road is considered an existing boulevard according to the
current CRTPO Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The closest and most recent traffic
count, east of this property along Brawley School Road, had a traffic count of 34,000
vehicles per day in 2021. This portion of Brawley School Road does not currently appear
in Iredell County’s 2021 Transportation Master Plan; which does slate improvements to
Brawley School Road, but they are all east of the I-77 corridor. The speed limit along this
section of Brawley School Road is 45 mph.
SCHOOLS: This is a commercial rezoning and should have no implications on local
schools.
EMERGENCY SERVICES: This proposal has been reviewed by the Iredell County Fire
Marshal’s Office and Iredell County EMS. Neither office addressed any concerns
regarding the request.
REQUIRED REVIEWS BY OTHER AGENCIES
LOCAL: The applicant must provide a site plan to the Planning & Development
Department for review to develop the property. Zoning requirements such as parking,
landscaping, and watershed calculations will be reviewed at such time. Erosion &
sedimentation control standards will also be reviewed for compliance.
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March 5, 2024
STATE: Other than building code, there should be no formal state agency review at this
time.
FEDERAL: None at this time.
STAFF AND BOARD COMMENTS
STAFF COMMENTS: The owner/applicant, Mr. Phil Rotella, represents Lake Vision
Development, Inc., a construction company that specializes in designing and building
luxury outdoor living spaces: pools, cabanas, and other hardscapes. Mr. Rotella’s plans
include combining these three parcels for use of the properties’ existing warehouse-type
structure to house building supplies, and a construction office operating out of the
existing residential structure. Some outdoor storage has already accumulated. Such a
Contractors’ Facility requires a GB zoning designation, or higher (M-1, M-2). Thus, this
rezoning will bring the current use into zoning compliance. Combining the three lots will
allow additional space for the necessary parking requirements and existing outdoor
storage, while staying within the Critical Watershed limitations. A formal commercial site
plan review will be required upon rezoning approval. The applicant has consented to a
conditional rezoning, limiting future GB uses, to be considerate of the surrounding
neighbors. The specific conditions imposed as part of the GBCD application are as
follows:
1.) Permitted GB uses would be limited to the following use only: Contractor’s Facility
Being along Brawley School Road, the parcel in question is inside what the 2045 Horizon
Plan calls the Corridor Commercial area. Corridor Commercial areas include existing
commercial, office, and/or retail uses that exist along major thoroughfares and highways
or areas that will include commercial development in the future, and can contain both
large and small mixed-use commercial centers. These areas are both within and outside
the Iredell County Urban Service Areas. They may be serviced by and incorporated into
one of the municipalities at some point in the future. According to the plan, commercial
uses within this area generally should include retail, restaurants, entertainment centers,
automobile services, personal services, other commercial uses, and office developments.
The Planning staff can support the proposed rezoning request based on the following:
The property lies within the 2045 Horizon Plan Corridor Commercial area, it is surrounded
by various existing commercial uses, the conditions of the request aim to safeguard
surrounding landowners, and it will initiate bringing an existing use into compliance.
PUBLIC INPUT MEETING: A public input meeting was held onsite, in the residential office
space at 748 Brawly School Road, on Thursday, January 4, 2024, starting at 5:00 pm. Only
the applicant and staff attended.
SITE REVIEW COMMITTEE: Staff performed a site visit on January 19, 2024, to post
property and take photo documentation.
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March 5, 2024
PLANNING BOARD ACTION: On February 7, 2024, the Planning Board held a public
meeting to consider the resubmitted conditional rezoning request. The applicant was
present for questioning. No surrounding landowners were in attendance, no one spoke
in opposition. Upon some deliberation, the board voted 7-2 (Opposed: Holland, Santoni),
to recommend approval of the rezoning request.
⁘ ⁘ ⁘ ⁘ ⁘
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
• Request from Planning & Development to consider calling for a public hearing on March
19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in regard to a text amendment to the Land Development Code.
• Request from Parks & Recreation for approval of Budget Amendment #33 to appropriate
donated funds of $2,535 to purchase a memorial bench for the Recreation Center in honor
of Barbara Turner.
• Request from the Library for approval of a 3-year contract with Spectrum to provide
internet access at the Statesville and Troutman libraries and authority from the Board for
the Library Director to sign the Service Order.
• Request from the Library for approval to apply for E-Rate discounts.
• Request from the Finance Department for approval to amend the annual budget ordinance
to include the Opioid Settlement Fund of $1,113,175.
• County Construction Projects Update.
• Request from Clerk to the Board for approval of the minutes from the meetings on February
6, 14, and 20, 2024.
• Request from Emergency Medical Services for approval of Budget Amendment #34 in the
amount of $836,065 to purchase two ambulances and the accompanying equipment.
MOTION by Commissioner Stroud to approve the consent agenda.
VOTING: Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
Chair Neader recognized representatives from Piedmont Mediation.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES OCCURRING ON BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
(None)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
(None)
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
(None)
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March 5, 2024
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS & UPDATES
Commissioner Houpe expressed appreciation to all of the departments for their work
during the election.
Vice Chair Connolly echoed Commissioner Houpe’s comments.
Commissioner Brown expressed sincere appreciation to staff for the help and support
over the last four years.
Commissioner Stroud congratulated all of the candidates who ran for office.
Chair Neader gave an update on recent school visits.
NEW BUSINESS
(None)
COUNTY MANAGER’S REPORT
County Manager Beth Mull gave an update on the following:
• The second part of the Board’s Winter Planning Retreat will be Monday, March 18 from
9am – 4pm at the Emergency Operations Center.
• Iredell-Statesville Schools now has a schedule for Weathers Creek High School. They are
planning for bids to be back on April 30, 2024, and will make a presentation to the Board
in May during Budget Work Sessions.
CLOSED SESSION
The Board held a Closed Session before the 6pm meeting and there was one action item to
report.
MOTION by Commissioner Houpe to call for a public hearing on March 19, 2024, at 6pm
regarding a maximum economic development incentive of $167,387 over a five-year period, for
Project Thunder based on a $16,350,000 investment in Iredell County.
VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Commissioner Brown to adjourn at 6:22pm. The next regular meeting is
Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 6pm in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Government Center, 200
South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
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VOTING Ayes – 5; Nays – 0
__________________________________ ___________________________________
Date Approved Amy B. Anderson, Clerk