HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_0368IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
AUGUST 3, 2004
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on
Tuesday, August 3, 2004, 5:00 p.m., in the Iredell County Government Center (South
Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Present were:
Chairman Steve D. Johnson
Vice Chairman Godfrey Williams
Doug Madison
Marvin Norman
Sara Haire Tice
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan
Blumenstein, Planning Supervisor Ron Smith, Code Enforcement/Planning Director
Lynn Niblock, Tax Collector Bill Furches, Purchasing Agent Dean Lail, Emergency
Services Director Tracy Jackson, Fire Marshal Chuck Gallyon, and Clerk to the Board
Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Johnson.
REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A LETTER TO BE SENT TO THE
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REGARDING
THE PROPOSED WIDENING OF BRAWLEY SCHOOL ROAD (SR 1100):
Planning Supervisor Smith said a public hearing was held on July 13 by the state
department of transportation regarding the Brawley School Road widening project.
Smith suggested sending a letter to the state office expressing concerns regarding safety
and educational facilities located on the road. He then reviewed a draft letter, some of
which is as follows:
L The Lake Norman Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) is relocating near the intersection
of Brawley School and Chuckwood Road. This facility will also include a County
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) station. Since the proposed roadway design
includes a vegetative median, with limited breaks, there is a potential access problem
for both the VFD and the EMS base. There should not be a median in front of the entire
length of the VFD parcel. There is a need to provide direct northbound access to
emergency vehicles in an effort to minimize response times. By requiring these
emergency service providers to travel south to the intersection with Chuckwood Road
and to then perform a u -turn they will be losing precious seconds that could have an
impact on the ultimate results of a fire or other emergency. This will also allow
volunteers to get to the station without making a u -turn (important when responding to
the station to pick-up afire truck) and allow EMS to turn left without making a u -turn.
The Countyfeels that in this situation a mountable median is not an acceptable option.
We believe this will lead to maintenance problems with emergency vehicles over time
and cause potentially dangerous situations as emergency vehicle drivers concentrate on
how to properly approach and cross a mountable median instead of paying attention to
oncoming traffic.
We would recommend a median cut in front of the VFD/EMS base with signalization or
signage indicating the location of these emergency services. The vegetative median
approaching the station from both directions should be grass only for an adequate
distance in both directions to maintain visibility.
2. There is a road that is currently under construction that is not shown on the plan. This
road is being built to serve a large residential area and an elementarylmiddle school
complex. The intersection with Brawley School Road will be used heavily at certain
times of day and will be located relatively close (approximately 1,200 feet) to two other
intersections. Based on the anticipated traffic at this intersection we would recommend
that a median break, or possibly a signal be included. Please include this road in your
design process. A map showing the location of this road is attached for your reference.