|
Taking the advice of City Attorney Paul Mitchell into consideration, City Council decided to postpone the decision on whether to approve the proposed subdivision until this month. Mitchell wanted to have a “meeting of the minds” with Public Services Director Morgan Huffman on stormwater runoff, in particular who would be responsible for additional costs, either a homeowner’s association or the developer.
Misti Whitman, an attorney at Citrin & Whitman, serves as the developer’s legal counsel. On hand after City Council’s briefing Monday, Whitman said she believes the proposed subdivision, which was also denied by Thomasville’s planning board, has a great chance of passing this time.
“We think [the subdivision] should be passed this time and it should have been passed last time,” Whitman said. “The stormwater ordinance has to be complied with and it might be possible that we will end up having a homeowner’s association later and that is fine. We will be happy to do that, but that comes in the construction-plan phase. [City Council] kind of put the cart before the horse last month.”
If approved, the proposed subdivision would bring more than 100 homes to the Chair City. Based off a 10-year projection, Whitman told council members in April that the development would bring more than $1 million of revenue to the City of Thomasville.
Many residents speaking against the proposed subdivision in April said they didn’t want to see an increase of traffic. They also claimed a curve off of Ferndale Drive would make it dangerous when pulling out of the subdivision.
In other business:
• There will be two public hearings, one for adding two alternate members to the planning board and another for allowing bed and breakfast establishments in the Chair City under special requirements.
• A presentation for Thomasville’s 2008-09 fiscal-year budget will be given and City Council will decide on whether to call a public hearing on the budget on June 2 at 7 p.m.
• Council will make the decision to enter into an automatic aid agreement between Thomasville and Fair Grove fire departments.
• Council will consider granting a request for proposal and award of contract to Wetherill Engineering for a study of Valley Road Bridge. The item was tabled in April in efforts to get more feedback at a town hall meeting scheduled three days later at Hasty Community Center. For the most part, citizens didn’t approve of having the study, which would cost a little more than $74,000.
• Rules and procedures for Thomasville City Council will be considered.
• A contract for award of bid and approval with Bitting Electric Inc. for stand-by generator additions at the raw water pump station and water filtration plant will be considered.
• An update on Thomasville’s only homeless shelter, The Shepherd’s Inn, will be presented. After City Council voted unanimously to allow the homeless shelter to have a conditional use permit, members asked for an update on the homeless shelter to be given at their May meeting.
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com.