Minutes

Work Session

December 1, 2005

The Aberdeen Board of Commissioners met Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 5:30 p.m. for their regular Work Session.  Members present were Mayor Elizabeth Mofield and Commissioners Pat Ann McMurray, Robbie Farrell, Arthur Parker, Donna Shannon and Terry Marquez.  Others in attendance were Town Manager Bill Zell, Planning Director Giles Hopkins, Town Clerk Nancy Matthews, Finance Officer Beth Wentland, Mr. Scott Brewer from Dixon Hughes and Matthew Moriarity, Reporter for the Pilot.  There were approximately eight citizens in attendance.

Mayor Mofield called the Work Session to order.  She stated the first item of business would be the report by Mr. Scott Brewer on the Town of Aberdeen Financial Statements for year ending June 30, 2005.

1.       Audit report for 2005 by Dixon Hughes.

Mr. Scott Brewer of Dixon Hughes gave a brief presentation on the financial conditions and audit for the Town of Aberdeen.  He then reviewed with the Board the qualified opinion from Dixon Hughes of the financial position of the Town.  He also informed the Board that there was no compliance or management letter with any particular issues that needed to be addressed.

Mr. Brewer stated the staff did a good job in making sure that internal controls were handled and the Town is in good financial standing.

2.       Application for Conditional Use Permit CU#05-13 submitted by Bonnie McPeake for a Business Planned Development and Application for Site Plan Review SP#05-16.

Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated the Public Hearing will be held at the December 12^th Board meeting.  He stated this Public Hearing will include the site plan along with the conditional use permit.  He stated the major points pertaining to this conditional use permit, one being the building will be fifty-eight feet tall and will be a four-story building with a conference center to accommodate approximately two hundred people.  He stated there is a rezoning issue pertaining to this proposed building, which will be addressed in the Application for Rezoning RZ#05-07 Public Hearing before this item can be acted on.  Agenda item as Public Hearing.

3.       Application for Rezoning RZ#05-07 submitted by Bonnie McPeake to rezone property located behind and to the north and west of Aberdeen Commons.

Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated this rezoning request is for the piece of property shown on the map that was not included in the original rezoning request.  He stated the Public Hearing will be held at the December 12^th Board meeting.  Agenda item as Public Hearing.

3a.     Zoning Code Text Amendment ZA#05-07 to add to Section 155.049 I-H Industrial District (Heavy) to allow as a Conditional Use, “Cultural, Entertainment and Recreation Not Elsewhere Classified.”

Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated he had received a request from Skaters For Moore, Inc., to amend the Aberdeen Zoning Code Text to be able to allow skating rink/skateboarding.  He stated a Public Hearing has been scheduled for the December 12^th Board meeting.  Agenda item as Public Hearing.

4.       Town of Aberdeen Comprehensive Land Development Plan.

          Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated the revised copies of the CLDP will be distributed to the Board before the December 12^th Board meeting.  He stated the Planning Board has reviewed and recommends that the Town Board approve the plan.    He suggested that the Board review the CLDP every three years to keep it current and effective.  The Board had some concerns about the low population figures for Aberdeen.  Mr. Hopkins is to look into this issue before the Board considers adoption of the CLDP.  Agenda item as New Business.

5.       Application for Conditional Use Permit CU#05-11 submitted by Ann Turner, DVM, for a small animal emergency clinic to be located in a HC Highway Commercial District.

Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated the Public Hearing was held November 14^th.  He stated the Planning Board has approved and recommends the Town Board approve this Conditional Use Permit request with the stipulations that no outside runs/cages will be allowed.  He also stated he had talked to more than one person from Robins Walk and said the one lady who spoke against this conditional use permit request did not represent all the residents of Robins Walk.  He stated that no petition, at this time, has been presented to the Board.  Agenda item as New Business.

6.       Application for Conditional Use Permit CU#05-12 submitted by Shirley McCrimmon to build a two-family dwelling on property she owns at the corner of Keyser Street and Chisholm Road.

          Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated the Public Hearing was held on November 14^th.  He stated the Planning Board has approved and recommends approval to the Town Board.  He stated no additional stipulations have been added beyond those required in the R10MH Residential Zoning District and this will be only a two-family unit. He stated this will look like a single-family home.  Agenda item as New Business.

7.       Zoning Code Text Amendment ZA#05-06 submitted by the Town of Aberdeen to amend the zoning code to restrict the height of flagpoles in a commercial zoning district.

Planning Director Giles Hopkins stated the Planning Board has reviewed and recommends going to 50 feet in height.  He stated this has nothing to do pertaining to the national or state flags, only the height of the flag pole.

Mayor Mofield asked, could the Town exclude in the ordinance limit the height of a national or state flagpole.

Mr. Hopkins is to check with the Town attorney pertaining to this item.  He will try to get this information to the Board before the December 12^th Board meeting.  Agenda item as New Business.

8.       Preliminary Plat PLP#05-01 for Vacation Villas at The Pit Golf Links.

Mr. Hopkins stated a conditional use permit has been issued pertaining to the proposed villas at The Pit Golf Links.  He stated the developers have come back with the drawing.  He stated the Planning Board has approved and recommends approval to the Town Board.  He stated this will be a very nice addition to the Town.  Agenda item as New Business.

9.       Other Business

a.       Change date of December 29^th Work Session to Tuesday, January 3, 2006.

Manager Zell requested since December 29^th was so close to New Years, to change the Work Session to January 3, 2006.  By unanimous consensus, the Board agreed to this change.

          b.       Set goals and a time for Retreat 2006.

Manager Zell asked the Board to begin thinking of a date for the Retreat sometime in March and to set some goals for FY2006-2007.  He stated this would be discussed further at the January 3^rd Work Session.

          c.       Tank #5 Update.

Manager Zell informed the Board that Tank #5 specifications are ready for bidding.  He stated this will be sometime in January.

          d.       Moore County Summit Meeting.

Manager Zell informed the Board that there will be a Summit meeting on December 9^th at 8 p.m. at the Carthage Municipal Building.  He stated this meeting is to try and bring the northern and southern parts of the county together and bring issues and values to work together, and to focus on future goals for the whole county.

e.       Manager Zell informed the Board that the Moore County Board of Commissioners has finally put on their agenda for Monday, December 5^th, the ETJ extension that Aberdeen has requested.  He stated he and Commissioner McMurray would be in attendance.

          f.       Transfer of Powers/New Board.

Manager Zell stated that at the December 12^th regular Board meeting, the newly elected Commissioner, re-elected Commissioner and the re-elected Mayor will be sworn in under Other Business.

g.       Request from Aberdeen Rescue Squad pertaining to financial support in the purchase of a four-wheel drive ambulance.

Manager Zell informed the Board he needed to know if the Board was in agreement in helping the Aberdeen Rescue Squad in the purchase of this ambulance.  He stated they needed $6,000 for half the purchase of this ambulance.

A motion was made by Commissioner Parker, seconded by Commissioner McMurray, to donate $6,000 to the Aberdeen Rescue Squad for the purchase of the four-wheel drive ambulance.  Motion unanimously carried.

h.       Commissioner Shannon stated the Town should do something about Aberdeen’s historical significance.  She asked how the Town could protect Aberdeen’s history.  She asked if there was some provision in national law that would help preserve this history. 

Manager Zell stated the Town would probably have to purchase it.

i.        Commissioner Shannon stated she would like to see more trees.  She stated the parking lots need more trees than asphalt.  She asked if the Town could draft a stronger ordinance in this area.

j.       Mayor Mofield asked Manager Zell to look into the possibility of contracting with DOT to keep streets/highways clean and mowed.  The Board also discussed areas that needed sidewalks especially up Poplar Street to Sandhills Shopping Center.

k.      Commissioner McMurray reminded the Board of the Grand Opening on Friday, December 9^th at 11:45 a.m. at  the Plastic Packaging Company located on Anderson Street.

10.     Adjourn

With no further business, a motion was made by Commissioner Parker, seconded by Commissioner Farrell, to adjourn the Work Session.  Motion unanimously carried.

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