Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

February 6, 2009

ITEM 1. UPCOMING SMOKE TESTING

As part of the Inflow/Infiltration study being performed on the sewer systems in Wendell, Raleigh’s contractor (Hydrostructures) will be performing smoke testing on portions of the system.  They will place door hanger notices at homes and business in the areas of smoke testing at least 48 hours prior to performing the work. 

In case you are not familiar with the process, the contractor will blow non-toxic, non-staining, odorless, white to gray smoke into the manholes and do a visual inspection of the surrounding areas to see where smoke arises.   It is an effective way to identify major inflow sources such as roof drains connected to the sewer, missing cleanout caps, or broken sewer mains at storm drain pipe crossings that allow stormwater to enter the sewer. 

Smoke should not enter the interior of homes, unless the plumbing is substandard (no p-trap on a fixture drain) or a p-trap has dried up due to non use.  The door hanger requests that owners run water in all fixtures to insure that there is water in the p-traps.  The smoke creates no fire hazard, but may lead to some fire calls.
Raleigh is asking its contractor to notify town hall each day where they will be working.

Raleigh expects this work to start within the next week or so.
 
In the past, when smoke testing has occurred, the town usually receives calls concerning suspected fires, by residents as well as motorists seeing smoke behind houses.

ITEM 2. RESTAURANT OPENINGS

As you probably are aware, El Fagon opened on Thursday, February 5th.

The word on the street is that El Cerro Mexican Restaurant could open as early as this weekend.

ITEM 3. NOTES FROM THE HISTORIC DISTRICT NOMINATION MEETING

The Town of Wendell hosted a public information meeting on February 5, 2009 regarding the nomination of a national register historic district along Wendell Boulevard. The chief speakers at this event were Claudia R. Brown (with the State Historic Preservation Office) and Ellen Turco (an architectural historian with CIRCA).

To begin the meeting, Claudia R. Brown explained the purpose of and process for national register nomination, with a focus on how national register designation affects property owners within the proposed district. Ellen Turco, whose organization was responsible for gathering information on the included properties and preparing the nomination for review, also delivered an illustrative power point presentation which included numerous examples of the different architectural and historical resources that exist within the proposed district.

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Overall, the citizens present were very receptive to the proposed district, with the largest concern coming from a property owner who questioned why her house was not included in the historic district.

ITEM 4. VISITOR FROM ITALY

Ms. Valentina Sanfelice Di Bagnoli, of Italy, and her interpreter, Ms. Alessandra Cortese de Bosis, visited Wendell on Thursday, February 5th. Ms. Valentina met with the Planning Department staff at 10:30 and with representatives of the Wendell Chamber at 11:30 to discuss the town’s form of government and its relationship to businesses and developments in rural areas.

Ms. Sanfelice is the National President of Young Entrepreneurs, a National Confederation of Small Businesses. Ms. Snafelice was invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State’s International visitor Leadership Program. Ms. Sanfelice’s visits in North Carolina were arranged by the International Affairs Council.

ITEM 5. TRIANGLE TRANSIT SURVEY / PUBLIC MEETING

Triangle Transit, together with the Towns of Wendell, Knightdale and Zebulon, is considering the introduction of bus service to eastern Wake County. A survey is available online, which will help us determine whether service is desired, and if so, what it should look like. The survey is available online at http://www.gotriangle.org/ewake/index.html and will be open until March 13, 2009.

For more information, you can also attend a transportation forum:
Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 6:00pm
Courtroom, Town of Wendell
15 East Fourth Street
Wendell, NC 27591

ITEM 6. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH

A Board of Adjustment meeting will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. in the Wendell Courtroom to consider two variance requests:

A variance request submitted by Quality Equipment, LLC for property located at 901 Three Sisters Road involving §154.103 as it relates to maximum allowed signage per parcel and §154.109 as it relates to maximum signage height requirements.

A variance request submitted by Gloria D. Crews for property located at 20 Hall Street involving §154.125 as it relates to expansion of nonconforming structures and §154.33 as it relates to setbacks.

ITEM 7. OTHER:

Letters of support for the town’s Safe Routes to School grant application were received from all property owners for which an easement / right-of-way would need to be acquired.

The town received a couple of phone calls this week about a sewer jet truck on Wendell Boulevard this week. This was part of regular maintenance of the sewer lines. This line was being cleaned.

The manager attended the NC City/County Manages Conference Thursday and part of Friday this week (in Durham).

The Eastern Wake Education Foundation “Stars in the East” event is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19th at East Wake High School.

The Wendell Parks and Recreation is very excited to be hosting its first ever Wiffleball Tournament.  Right now, the tournament is scheduled as a 2-day event (March 28-29, 2009 at Wendell Park); however, this could be adjusted, depending on the number of teams that sign-up.  The deadline to enter is March 24, and the entry fee is $60.00 per team.  Teams may be co-ed, all female or all male (aged 13 and up).  Call 366-2266 for more information.

Eastern Wake CrimeStoppers is offering a reward for information about the recent break-ins in Wendell churches and businesses. People with information can call 366-CRIME (366-2746).

ITEM 8. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

02/09 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

02/12 6:00 p.m. Board of Adjustment Meeting @ Town Hall

02/16 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

02/17 Board of Commissioners Retreat @ Former Council Chamber, Zebulon

02/23 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

03/02 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

03/05 7:00 p.m. Triangle Transit Meeting about Possible Express Bus Service in Eastern Wake County @ Town Hall

03/09 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

03/16 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

03/19 6:00 p.m. Stars in the East event @ East Wake H. S.

03/23 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

04/06 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

04/13 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

04/14 7:00 p.m. Budget Work Session @ Town Hall

04/20 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

04/27 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall