Wendell News Outlet

Board of Commissioners Friday Update

Friday, July 10, 2009

ITEM 1. UDO CONSIDERATION

The tentative process for evaluation and consideration of a Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for the Town of Wendell is as follows:

Date	Action		Time
17-Jul-09	Distribute DRAFT UDO		Hand Deliver
3-Aug-09	Meet UDO Committee		6-9 pm
17-Aug-09	Meet UDO Committee		6-7 pm
31-Aug-09	Joint Meeting Plan/Town Bd. w/Lawrence Group		6-9 pm
31-Aug-09	Begin 30 day comment Period
14-Sep-09	Discussion with Town Bd. at Regular Meeting		7-9 pm
21-Sep-09	Discussion with Plan Bd. at Regular Meeting		7-9 pm
5-Oct-09	Close Public Comment Period/joint Public Hearing w/ Lawrence Group		7-9 pm
19-Oct-09	Vote by Planning Board		7-9 pm
26-Oct-09	Vote by Town Board		7-9 pm

To accommodate this schedule, there would be two Special Called Meetings:

• A joint Town Board / Planning Board meeting on Monday, August 31^st at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Center, and

• A joint Town Board / Planning Board meeting on Monday October 5^th at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Center.

Please let staff know if there are any questions or concerns about the proposed process and timeline.

ITEM 2. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

1. TAX BREAK FOR HOMEBUILDERS – State lawmakers have passed a bill allowing home builders to defer for up to three years paying county and municipal property taxes on their unsold inventory of new homes. Qualifying for the exemption are homes that have been issued a certificate of occupancy but remain unoccupied. The anti-recession measure, which will take effect for tax years beginning after July 1, 2010, was ratified Thursday and awaits the signature of Gov. Beverly Perdue.

General Assembly fiscal researchers asked tax officials in all of the state’s 100 counties for an estimate of the dollar value of housing stock that would qualify under the law; 45 responded with an estimate of $3.1 billion in unsold inventory. Extrapolating from that figure, the researchers calculated that the amount of deferred taxes would hit $30 million to $35 million in fiscal 2010. With market conditions expected to improve by fiscal 2011, the deferred property tax volume is expected to decline to $7 million to $12 million.

The program sunsets – meaning it goes out of force – after the third year, fiscal 2012-2013. Properties qualifying in that final year will remain eligible for the exemption through 2015.

2. ANNEXATION – By a 60-59 vote this week, the House re-referred the Finance Committee Substitute for HB 524-Annexation-Omnibus Changes, which includes a referendum provision, to the House Appropriations Committee. The referral was made to determine the cost to the state of the Local Government Commission administering some provisions of the legislation. The Appropriations Committee is expected to take up HB 524 on Tuesday.

3. WENDELL ETJ AUTHORITY – The Wendell ETJ extension authorization (House Bill 743) passed the second and third readings in the Senate this week and was sent to the governor for her signature. Once the bill is signed, the town will still need to get approval of Wake County concerning expansion of the ETJ.

4. PRIVILEGE LICENSES – The News & Observer published an article on July 5^th detailing the situation concerning the Legislature’s consideration of local governments’ authority to charge privilege licenses to businesses. The article can be found here.

ITEM 3. HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

On Wednesday, July 1, the Planning Staff received comments from North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) on the town’s 2009 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Staff has already reviewed their comments and is working with NCEM to get the few changes made and the document resubmitted. Once the document is resubmitted, NCEM will review the updates and prepare the document for submittal to FEMA. The current plan, adopted in 2004, expires November 8, 2009. The updated plan was submitted to NCEM in February for their review.

ITEM 4. PAVING PROGRESS

The town’s paving contractor, T. R. Vernall, made progress this week on its re-surfacing contract. Work completed this week includes paving on:

• South Main Street (from Second Street to Haywood Street);

• Second Street (from Pine Street to Hollybrook Street);

• North Main Street (from Wendell Boulevard to Nowell Street); and

• The end of Meadow Street (at the intersection of First Street).

The resurfacing work will continue next week.

ITEM 5. RAILROAD CROSSINGS ON TOWN RIGHTS-OF-WAY REPAIRED

Carolina Coastal Railway replaced timbers this week at the railroad crossings on town rights-of-way this week in preparation for the resurfacing work.

ITEM 6. NEW EMPLOYEES

Mr. Robert Belvue started this week as a temporary employee in the Public Works Department. Adrian Thomas will begin work as a temporary employee on Monday.

Also, Mariann Franks will begin as the Administrative Assistant / Planning Technician in the Planning Department on Monday.

ITEM 7. DROUGHT UPDATE

51 counties are now in the “Abnormally Dry” category. The latest Drought Advisory Map is available here.

ITEM 8. OTHER

1. The Wendell Police Department will be involved in a Charity Softball Tournament on July 25, 2009 at Zebulon Community Park. All money donated and raised will be given to the 200 Club of Wake County, an organization dedicated to providing immediate financial help for the spouse and children of police officers, sheriff deputies, firemen, EMS squad members and NCSHP serving in Wake County who lose their life in the line of duty. The event was originally scheduled for March but was rescheduled.

2. Rep. Darren Jackson has scheduled a town hall meeting in the Wendell Courtroom on Tuesday, July 28^th at 7:00 p.m. Rep. Jackson held a similar event in Knightdale in June. At that meeting, he asked for public input about the State budget and other legislative issues.

3. The Marketing Focus Group will meet with Holland Consulting Planners at the Wendell Community Center on Thursday, July 30^th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

4. The Wendell Police Department (in partnership with the Wendell Fire Department and Eastern Wake Emergency Medical Services) will hold its inaugural Public Safety Day on Saturday, August 22^nd from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Hephzibah Baptist Church.

5. The NC League of Municipalities will hold its annual conference in Greenville October 25-27.

ITEM 9. UPCOMING EVENTS:

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION

07/13 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

07/20 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

07/27 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

07/28 7:00 p.m. Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Darren Jackson @ Town Hall

08/03 6:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

08/10 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

08/17 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. UDO Meeting @ Town Hall

08/17 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting @ Town Hall

08/22 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wendell’s “Public Safety Day 2009” @ Hephzibah Baptist Church parking lot

08/24 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

08/31 6:00 p.m. Joint Town Board / Planning Board Meeting about the draft UDO @ Wendell Community Center

09/07 Town facilities closed for Labor Day holiday

09/14 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

09/21 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

09/28 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

10/05 6:00 p.m. Joint Town Board / Planning Board Meeting about the draft UDO @ Wendell Community Center

10/12 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting Town Hall

10/19 7:00 p.m. Planning Board Meeting Town Hall

10/25 – 10/27 NC League of Municipalities Annual Conference @ Greenville Convention Center

10/26 7:00 p.m. Board of Commissioners Meeting @ Town Hall

posted by Administrator  # 9:24 PM