The Blowing Rock Planning and Zoning Board met for the regular scheduled meeting on Thursday, March 20, 2003. Chairman Susie Greene called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present were Bill Parker, Dennis Quinn, Ron Oberle, Jim West, David Cox, George Snyder, Cobb Milner, and Paul Peterson. Absent was Albert Yount. Staff present was Scott Hildebran, Town Manager, Marion Rothrock, Town Engineer, Kevin Rothrock, Planning Director and Sonya Long, Administrative Assistant.

Chairman Greene reported that this meeting would be Mr. Cox’s last meeting. The Board told Mr. Cox how much they appreciated him volunteering his time to serve on the Planning Board.

Chairman Greene stated that Mr. West, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Quinn had been re-appointed by the Town Council to serve on the Planning Board for a three year term. She asked that they be sworn in.

Chairman Greene stated the Board would need to appointment officers. Mr. West made a motion to appoint Susie Greene as Chairman and Paul Peterson as Vice- Chairman, seconded by Mr. Oberle. With no other nominations, all were in favor of the motion.

Mr. Rothrock stated that Mr. Clark Isaacs is requesting a conditional use permit to construct The Attic, a 19,500 square foot retail furniture showroom. The project would be located on the corner of Highway 321 by-pass and Highway 321 Business (Main Street).

The applicant is requesting a variance from the parking requirements for a reduction of eight spaces. No waiver in storm water would be necessary. Mr. Rothrock reported that the landscape plan meet all Town requirements and that the large trees on the property would be saved. The applicant is asking for a waiver from the required 16-foot buffer along the northern property line adjacent to the Coffey property. He pointed out that the Town Code requires a 16-foot buffer because the adjoining property is zoned single family but since it is zoned General Business, it would most likely be developed as commercial. The applicant is asking for the buffer to be reduced to 8-feet. Mr. Rothrock pointed out to the Board samples of the exterior materials that the applicant submitted for approval.

Mr. Oberle questioned why the reduction in the buffer would be needed. Mr. Rothrock stated that if they design the plan with a 16-foot buffer, it reduces the aisle width of the parking lot. Mr. West suggested requiring some type of fence as an alternative in the proposed eight foot buffer.

Mr. Quinn pointed out that some of the problem seemed to be with the amount of parking they have proposed and suggested the number of parking spaces could be reduced more than requested. Mr. Clark, site designer for the project, stated they would like to have somewhere between 25-30 parking spaces. Mr. Parker suggested reducing the parking spaces in order to keep a 16-foot vegetative buffer.

Chairman Greene stated that the property was once a gas station and asked if the underground tanks been addressed. Mr. Clark stated they had been removed.

Mr. Issacs explained that one of the issues with the property is an adjacent property owner’s driveway is on the proposed retail building property. He stated that they are trying to work with the property owner to keep the driveway in the same location. If they are required the 16-foot buffer it will cut off the driveway.

Mr. Lewis Coffey, adjacent property owner, stated that they were also concerned about the driveway. He stated that the driveway was built when Highway 321 was built and had been used for about 40 years. Mr. Coffey explained that his family would work with the developers on coming up with a solution on the driveway.

Mr. Oberle recommended that the developer be required to install all sidewalks now instead of making it a condition to install at a later date.

Mr. Peterson pointed out that the proposed widening of Highway 321 was not shown on the plans. Mr. Rothrock stated that the applicant was aware of the widening proposal and that the road is proposed to be widen on the other side of the existing highway.

Mr. Chuck P……, representing the furniture company, stated they were trying to design a building that would continue with the character and ambiance of Blowing Rock. Mr. Clark added that there were two trees that were originally proposed on the plans to keep, an oak tree closest to the northwest corner of the building and an hemlock tree that may cause a site distance problem pulling out into Main Street. They will look at those trees to see if they are diseased and then determine if they can be kept.

Mr. West pointed out that the Coffey’s may have a descriptive right for the driveway. Mr. Rothrock stated the Coffey’s did have another way to access a public street. Mr. Clark stated that the settlement of the driveway is a condition of the property purchase agreement.

Mr. West reported that along with Mr. Oberle, they had meet with the Blowing Rock Appearance Advisory Commission to hear their suggestions on changes they would like to see in the current Tree Ordinance. BRAAC also asked that Linda Campbell, president of BRAAC, be added to the list of committee members to study the ordinance. Mr. West stated they would be submitting the following names to the Town Council for approval of a committee to study the ordinance. Lonnie Webster, Dow Bauknight, John Pfeifer, Bill Bauknight, Terry Lentz, Perry Davis (Landscape Specialist), Kevin Rothrock (Planning Director), Linda Campbell, Paul Peterson, Ron Oberle and Jim West would be the committee recommended to the Town Council.

Mr. Lonnie Webster, member of BRAAC, was present and stated that from BRAAC’s point of view the objective is to have a wonderful urban forest in Blowing Rock. They would like to see the damaged trees removed and replaced with new. Mr. Webster stated that the tree removal companies needed to be regulated so that the topping of trees could be stopped. Some communities will penalize the property owner and the company that is doing it.

Chairman Greene suggested putting something in the paper about the committee so that other people may become involved. Mr. Webster stated that if you get too many people on a committee it becomes cumbersome. Mr. Horne asked that the list of proposed committee members be shared with the community to make sure that there is a wide variety of people on the committee. Mr. Peterson stated that the list of names and the objective of the committee could still be put in the paper. Chairman Greene also suggested Mr. Davis chair the committee.

The Board made a recommendation to forward the list of names to the Town Council as submitted by BRAAC to form a Tree Ordinance Review Committee and that the Town advertise in the paper to see if anyone else is interested in serving on that committee.

Mr. Peterson asked that staff check on the status of the freezer outside at the Blowing Rock Market.

Mr. Rothrock reported that after some review of the current sign ordinance, the Town Council requested the Planning staff prepare a list of three amendments that would give the sign ordinance some flexibility. An additional proposed amendment would prevent the size of attached signs from being excessive and out of character with commercial buildings in the General Business zoning district.

The first ordinance change proposed to increase the allowable overall height of column freestanding signs to compensate for the difference in the elevation of the subject property and the elevation of Highway 321. Mr. Quinn suggested an on-site test so that the Board could see how the signs would look. Mr. Peterson suggested allowing the applicant to go a certain allowable amount above road grade for all signs.

Mr. West commented that he liked the idea of on site visit by the Board so they could see how all the sign code changes regarding Freestanding signs would affect properties. He suggested tabling this part of the Sign Ordinance Amendment so that the Board has the opportunity to visit on site. All members agreed with Mr. West’s suggestion.

Mr. Rothrock explained the next change to the Sign Code. The Town Council requested an ordinance to allow information and menu boards for real estate companies and restaurants in the Central Business District. The proposed menu boards could be a maximum of three (3) square feet and attached to the building. Mr. Rothrock pointed out that Mr. Earl Horne requested that businesses without windows facing a street be allowed to increase these signs to six (6) square feet times two. Mr. Rothrock pointed out what three (3) square feet would look like by an example that was on the bulletin board.

The Board agreed that by deleting the real estate boards it takes away from the character of Blowing Rock and all real estate companies need to have equal opportunity.

Mr. Earl Horne spoke on behalf of Mountain View Realty. He presented to the Board pictures of the Mountain View Realty existing real estate boards. He explained that his real estate boards do not have the name of the business on them and that they should qualify as outside display, which is allowed. They have windows on the side of the building but none in the front. Therefore they can not display property for sale in the windows like other real estate companies that can be seen from the sidewalk. Mr. Horne stated that customers would go to another real estate company that has display windows before they would come to his business if he didn’t have the real estate boards. He would like to see the Board recommend real estate companies be allowed to have six (6) square feet x 2 for a total of 12 square feet for real estate boards.

Mr. Rothrock explained that for restaurants, it should be a maximum of 3 square feet and attached to the building for in the Central Business District.

With some discussion, Mr. Oberle made a motion to table this discussion for further review. No one seconded the motion.

The fourth ordinance for consideration is to limit the size of attached signs in the non-residential zoning districts to one (1) square foot per linear foot of building frontage. The sign ordinance currently allows attached wall signs to be two (2) square feet per linear foot in all non-residential zoning districts except Central Business. This proposed ordinance would also set a size limitation of 60 square feet on all attached wall signs, regardless of zoning district.

With little discussion, Mr. Parker made a motion to recommend approval of this draft ordinance as written, seconded by Mr. Oberle. In favor of the motion was Mr. Parker, Mr. Oberle, Mr. Quinn, Mr. Milner, , Mr. Peterson, Mr. Cox, and Mr. Snyder. Opposed was Mr. West. Motion passes.

Mr. Rothrock reported that the Town Council asked the Planning staff to draft an ordinance that would require any new commercial telecommunication towers or antennas to demonstrate improved cellular service coverage to areas within the Town’s corporate limits or in the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. The applicant would be responsible for providing evidence that proves that the proposed monopole tower, alternative tower structure, or commercial antenna would provide substantial cellular service or improved cellular service to the citizens of Blowing Rock and the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction.

Mr. West was concerned that if a company can show they can provide service to one area then they have proven they provide to all of Blowing Rock. Mr. Quinn suggested having someone come and speak to the Planning Board that can help determine what would be a reasonable coverage area and look at other towns that may have standards already in place. Mr. West suggested requiring the applicant to provide a substantial cellular service to more than 50% of the citizens of Blowing Rock.

Chairman Greene asked the Planning staff to bring something back to the Planning Board at their next meeting to help them determine the standards.

Mr. Rothrock explained the last item reviewed had been revised according to the changes made at the last meeting and was submitted for their review. The Mission Statement for Transportation was not yet complete but would be submitted next month for their review along with the next item.

Chairman Greene asked that Planning Staff have someone look at fixing the fence along the sidewalk on the vacant property beside Capel Rugs. She also asked Planning staff to see if anything can be done with the parking spaces at the Speckled Trout that back out into Highway 221.

Mr. Oberle asked if something could be done with the building on the corner of Highway 321 and Edmisten Road. He stated that it was unsightly and falling down. Mr. Rothrock reported that the Planning Staff was already working on that and would report next month on the status of that property.

With no further business, Mr. Oberle made a motion to adjourn at 10:00 p.m., seconded by Mr. Parker. All were in favor of the motion.