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Town Council, Commissioners To Hold Monthly Meetings Next Week: Sidewalk Priority List

By Jesse Wood

The Watauga County Board of Commissioners and the Boone Town Council meet next week. See what topics will be discussed and peruse the entire agendas and meeting packets below.

Watauga County Board of Commissioners

The commissioners will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 5:30 p.m.

The agenda is light this time around.

The commissioners have a draft resolution prepared honoring the life and memory of Gene Wilson, who served as a commissioner in the late ‘60s and ‘70s and was served as N.C. House of Representative for 20 years beginning in 1985. Wilson, who was also the owner of the Dan’l Boone Inn, died on July 31.

Another topic includes vehicle bid requests for the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Watauga County Maintenance Department.

For more information and to see other agenda items, click to the online meeting packet here.

Boone Town Council

The council will meet on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 5:30 p.m.

Sidewalk Priority List

The Boone Town Council will consider the town’s Transportation Committee’s updated sidewalk priority list for fiscal-year 2015-16. The committee recommends moving Meadowview Drive up to priority #2, while moving Perkinsville Drive down to priority #4.

According to a memo from Public Works Director Rick Miller, the committee made this recommendation because construction is currently taking place along Perkinsville Drive and the committee thinks it would be best to wait until that construction is complete before installing sidewalks.

If approved sidewalk construction along Meadowview Drive would begin in 2015.

See the entire sidewalk priority list below:

Sidewalk

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Resolution To Support Redistricting Reform

The Boone Town Council will consider a resolution supporting redistricting reform.

According to the draft resolution, “The current redistricting process creates a conflict of interest – as State legislators are effectively choosing their own constituents … Voters are more likely to participate when they feel that their vote will count and that they have a reasonable chance of electing candidates who represent their interests …”

See entire resolution in packet, which is linked at end of article.

Solar Project & EV Charging State on Depot Street

The Boone Town Council will consider a draft lease agreement with Climate Voices US regarding the installation of a community solar project and electric vehicle charging station on Depot Street in downtown Boone. Because of public notice laws, the council wouldn’t be able to approve of the agreement next week. It would have to wait until the following meeting next month.

Wellness District Small Area Plan

On Monday, Aug. 3, the Boone Town Council held a public hearing on its proposed Wellness District Small Area Plan, which covers the southeastern portion of Boone, bounded by the Watauga Medical Center (to the east), U.S. 321 (to the south), Winklers Creek and South Fork of the New River (to the west and north). It totals 100-plus acres and is comprised of hospitals, medical offices, offices and apartment complexes.

More recently on Aug. 10, the Boone Area Planning Commission met and discussed this plan. The commission voted unanimously to consider language that would define maximum building footprint approximately 75 percent of the property and that incentives be paramount for landowners to implement the plan. This was unanimous.

In an additional item, the commission voted 6-2 in recommending that the Boone Town Council show a commitment to the “urbanization and redevelopment of the area, that the council commit to building sidewalks and a parking deck in the area known as the Wellness District.”

The council will consider these recommendations and consider adopting the plan on Thursday.

See the entire agenda and meeting packet here.