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Commissioners direct staff to study county-owned sites for new animal shelter; College Drive site not recommended
Summary
County staff advised commissioners that a suggested College Drive location for a new animal shelter presents legal and site constraints; the board asked staff to further evaluate county-owned options including Spalding Road and Chute Branch and to return with a recommendation.
McDowell County commissioners were briefed on site options and fundraising approaches for a proposed replacement animal shelter and directed staff to inspect county-owned property and return with a site recommendation.
Staff recommended against a privately suggested College Drive site because of steep topography, multiple rights-of-way on the parcel and a deed reverter that could return part of the land to the city if it is not used for education. Commissioners asked staff to concentrate planning on county-owned parcels, including the Spalding Road site, and to visit the Chute Branch property with the architect and staff.
William, county staff, reviewed the earlier discussion: the current shelter, built about 1980 on U.S. 226 South, has been under review for replacement for several years for reasons of size and to meet North Carolina Department of Agriculture inspection requirements. He said staff and the architect evaluated the College Drive parcel and found substantial constraints: topography requiring significant grading, a creek on the west side, interstate right-of-way to the north, railroad right-of-way to the east, and a deed condition because half the property is owned by McDowell Tech and was conveyed by the city with a reverter clause. "So there's a lot of complicating factors," William said, and staff did not recommend that site.
Staff recommended continuing to focus on the previously discussed Spalding Road site, which staff said has buildable areas and fewer legal complications. Commissioners also discussed the county's ability to work with private donors or a friends group; staff noted the county could follow a model similar to Burke County, where a friends group and the animal-services director worked together on fundraising and donor outreach.
Commissioner Brown moved — and the board approved — a request that staff and the architect visit the Chute Branch site and bring a site identification back to the board by the next meeting.
What’s next: staff will arrange the site visit to Chute Branch with the architect and return to the board with findings and a recommendation on siting and next steps on fundraising/partnerships.
