Bethlehem residents say incorporation will protect rural character; organizers report key milestones cleared

Residents and organizers for the proposed town of Bethlehem updated the Alexander County Board of Commissioners Feb. 3 on their incorporation effort and urged support for local control over land use.

Don Taylor, who said he represents incorporation organizers, told the board the group is in the "final stages" of incorporation. He said petition signatures have been certified by the board of elections, the City of Hickory has notified organizers it will not oppose incorporation, a town charter and boundaries have been drafted and a bill ready for the General Assembly has been prepared. "This is not just about process. It's about our community, our future, and ensuring that, the residents of Bethlehem, have a voice in shaping the direction of our town," Taylor said.

Marie Taylor, identified as an interim commissioner for the soon-to-be incorporated town of Bethlehem, responded to what she called circulating misinformation and said the movement includes more than 1,000 supporters from a mix of longtime and newer residents. "The goal of the incorporation is not to shut down development or prevent growth," Marie Taylor said. She said incorporation would give residents authority to decide where and how to invest in the town and to preserve farmland and community character.

Both speakers said the effort is intended to provide local control over future housing density and to ensure tax revenue benefits local residents. Don Taylor said the group is working with the North Carolina Local Government Commission on a required financial certificate and expects to submit the final incorporation packet to the municipal incorporation subcommittee once certification is complete.

The remarks came during the public-comment portion of the meeting; the Board of Commissioners did not take action on the incorporation packet at this meeting.