Henderson City Council approves Elmwood redevelopment plan, backs $2.64M regional rail planning grant

Mayor Eddie Ellington called the Henderson City Council to order on March 14, 2022, and welcomed the Leadership Vance Class before the council moved through the evening's agenda.

At a public hearing, the council approved Resolution 22-16 to adopt the Elmwood District Urban Redevelopment Plan, a roughly 200-acre redevelopment area that staff and the Redevelopment Commission say is intended to spur property value increases once built out. Council Member Marion B. Williams said she was concerned the plan's “Elmwood” label could be interpreted as renaming parts of the West End community; City Manager Edward T. Blackmon responded that the title is intended only to identify the geographic project area and “the intent was never to change the neighborhood names,” and City Attorney D. Rix Edwards advised leaving the plan title as presented. No members of the public spoke during the hearing, and the resolution passed 7–0 with Council Member Sara M. Coffey absent.

Council members approved several items under New Business. The council accepted a proposal to retain Insight Planning and Development to administer Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Grant #20-C-3633, with an administration fee not to exceed $98,500 to be paid from grant funds. The council also approved Resolution 22-19 supporting a USDOT RAISE application for the North Carolina Regional S-Line Mobility Hub Planning Project. City Manager Blackmon said the NCDOT's RAISE request totals $3.3 million; the S-Line project portion before Henderson is listed as $2.64 million and the city's local share would be about $190,000, payable over several years.

Council approved revised downtown crosswalk locations tied to a 2021 AARP Community Challenge Grant after NCDOT review (Resolution 22-20) and authorized a Hazen and Sawyer agreement to assist city staff in preparing planning grant applications to the NC DEQ Division of Water Infrastructure for drinking water and wastewater projects, at a cost not to exceed $15,000 (Resolution 22-22).

The consent agenda passed unanimously and included: accepting a Joint Economic Development Administration (EDA) investment of $761,040 to complete sewer and roadway work at the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park; clarifying and approving the sale and deed language for 427 South Garnett Street (including 425 South Garnett Street) to the buyer's corporation; authorizing disposition of jointly owned property at 1323 Lehman Street; accepting a PARTF matching grant award of $357,497 to build a multiuse park at William and Montgomery streets; and approving tax releases/refunds and other routine items. Council also approved a resolution supporting an honorary naming request for a portion of Interstate 85 as the Andrea L. Harris Highway, with clarifying language noted during the meeting.

During reports, City Manager Edward T. Blackmon said Congressman G.K. Butterfield reported $3.5 million had been appropriated for the KLRW renovation project. Blackmon also announced a citywide NCDOT Litter Sweep scheduled for April 23 and asked civic groups and churches to participate. Council members raised follow-up questions about dumpster availability, electronics disposal and stormwater priorities; Blackmon said staff will schedule committee meetings and pursue logistics.

The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m. following a unanimous motion to close.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 22-16, Elmwood District Urban Redevelopment Plan — APPROVED (Yes: Williams, Burnette, Rainey, Elliott, Daeke, Thorpe-Cooper, Spriggs; Absent: Coffey). - Resolution 22-04, Accept Bid Proposal for Administration of CDBG Grant #20-C-3633 (Insight Planning & Development, fee not to exceed $98,500) — APPROVED (unanimous; Coffey absent). - Resolution 22-19, Support USDOT RAISE application for S-Line Mobility Hub Planning Project ($2.64M project request; city share ~$190,000) — APPROVED (unanimous; Coffey absent). - Resolution 22-20, Approve revised downtown crosswalk locations (AARP grant) — APPROVED (unanimous; Coffey absent). - Resolution 22-22, Authorize Hazen & Sawyer assistance for DEQ DWI planning grant applications (not to exceed $15,000) — APPROVED (unanimous; Coffey absent). - Consent agenda items including: EDA investment $761,040 for Henderson-Vance Industrial Park sewer/roadway; PARTF matching grant $357,497 for multiuse park; property sale clarifications; tax releases/refunds — ALL APPROVED (unanimous; Coffey absent).

The council set follow-up steps including committee scheduling on sign ordinance review, further planning on stormwater components of DEQ grant applications, and logistics for the April 23 Litter Sweep. The council did not receive public opposition during the Elmwood hearing and took formal votes on the above resolutions.