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Votes at a glance: Belmont council actions on March 3, 2025
Summary
Council approved consent items, a zoning rescission for 130 Georgia Bell Ave, financing authorization for ballfield lighting, storm‑water ordinance revisions (including a 100‑ft South Fork buffer), and approved a modified solar text amendment requiring special‑use review for commercial ground‑mounted systems; Watershed ordinance vote was continued to April.
Belmont — At its March 3 regular meeting, the Belmont City Council recorded the following formal actions and directions.
- Consent agenda: Approved unanimously. Items included previous minutes, event street‑closure ordinances for summer concerts and a House of Mercy walk, vendor awards for storm drainage projects, a budget amendment for Ford Center architectural services ($15,785), extension of the compost program ($7,000), and personnel policy updates (new parental leave, comp‑time rules, tuition‑reimbursement formula and other employee benefits).
- TA‑20243 (Solar energy systems — text amendment): Council delayed initial action, instructed staff to draft alternative text, then later in the meeting approved a modified ordinance amending Chapter 6 to require special‑use permit review for commercial ground‑mounted solar installations (classes 1–3); residential accessory rules in Chapter 3 were left unchanged. Council found the amendment reasonable and consistent with the comprehensive plan.
- ZA‑20242 (130 Georgia Bell Ave zoning rescission): Council reopened a rehearing and approved rescinding Belmont zoning on the parcel (PID 225342), allowing the property to proceed under Gaston County jurisdiction; the action was effective immediately and passed unanimously.
- Ballfield lighting financing: Council held the required public hearing and passed a resolution authorizing negotiation of installment financing for ballfield lighting (estimated $780,000) and authorized staff to pursue loan/financing options.
- Watershed Protection ordinance: Council discussed state comments and policy changes and voted to continue the final vote to the April meeting to allow staff time to incorporate state edits and council‑directed adjustments, including retaining council authority over high‑density development permit decisions.
- Storm‑water ordinance revisions: Council approved the staff proposal with modifications, including adding double silt‑fence requirements, higher temporary basin design standards and increasing the buffer along the South Fork River to 100 feet. The council also directed staff to research autonomous turbidity‑monitoring options, baseline data needs and enforcement approaches and return with technical recommendations.
Motions and voting: Most motions passed by unanimous voice vote (transcript records “all those in favor; any opposed” with no recorded roll‑call tallies). Where a mover and a second were recorded in the transcript, they are noted in staff and meeting records.
Implementation and follow‑ups: Staff were directed to publish revised ordinance language, require interconnection agreements and storm‑water documentation for major solar applicants, return proposed monitoring frameworks for council review and prepare the capital and budget steps necessary for the SCADA/water plant and ballfield lighting projects.
