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Planning Board nominates two applicants for vacancies; attorney outlines UDO legal fixes and settlement
Summary
The board nominated Laura Gentry and David A. Jones for in‑town and ETJ vacancies, respectively, and Town Attorney Victoria Brooks reported a settlement to correct UDO errors with WithersRavenal paying $50,000 for legal corrections to be completed over six to nine months.
The Town of North Wilkesboro Planning Board on Feb. 12 nominated two applicants to fill vacant seats and received an update on legal corrections to the town's unified development ordinance (UDO).
For the in‑town vacancy, after hearing four applicants in person, the board nominated Laura Gentry by a 4‑2 vote; the nomination will be forwarded to the Town Board of Commissioners for appointment. For the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) vacancy, the board unanimously nominated David A. Jones; that recommendation will be forwarded to the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners.
Town Attorney Victoria Brooks told the board the UDO is undergoing legal review after errors were discovered. The town entered a settlement under which WithersRavenal will pay $50,000 to cover attorney Robin Tatum's work correcting the document. Brooks said Tatum has begun the corrections and that work is expected to continue six to nine months, with an internal goal of adoption by the end of the calendar year; WithersRavenal is no longer on the project.
Director Joseph Kamperman explained the process for forwarding nominations: in‑town recommendations go to the Town Board and ETJ recommendations go to Wilkes County. Brooks said the corrections focus on compliance with North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D and procedural matters; she indicated the town expects no further cost related to the settlement.
The board also received staff reports on grants and cleanup projects, including an RFQ for a Brownfields grants manager and efforts to pursue Great Trails State Grant funding for the Bridge Between the Boros Project.
