Council approves site plan for Public Utilities Phase 2 complex

Town Planner Jeremy Smith presented Project P-26-10, a proposed major site plan for Public Utilities Phase 2 located at 1222 NC Highway 210 East. “Project proposes 42,000 square feet of government facility for equipment and material storage over 4 individual buildings on 6.17 acres,” Smith said, and staff noted the property is zoned G-1 and the plan preserves a substantial vegetative buffer along the site.

Smith told council that required parking for this use is one space per 1,000 square feet but that the site functions primarily as equipment laydown, vehicle and material storage. He said the combined facility would generate about 72 weekday vehicle trips at peak hours and therefore did not trigger a traffic impact analysis. The planning board and town staff recommended approval.

A council member asked what would happen to trees cleared for the project; Smith said a tree survey identified two trees required to be protected under town ordinance and that debris would likely be hauled off, with mitigation required if protected trees were damaged. Council moved, seconded and approved the site plan by voice vote.