By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@Salisburypost
The county’s land-use plan, while not dead, appears to be on life support.
A presentation on the land-use plan to the Rowan County Board of Commissioners was abruptly canceled Monday night.
Dozens of supporters of the plan developed and adopted by the Land Use Steering Committee had attended to hear the presentation and discussion.
At the outset of the meeting, commissioners Chairman Arnold Chamberlain made a motion to remove the presentation from the agenda. Commissioner Tina Hall supported the motion, which commissioners unanimously approved.
Chamberlain gave no indication of when the land-use plan might be reconsidered by the board.
After the meeting, Chamberlain said he pulled it from the agenda because there is no consensus on the plan ó he doesn’t have three votes to go forward.
For nearly two years, Chamberlain has pushed to get a land-use plan for areas west of Interstate 85, hoping that will then spur a plan for eastern Rowan.
While Commissioner Jim Sides has maintained his opposition to any land-use plan, Chamberlain has had support in varying degrees from Vice Chairman Chad Mitchell and commissioners Tina Hall and Jon Barber, both Mount Ulla residents.
That support appeared to evaporate as differing versions of the plan emerged.
Last week, Barber e-mailed commissioners supporting a version that is almost identical to the plan recommended by the Steering Committee.
Chamberlain offered a version that attempted to strike a balance between the Steering Committee plan built on protecting farmland and the Planning Board version that is more developer-friendly.
The county planning staff had recommended setting a public hearing on the land-use plan for the commissioners’ Nov. 3 session.
It’s uncertain at this point if the board will hold a hearing or go forward with the plan before the Dec. 1 meeting when Chamberlain leaves the board.
Several west Rowan residents spoke in favor of the county going forward with the Steering Committee plan.
Adele Goodman said the plan represents the wishes of the people of west Rowan. She also questioned why Jeff Morris, an attorney and member of the Spencer Planning Board, was appointed to the Steering Committee.
Rose LaCasse praised commissioners for undertaking the land-use process and urged them not to shy away from new ideas and potentially controversial proposals.
“Can we give this a chance?” she asked.
James Rollans, a member of the Steering Committee and outspoken supporter of provisions to limit growth, said the Planning Board is delusional in wanting to allow market forces to dictate growth in the area.
“Open space can’t compete with development,” Rollans said.
His wife, Marian Rollans, had a few words for commissioners. “Keeping all the county happy is impossible,” she said.
She said the Planning Board version of the plan will not protect the area against unfettered growth and added that “The Steering Committee Plan is more balanced.”