SALISBURY — As study committees go, this is a whopper.

Salisbury City Council approved Tuesday the appointment of 16 people to a committee looking at traffic and safety issues along the Innes and Long street corridors.

This committee might also come up with a final word on whether left turns should be allowed at the Square.

Mayor Paul Woodson called it “a very strong group,” which was put together by Councilwoman Karen Alexander.

The appointees include Chris Bradshaw, Bill Burgin, Jon Cerny, Brian Davis, Seamus Donaldson, Fred Evans, Cheryl Goins, Bill Greene, Kyna Grubb, John Ketner, Mark Lewis, James Meacham, William Peoples, Karl Sale, Robert Van Geons and Ken Weaver.

A 17th member will be added when a new Downtown Salisbury Inc. executive director is named.

Alexander said she knows it’s a large group of people, but she added it’s a large area of study.

City staff members assisting the committee will be Engineer Wendy Brindle, Urban Design Planner Lynn Raker, Stephen Brown (landscaping), Craig Powers (streets), Fire Chief Bob Parnell, Police Chief Rory Collins, Keith Storm (infrastructure), Salisbury-Rowan Utilities Director Jim Behmer and Community Development Corp. Director Chanaka Yatawara.

Council liaisons will be Woodson and Councilman Pete Kennedy. The N.C. Department of Transportation representative will be J.P. Couch.

Brindle said $120,000 in funding exists for this comprehensive land-use and transportation study of East Innes and Long streets and left turns at the Square.

Brindle said 80 percent of the funding would come from the Cabarrus-Rowan Metropolitan Planning Organization and 10 percent from the DOT.

The city’s cost would cover the remaining 10 percent, or $12,000.

In another matter Tuesday, council approved the issuance of a special-use permit which will allow a bookstore at 612 W. Innes St., a former insurance office and once headquarters for the Chamber of Commerce.

Elizabeth Pope of Yadkinville said the neighborhood bookstore would be family-owned and operated with hardly any changes to the exterior of the building.

The Planning Board recommended approval of the special permit by a 10-0 vote.

To allow a general retail use in this Residential-Mixed Use zoning district required the special-use permit. The Planning Board also recommended restricting the retail use to a bookstore only.

Kennedy asked why the general retail use of the building was restricted to just one thing. Zoning Administrator Dave Phillips said the Planning Board members thought it would help protect the neighborhood behind the building.

Council also held a public hearing and approved the Police Department’s application for a 2013 Justice Assistance Grant. The $32,000 grant would have $21,092 going to the Police Department and $11,825 going to the Rowan Sheriff’s Office.

A city match is not required.

Collins said the city’s portion of the grant would go toward exercise and conditioning equipment for officers, a tactical vest for the SWAT team. 81 earpieces for radios, training for a crime scene technician, a polygraph chair, a three-drawer lateral file, police recruiting efforts, tourniquets and storage cases, updates on honor guard uniforms and equipment and an equipment cabinet for uniforms.

Council approved the installation by TW Telecom of 643 feet of fiber cable in the 200, 300 and 400 blocks of North Lee Street.

TW Telecom will pay the city a yearly tax of 10 cents per linear foot of cable installed, for a total of $64.30.

Councilman Brian Miller noted the recent street improvements the city made in this North Lee Street area and asked what remedies were in place if the street is messed up.

“That street is perfect right now,” Miller said.

Brindle noted repairs will be coordinated through Craig Powers, the street and stormwater manager, and that brick pavers in this area are under warranty until Jan. 14, 2014.

Council received a brief update on the Second Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Elimination Project. The $1.49 million project, providing sewer to West Rowan Middle School and an industry, is scheduled to be completed by Oct. 13.

The Clean Water Management Fund is paying $600,000 toward the cost; the school system, $200,000.

Woodson asked City Manager Doug Paris to investigate how the city can better help customers know that businesses on Klumac Road are open. Many businesses are being affected by the railroad crossing closure on Klumac as the DOT prepares to build a railroad underpass and realign the road.

Paris said he would get staff members working on it today.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263.