By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — City council members today will consider rezoning requests for two developments that would bring more than 150 new multi-family apartment units to the area.

Council members will meet virtually at 6 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live at salisburync.gov/webcast and on the city’s Twitter account. Anyone who wishes to speak during the public comment period must sign up by 5 p.m. today by contacting City Clerk Kelly Baker at kbake@salisburync.gov or 704-638-5233.

The Salisbury Planning Board in March approved rezoning requests from Halcon Development, LLC, and Kent Place Holdings, LLC, for the development of two multi-family apartment complexes. A public hearing will be held for both requests today, with public comments accepted up to 24 hours after the meeting.

Halcon Development, based in Virginia, is requesting that a parcel of about 9 acres currently owned by John Leatherman be rezoned to residential mixed use with a conditional district overlay. The developer is proposing 84 multi-family, campus-style units to be called Salisbury Oaks Apartments between Jake Alexander Boulevard West and South Main Street near Rosemont Street. The new development would also be adjacent to Colonial Village Apartments.

Several residents of Rosemont Street spoke in opposition to the development at the March 10 Planning Board meeting, with the main concern being a cul-de-sac that currently ends Rosemont Street. Halcon Development is proposing it be gated and designated for emergency response vehicles only via a “knox box,” where only first responders can access keys to the gate. The designated entrance and exit for the complex is off South Main Street, but local residents expressed concern that the cul-de-sac will eventually become the entrance and exit for apartment residents.

Another concern was the potential for flooding in a pond located within the parcel. Matt Lowder, an engineer for the project, said during the March 10 meeting that it would become a bio-retention pond, which means it would not be filled with standing water due to concerns of snakes and mosquitoes. Instead, precipitation would stream into groundwater.

Development Services Manager Teresa Barringer said at the March 10 meeting restricting the use of the cul-de-sac to emergency response vehicles only is a condition of approval, which would require the developer to revisit both the Planning Board and City Council if any changes were proposed.

The other request comes from North Carolina-based Kent Place Holdings, which is requesting two parcels totaling around 6 acres between Jake Alexander Boulevard West, Brenner Avenue and Milford Hills Road be rezoned to corridor mixed use with a new conditional district overlay. The company has plans for 84 multi-family campus style units called Tenby Crossing Apartments, located behind the existing Zaxby’s restaurant.

The development is a tax credit project providing affordable housing for families, and it is an area that local public transit serves.

The original proposal was to make the complex accessible via Brenner Avenue and Jake Alexander Boulevard, but it was suggested an access point be created at Milford Hills Road since only a few houses are currently located on that road and to mitigate traffic congestion in the area.

Other items on the agenda:

• Council members will consider approving recommendations for the use of COVID-19 funds in the federal Community Development Block Grant program, which provides funding for community service agencies to assist low-income individuals and families.

• Council members will consider authorizing a sole source purchase from Badger Meter, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $585,000 for cellular endpoints and associated extended warranties, as well as adopting a Capital Project Ordinance in the amount of $1 million to purchase and install advanced metering infrastructure endpoint upgrades.

• Council will consider adopting a resolution declaring the city’s intent to close a 20-foot unimproved right-of-way located on Lloyd Street within the 300 block of Harrell Street. A public hearing would then be set for May 4.

• Council will consider authorizing a sole source purchase from Carter Pump amounting to $9,010 for sludge pump replacement parts. Funds for the purchase were adopted in the 2020-21 budget. Members will consider a separate purchase from ForTech, Inc., in the amount of $88,930 for materials and services associated with the control logic and integration of the chemical feed improvements at the water treatment plant. Those funds were also adopted in the 2020-21 budget.

• Council is expected to endorse partnering with Operation Hope for the 1MBB initiative, which intends to engage community partners in efforts to increase the number of Black businesses in Salisbury.

• Council members will consider authorizing Mayor Karen Alexander to execute an easement to Rowan County for a chemical booster station to serve the North East Water System, located at 1375 Long Ferry Road.

• Council members will be presented and asked to adopt a resolution that would establish filing fees for municipal elections. The filing period for the 2021 race for mayor and city council begins in July. Since at least 1987, fees have been set at $10, and this resolution would establish the same cost for the separate mayoral race.

• Mayor Alexander will proclaim several observances for the month of April, including Financial Literacy Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Autism Acceptance Month and Fair Housing Month. Additionally, she will proclaim National Crime Victims’ Rights Week from April 18-24.