By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — In an effort to accommodate two business expansions, Rowan County’s economic development agency has done a bit of maneuvering.

In May, county commissioners approved a California-based company’s request to purchase a tract of land in Speedway Business Park, located off of Peach Orchard Road. A Salisbury-based construction company liked the land, too. To satisfy both companies, RowanWorks Economic Development has proposed that the California company buy land across from the Rowan County Fairgrounds for a garbage truck manufacturing facility. The local company has been offered the Speedway Business Park land.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the requests and consider approving the sale of both properties — on Julian Road and Speedway Business Park — during their 6 p.m. meeting on Monday at the county administration building at 130 West Innes St.

Amrep, the California company, builds garbage trucks and specialty trucks for waste management. It aims to build a manufacturing facility on the East Coast. The site on Julian Road is slightly smaller than the Speedway Business Park site, but the company is proposing to pay the same, $105,000 price.

The tax value of the Julian Road site is $210,983, which breaks down to $44,417 per acre. In 2014, Rowan County sold a nearby piece of property to James River Equipment for $33,500 per acre.

The price Amrep is proposing would be a discount when compared to the tax value and the price James River Equipment paid. Instead of giving the company tax incentives, an approval on Monday would give Amrep a discounted property price for moving to Rowan County.

In Speedway Business Park, Bowtie Properties is proposing to build a warehouse and headquarters for Makson Incorporated, a Salisbury-based construction company that’s affiliated with Bowtie.

Bowtie Properties is asking commissioners to approve the same, $105,000 purchase price for the 10-acre tract that Amrep had looked to purchase.

If both requests are approved, Rowan County government would receive a total of $205,000 for the property sales.

RowanWorks Economic Development projects that Amrep will add 20 new jobs in the first year of the project and 20 new jobs within three years. The average salary of the jobs would be $37,000.

Makson plans to add up to 75 new jobs by 2021 if the property sale is approved. RowanWorks doesn’t state an average salary in its presentation scheduled for Monday.

In other business on Monday’s agenda:

• Commissioners will hold a public hearing for a zoning request that would allow for a “grading and hauling” business at 4725 Long Ferry Road.

The land in question is nearly an acre and contains a structure that measures 2,720 square feet. Originally, it was built in 1985 for a convenience store. In 2011, a request was approved to make the building a “funeral service business,” according to the county’s staff report. The property is located east of Goodman Lake Road on Long Ferry.

A staff report about the request says the rezoning would allow for up to five dump trucks to park on the property. However, the report also states that no mechanical work would be done on the trucks at the property in question.

If the dump trucks are not allowed, the site would only be used as an office.

• Commissioners will discuss the West End Plaza master plan.

During commissioners’ previous meeting, they received a presentation from ADW Architects that proposed a layout for the former Salisbury Mall, now West End Plaza. The Board of Elections and Veterans Services are already located at West End Plaza. The only additional departments were Social Services and Health.

A portion of space at West End Plaza is also expected to be renovated and used for conferences and community events.

Less than 50 percent of space at West End Plaza would be used for government departments, according to ADW’s master plan. Commissioners on Monday could finalize an exact layout of West End Plaza.

• Commissioners will consider approving the purchase of several different types of equipment for the sheriff’s office, including riot shields.

Commissioners Mike Caskey will present a request for the purchase of 70 active shooters vests and helmets at a cost of $47,600, multiple AR 15 sights at a total cost of $6,400 and 24 riot shields at a total cost of $2,520.

• Commissioners will consider whether to sign a contract with local architect Bill Burgin to oversee construction of a conference room at the Rowan County Airport.

• The Rowan Salisbury School Board will offer a piece of property at 515 S. Clay Street to commissioners.

The property, formerly used by the school system’s maintenance department, has already been declared surplus by the school board. Commissioners now have the “right of first refusal” before the school system tries to sell it publicly.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.