By Andie Foley
andie.foley@salisburypost.com

On Monday, the Board of Commissioners will hear a request regarding a project with the potential to bring Rowan County 40 new jobs and $9 million in investment.

The request, prepared by the Rowan Economic Development Commission, is for the construction of a 42,000-square-foot, high-tech, cold-storage facility in Granite Quarry.

It’s a project to establish the first facility of WJD Cold Storage, a limited liability company started in 2012 by Bryan Duncan, Joseph Emmons, William Malloy and Jacqueline Patterson.

For the project, the storage company is requesting a “Level 1” investment grant from the county.

Level 1 investment grants equate to approximately 75 percent of the value of real and personal property tax revenue anticipated to be generated by the project during five consecutive years.

Over five years, Rowan County would provide incentive grants totaling $166,878, retaining $55,625 in excess revenue.

In other business from Monday’s agenda:

• Commissioners will hold a public hearing for the rezoning of a 3.76-acre tract on Northdale Avenue in Kannapolis from Rural Agricultural to Institutional.

The request comes from Walter Rumple, owner of Best of Care Assisted Living on Northdale. Rumple is seeking the rezoning to expand the facility’s existing vehicle canopy.

• Commissioners will hold a public hearing for the rezoning of four parcels totaling 6.26 acres on Providence Church Road from Rural Agricultural to Commercial Business Industrial with a Conditional District.

The request comes from Barry Childers, who seeks to construct docks and boat lifts. The rezoning will allow for this work alongside a 2,800-square-foot storage building and a fenced, gravel parking area for the storage of construction materials and the property owner and applicant’s personal boats and trailers.

During a planning board meeting held on May 14, 10 residents of the surrounding area expressed concern that the request would result in excess noise, loss in property value and the expansion of commercial activity in the area.

• Commissioners will consider a Permit to Exceed for the fifth annual Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival held July 28 at the Long Ferry Road Shrine Club on High Rock Lake.
• Commissioners will select a voting delegate for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners 111th annual conference, to be held Aug. 23-25 in Catawba County.