SALISBURY — The Rowan County Economic Development Commission will deliver a presentation to county commissioners Monday about an incentive request for “Project Enterprise.” 

The unnamed company behind “Project Enterprise” is an established manufacturer based in the northeastern United States that is seeking to expand in the Carolinas with a new facility. The company would invest $17.51 million in building improvement and equipment and would create 142 jobs over three years.

“Like all of these, we are very happy that we have businesses that are looking to expand here and that shows a real positive for Rowan County and an optimism for the economy,” said Rowan County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Jim Greene.

The EDC is requesting an incentive package to help land the company, which is also considering two other counties in the greater Charlotte area for its new site, including a county in North Carolina and a county in South Carolina. The EDC is requesting a level one grant, which would have Rowan County return 75% of the company’s paid property taxes in the form of a grant each year for a five-year period.

If the company selects Rowan County, it will begin installing new equipment by the end of 2020 and a majority of the project will be completed by the end of 2022.

Rowan County would retain $123,857 in revenue during the five-year incentive term and would be projected to retain $699,498 of new revenue during a 10-year time period.

“Hopefully our citizens from Rowan County will get jobs and be able to improve their pay and be able to have a retirement program, disability benefits and those types of things,” Greene said. “It may be someone young entering the workforce or someone who has gone back to school maybe at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and has expanded their knowledge. This could do more than just improve our county’s tax base.”

Other business on the agenda includes:

• A courtesy hearing will be held on a temporary use permit request submitted by Tony and Angie Jenkins to use their property at 175 Shuffler Woods Road in China Grove for Reaper’s Realm haunted house and trail from Sept. 25-Oct. 31. The Rowan County Board of Commissioners issued a similar permit to the Jenkins on Sept. 5, 2017 for a two year period. No request for a permit was received in 2019, but the Jenkins continued to operate the haunted house. After law enforcement responded to a shooting at the seasonal attraction on Sept. 26, county staff issued a warning citation to the Jenkins. Since the shooting, Jenkins has hired five private security guards and five off-duty deputies to bolster security. He has also worked to address other concerns, including obtaining a permit for food and snack sales and implementing more fire extinguishers.
• A quasi-judicial hearing will be held for a conditional use permit requested by Suretha Springs to construct a 5,500-square-foot metal building and event center for “veteran, community, corporate and private family events” on her 8.15-acre property at 1115 Brookwood Dr. in China Grove.
• Commissioners will consider a request for the grant and execution of an easement to improve access and safety for the development of a new Arby’s on Statesville Boulevard. The Arby’s will be located near West End Plaza across the street from the Food Lion Shopping Center.
• Commissioners will consider a request from Greene to transfer the site of the former Woodleaf Elementary School from Rowan-Salisbury School System to Rowan County for the purpose of adding a park to the county’s park system.
• Commissioners will be presented with the bid results for the “design solutions” phase of the plan to upgrade county facilities to better prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Commissioners will consider the request from Robert Polk to purchase a parcel on Barbour Street for $1,200. County Assessor Chip Main believes the offer is fair for the lot, even though it represents 15-20% of its assessed value.