By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — Town aldermen on Monday approved a voluntary annexation request for a parcel in the 3000 block of North Cannon Boulevard and tabled the selection of the Passive Park Blue Ribbon Committee.

With no comments delivered during the public hearing, board members approved a request from Jack, Deborah and Bryan Roach to add a .47-acre parcel located at 3080 North Cannon Boulevard into the town’s corporate limits. The land is assessed at $66,000 in tax value, and is now subject to the town’s tax rate of 53 cents per $100 of valuation.

Additionally, the board designated the annexed parcels with “U.S. Highway 29 Commercial District” zoning.

Also at the meeting, the town tabled the selection of the Passive Park Blue Ribbon Committee due to Alderwoman Katie Sells’ absence Monday and will revisit it at September’s meeting. The town has received interest from 12 people. The board agreed at July’s meeting for the committee to include Mayor Meredith Smith and Alderwoman Katie Sells along with Town Manager Diane Seaford and Parks and Recreation Director Jessica Stamper. Additionally, the board intends to select up to five residents to also serve on the board.

Landis acquired from longtime residents D.C. and Frances Linn six lots located on the east side of U.S. 29 after their deaths in 2009. The Linn family had a longtime dream of creating a passive park in the town, which is similar to a typical neighborhood park, but it includes features such as benches, picnic areas, gardens and walking trails.

In other business at the meeting:

• Board members approved two amendments to the 2021-22 budget to purchase two new trucks for the Public Works department. The truck needed for water services will be partially funded by savings accrued from a change in insurance for town employees along with $29,000 from the budget. Another truck is needed for street maintenance purposes, requiring a cost of $32,000 to the town after surplus sales and other savings.

• Seaford told board members the town expects to hire four additional firefighters this week, with three of those positions added to the current budget and one from a vacancy.

• The town has hired Joe Halyburton as the new public works director. Halyburton has worked with the town’s electric department for 14 years.

• The town tabled a public hearing related to a request from The Brook Ministries to rezone two parcels from “U.S. Highway 29 Commercial District” to “Civic.” At the July 13 Planning Board meeting, members approved the rezoning of 2290 U.S. U.S. 29 but voted to keep the parcel located at 2170 U.S. 29 zoned “U.S. Highway 29 Commercial District” because it is not consistent with the recently adopted 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Since the church intends to use the property at 2170 for church purposes, the issue was tabled so the church can look into combining the two parcels into one to meet the criteria for “Civic” zoning. The church at 2290 and the building at 2170 are within 400 feet of each other.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.