SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a possible incentive package for a “Project Aviation,” a company that is proposing to make an investment in the Mid-Carolina Regional Airport and bring nine jobs to Rowan County, during its upcoming meeting on Monday.

The company is an established provider of aviation-related services and is planning to lease space in an airport in the Charlotte region, according to the proposal from the Rowan EDC. As part of the search for potential locations the company is evaluating Rowan County and is considering leasing hangar space at Mid-Carolina.

The company is planning to create nine full-jobs over the next three years as well as employing an undetermined number of contract employees. It would also plan to invest at least $15 million in personal property, including airplanes and other related equipment, the proposal states.

County representatives have been negotiating incentives with the company since before the current policy was implemented, so the proposal asks for the proposal to be grandfathered in under the old policies.

The proposal asks for two separate grants, a tax incentive and a jobs grant. The tax incentive would be based on the listed personal property, starting at 90 percent of taxes paid on a $5.5 million minimum value of property. Every year after that the incentive would decrease by five percent and the minimum would increase by $5 million until year four. For years four through six, the grant would be based entirely on the minimum value of the company’s property investment. The grant would be 80 percent on a minimum value up to $15 million, 75 percent between $15 million and $25 million, 70 percent between $25 million and $50 million and 60 percent on anything above $50 million.

The proposal also asks for a jobs grant to offset some of the lease cost, asking for $3,500 for up to seven jobs in year one and $2,750 per job up to nine jobs in years two and three.

Based on the expected lease revenue and taxable property, the county could expect to end up with $2,138,525 in total revenues over the first 10 years.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, on the second floor of the county administration building, located at 130 W. Innes St. in Salisbury. The other agenda items to be discussed include:

• The commissioners will hear a presentation from Foundation Forward, Inc. about the Charters of Freedom. The organization has placed displays including replicas of the three documents throughout the country.
• The commissioners will hold a legislative hearing to consider a text amendment to the county ordinances regarding racing. For more information, go to https://www.salisburypost.com/2024/01/24/planning-board-approves-new-standards-for-racing-facilities-in-rowan-county/.
• The commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider a petition to amend a conditional district for a property located at 4920 Long Ferry Road. The change would allow the storage facility located there to expand.
• The commissioners will hold a legislative hearing to consider a rezoning request for a property located at 735 Gin Road. The request would allow Blandy Hardwoods to expand their operations on the property, including 85,000 square feet worth of new buildings.
• The commissioners will hold a public hearing for a request for a special non-residential intensity allocation for a property located at 175 Nitro Alley. The allocation would allow the owner to build a 12,000-square-foot building, which exceeds the maximum built-upon area allowable in the Coddle Creek watershed.
• The commissioners will hold a legislative hearing to consider an amendment to the county ordinances allowing roof-mounted solar panels to be installed in the conical and horizontal surface of the Mid-Carolina Regional Airport. For more information, go to https://www.salisburypost.com/2024/01/24/planning-board-approves-amendment-allowing-residential-solar-panels-near-the-airport/.
• The commissioners will consider names and signage for renovated areas of West End Plaza.