6688  The Smithfield' Town Council meti in regular session on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at7 7:00 p.m. int the Council Chambers  oft the Smithfield' Town! Hall, Mayor M. Andy! Moorep presided.  Councilmen Present: Roger Wood, Mayor Pro-Tem Sloan Stevens, District2 John Dunn, At-Large Stephen Rabil, At-Large  Councilmen Absent Marlon Lee, District1 Travis Scott, District3  Administrative Staff Present Michael Scott, Town! Manager Ted Credle, Public Utilities Director Lawrence Davis, Public Works Director Andrew Harris, Finance Director Pete Hedrick, Chief of Police Gary Johnson, Parks & Rec Director Shannan Parrish, Town Clerk Stephen Wensman, Planning! Director Administrative Staff Absent  Dr. David Barbour, District4 Jeremey Daughtry, Fire Chief  Also Present Michael Carter, Town Attorney Call To Order Invocation  Mayor Moore calledt the meeting to order at7:00 pm  The invocation was given by Councilman Dunnf followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  Approval of the. Agenda  Mayor Pro-Tem Wood made a motion, seconded by Councilman Stevens, to approve the 2. Unified Development Ordinance Amendment - Multifamily in the B-3 Amendment (ZA-24-02): Planning Staff are requesting an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance, Article 6, Section 6.6 Table of Uses and Activities to remove the multi-family  agenda with the following changes: Remove from the Public Hearings  land use from the B-3 Zoning Districte entirely.  Add to the Consent Agenda  1. Special Event: Tool Brokef for Sturgis - Bulldog Harley-Davidson is requesting to hold an eventa at1 1043 Outlet Center Drive on August 10, 2024 from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. This requesti includes amplified sound, ai food truck, merchandise for sale and free beer. 2. Consideration and request for approval to award a bid in the amount of $257,760 to IIderton Dodge (State Sheriffs Contract) for the purchase 6 vehicles for the School  Resource Officers. Addt to the Business Items Unanimously approved.  2. Discussion on a Social Districti int the Downtown area.  Public Hearings:  1. Rezoning Request - 400 Brightleaf (RZ-24-06): David Dupree of Market Street Investments is requestingi ther rezoning of 3 parcels: a. 89-acre parcel (Johnston County Tax ID15015033) int the O/I-Office Institutional Zoning District, a. 15-acre (Johnston County Tax ID1 15016033) and 14-acre parcel (Johnston County Tax ID 15016032) in the R-6-High Density Single, Two and Multi-family Zoning District to the B-3-Highway Entranceway Mayor Pro-Tem Wood made a motion, seconded by Councilman Dunn, to opent thej public hearing. Planning Director Stephen) Wensman presented: a rezoning requestf fort the southeast corner of North Brightleaf and Hancock Street, covering three parcels. The property, surrounded by various zoning districts, was guided for medium-density residential use by the comprehensive plan. However, due tot the site's difficult shape and existing conditions, staff believed al B-3: zoning was most feasible. The residential property tot the east, owned by Walgreens, was unlikely to develop residentially. Past council actions vacated a street crossing the property, leaving a utility easement in place. The site's Staff supported the rezoning, considering it consistent with the comprehensive management plan and compatible with surrounding land uses. They recommended approval of rezoning RZ 2406,  Business Zoning District Unanimously approved.  development would be challenging due tos setbacks and access limitations.    6689  declaring ito consistent witht thet town's growth management plan andi int the public interest. Councilman Stevens questioned ifthere was aj plani for this property thus the reason fori ther rezoning. Mr. Wensman responded he was aware there was interest in this property as a commercial Mayor Moore stated the Council closed the road several years ago to allow for that property to be Councilman Stevens expressed concerns aboutr rezoning the property. He emphasized the need to ensure commercial: zoningr remains intactt to prevent becoming a bedroom community. Mayor Moore askedi ift the applicant could request a conditional use for the rezoning. Mr. Wensman responded that while it was possible, the applicant was selling the property to someone else for development. Wensman believed the development would be commercial, but could not confirmi it. Mayor Moore acknowledged Councilman Stevens' concerns, referencing a recent presentation on economic development warning against converting commercial areas into residential ones, which can turn communities into bedroom communities without supporting retail or commercial Councilman Stevens shared insights from a book on growth, highlighting that residential developments typically cost more in services than they generate int tax revenue, unlike commercial developments which are more cost-effective for the town. He emphasized caution with B-3 zoning, noting that although the current plan might be commercial, changes could lead to unintended Councilman Dunn acknowledged concerns about what is allowed in B-3 and suggested holding off onf further developments until the council could clearly definet their intentions for the district. Although he recognized the potential inconvenience for the property owner, he proposed tabling the decision Mayor Andy Moore inquired about what residential types could be included in B-3 zoning. Mr. Wensman explained that multifamily options like townhouses, apartments, or condos could be Mr. Wensman clarified that all discussions he had heard regarding the site indicated a commercial use, with nor residential use proposed, despite the comprehensive plan's designation for residential. Mayor Moore asked ift there was anyone in attendance that wished to speak on this matter. There  Mayor Moore askedi ift there were any questions from the Council development, but he was unsure oft the specifics oft the use. developed. He was also interested int the proposed use.  infrastructure.  residential developments, stressing the needf for careful consideration. until the next meeting tor refine their plans fort the B-3 district. developed within al B-3 district with as special use permit.  was no oni ina attendance that wished tos speak ont the matter.  Mayor Pro-Tem Woodr made ar motion, seconded by Councilman Rabil, to close the public Councilman Dunn made a motion, seconded by Councilman Stevens, tot table a decision on Rezoning Request- 400 Brightleaf (RZ-24-06) until the August 13, 2024 Town Council  hearing. Unanimously approved. Meeting. Unanimously approved.  Citizens Comments  Luke Stancil of 301 Church Street addressed the Council on a tree that recently fell on his house. He explained he noticed a dead tree on the town side oft the sidewalk, posing a safety risk. Despite calling the town five times, only a contracted: surveyor confirmed the danger. Thet tree was scheduled to be removed on Saturday, butu unfortunately fell on! his house Friday night. Het thanked Councilman Stevens and Public Works Director Lawrence for their help. He emphasized the need for prompt action on safety issues to protect our  community Consent Agenda  Councilman Dunnr made a motion, seconded! by Mayor Pro-Tem Wood, to approve thei item listed ont the consent 1. Special Event: Too Broke for Sturgis: Approval was granted to allow the Bulldog's Harley- Davidson to hold and event at 1043 Outlet Center Drive on Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 5:00pm until 8:00 pm. Also approved was amplified sound, a food truck, merchandise for sale and free beer. 2. Approval was granted to awarda a bidi int the amount of $257,7601 to Ilderton Dodge (utilizing the State Sherrif Contract) for the purchase ofs six vehicles for the school resource officers. 1. Consideration and request for approval to amend the Fee Schedule due to the increase Town Manager Michael Scott requested the Council to consider the increase in sanitation fees by  agenda. Unanimously: approved.  Business Items:  inl landfill tipping fees by Johnston County    6690  34 cents per month per customer, totaling $4.08 per year. This adjustment was needed due to Johnston County's solid waste tipping fee increase of $3 per ton, effective June 25. To align with the budget and fee schedule, staff calculated that this increase would generate approximately $16,747 annually. The new fee wouldi increase from $18.211 to $18.55 per month, starting with the Mayor Moore questioned why the County waiteds sol longt toi increasei thesef fees. Thel Town Manager responded he was uncertain as to why they chose to increase the fees so late in the budget Mayor Pro-Tem Wood made a motion, seconded by Councilman Dunn, to approve the amended FY2024-2025 Fee Schedule due toi increased tipping fees by Johnston County.  first billing period in/ August to matcht the county's fee increase.  process.  Unanimously: approved.  2. Discussion on a Social District in the Downtown area  Councilman Stevens recapped a productive meeting with the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (DSDC), highlighting strong communication and ongoing dialogue. Hei notedt the DSDC board's support for establishing a social district and the need to pass this initiative. He mentioned suggestions from other Council members to shorten the timeframe and map oft the social district, He expressed concern over businesses leaving town during a period of growth and emphasized the importance ofl leveraging both residential and commercial development. He urged the Council to take action to support downtown businesses, attract visitors, and revitalize the area, warning against complacency andt the consequences ofi inaction. He emphasizedi ther need tor make changes Mayor Pro-Tem Wood recalled a discussion from the previous week, where Councilman Dunn suggested starting small with the social district as a sample size. They agreed to test it from Wednesday through Saturday. Mayor Pro-Tem Wood was hesitant about crossing Market Street Councilman Stevens acknowledged the historical issues impacting downtown, particularly due to Highway 70 and DOT priorities. He understood the safety concerns of crossing the highway but felt Councilman Dunn emphasized the importance of fairness to all businesses and proposed not limiting the social district to one side of the road. He questioned the feasibility of extending the district in the future if new businesses emerged. The discussion touched on the necessity ofs state Town Manager Michael Scott explained that creatingt the social district wouldi involve an ordinance and a corresponding map, both of which wouldr need state approval. Councilman Dunn expressed ad desire to avoid unnecessary work while also not wanting to open up the district too broadly. The Town Manager mentioned al DSDC meeting where they discussed making the proposal more amenable tot the council by potentially reducing the size, hours, and days oft the social district. The goal was to start the initiative to attract more businesses downtown, addressing the issue of restaurants and retaill leaving the area. He emphasized the need fora av vibrant nightlife tor retain and Mayor Moorer notedt that townsl like Clayton and Benson had recently approved social districts. The Councilman Stevens proposed adjustments to the map, suggesting the removal of North Second and North Third Streets from the district while including areas around Little Brown Jug and the Amphitheater. He suggested a more focused district and was open to discussing the hours of Councilman Stevens emphasized the need to support local businesses fully, acknowledging that this might upset some people. Mayor Pro-Tem Wood agreed with excluding North Second and Third Streets fromi the social district ands supported the Wednesday through Saturday schedule. He also agreed with the Wednesday through Saturday schedule and suggested being cautious about Mayor Pro-Tem Wood recommended the social district operate from Wednesday to Saturday, with hours from 3 PM to 10 PM, and proposed starting earlier on Saturdays at 12 PM to attract more Councilman Stevens echoed the sentiment from DSTC members about the town's reputation for being hard to work with and emphasized the need for change. The proposed dimensions for the social district were agreed upon, excluding North Second and North Third Streets, and extending Thet timeframe was seti for Wednesday through Saturday, from 3F PM to 10 PM on weekdays, and starting at 12F PM on Saturdays. There was agreement ont these hours and days as a good starting  which he supported.  to avoids stagnation and to attract a younger crowd and newi investments.  att this stage.  itwould be unfairt to exclude restaurants on the others side.  approval and potential challenges in adjusting the district's boundaries later.  attracth businesses.  Town Manager provided details about Benson's social district schedule.  operation.  including Sundays. business.  only tot the edge oft the Little Brown. Jug parking lot.  point, with the understanding that any changes would require state approval.    6691  The discussion also touched on current Sunday operations in downtown, noting that some restaurants and shops, like Twisted Willow and the movie theater, were open with reduced hours. Itwas agreed that the social district could be revisited and adjusted as needed after six months, Mayor Moore apologized for missing the joint meeting due to family health issues. He acknowledged the importance of downtown development as a crucial part of the community, emphasizing that this period was pivotal for downtown Smithfield. He viewed the challenge of revitalizing downtown as a significant opportunity, particularly with 2,500 new homes planned, to Councilman Stevens emphasized that the government's role was to provide opportunities for Mayor Pro-Tem Wood reflected on thei initial wide-scale approach to the social district, which led to sticker shock. He supported a smaller footprint with reduced hours and days as a good start, particularly avoiding crossing tot the library and cutting down North Second Street. He emphasized Councilman Stevens asked for clarification on whether the statute was based ont the state statute oral local version. The Town! Manager responded thatt the ordinance was the Town's ordinance but Councilman Rabil expressed concerns aboutt the town's liability related tot the social district. Town Attorney! Michael Carter responded, explaining that the liability would be ont the business that held Mayor Moore asked Chief Hedricki if he saw any issues from al law enforcement standpoint ont the social district. Chief Hedrick responded he did not believe the social district would create any Mayor Andy Moore emphasized the flexibility to either retract or expand the initiative based oni its Councilman Dunn expressed hopet thatt the social district woulds support downtown businesses and attract more activity, suggesting that hours and days could be extended if the initiative proved Councilman Stevens made a motion, seconded by Councilman Dunn, to adopt Ordinance No. 518-2023 whereby creating as social district with thet following hours and boundaries: Boundaries: North and South Sides of Market Street from Front Street to Fourth Street.  with the optiont tor revokei itifito causedi issues.  attract businesses and extend operating hours past five o'clock.  businesses toi invest ands succeed.  that the police would need tor maintaini the contained area. the additional language was taken directly from the state statute.  the ABC license and noti the Town.  issues. success. manageable.  Hours: Wednesday to Friday- - 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm Saturday 12:00p pm until 10:00 pm  North Front Street will onlyi include the Little Brown Jug property & parking lot South Front Street - Market Street to Johnston Street (to include the  Amphitheater)  South Third Street - Market Streett to. Johnston Street  Unanimously approved. Other Comments:  Mayor Andy Moore thanked the electric department, police and fire departments for their swift response to ani incident onl North Second Street where a driver knocked down utility poles, causing ap power outage for 600-700 people. Despite confusion among residents from different areas, the staffr managedt tor restore power quickly, whichy was crucial givent thel hott temperatures. Mayor Moore expressed pride int the town staff fort their efficient work, noting itr made! his) job easier. Town! Manager Michael Scott remindede everyone about thel National Night Out event on August 6th at. Johnston Community College and announced that the next council meeting would be held on  August 13th at7 pm due tot the event.  Adjourn  Mayor Pro-Tem Wood made a motion, seconded by Councilman Dunn, to adjourn the meeting. The  meeting adjourned ata approximately 8:10 pm.  A  h  OF SMITAN M.Andy Mooré, Nar  EEIT -  ATKEST:  nagbusk Shannan L. Parrish, Town  TERL2S  Clerk