MIINUTES OF SPECIAL-CALLED MIEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA The City Council met at the Sanford Municipal Center, 225 E. Weatherspoon Street, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., in Council Chambers, for a special-called meeting. The following people were present: Mayor Rebecca Wyhof Salmon Mayor Pro Tem Mark Akinosho Council Member Jean Dabbs Council Member James Williams Council Member Linda Rhodes City Attorney Susan Patterson Council Member Charles Taylor Deputy City Clerk Vicki Cannady City Manager Hal Hegwer City Clerk Bonnie Bryant Absent: Council Member Walter Ferguson Council Member Byron Buckels CALL TO ORDER Mayor Salmon called the meeting to order. Council Member Dabbs led the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Council Member Rhodes made a motion to approve the agenda. Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Akinosho, the motion carried unanimously. CASES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS Application by Axiom Development to rezone one vacant 8.47-acre tract of land with frontage on Sandy Creek Church Road (SR 1394). from Suburban Neighborhood (Low) (SN-12) to Campbell Creek Conditional Zoning District, Phase 2 to allow the development of a 29-lot residential subdivision via the site plan/subdivision plan conditional zoning process. The subject property is located on the east side of Sandy Creek Church Road, between Cool Springs Road (SR 1326) and Campbell Creek Subdivision, Phase 1. The subject property is identified as Lee County Tax Parcels 9633-69-3963-00: as depicted on Tax Maps 9634.04 and 9633.02. (Exhibit A) Mayor Salmon opened the public hearing. Senior Planner Amy McNeill reviewed the information included within the agenda packet related this rezoning request. She noted that this request is for a 29-lot Phase II addition to an existing subdivision that Council has already approved. Ms. McNeill referenced a handout that was placed at each Council Members' seat regarding the architectural elevation of the proposed homes, which are binding on the land ifapproved. She added that this rezoning request appears to be reasonable and in compliance with the Plan SanLee designated Suburban Neighborhood. Ethan Averette, 801 E. Washington Street, Nashville, North Carolina, speaking on behalf of Axiom Development, explained that this Phase II development will be aj part ofthe same Home Owners Association (HOA) as the Phase I Development. The residents will have access to the entire 21-acre open space, walking path and amenities. He noted that a neighborhood meeting was held and two concerns were expressed, which were screening and drainage. They have addressed the screening issue by adding a 10- foot landscape buffer on the northern property boundary to screen between this development and the Special-Called City Council Meeting February 11, 2025 existing houses; they will use existing vegetation where possible and if necessary, grading will be done with replaced evergreens. The drainage issue will be addressed by replacing the existing small culvert with a 48-inch pipe, which will be much more efficient and it will improve Sandy Creek Road. Sandy Creek Road will be paved with Phase I before Phase II is done. With no other speakers, Mayor Salmon closed the public hearing. Application by Black Bear of Lee County, LLC, to rezone 1410 Hawkins Avenue and an adjoining vacant lot from Light Industrial (LI) to Urban Neighborhood (UN-6). The subject property is comprised of two parcels ofland totaling 1.8 acres that are bounded by Veterans' Way (formerly Webb Street), Landis Street, Wayne Street, and Hawkins Avenue to create a City block. The subject property is identified as Lee County Tax Parcels 9643-66-6766-00 and 9643-66-8615-00 as depicted on Tax Map 9643.02. (Exhibit B) Mayor Salmon opened the public hearing. Senior Planner Amy McNeill reviewed information included within the agenda packet relating to this rezoning request. The rezoning request is for an entire block bounded by Hawkins Avenue, Wayne Street and Veteran's Way. The applicant is proposing to develop a townhome project at this location, and since it is a standard general use rezoning request, as opposed to a conditional rezoning request, no site plan/subdivision plans or building plans are required as part of the rezoning request. Ms. McNeill noted that this area has experienced various types of residential and commercial uses in recent years due to its location and staff is supportive of this request, even though it differs slightly from the Long-Range Plan SanLee designation of Maker District. With no other speakers, Mayor Salmon closed the public hearing. Application by Johnny Ray Faircloth and Got Dirt, LLC, to rezone six (6) adjoining tracts of land totaling 106 acres +/- with frontage on and/or access from Tramway Road / NC Highway 78. Pine Acres Drive, or L&S Drive as identified as Lee County Tax Parcels 9641-48-6099-00. 9641-58-5405-00. 9641-57-8520-00, 9641-66-3129-00., 9641-66-2871-00., and 9641-67-7317-00 as depicted on Tax Map 9641.021 and 9641.02, from Suburban Neighborhood (Medium) (SN-9) and Light Industrial (LI) to Urban Neighborhood (UN-6). The subject property includes 2703-2741 Pine Acres Drive (all ofPine Acres Mobile Home Park), in addition to 5 vacant tracts of land. (Exhibit C) Mayor Salmon opened the public hearing. Amy McNeill noted this request is to rezone six adjoining tracts of land totaling 106 acres from Suburban Neighborhood and Light Industrial to Urban Neighborhood to UN6 District. The applicants are proposing to develop a residential single-family subdivision at this location. The site is located within the City of Sanford extra-territorial jurisdiction and staff has spoken with the applications regarding a future annexation petition for this site. This area is located within what staff considers to be the urban growth core of Sanford and it appears to be the most suitable and economical location for higher density growth due to its proximity to existing public water and sewer. Ms. McNeill noted that this proposal is for residential development only; commercial development will not be allowed; therefore, based on this rational, staff is supportive of this rezoning request, even though it does not neatly align with the Long-Range Land Use Plan. Jeremy Sparrow, Land Planner, 164 S. Broad Street, Southern Pines, North Carolina, speaking as a representative of the applicant, spoke in favor of the rezoning request. He noted that this request is for general use rezoning; therefore, they do not have a specific site plan currently. Johnny Faircloth chose not to speak. 2 Special-Called City Council Meeting February 11, 2025 Audrey Smith, 3408 Northridge Drive, Sanford, North Carolina, questioned if this rezoning request is approved, what exactly could be built on this property. Ms. McNeill explained that they do not have plans at this time; however, commercial development will not be allowed. Ms. McNeill explained that staff understands that this development will be a residential subdivision, with either single-family, or single- family detached. Ms. Smith expressed that she felt SAGA has done a great job in bringing commerce and manufacturing to Lee County; however, she feels they have overlooked the rate ofgrowth. The Lee County schools located on Tramway Road and Center Church Road are creating a tremendous amount of growth and traffic, which will require road renovation to accommodate the traffic. She understands that the City of Sanford is in the process of upgrading the water system; however, they are constantly shutting the system down to make those upgrades. She voiced concern ofthe strain that will be placed on the Lee County School System due to the additional growth. The traffic in the Tramway area is already massive and it will be increased with the additional development. This new development is taking away the natural habitat for birds and wildlife, affecting property values, increasing the noise level and farmlands are disappearing. There are vacant buildings in Lee County that could be renovated and reused, as opposed to constructing newl buildings. Ms. Smith asked Council to take into consideration the need for less development in the City of Sanford and Lee County. With no other speakers, Mayor Salmon closed the public hearing. Application by the City of Sanford to assign a zoning district to land that was annexed into the corporate City limits as required by State law. The subject property was annexed on November 19, 2024, but the associated rezoning request to rezone to a site plan/subdivision plan conditional zoning district was withdrawn prior to the City Council taking action due to unresolved issues regarding serving the site with public sanitary sewer. At this time, with the property owner's permission, staff is proceeding with asking the City to keep the existing zoning of Residential Agricultural (RA) assigned to this property until such time as the property owner is ready to move forward with a rezoning request appropriate for the proposed future development of the site. The subject property is 18.34 acres of land, comprised of two adjoining parcels with frontage on the north side ofCenter Church Road, between the Pine Reserve Apartments (under construction) and Tramway Elementary School. One parcel is developed with a house addressed as 264 Center Church Road and the other parcel is vacant. The subject property is identified as Lee County Tax Parcels 9631-34-3479-00 and 9631-34-6613-00: as depicted on' Tax Maps 9631.01 and 9631.03. (Exhibit D) Mayor Salmon opened the public hearing. Senior Planner Amy McNeill stated that this is an application by the City of Sanford to assign a zoning district to land that has been annexed into the corporate City limits, as required by State law. The subject property was annexed on November 19, 2024. Although the property was annexed into the City Limits, the associated rezoning request to rezone to a site planlsubdivision plan conditional zoning district was withdrawn due to unresolved issues regarding public sanitary sewer service. The City of Sanford must assign a zoning district to the annexed property withing sixty days of the approved annexation; therefore, staff is requesting Council to assign (RA) Residential Agricultural, which is the existing zoning, to this property until such time as the property owner is ready to move forward with a rezoning request that is appropriate for the proposed future development of this site. With no other speakers, Mayor Salmon closed the public hearing. 3 Special-Called City Council Meeting February 11, 2025 ADJOURNMENT Council Member Rhodes made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Council Member Taylor, the motion carried unanimously. ALL EXHIBITS CONTAINED HEREIN ARE HIEREBY INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE AND MADE A PART OF THESE MINUTES. Respectfully Submitted, Kibualk arbaal REBECCA WYHOF SALMON, MAYOR ATTEST: mmmies uyant BOMNIE BRYANT, CITY'CLERK 4