PLANNING BOARD AGENDA

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Town of La Grange Planning Department 203 S. Center St./PO Box 368

La Grange, NC 28551 252-566-3186 252-566-2201 (Fax) WWW.LAGRANGENC.COM

PLANNING BOARD

AGENDA

August 24, 2020

The Town of La Grange Planning Board meeting is held in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 203 S. Center St., La Grange, NC 28551. Applications are scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM. Applications may not be heard in the order as they appear on this agenda.

1. Call to Order 2. Welcome

3. Approval of July 20, 2020 Planning Board minutes 4. Text Amendment Application

Case #TA-2020-03: The Town has received a request to add “Food Trucks –

Permanent” to Chapter 38 Zoning, Section 11-4 Table of Uses by District to the Downtown District.

5. Board Questions/Comments 6. Adjournment

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La Grange, NC 28551

252-566-3186 252-566-2201 (Fax) WWW.LAGRANGENC.COM

Agenda Item 3 – Approval of Minutes

Submitted for your review and consideration are the minutes of the July 20, 2020 Planning Board Meeting.

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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES

July 20, 2020

The Town of La Grange Planning Board met in regular session on Monday July 20, 2020 in the Town Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 203 S. Center Street.

Members present: Chairwoman Christine Wilhelm, Carolyn Ellis, John Miller, and

Dorothy Sutton.

Members absent: Penny Dawson, Edward Moore, and Julia Wooten. Public Present: Robert F. “Bob” Mooring, Jr.

Town Staff Present: John P. Craft, Town Manager; Wendy S. Morton, Town Clerk

Chairwoman Wilhelm announced the presence of a quorum, and called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm. Chairwoman Wilhelm welcomed the members, staff, and public to the meeting and mentioned the fact that the Planning Board had not met in some time due to the restrictions in place due to COVID-19 and moved into the agenda.

Agenda Item 3 – Approval of Minutes; September 23, 2019.

Chairwoman Wilhelm stated that the members had a copy of the minutes of the September 23, 2019 Planning Board meeting and requested a motion to approve. On the motion of Mr. Miller, second by Ms. Ellis, the minutes of the September 23, 2019 minutes were unanimously approved as submitted (4-0).

Agenda Item 4 – TA-2020-01

Mr. Robert F. Mooring, Jr. had requested that Chapter 38, Zoning, Section 11-4 Table of Uses by District be amended to include “Repair of Poultry metal cages and fabrication of Aluminum tubing for carports” in the Downtown District (DD). The Town Manager presented the request to the Planning Board, recognizing that the buildings that Mr. Mooring owned and plans to use had been built for, and operated for a very similar (yet nonconforming) operation before the business closed and the building was repurposed, and that it had not been used for such uses in more than fifteen (15) years, meaning that the building and the non-conforming use could no longer be “grandfathered” in. The Town Manager expressed his understanding for the rationale of Mr. Mooring’s request, but recommended that the Planning Board deny the request due to the fact that the approval of Mr. Mooring’s request would allow this type of operation anywhere in the Downtown District (DD) and this caused concerns for structures and businesses downtown due to the fact that many of the buildings in the Downtown District shared common walls and that he had concerns about a fire threat to adjoining structures, and the noise from such a business could cause problems for adjoining properties and businesses.

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Mr. Mooring addressed the Planning Board, and requested their favorable consideration of his request in order to allow him to find a use for his property.

After discussion, Chairwoman Wilhelm requested a motion regarding Mr. Moorings request. Mr. John T. Miller made a motion to make no recommendation to the Town Council regarding Mr. Mooring’s request, Ms. Ellis seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.

Agenda Item 5 – TA-2020-02

Town Manager Craft informed the Planning Board the Mr. Acevedo had withdrawn his request, as the building in which he planned to utilize for this purpose had been purchased by another individual. As a result, no action was taken related to TA-2020-02.

Agenda Item 6 – Board Questions

There were no questions or issues raised by members of the Planning Board.

The Town Manager informed the Planning Board that there would need to meet on August 24, 2020 to consider a request to add “Food Trucks” to Chapter 38, Zoning, Section 11-4 Table of Uses by District for the Downtown District (DD).

Agenda Item 7 – Adjournment

Having no further business, Chairwoman Wilhelm declared the meeting adjourned at 7:48 pm.

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La Grange, NC 28551

252-566-3186 252-566-2201 (Fax) WWW.LAGRANGENC.COM

Agenda Item 4 – Text Amendment – TA-2020-03

The Town has received a request to add “Food Trucks” to Section 11-4 Table of Uses by District to the DD District. This request would allow mobile food trucks to operate in the Downtown District. The individual requesting the amendment has already purchased a piece of land on which to setup his mobile food truck on.

The Planning Board is being asked to consider this addition, and should consider the affects that such a provision would have on the downtown, and how such approval or lack thereof would affect current, and future development in the Downtown district.

While the approval of the requested amendment could provide alternative food choices in the Downtown District, it would allow food trucks to be permanently setup on vacant lots in the Downtown District competing with “brick and mortar” restaurants that obviously have a more substantial investment and higher overhead making it more difficult for those businesses that have, or might, chose to purchase (and potentially improve) structures that exist (or could come) to the Downtown District.

While it is recognized that development downtown is needed, the approval of this request could hinder future development, and potentially cause the closure of existing restaurants downtown. If the downtown was fully developed and vibrant, food trucks could be a positive addition; however, with limited options and many open buildings, it is the opinion of the Town Manager that allowing a permanently setup mobile food truck would not be desirable, and perhaps injurious to the existing businesses that have made substantial investments in buildings and equipment downtown.

Perhaps limiting the number of days or defining a specific area in which they could operate should be considered, but a permanent installation on an ongoing basis would likely be disincentivize revitalization and building re-use, and perhaps cause the closure of existing businesses in the Downtown District; therefore, the Town Manager recommends that the Planning Board deny the request, or at a minimum, only allow operations on a limited basis. The Planning Board will need to take a position and make a recommendation either in support or against the requested amendment. Attached for information is a current copy of Chapter 38, Zoning; Section 11-4 Table of Uses by District.

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Section 11-4 Table of Uses by Districts

Uses

P = Permitted By Right; C = Conditional Use Permit

S = Special Use Permit

A R R -1 8 R -1 2 R -1 0 R -5 H C D D L I H I

Accessory Uses and Structures

Accessory Uses and Buildings P P P P P P P P P

Home Occupations P P P P P

Agriculture Uses

Agriculture Production-Crops P P P P P P Agriculture Production-Livestock S

Game Farm (the raising of animals for the purpose of hunting) S Horticulture (including limited nursery operations)

and Forestry

P P P P P P

Educational/Institutional

Cemeteries C C C

Churches P P P P P

Clubs (non-profit organizations such as Moose lodges, VFW, or Ruritans)

C C C C

Day Care Homes, Adult C C C C C

Day Care Centers, Children C C C C C

Government Offices (Town Hall) P P P P P P P

Library P P P P P P P

Nursing Homes/Convalescent Centers/Retirement Facilities

C C C C

Post Office P P P

Public safety facilities, including fire, police, EMS C C C C C P P P C

School, Public or Private P P P P

Manufacturing

Apparel and other finished products from fabrics, leather, and similar materials

P

Bakery products P

Beverages P

Bottling and canning soft drinks and carbonated water

P Chemicals and allied products (plastics, drugs,

detergents, acids, paints and varnishes, wood chemicals, and agricultural chemicals

C C

Cotton Gins S P

Electrical machinery, equipment and supplies P P

Fabricated metal products P P

Food and kindred products (meat products, dairy, seafood products, grain mill products)

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Uses

A R R -1 8 R -1 2 R -1 0 R -5 H C D D L I H I Furniture/Upholstering or refinishing P P P

Instruments (electrical and mechanical) P P

Lumber and wood products (sawmills, planning mills, millworks, veneer and plywood, wooden containers)

P P

Oil and gas products and storage, provided such uses are located no closer than 300 feet from a residential district.

S S

Paperboard containers and boxes and other converted paper and paperboard products

P P Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments;

photographic and optical goods; watches and clocks

P P P Stone, clay, and glass products (flat glass, glass and

glassware’s, cement, structural clay products, concrete products, gypsum products, pottery, and cut stone products)

P

Tobacco Manufacturing P P

Warehouse facilities P P

Recreation Uses

Community centers C C C C C

Public Parks (town) C C C C C C

Swimming Pools (Public or non-profits operations where they are the principal use of a lot, not accessory to a residential use)

C C C C C

Residential

Bed and breakfast dwellings P P P P P

Dwellings, Multi-family S S

Dwellings, Single Family, Detached (site-built and modular unit only)

P P P P P Dwelling, Single-Family, Manufactured Home, Class

A – with brick or mason underpinning. P P P Dwelling, Single-Family, Manufactured Home, Class

B – with brick or mason underpinning. P

Dwelling, Two-family C C C P P

Home Occupations P P P P P

Planned Unit Developments (PUD) (amended 5-7-12) S S S

Manufactured Home Parks (no sales) S

Mixed Uses P

Retail Sales/Services

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Uses

A R R -1 8 R -1 2 R -1 0 R -5 H C D D L I H I

Accounting and Bookkeeping P P

Adult and Sexually Oriented Business C C

Agricultural machinery sales/service C P P

Agricultural sales P P

Appliance Store, Sales and Services P P

Apparel and Accessory Stores P P

Art Galleries P P

Antique Stores P P

Auction Sales (excluding livestock) P C

Auto parts, new only P P

Auto Repair Shops P P

Auto Sales P P

Auto Service Stations(amended 10-11-10) P S

Auto Towing Shops C

Bakeries P P

Banks P P

Bars/Night Clubs C C

Beauty shops/Barber Shops/Stylists C P P

Boats and accessories, retail sales and service P

Body Art and Tattoo Parlors C C

Bookstores P P

Building Supply Store (no outside storage) P P

Building Supply Store (outside storage) P P

Cabinet, Woodworking, and Upholstery Shops P

Car Washes P C

Craft /Curio Shops P P

Convenience Stores with Gas Pumps P C C

Drug Stores P P

Dry Cleaning and Laundry (commercial) P C

Dry Cleaning and Laundry (self-service) P C

Electronic gaming operations (amended 9-10-12) P P

Equestrian Training (riding lessons, boarding) P

Exterminating Service P

Flea Markets C

Florist without greenhouses P P

Florist with greenhouses, nursery operations C P P

Funeral homes P C

Furniture stores P P

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Uses

A R R -1 8 R -1 2 R -1 0 R -5 H C D D L I H I

General merchandise stores, including the sale of fishing equipment and supplies

P P

Gift shops P P

Hotels/Motels C C C

Insurance agencies P P

Jewelry stores including watch repair P P

Kennel Operations/ Veterinary Services C C

Medical/Dental offices and clinics P P

Pawn Shops C C

Planned business developments C C

Printing and Reproduction P P P

Professional offices (including, but not limited to lawyers, surveyors, engineering, etc.)

P P

Real estate, sales and rental offices P P

Restaurants, with alcohol sales C C

Restaurants, with drive-thru P C

Restaurants, without drive-thru P P

Salon/Health Spas C C

Shopping Center/Commercial Group Development S S S S

Temporary Uses/Events

Assemblies (assembly halls, coliseum) C P C

Manufactured home, Class A or B C

Temporary Construction, Storage, or Office P C C C C C C P P

Yard Sales P P P P P C C

Transportation and Utilities

Communication (cellular) towers C C C C

Pump and lift stations P P P P P P P P P

Solar Energy Facility C

Utility lines and related structures P P P P P P P P P Utility substations, transformer stations, telephone

exchanges

C C C C C P P