City council sets up several future opportunities for community opinion

Janet Imrick

Randolph Hub

ASHEBORO – The Asheboro City Council voted on next steps that will move development projects forward. Items for rezoning, speed limits and community revitalization grants made up their July 11 regular meeting agenda.

Public Hearings

A public hearing will be held on Aug. 8 for people to weigh in on improvements for CASPN Homes. The city council authorized the execution of a subrecipient agreement. It will lay out how the city will work with the nonprofit Wainman Homes, Inc. to use the money and carry out the project.

The city was awarded a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Neighborhood Revitalization grant to make safety and infrastructure improvements to the affordable housing division. The funding comes from the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division (REDD).

On Sept. 5, people can weigh in during a public hearing on permanently closing a section of Hammer Avenue.

Community Development Director Trevor Nuttaall said that the developer building on the block between West Kivett Street and Lanier Street has asked to close that adjacent stretch of Hammer Avenue because it allows construction to avoid the creek.

West Ward Street Rezoning

A new medical practice may be opened in the future after city council approved Dr. Zach Dunbar's request to rezone the property on 337 West Ward Street.

Council members agreed to rezone the 0.4 acres from I2-General Industrial to M-Mercantile zoning. Planning staff recommended that a medical practice would be a suitable transition between the commercial and residential properties in the area.

Olde Towne Speed Limit

The Homeowners Association for the Old Towne subdivision was granted its request to reduce the speed limit down to 25. Council member Charles Swiers was recused from voting because he is a member of the HOA.