June 14, 2006

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            The board has been weighing the two possibilities and negotiating with the property owners through its attorney, Eric Vernon, since December. Their consideration has included the opinions of town residents who spoke at a public hearing in February.

            The two sites being considered are the DAB auto dealership on East Elm between South White and Brooks street and the southeast corner of Brooks Street and Owen Avenue. Six of the seven speakers at the public hearing favored the DAB site, although Town Manager Mark Williams had said in December his choice was the Brooks-Owen property. The town owns the parking lot; it would probably have to purchase the Green & Wooten Insurance Agency, the Laundromat and NAPA.  

            Craig Briner, whose company, East Elm Partners, owns Wake Forest Plaza across Brooks from the DAB site, has offered to complete construction of Brooks through to East Holding Avenue, to refurbish the plaza building, to build a three-story retail and office building at Brooks and Elm and to bring a site plan to the town this summer for 120 upscale townhouses on the vacant 12 acres next to the plaza – if the town chooses the DAB site.

            There is a closed session to discuss the town hall site at the end of Tuesday’s agenda. The board could return to the open session to vote.

            During the regular meeting, the board will approve the budget for fiscal 2006-2007 with an unchanged property tax rate of 54 cents per $100 valuation with 10 cents earmarked for the fire department.

            The board appears to be in agreement to provide $7,500 to the Wake Forest Boys and Girls Club, the amount coming out of the recommended $15,000 for Southlight.

            If the Wake Forest Cultural Arts Association board has agreed, a member of the town’s parks and recreation department will become the part-time director for the group. It had requested $7,400 from the town to fund that position.

            The commissioners will apparently consider the Wake Forest College Birthplace Society’s request for $550,000 for the planned museum annex later this year.

            The planning board approved the society’s site plan for the annex earlier this month, and the town board will make a final decision Tuesday night.

            The other items on the agenda are:

            -- an application for a Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant to be made by the parks and recreation staff The town and The Trust for Public Land will apply for $417,900 towards the total $717,900 cost to purchase the 70-acre Clinebelle tract on the north side of the Neuse River just east, but not abutting, Capital Boulevard. It is just south of the Shearon Farms subdivision. The town will also pursue matching funs of $150,000 from the Wake County Open Space funds and bear the remaining $150,000 cost. The land is already under contract. The purchase will help the town protect water quality and implement its open space and greenway plan.

            -- a proposed three-way stop sign at North Wingate Street and West Juniper Avenue.

            -- public comment from people who live on Selsey Drive about removing the concrete barriers on the street.

            -- public hearings about four annexations. The town accepted the applications last month. Those are for 1.7 acres at 604 Jones Dairy Road to allow a sewer connection; for 53 acres off Heritage Lake Road submitted by the Dameron brothers and Andy Ammons; for 2.5 acres near the intersection of Capital Boulevard and Burlington Mills Road submitted by Janko Import Cars; and for 19 acres off Rogers Road submitted by Willfair Properties. That last public hearing will be continued to the July board meeting because the planning board and town board want to consider the master plan for the subdivision at the same time as the annexation. Willfair is a development corporation formed by David Williams Jr., Steve Faircloth and David Faircloth (no relation).

            -- appointment of new members to the Downtown Revitalization Corporation’s board of directors.

            -- a resolution about the update for the county’s solid waste plan.

            -- an amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing schools in the Renaissance District and highway business.

            -- a request by Spring Street Christian Church to block the street on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a Community Day celebration.

            -- the purchase of a backhoe for the street department.

            -- an agreement with Davenport & Company to provide financial advice.

            -- a resolution accepting streets for maintenance by the town.

            -- a request by the Wake Forest Fourth of July committee.

            -- a report on the traffic study on Brick Street.