DavidsonNews.net

Commissioners also declare Ada Jenkins

Center ‘historic’ and agree to seek

financing for Parks & Rec building

The Davidson Town Board on Tuesday approved a plan to use a portion of future tax revenues from a designated area along rail lines to fund the proposed North Corridor Commuter Rail Project. The board also approved a historic designation for the 70-year-old Ada Jenkins Center, voted to seek $625,000 in financing to buy an unspecified “community building” for Parks & Recreation Department programs, and approved a reduction in the amount of glass required on the exterior of new buildings.

Meanwhile, commissioners also approved a resolution that will allow them to depart from usual practice and conduct formal business – including votes on two projects – at their monthly work session Nov. 27.

Despite a lengthy agenda Tuesday’s meeting lasted only about 90 minutes.

WORK SESSION VOTES

At the Nov. 27 work session, the board will consider approving the proposed 100-foot, seven-story Meeting Place office and retail tower off Exit 30 and also the 34-unit Davidson Hall subdivision, off Pine Road.

In addition, the board will hold a public hearing on financing an unspecified land purchase and vote on an ordinance to require repairs to a building at 343 Delburg St.

The board’s monthly work sessions typically are informal meetings where the board hears presentations and discusses issues to be voted on at a later date. But this time the board plans to take votes on several issues, in part at the request of developers eager to speed up projects. The board’s December meeting will be mostly ceremonial, including the swearing in of the new mayor and commissioners. That means it would be January at the earliest before the board would otherwise take up old business.

RAIL PROJECT

In September, the board passed a resolution expressing support for what’s called Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, as a potential way to help pay for the proposed North Corridor Commuter Rail Project. On Tuesday, the board approved a modified version of the plan, which though not strictly a TIF as defined by North Carolina law, still sets aside a portion of the growth-related increases in tax revenues to help finance the rail line.

Davidson, Mecklenburg County and other towns are looking for ways to pay for the rail line because federal funding - typically a big part of rail project funding - is unlikely to be available due to low ridership projections. The project would use a combination of state, county and town funding and run from Charlotte north to Davidson or Mooresville.

Tuesday’s resolution established the boundaries of a new “Davidson Commuter Rail Improvement District” encompassing properties on either side of the rail line through town. The new tax district includes private homes and commercial properties. It has no effect on property owners, but designates future tax revenues to help pay for both the rail line and related public projects. The new district would be created as of Jan. 1.

Consultant Mark Briggs told the board before the vote that any tax revenues generated by new growth or increased property valuations would accumulate in a fund that would be used to pay future debt to build the rail line – likely through a type of low interest federal loan designed for rail projects.

Planning director Kris Krider said this financing method would be “taking dollars generated through growth and keeping them in the neighborhood.”

COMMUNITY BUILDING PURCHASE

Commissioners unanimously approved two items on the agenda that will move forward a proposed building purchase.

The board approved a revised 2008-2012 town capital improvement plan. The major change in the plan calls for spending money this year instead of in future years for a community center building. The board Tuesday also adopted a resolution authorizing Town Manager Leamon Brice to seek $625,000 in funding for property to be used as a community center.

Town officials have not disclosed the specific property because the land purchase is still in negotiation, Mr. Brice said after Tuesday’s meeting. But the resolution approved by the board says it would be used as a “location for the Town of Davidson Park and Recreation Department to provide quality recreation programming in Davidson.”

HISTORIC ADA JENKINS

The board held a public hearing and then voted 5-0 in favor of a historic designation for the Ada Jenkins Center, which was known as Davidson Colored School when it opened in 1937.

Stewart Gray, a Davidson resident who works for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, said obtaining the designation for Ada Jenkins has been a top priority of the commission ever since it conducted a survey of African American historic sites in 2001.

“Historic African-American resources are … endangered,” Mr. Gray said. He said citizens from Davidson’s West Side had approached the commission about helping to preserve African-American historic sites.

The building is owned by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, but managed by the town as a community center today. In answer to a question, Mr. Gray said CMS does not object to the designation.

Several speakers endorsed the idea. The Rev. Dora Dubose recalled going to school in the building and later returning to teach and work there. Calling the structure “legendary,” she said, “I would like to offer my support for this project. … It is a facility that is very dear to the town and, I’d like to say, especially to African Americans. … Ada Jenkins has a place in this town and we’d like to see it remain.”

Also speaking in favor of the historic designation were residents Daisy Raeford and Elizabeth Wilson, as well as Bill Johnson, the former director of the Ada Jenkins Center who last week was elected to the Town Board.

Mr. Gray said the historic designation would give the Historic Landmarks Commission the power to review any proposed changes to the building. But he also said it would not prevent the building from remaining “useful.”

“It’s a level of control to make sure that unintended changes aren’t made. … We want this to be a usable building,” he said.

He cited Davidson Cotton Mill, on Delburg Street, as an example of a designated historic building that has been adapted to modern uses. The building now houses offices and a restaurant.

GLASS IN BUILDINGS

At the request of the Design Review Board, the Town Board held a public hearing and then adopted, 5-0, proposed changes to the planning ordinance specifying the amount of glass required on building exteriors. The amendment updates section 9.2.1.2 of the ordinance.

The board asked that the requirement be reduced from the current 75 percent glass to 65 percent.

“This is something we’ve struggled with for some time now,” said Craig Lewis, a resident, professional planner and chair of the Design Review Board. “We’re not a board that wants to lessen standards around town, but we recognize that we need to be practical.”

Mr. Lewis said the design board had studied glass in buildings along Main Street and found them to average about 69.5 percent glass. He said that’s a “fair and reasonable standard” to use elsewhere.

SPINNAKER COVE/DAVIDSON DAY DISPUTE

During the citizen comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting, Spinnaker Cove resident Joan Novak asked for the town’s help in ensuring that Davidson Day School meets its obligations under its approved master plan to provide a buffer between the school and nearby homes.

She said the school had failed to provide the promised buffer and plantings between a soccer field and several homes. “We want our privacy back, we truly do,” said Ms. Novak, who is vice president of Spinnaker Cove homeowners.

She said the residents had tried to work with the school, but made no progress, so they decided to ask the town’s help.

Mr. Brice agreed that the master plan does call for plantings and promised that the town would “see that the master plan is adhered to.”

“We are also holding several bonds on the school … It will be done,” he said.

He said town officials already have set up a meeting between homeowners and the school.

ALSO TUESDAY

Among the other items on Tuesday’s agenda, the Town Board:

? Recognized police officer David Houk as the Lake Norman Chamber’s police officer of the year.
? Recognized the work of Lake Norman Hospice. Mayor Randy Kincaid thanked Hospice officials for the care of his wife, Kay, who passed away earlier this year, and presented a check for funds collected in her name.
? Heard the annual report of the town’s auditors, who gave their “unqualified approval” to the town’s fiscal 2006-2007 financial statements.
? Recognized resident Kiefer Colcord, who is an Eagle Scout candidate, for his work in improving the town’s dog kennel, located behind the public works yard. Mr. Colcord raised more than $2,500 to pay for a cement floor and assembled a team to help build a roof for the kennel.
? Heard preliminary results from a Citizen Survey conducted among residents in September. Davidson ranked No. 1 out of 154 communities nationwide in “sense of community,” which was cited as excellent or good by 86 percent of those who responded. The town’s poorest showing came in areas related to roads and growth. Only 35 percent rated street repairs as excellent or good. Also, the town ranked below average in ease of car travel, job opportunities and shopping opportunities.
? Approved an amendment for the One Harbor Place development off Exit 30 to allow a sign at the top of the façade identifying the building.
? Approved a development agreement for the Davidson East residential subdivision that spells out details including road connections and the required sale of land to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for a future school.
? Approved the “U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement,” which commits the town to reviewing the environmental effects of its operations and to “think green,” according to Mr. Brice.
? Endorsed the West Davidson Stakeholders Committee report, with minor revisions.
? Authorized amending the interlocal agreement with Mooresville, Cornelius and Mecklenburg County governing the planned purchase of the local cable TV system. Board member Evan Webster, board chairman of MI-Connection, as the planned cable system is known, said the amendments made no major changes in the agreement. He said they were suggested by the towns’ bond counsel, to bring language in the interlocal agreement in line with language in the bond offering documents.

DOCUMENTS

List of properties included in Rail Financing District. (PDF, requires Adobe Reader software)

Map of Rail Financing District, see above (PDF, Requires Adobe Reader)

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