Mayor Randy Kincaid swore in the pair – Cindy Mills (pictured above with the mayor and with Davidson Police Chief Jeanne Miller in the background) and John Sarver. The addition of the two follows the hiring of officers Melvin Waller and Aaron Moore in February and means the department is now staffed at 17 officers, though it is authorized for 19.
In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved master plans for housing development projects on Potts Street and Griffith Street, delayed a vote on a two-story garage along Grey Road, and also wrapped up plans to secure Oakhill Apartments for affordable housing.
NEW OFFICERS
Neither of the new police officers sworn in Tuesday are strangers to Davidson.
Officer Cindy Mills served with the department from 1999-2002 and then spent five years with the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Police Deparment. She has special training in radar and speed enforcement.
“I’m happy to be back in Davidson and looking forward to writing a lot of speeding tickets,” Officer Mills said.
Sergeant John Sarver, a Class of 1991 graduate of North Mecklenburg High School, spent two years with the Davidson College Police Department, and eight years in the Cornelius Police Department. He comes to Davidson from the Statesville Police Department and has special training in rapid deployment supervision.
The swearing-in ceremony drew a small crowd to the Town Hall chambers, including Officer Mills’ fiance, a number of current Davidson Police Department officers and an entire row of Sergeant Sarver’s relatives, including his wife, three children, parents, “and my twin brother.”
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
In other business, the board also:
- Continued for one month a vote on conditional rezoning to allow a two-story garage at 131 Grey Road. The delay on a vote followed a public hearing in which Town Planner Parvis Moosavi told the board that the planning department did not recommend allowing the structure because it is too big. Home owner Drew Crawford was seeking to build a two-story structure behind his single story brick house, to be used as a woodworking space and a garage. Mr. Crawford also told the board that he planned to allow Davidson Community Players to use the space as a workshop over the next two years. He already has the foundation in place for a 30×30 foot structure, but Mr. Moosavi said this was because a permit was issued in error in 2004 and that the footprint of the structure dwarfs the house. Town ordinances on secondary structures set a maximum of 30 percent of the size of the principle structure on the property. That restricts Mr. Crawford to 600 square feet, much smaller than the 900 square feet proposal he made to the board. Three neighbors spoke in opposition to a two-story structure on the site. Cindy Rice, executive director of the Community Players, spoke in favor of Mr. Crawford’s plans. “We’d really like the workshop,” she told the board. “That would really solve some problems we have with producing theater in this town.” The board recommended that Mr. Crawford revise his plans and return next month with a proposal that conforms to town ordinances.
- Approved a grant of $225,000 to the Virginia-based Community Housing Partners Corp. for purchasing Oakhill Apartments, a 72-unit complex off of Beaty Street. The nonprofit corporation plans to buy the complex and apply for Tax Increment Financing to renovate it for affordable housing. “The project is to be saved as affordable housing due to our efforts,” Town Manager Leamon Brice told the board. The town has been working for several months with CHPC over the Oakhill purchase. (Click here for related coverage.)
- Approved the master plan for Davidson Commons East, a project by Martin Kerr designed to build 16 single family homes and two buildings with office space and condominiums around a small green space. The development will be located on seven acres edged with trees to the east of the Davidson Community School on Griffith Street. Commissioner Margo Williams asked that town staff give a report at a future meeting on drainage issues along a creek that runs through the development. The master plan approval requires a foot bridge over the creek for a public pedestrian connection, and also sidewalks along the public green space.
- Approved the master plan for Cottages on Potts, to be built by the Charlotte-based Heed House. The plans show access off of Potts Street to 12 residential units circling a parking area and also a central lawn that includes a guest house. Town staff and audience member Garfield Carr, a former town board commissioner, expressed concerns about whether the plan allows adequate space for garbage trucks and fire engines. In addition, a study is underway for the Potts Street corridor. The board’s approval of the Cottages on Potts plan requires that the develoment conform to any changes in ordinance requirements along Potts Street, especially changes related to curbs and gutters, that may happen prior to breaking ground.
- Approved without comment, as part of the consent agenda, the Capital Improvements Program for the next five years. The program lists $1.05 million for 2008 projects to cover purchase of a new fire truck, the addition of a bathrooms building to the River Run park and other minor items. The five-year plan also sets aside $3.1 for a possible community center. Click here to view the document (which requires Adobe Reader software).
- Heard a comment from a resident that Grey Road is the only entry into the town that lacks a sign saying that Davidson is a bike and pedestriang friendly community.
