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Marty MGgee, Journal Patriot December 8, 2020 - The North Wilkesboro commissioners on Dec. 8 approved a new nonresidential building ordinance, despite opposition from four local businessmen.
The ordinance applies to buildings and other structures in the town’s central business and general business districts and establishes minimum standards of maintenance, sanitation and safety. If those minimum standards are not met, the ordinance gives the town the authority to call for a repair, closing or demolition of the non-compliant buildings or structures.
Downtown property owner Pat Crosby said during a public hearing on the new ordinance that the town already had sufficient ordinances in place that addressed these standards, making another one unnecessary. Local businessman Ken Welborn agreed with Crosby, adding, “This layer of extra stuff is not necessary. There’s plenty on the books already that drive us crazy.”Welborn continued, “You should put the brakes on this for a while. I’ve got enough regulations and don’t need any more.”Business owner and former town commissioner Bart Hayes said most of the ordinance was already in town code. “For eight years I was on this board and we tried to make this a business friendly community, I don’t see how another statute is going to help this town.”
Real estate developer Neil Shepherd said the ordinance reminded him of homeowners association bylaws and would establish a “building police” in the town.“What this really is is a building appearance ordinance, it’s not an unsafe building ordinance,” said Shepherd. Commissioner Andrew Palmer explained, “This code is to catch a building before it gets to be condemned. I support this because I want to see our town as clean as possible. More (residents) support doing this than not doing it. I think it’s the smart and right thing to do.” Debbie Ferguson, the commissioner who made the motion to approve the ordinance, said, “This is the start of my 16th year on board and we’ve tried many, many times to use existing rules to enforce appearances in the downtown, and we’ve just been completely unsuccessful.” She continued, “This seems to be the route we need to take. We owe it to the people who are taking care of their property in the downtown to be able to help them and clean the filth up.”
The board voted 4-1 to approve the ordinance, with Commissioner Bert Hall casting the lone vote of dissension.
The meeting was held remotely on Zoom and in-person at the Stone Center off Cherry Street. The board agreed to hold its next work session, on Dec. 17, its next regular monthly meeting, on Jan. 5, and its following work session, on Jan. 28, on Zoom only as a COVID-19 precaution. All meetings are at 5:30 p.m.
