A VERY BUSY WEEK FOR BLOWING ROCK TOWN GOVERNMENT NOVEMBER 14, 2017

 

FRIENDS  – PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING TOWN GOVERNMENT MEETINGS THIS WEEK:

 

1.       AT 5:00 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON TUESDAY 11/14 TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER SUE SWEETING WILL HOLD AN OPEN QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH ANY AND ALL CITIZENS IN THE MEETING ROOM OF THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY ON MAIN ST. IN DOWNTOWN BLOWING ROCK. SUE DESERVES ENORMOUS CREDIT FOR PROVIDING CITIZENS THEIR ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR AN OPEN COMMUNITY SESSION WITH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL ABOUT TOWN ISSUES.

2.       THE MONTHLY TOWN COUNCIL MEETING STARTS TONIGHT AT 6:00 P.M. AT TOWN HALL . THE MAJOR ISSUES ON TONIGHT’S AGENDA ARE:

A. PRESENTATION OF A REPORT RECOMMENDING ELIMINATION OF A NUMBER OF THE LARGE TREES IN MEMORIAL PARK DUE TO PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A LACK OF PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION OVER RECENT YEARS THAT BROUGHT SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER YEAR AROUND FOOT TRAFFIC, STRUCTURES AND DECORATIVE LIGHTING TO THE PARK .

B. PRESENTATION OF A CITIZEN SURVEY ON A DECORATIVE PLAN FOR SUNSET DRIVE THAT WAS PROMPTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY APPALACHIAN STUDENTS WHO RECOMMENDED CREATING A “GATEWAY” TO DOWNTOWN UP SUNSET DR. MANY HOURS AND DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT IN CONSIDERING THIS CONCEPT THE COST OF WHICH HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO EXCEED               $ 1,000,000. COUNCIL MEMBER DOUG MATHESON WISELY SUGGESTED AT THE BRCA ROUNTABLE THAT WE WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE NCDOT DOES WITH LANDSCAPING AT THE INTERSECTION OF SUNSET AND VALLEY BLVD. BEFORE SPENDING TOWN MONEY ON ANY SUNSET DECORATIVE PROJECT. THERE IS UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT TO PROCEED WITH FUNDAMENTAL INFRASCTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO SUNSET THAT WILL BE MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE.

3.       AT 5:30 P.M. ON THURSDAY  NOVEMBER 16, 2017, A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE BLOWING ROCK PLANNING BOARD WILL BE HELD AT TOWN HALL. TWO SIGNIFICANT PROPOSED PROJECTS WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD:

A. THE INN ON CORNISH, A 21 ROOM HOTEL TO BE LOCATED BY BOONE DEVELOPERS JOHN AND JAN WINKLER ON WEST CORNISH ROAD AND MAIN ST. WILL BE PRESENTED.

B. A 12 UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO BE LOCATED ON PROPERTY BACK OF THE SPECKLED TROUT RESTURANT, BOUNDED BY MORNINGSIDE DR. AND HIGHWAY 221 IN DOWNTOWN WILL BE PRESENTED BY THE DEVELOPER OF THE FORMER “MOUNTAINLEAF” PROJECT. THE “MOUNTAINLEAF” PROJECT WAS TARGETED FOR THE SEVEN ACRE TRACT ON MAIN STREET AND HILL STREET ON THE TOWN SIDE OF CHETOLA. AFTER EXTENSIVE TOWN CONSIDERATION, COMMUNITY OPPOSITION AND A LAW SUIT THE DEVELOPER DROPPED THE PROJECT AND THE PROPERTY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD BY THE BANK THAT OWNED IT TO OTHERS.