There has been at least one other approved plan for the northwest corner of Wait Avenue and North Franklin Street, but it was a four-story, 40-condominium plan that the Wake Forest Planning Board recommended to the Wake Forest Town Board Tuesday night.
Robert Zumwalt, the director of land planning for the John R. McAdams Company, explained the plan which includes underground and other parking, saying that they will keep the existing wall fronting on Wait Avenue and will build a 6-foot privacy fence between the four story building and an adjacent home. The landscaping elements will be on the home side.
Zumwalt called the plan a “great transition between the downtown density and the lower density on Wait” as it goes to the east.
Members Karlene Turrentine, Colleen Sharpe and Karin Kuropas asked about the former approved plan with six stories, the height of the building combined with the small hill it will be built on, and bike lanes on Wait if there is on-street parking. In one of the answers, Zumwalt reminded the board there will be a rooftop terrace for the residents.
Chairman Joe Kimray asked, in the event this approved plan is not constructed for several years, if the applicant, AGNC Ventures I of Raleigh, would “knock off” some of the many uses in the neighborhood mixed use conditional district the rezoning requests, and Zumwalt said yes.
When the board members discussed the project, the vote was unanimous with six members voting. Thomas Ballman came to the meeting after the public hearing and Michael Siderio was absent.
There was some discussion about Jim Stephanadis’s request to amend the May minutes to reflect a conversation held outside the meeting and it was rejected.
Planning Director Courtney Tanner went through the draft of a Wake Forest Planning Board Handbook, 19 pages which included everything from dress – T-shirts and shorts are not appropriate – to duties. Tanner emphasized the planning board is charged with helping shape the planning and its ordinances of the town, and that includes being familiar with all the aspects of planning, i.e., the community plan, the transportation plan, the northeast plan, and all the other plans.
Tanner noted that four of the planning board members did not attend the recent workshops for the community plan and others. She also noted in a memo that some of the members have not attended the Planning Board Academy, which has heretofore been an unwritten requirement for appointment to the planning board.
The handbook embodies a change that had been mentioned earlier, a change from nine members to seven members. One of the current members, Karlene Turrentine, has submitted her resignation because she purchased a house outside Wake Forest.
When Tanner described the change in an earlier meeting Tuesday to the town commissioners, Jim Stephanadis was the name suggested of a member that could be dropped, although that is still subject to a discussion and vote at the town board’s June 15 meeting.
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4 Responses
Under the public’s “right to know”, are we allowed to know which planning board members asked to be appointed and yet did not attend the Planning Board Academy and which members did not attend the workshops provided for their instruction and enlightenment?
Excellent letter, Bob. Points well taken.
This is in reply to Kenille’s questions. The Gazette will have the answers to her questions Wednesday afternoon as well as instructions on how to access the information given to the commissioners — the agenda packet — for every past recent meeting.
Carol Pelosi
Ditto what Bob Hill said. Dereliction of Duty comes to mind.
If members did not see fit to attend the Planning Board Academy (prior to applying for appointment) what does that say about preparedness/qualification???? Likewise, if about half of members did not take time to attend various “workshops”,again, what does that indicate regarding understanding/qualification? More importantly, what does that say about the seriousness and commitment they have related to their responsibilities that they asked to be appointed to undertake??? From past experience, I know what an important responsibility this is and the time/study/knowledge base that is required to do the job on behalf of the citizens of Wake Forest. In some past decisions, it was painfully obvious that there had been little study by (several by there own admission) some members! Certainly, this is not in the best interest our town. ‘Having to remind members of appropriate dress?? Really !!! Thanks to the few Planning Board members trying to be responsible! We have an excellent Town Board, so maybe in the future, the Town Board should get/affirm commitments from Planning Board applicants prior to making appointments. Remember, applicants asked to be appointed, so they need to put in the time to study and prepare to make well founded recommendations to our Town Board of Commissioners, You cannot depend only on (as one Planning Board member told me) “what the applicant’s lawyers/engineers/traffic studies/ etc. say”. That is why the time to study and actually read the material provided in order to be informed, to ask the right questions, etc. is so important! One cannot show up at the meeting without being prepared an hope “divine inspiration” takes over! ‘Sorry for the length of this comment, but I feel it is critical for our community. Thank you.