WALNUT COVE — The Town of Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners approved the scheduling of two public hearings regarding potential ordinance changes at their April 25 meeting.
One proposed change would allow for "accessory dwellings" in certain districts.
Zoning Administrator Cory Willoughby said an example of an accessory dwelling is someone wanting to build a tiny home in their backyard.
The ordinance would allow those types of accessory dwellings as long as the project meets specifications.
Willoughby also noted that if approved, Walnut Cove would be the only area of the county to have such an ordinance.
"We'd be the spearhead for that for the county," he said.
The other public hearing will regard requiring new subdivisions to construct sidewalks and streetlights on at least one side of the street.
According to Town Manager Kim Greenwood, the language currently states that some sidewalks and streetlights "may" be required by the planning, and he proposed the language be updated to "shall" be required.
Greenwood said the ordinance would target bigger subdivisions, not for example someone building a single home on a lot.
With a subdivision going in with 35 homes, for example, in areas likely to be subject to heavy pedestrian traffic, "eventually those folks is going to want a sidewalk."
Requiring the developer to install those features during initial construction may save the town from having to install them after the fact and would free the planning board from having to make the decision on a case by case basis.
The hearings have been scheduled for the May 9 town meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. at the Walnut Cove Senior Center at 308 Brook St.
Among other business at the April 25 meeting, the Town of Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners:
• Were presented with results of a pay study by Becky Veazey of the Management and Personnel Services Group. The study analyzed town job classifications and pay scale and recommended an implementation plan aimed to make the town's positions more competitive and cost effective. The MAPS Group's results included new job descriptions, a pay plan, an employment application and a new personnel policy. The Board will review the results and recommendations and with further discussion planned for the May 9 meeting.
• Were presented with a draft of a re-write of the town book of ordinances by Ginger Booker, an attorney who has been working on updating the book for about a year. The ordinances have not been updated since 2005.
• Approved appointments to the planning board: Ramona Timm was re-elected to serve on the panning board as an in-town representative, and Greg LaRoche was appointed to serve as an in-town alternate.
• Tabled a proposal to erect "no parking" signs on East Third Street from Main Street to Summit Street until after results from a traffic study are finalized. Citizen complaints about parking on grass in that area had been received. The Board had approved the traffic study at the April 11 meeting.
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