The Town of Aberdeen Commissioner’s meeting on Monday evening covered a diverse number of topics including improvements to Starbucks parking and U.S. Highway 1, recycling issues, and an update to the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
During the public comment period, a concerned citizen approached the board about the parking at the Starbucks located at the TJ Maxx Shopping Center. There are times the traffic from the drive-thru will back up all the way to U.S.15-501.
Town Manager Paul Sabiston explained that the town had been aware of the issue for a considerable period of time, but the options to address it were limited. The parcel of land that Starbucks sits on is owned by Starbucks, but the TJ Maxx property is owned by a different company who has been unwilling to sanction any changes unless it directly benefits TJ Maxx.
After the meeting, Town Planning Director Justin Westbrook explained that an upcoming expansion to Starbucks will allow some minor changes in the layout of the drive-thru which should help alleviate the problem and provide space for an additional five vehicles before traffic backs up on Columbus Drive.
During the Managers Report to the board, Sabiston explained that the town was looking for additional recycling alternatives. The contractor who provides recycling to Moore County has increased their fees from $25 per ton to $100 per ton. To decrease tonnage, the board recently decided not to accept glass.
Recently, several loads of recycling from Aberdeen were rejected due to the contamination of recyclable items by non-recyclable items. Mayor Robert Farrell commented how confusing it can be that items that are marked as recyclable are non recyclable. He also considers it a matter of educating the public on the new recycling standards. More information on this can be found on the town’s website.
The town was also asked to approve an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for a new crosswalk on U.S.1 in front of Aberdeen Lake Park.
A crosswalk will be installed on U.S. 1 in front of Aberdeen Lake.
The project consists of a mid-block crosswalk, median refuge island and the installation of a pedestrian signal. The estimated cost of the project is $100,000 with the town being responsible for 20 percent, and the balance to be funded by the Federal Government.
Commissioner Joe Dannelley questioned what kind of signage would be installed, and Mayor Farrell expressed hesitation on approving the expenditure until confirmation from NCDOT. The Town Manager urged the town to adopt the agreement stating that the decision for what kind of signage would be determined by NCDOT, so there was no good reason to delay. The motion passed unanimously.
Planning Director Westbrook presented a proposal to update the town’s UDO. The current UDO was written in 2006 with minor clerical updates in 2011. Since it was originally written, the town has undergone significant growth, and the existing UDO has had several bandages applied to it over the years, resulting in what Director Westbrook called a spidery mess.
Planning Director Justin Westbrook addressing the Town of Aberdeen’s Commissioner Meeting February 25.
The goal is for the plan to be updated and simplified to make it easier for citizens and other users to find the information they need. The current UDO has 26 chapters plus appendices. The target is to reduce that to 10 chapters. The process is expected to take 9-12 months and will be the subject of several public hearings and meetings.
Also discussed was an upcoming upgrade to U.S. 1 and the placement of water/sewer lines. Currently, the town of Southern Pines has an 18-inch water main that will need to be relocated for the construction to proceed. The town of Aberdeen has two smaller lines (one water and one sewer) that are located on Poplar Street, which is one of the areas under discussion to relocate the Southern Pines Water Line.
Sabiston expressed concern placing a new water main next to two older lines and stated his belief that if the final decision is to move the water main, the town’s lines would also have to be replaced as well. Sabiston stated the the the town is certainly willing to work with Southern Pines and discussions are continuing.
The next Aberdeen Town Meeting is scheduled for March.
Written by Sandhills Sentinel Local News/Government Reporter Chris Prentice.
