Regan Hill photoBy Bethany Fuller
jfuller@statesville.com
Iredell Neighbors for Rural Life is trying to keep its “No Spot Zoning” message in the forefront of people’s minds.
Up and down N.C. Highway 115 and around Statesville, signs against spot-zoning with a picture of a small industrial plant are being erected, and the group is organizing 12 community meetings at local schools to discuss county zoning issues.
“Well, we are basically developing a public awareness campaign to engage more citizens in Iredell County,” said Randy Bridges, who is on the group’s leadership committee.
“We know the 7.8-acre spot on Snow Creek road is just a small part of the issue for the county. The basic thrust of our program is to reach out to several different mediums, including public forums, newsprint and the signs.”
The first meeting — at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at North Iredell Middle School — will be designed to discuss zoning issues related to the use of rural land for residential, agricultural and industrial areas.
Iredell Neighbors for Rural Life was organized by a handful of Snow Creek Road residents in August after county commissioners voted 4 to 1 to rezone 7.8 acres of McLain Farms from single-family residential to heavy manufacturing for the purpose of putting a biodiesel manufacturing plant on the site.
Nearly a month later, the organization and 23 other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Iredell County, the Board of Commissioners and the McLain family to get that decision reversed.
The county is looking into changing parts of its land-use plan and zoning ordinance, Bridges said.
“We want to get the public aware of the possible changes,” he said, “and encourage them to have a voice in the new land-use plan and zoning ordinances.”
Iredell Neighbors member Harry Watt said a lot of people still think the lawsuit against the McLain family and the county is about a biodiesel plant.
“We would love to have one,” he said. “But we would like to have it in an industrial park — where it really fits.”
Watt said the public needs to influence county commissioners when it comes to controversial zoning decisions.“What we are talking about is spot-zoning for a use that is not really compatible with the surrounding areas,” Watt said.
Watt said in addition to the signs, the group sent out a letter to 1,000 nearby landowners about a week ago.
“It impacts everybody,” Watt said.
jfuller@statesville.com
Iredell Neighbors for Rural Life is trying to keep its “No Spot Zoning” message in the forefront of people’s minds.
Up and down N.C. Highway 115 and around Statesville, signs against spot-zoning with a picture of a small industrial plant are being erected, and the group is organizing 12 community meetings at local schools to discuss county zoning issues.
“Well, we are basically developing a public awareness campaign to engage more citizens in Iredell County,” said Randy Bridges, who is on the group’s leadership committee.
“We know the 7.8-acre spot on Snow Creek road is just a small part of the issue for the county. The basic thrust of our program is to reach out to several different mediums, including public forums, newsprint and the signs.”
The first meeting — at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at North Iredell Middle School — will be designed to discuss zoning issues related to the use of rural land for residential, agricultural and industrial areas.
Iredell Neighbors for Rural Life was organized by a handful of Snow Creek Road residents in August after county commissioners voted 4 to 1 to rezone 7.8 acres of McLain Farms from single-family residential to heavy manufacturing for the purpose of putting a biodiesel manufacturing plant on the site.
Nearly a month later, the organization and 23 other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Iredell County, the Board of Commissioners and the McLain family to get that decision reversed.
The county is looking into changing parts of its land-use plan and zoning ordinance, Bridges said.
“We want to get the public aware of the possible changes,” he said, “and encourage them to have a voice in the new land-use plan and zoning ordinances.”
Iredell Neighbors member Harry Watt said a lot of people still think the lawsuit against the McLain family and the county is about a biodiesel plant.
“We would love to have one,” he said. “But we would like to have it in an industrial park — where it really fits.”
Watt said the public needs to influence county commissioners when it comes to controversial zoning decisions.“What we are talking about is spot-zoning for a use that is not really compatible with the surrounding areas,” Watt said.
Watt said in addition to the signs, the group sent out a letter to 1,000 nearby landowners about a week ago.
“It impacts everybody,” Watt said.
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