New Ordinance Kick-off & Rezonings

Ok...it has been about a week since I was able to last post an update...which is terrible. I hope to get back on track, but have been extremely busy with a number of items which needed attention. Town staff have been working diligently to get our new Development Ordinance project up and running. The consultant which was hired to assist in this endeavor, GreenPlan/Chenevert Architects of Asheville, met with Town staff, local business owners, Town Council members, P&Z Board members, and landowners on April 11th. In this meeting, the consultants' goal was to listen to the citizens concerns about development and to get first-hand knowledge of the Town by touring the area.


Following this meeting, the consultant provided the Town with a diagnostic report which included their initial reactions and ideas. To summarize their comments, they provided us with four categories: Locations of Concern; Issues of Concern; Ideas; and Desired Components.

Locations of Concern included: Downtown or the "Town Core", GTCC, Jamestown Bypass area, Oakdale area, Large vacant properties near town, Gateway Corridors (Main St., Guilford Rd., Guilford College Rd, Scientific, Oakdale), and "Barriers" such as the Deep River and the Railroad tracks.


Issues of Concern included: Signage, Loopholes, Enforcement, Property maintenance/minimum housing standards, Aesthetics, community participation, festivals and events, respecting our history.


Ideas included: Redevelop Food Lion Center as "urban village" (think Friendly Shopping Center on a SMALLER scale), Oakdale Road (mill area) conservation district, Proactive regulations, Historic district.


Desired Components included: "Green" Building Code, livability, bike paths/greenways, historic features, flexibility, strong design focus, destination streetscaping (Town Core), and Overlay districts.


If you have ANY questions about these items, please feel free to call me. The consultant will be back in Jamestown on May 23rd to meet with business owners (11am-12:30pm), large property owners (9am-10:30am), and our Advisory Committee to discuss some of the "nuts and bolts" of the new Ordinance. Martha Wolfe, Town Clerk, will be sending invitations to specific persons, but anyone is welcome to attend. The following is an excerpt from the "invitation" from GreenPlan:


At the meeting, GreenPlan-Chenevert Architects will give a brief presentation about the community’s goals that came out of the Land Development Plan process. We will then explain various zoning and development tools that Jamestown can use to achieve these goals. The majority of the meeting will be used to get your feedback regarding the development regulation ideas that we presented. GreenPlan-Chenevert Architects will have specific questions (many of which include signage) for you and we will also have time to talk freely.

We hope you will be able to attend the meeting on May 23, 2008 11:00AM -12:30PM at the Jamestown Town Hall.

Please RSVP by calling Matthew Johnson, Town Planner, at 454-1138.




SO....please let us know if you can join us!




NEXT TOPIC: Rezoning request at 5299 Mackay Rd.

We have received a rezoning request for a property located near the intersection of Mackay Rd. and Guilford College Rd. This property was rezoned from Agriculture (AG) to CU-R-12 PUD (Residential, with a special use permit to allow 'townhomes') in 2006. The initial developer has decided not to build on this site and the current owner would like develop this property on their own. However, this particular developer builds a number of 'high-end' condominium properties in the Triad and would like to petition the Town for a new special use permit which would allow condominiums.

The Town has worked very closely with this developer and I believe we will be seeing a much nicer project than was originally designed for this site. The new rezoning would allow condominiums, but we have limited the height to a maximum of two stories, and restricted the construction materials to 80% brick. Additionally, we have requested sidewalks to be installed on this property along Mackay Rd. Instead of the more typical condo projects (ex- Lennox Square), this project will look more akin to 'townhomes'. This developer has completed a similar project in Greensboro, and here are a couple of pictures that I snapped to demonstrate:






The P&Z Board will consider this request at their meeting on Monday, May 12th, at 6:30pm here at Town Hall. If you have questions regarding this rezoning, please feel free to contact me at 336.454.1138.

-Matthew

Busy, Busy, Busy...

I have been catching up on a lot of loose ends the last few days, so my posts have been lower on the totem pole, lately. I promise to have some new information to post in the next few days. But, for now, I would like to remind folks of the upcoming events:

Wednesday, April 30th - "Wacky Wednesday" or "Sip 'n Shop"...either way, our local businesses will again be sponsoring this unique shopping event where local businesses stay open a little later, serve tasty treats, and invite folks to drop in to chat and shop. I met up with Betty Coleman of the new Art Nest Gallery and Frame Shop, who shared her idea of a "Scavenger Hunt" which will happen at tomorrow's event. RUMOR HAS IT...that Rich Brenner, of Fox 8 Sports Fame, will even be on-site to welcome folks... You'll just have to find him!

Saturday, May 3rd- "Jamestown Day", which is sponsored by the Jamestown Business Association will be held on the Library grounds this coming Saturday. You can find out more information from visiting JBA's website at http://www.jamestownba.org/jamestown-day/ .

I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

-Matthew

New Street Signs & Posts

The Town of Jamestown has recently instituted a new Street Sign Post specification and some of our first examples are now being installed. Currently, the newest additions are located at Lennox Square Condos on W. Main St. and at James Plantation on Guilford College Rd. As you can see from the photo, the signs and decorative poles and blade holders really add to our landscape!

As a quick note, the white blade with green letters (Lennox Square Dr.) denotes the fact that this street is a "private" street and is not maintained by the Town. "Public" streets will retain the green background with white lettering, which is standard practice in most municipalities.

The plan is to initially begin to replace the older white posts and street name signs in our "Town Core" area, with the first delivery occurring in the next few months. Initially, we will begin to replace signage along Main Street between Guilford Rd. and Oakdale Rd. As funds become available, we will extend these signs posts throughout town as a whole. As development occurs, we will require them to meet our sign standards, which will hasten the transition from the older style posts and signs to the newer styles.

Along those same lines, the Town Council has approved the funding of banner posts and banners to line the same area, which is becoming known as our "Town Core". The initial banners will show off our new Town Seal and welcome visitors and citizens to our "Historic District". Stay tuned for more info and photos as we move forward with our plan to assist in the beautification of Jamestown!

-Matthew

Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! In the spirit of Earth Day, we are reminding our citizens that Jamestown does indeed have a recycling center (behind Town Hall and the Fire Station) located at 301 E. Main St. This is a 'voluntary' recycling center and is open 24/7. We do ask that you are mindful about placing the correct items (aluminum, paper, plastic) in the respective areas. If the hauler we contract with deems that the items are "contaminated" (i.e.- paper in the plastic bin, aluminum in the paper bin, etc.) then the ENTIRE load is placed in the landfill...which negates any benefit from trying to recycle the materials.

The Town's Public Services Director, Chuck Smith, has been working with the hauler to allow us to "co-mingle" the materials and this would alleviate some hassle for our citizens! He is also working hard to have the ability for cardboard recycling also! If you have specific questions regarding our recycling or sanitation routes, please call Chuck at 336.454.1138 or email csmith@jamestown-nc.us.

As you may have seen in the news, Jamestown Town Staff are also working hard on a Tree Preservation Ordinance, just celebrated Arbor Day in March, and are working closely with the Mayor and Town Council to support new "green" initiatives in Jamestown. Please stay tuned to this blog and the Jamestown News for the latest developments!

-Matthew

Jamestown Golf Course

Well, everyone is entitled to a little relaxation every now and again. So, Friday, I decided to take a 1/2 day off and enjoy the Jamestown Park Golf Course. The course is in great condition, given the fact that the Triad experienced (and is still in) a severe drought over the past year or so. Kudos to Jay Gardner, Course Superintendent and his staff for keeping our golf course one of the most beautiful in the area...and on a municipal budget, too!

It was a beautiful day...and by the looks of the parking lot, everyone else decided it was an excellent time for golf as well. Having just begun to take up the sport, I have had the chance to play several other courses in the area and I am continually impressed with Jamestown's layout and the course conditions. I won't talk about what I scored...but I'm working on those issues a little at a time.

No...that is not me...this is stock imagery that the Town used on the golf course's website at http://www.jamestownparkgolf.com/. I would encourage everyone to visit the website and the Park itself. We offer a driving range, picnic shelters, ball fields, tennis courts, soccer fields, and there's even a clubhouse grill where you can grab a bite to eat. We even have pros on stall that would be happy to give lessons to those (like me) who may need a "tweak" here and there. **This makes an EXCELLENT gift for Mother's or Father's Day...or for any occasion!** As you can see, there are opportunities for the entire family at Jamestown Park!

Adjacent to the golf course is the Bicentennial Greenway trail, which runs from the Piedmont Environmental Center north to Gibson Park. This is a paved trail which is great for walking, biking, or running. Guilford County, the City of High Point, the City of Greensboro and the Town of Jamestown are currently working on methods to connect these points of interest with greenway trails. In fact, Guilford County residents will have the chance to vote on May 6th for a Parks & Recreation Bond which would assist in completing portions of the greenway trail network, as well as other projects throughout the county. You can read more about it in the brochure below.

As you can see, we offer a LOT of recreational opportunities in the Town of Jamestown and we are continually working on ways to bring more to our citizens. Stay tuned for more on this soon!

So, get out there and enjoy our beautiful spring weather and try out our Parks! If you have suggestions or comments, feel free to post them here, email me at mjohnson@jamestown-nc.us or call 336.454.1138.

-Matthew

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs...

As the song goes, they're "Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind... Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign!"


Yes, it's that time of year again, where political signs (along with advertisements for anything from haircuts to mattresses) invade our town.


So, I thought I would try to help get the word out about just WHERE those signs are "OK" and where they are not. NCDOT (as well as the Town) does not allow signage to be placed in its right-of-way (ROW). Signage in the ROW is distracting, aesthetically unpleasing, and can potentially block views of traffic which may lead to accidents. As shown in the attached document from NCDOT, municipalities must also abide by these laws.





















So, you ask, what are the rules? Well, I'm glad you asked!


First, "political signs" include signs, poster, or bills which promote or publicize candidates for public office or issues to be voted on in a general or special election.

The Town may remove and dispose of political signs or any other sign posted in the road right-of-way. The Town will also remove any signs placed on Town property, excluding signs placed at Town Hall on the days that polls are open.

Political campaign signs are allowed on private property, with the property owner's consent. Any such signs, posters or bills may only be displayed 30 days prior to the election and must be removed within 7 days after the election. ONLY ONE SIGN PER CANDIDATE OR PER ISSUE IS ALLOWED ON A ZONE LOT. This means, basically, that you can have several signs for different candidates or different issues...but you may NOT have multiple signs for one single candidate or issue.

Although the campaign may agree to remove any sign, the property owner is ultimately responsible for compliance with the removal policy.

Second, we often get asked the question, "What is the right-of-way?" First, the technical answer: The road right-of way includes the paved road and a strip of land, usually on either side of the road, that is reserved for shoulders, drainage ditches, sidewalks, traffic signs, electrical traffic signal control boxes, utility lines and future road expansion. Because the width of the right-of-way varies, the Town of Jamestown often receives complaints about campaign signs inadvertently placed on public right-of-way. In some cases, the right-of-way extends only a short distance beyond the paved roadway — perhaps just past the shoulder. In other cases, the right-of-way may extend well into what appears to be someone's front yard.

The right-of-way boundary is an invisible line that may not be possible to identify without detailed legal maps and a formal survey. Property owners may not know the exact right-of-way boundary and may have maintained, landscaped or fenced this area. When in doubt about the location of the right-of-way boundary, post the campaign sign on private property well past the point of uncertainty.

That being said (whew!), we try to be as lenient as possible in our interpretation of the ROW's location. Therefore, we ask you to follow these basic "rules of thumb":

1) Signs are generally "OK" when placed on the PROPERTY side of the sidewalk.
2) If there is not a sidewalk, try to stay at least 10-15' from the edge of the asphalt or back of the curbline.
3)If there are telephone/power poles in the vicinity, signs placed on the PROPERTY side of those poles will be fine.
4)If in doubt, call me at 336.454.1138 and I will be glad to meet with you to best determine locations for your signs.

What can be done if signs are posted on private property without permission, you ask? Property owners can contact the campaign to ask to have the sign removed and advise the campaign about the error so it is not repeated. Guilford County Elections, will have the campaign's number if it is not on the sign.

Illegally posted signs cost money and illegally posted signs in the road right-of-way can reduce driver visibility, distract drivers' attention, or force pedestrians and bicyclists into traffic or difficult terrain alongside the road shoulder.

Illegally posted signs also waste taxpayer dollars. Each year, the Town logs numerous complaints about improperly posted signs. Money is wasted when Town crews spend time removing signs before mowing or performing other maintenance activities, and when Town investigators spend time following up on sign complaints.

How to complain about illegally placed signs:

To complain about illegally posted campaign signs on public property, easements or right-of-way in the Town of Jamestown, please call 336.454.1138.

Town Considers ETJ Expansion

The Town completed and adopted a newly updated Comprehensive Plan (The 2020 Land Development Plan) in December 2007. The LDP contained several recommendations for long range planning in the Town of Jamestown, including the expansion of our extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).

The way an area which is immediately outside a town is developed can dramatically affect the town itself. Development can change neighborhood character, traffic patterns, the need for town services, and a host of other variables which can ultimately affect property values in and around a town. Additionally, it is not unreasonable to think that those areas may one day be part of the town, too. Because of this, the State allows towns to extend its planning authority over the area immediately outside the town limits. In our case, the Town of Jamestown (because of its size) may only extend our ETJ limits up to 1 mile from the current corporate town limits.

ETJ EXPANSION IS NOT AN ANNEXATION! ETJ jurisdiction means that the town may prepare and review land use plans and apply all of its land use ordinances - zoning, subdivision, flood protection, soil erosion and control, and signage regulations - to the area. Residents in the ETJ will not pay Town taxes and the Town has no requirement to extend city services to the areas in the ETJ. Those residents in the ETJ, however, WILL be allowed to serve on the Town's Planning and Zoning Board and Board of Adjustment as ETJ representatives.

The Town is considering an expansion of its ETJ areas due to ever increasing growth pressures (new schools, Jamestown Bypass, etc.) along the fringe of the Town's borders. By State law, the Town will be required to request this expansion from the County first. After obtaining permission to proceed, the Town will be required to mail each property owner in the area a notice of a public hearing (date to be determined in the future) and a notice of the establishment of "initial city zoning". At this time, the Town will likely strive to maintain zoning districts which are similar to the zoning districts now seen in the County. The Town staff will additionally hold 1-2 informational meetings during this time period to help answer citizen's questions.

If you have questions about this process or would like to determine whether or not your property will be included, please feel free to contact me at 336.454.1138. I have included the following map for reference, however. The darkest areas will be the areas where we are proposing an expansion of the ETJ.

-Matthew