The Roanoke Rapids Planning Board will first take the matters up at its meeting Thursday, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Lloyd Andrews City Meeting Hall on Jackson Street. City council will hold public hearings on the matter at its August 2 meeting in the same location at 5:15 p.m.
Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky said Tuesday if the rezoning request is approved, a national chain retail business similar to Dollar General or Family Dollar could locate in the 48 and the intersection of Smith Church Road.
The applicant, Glandon Forest Equity of Raleigh, is seeking to have 1.90 acres rezoned from R-20 residential to B-2 commercial.
The B-2 designation is designed to accommodate a transition between B-1 and a residential zone or may provide for a smaller scale shopping center that primarily serves one neighborhood or area of the city, according to information contained in the planning board agenda packet.
Planning staff recommends approval of the rezoning, the documents indicate, saying, “The proposed request for rezoning is considered to be reasonable.”
Cell tower
Meanwhile Thursday, the planning board will take up a conditional use permit for the construction of a cell phone tower on Old Farm Road adjacent to Chichester Law Office and New Day Fitness Wellness Studio.
According to the summary of the project, the facility will consist of a 20-foot wide easement with a 12-foot wide gravel driveway extending 300 feet to the the parcel’s interior. At the end of the driveway will be a 60-by-60 fenced area proposed to shelter a 195-foot tall monopole tower and small equipment shelter.
The permit applicant is U.S. Cellular of Greater North Carolina and the property owner is Lana Horn.
“The proposed facility is designed to fill a coverage gap in the applicant’s network,” wrote Michael Doran, a representative of the company. “Coverage gaps result in a weak wireless signal which to the end user equates to a dropped call or inability to make or receive a call.”
Wrote Doran: “Over half of all 911 calls are placed on wireless networks. Wireless providers … offer E-911 service which is particularly helpful in locating users who are unable to articulate their exact location. Accordingly, reliable wireless service infrastructure provides wireless service that is an essential part of the community’s everyday life including emergency and non-emergency communication needs.”