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to agricultural, a move backed by the town’s Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board.

The period for public comments remained open for 24 hours after the public hearing. As a result, the council delayed its vote on the rezoning request until a special called meeting Jan. 11. At that meeting it voted 4-0 (Nodine was absent) to approve the request.

During the regular monthly meeting, Mike Stone encouraged the council to consult with the P&Z board on ways to encourage property owners to seek rezoning of their property to the classification of RPD (Rural Preservation District) instead of agricultural. Such zoning encourages the preservation of rural scenic vistas, Stone said, while acknowledging it may lack the financial incentive of a lower tax burden with agricultural zoning.

MANAGER’S REPORT  5  0 to appoint Stuart Mease to the Finance Committee and Michael Bell to the Board of Adjustment.  5  0 to renew the town’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Guilford County regarding stewardship and management of the Cascades Preserve.

The preserve, which is a park owned by the county, is located northwest of Oak Ridge and serves as the starting point of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail through town.

Bruce recommended renewal of the MOU, which he said is “substantially the same” as the agreement adopted by the two jurisdictions in 2014. It is effective for another five years and doesn’t obligate the town to additional spending for management of the park, according to the manager.

“It’s a gorgeous walk in the woods,” Kinneman said, echoing other council members who said the proximity of the preserve to Oak Ridge is a valuable asset to residents. Redmon house

Bruce told the council he’s negotiating with a consulting firm with expertise in historic preservation to advise town leaders on renovating the Redmon house.

The town’s budget for the fiscal year ending June 30 appropriated $20,000 for architectural services related to restoring the historic farmhouse on Town Park property at Linville Road and Lisa Drive. A consulting or architectural firm would assist a subcommittee – consisting of town staff and members of the Parks and Recreation (P&R) Advisory Board and the Historic Preservation Commission – in deciding how to renovate the structure for community meeting space.

The town’s five-year capital improvement plan earmarks $200,000 for restoring the Redmon house. However, the council has allocated only $20,000 so far.

Bruce didn’t identify the firm with which he’s negotiating, except to say it’s based in Roanoke, Virginia. He said he expects the subcommittee to recommend the hiring of a firm to the council in the next month or two.

Restoring the house would be “a waste of taxpayers’ money,” Nodine said, partly because there’s already meeting space in Town Hall. He said he believes renovating the structure would “double” the projected cost in the long-term spending plan.

Oak Ridge has already spent about $10,000 on interior demolition and environmental remediation of the house, Planning Director Sean Taylor said.

Schneider countered Nodine’s view, saying she believes the council needs to demonstrate leadership in finding new uses for historic properties. Restoration of the Redmon house, which is located in the historic district, would create an attractive entrance to Town Park while preserving part of the town’s history, she said.

“It’s an everyday farm house that dates back to the 19th century,” the mayor said. “Even though it’s not an opulent mansion like Oakhurst or some of the other jewels, it’s an integral part of the historic fabric of our town. It’s just as important in many ways as some of the outwardly more impressive structures in Oak Ridge.”

Strategic plan work session Bruce said the council will hold a work session at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, to discuss and possibly update the town’s 2018 strategic plan. It’s not yet been decided whether the meeting will take place in Town Hall or be conFollow ducted remotely, the manager said. @ORYASPORTS NEW BUSINESS and visit Preservation, conservation ORYA.ORG easements Ron Simpson and Debbie Shoenfeld presented an overview of the Conservation Easement Committee’s final draft report that 10 JAN. 21 - FEB. 3, 2021 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 outlines steps for preserving open space and historic structures with easements.

Protecting a structure with a preservation easement would prevent its demolition or significant alteration of historic features, according to the report. A conservation easement would limit or prohibit development of land, such as subdividing property for houses.

The preservation easements would be voluntary for owners, said Simpson, who chairs the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board. Organizations such as the Piedmont Land Conservancy and Preservation North Carolina would hold the easements and charge property owners fees to ensure that terms of the easement are upheld.

“Easements remain in place in perpetuity and are difficult, if not impossible, to remove,” the report said.

Encouraging easements can help preserve Oak Ridge’s identity as “a rural crossroads community,” said Shoenfeld, who chairs the town’s Historic Preservation Commission.

The committee, which recommended several actions by the council between now and the end of the current fiscal year June 30, suggested it should be established as “a longer-standing or standing committee” to continue exploring the use of easements.

The report outlined a five-year plan for encouraging the use of easements. It recommended setting aside money in Oak Ridge’s budget – starting with $20,000 next fiscal year – to help property owners defray costs for establishing easements.

Easements could be useful as “a very strong tool in our toolkit” for preserving the historic and rural characteristics of Oak Ridge, said Pittman, echoing support by several other council members.

Nodine said he was wary of imposing essentially irrevocable restrictions on property on the chance that circumstances may change.

“We would sort of be trapped,” he said. COVID-19 meeting rules  4  1 (Kinneman opposed) to approve a policy allowing three options for council meetings and town committees and boards under COVID-19 public gathering restrictions ordered by Gov. Roy Cooper. (See related article in News Briefs.)

In advance of its monthly meetings, the

council will decide whether to gather in person, conduct business virtually or use a “hybrid” model allowing council members and staff to attend in person or remotely.

Kinneman voted against the motion, saying he preferred the council and committees meet remotely until coronavirus restrictions are eased. He offered a motion to enact that policy, but it failed on a 2-3 vote (Pittman also voted in favor of Kinneman’s motion). Naming of Whitaker property  5  0 to ask the P&R board to recommend one or more names for the park that’s being developed on the Whitaker property. Improvements on the 60-acre tract behind Town Hall property on Linville Road over the next few years will include multi-purpose fields, a playground and a walking trail.

The council asked the board to seek input from the public in recommending possible names for the park. It wants to hear from the board in the next two or three months. Waste collection agreement  5  0 to approve the first reading of a proposed ordinance to renew the town’s waste collection franchise agreement with GFL Environmental Services (formerly Waste Industries).

“We get very, very few complaints” about GFL’s service, Bruce said. He added that the company resolves complaints quickly and that it didn’t seek a rate increase in 2021. Several council members concurred that most

residents are pleased with the company’s service. COMMITTEE UPDATES

Extension of the three-year agreement through Special Events. Chair Patti Dmuchowski said the March 31, 2024, required approval of the first read- committee plans to start raising funds soon for the ing, followed by a second reading during the council’s veterans’ memorial, estimated to cost $125,000. It is meeting Feb. 4. proposed for the Whitaker property. She added that PUBLIC COMMENTS the committee has narrowed down the list of possible  Barbara Engel, a member of the Twelve Oaks names for the memorial. homeowners association, told the council that rerout- Mountains-to-Sea Trail. A report by co-chairs Bill Royal ing of Oak Ridge Elementary School traffic through the and Anne Steele indicated volunteers plan to complete Twelve Oaks and Plantation Oaks subdivisions is caus- construction of a bridge crossing a tributary of the Haw ing problems for homeowners. River this month. The bridge connects two sections of the

“The residents are not happy about it,” Engel said, trail under construction northwest of Oak Ridge. explaining that some parents are turning around in the streets and driving on lawns. Complaints arose when students returned to Oak Ridge Elementary Jan. 5. COVID-19 precautions, such as taking students’ temperatures before they enter the building, have slowed down the drop-off and pick-up of COUNCIL COMMENTS  McClellan praised the work of the Special Events Committee, which organized the Light Up the Night display of luminaries in Town Park, and the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Committee for its trail construction. children, leading to increased traffic in Twelve Oaks and  Pittman expressed thanks to health care and emerPlantation Oaks. The sheriff’s office had recommended gency workers, law enforcement, teachers, town staff, routing traffic through the neighborhoods to reduce the restaurant operators and retail workers for their efforts number of vehicles on N.C. 150 in front of the school, during the COVID-19 outbreak. according to Principal Penny Loschin.  Schneider and other council members expressed

In an email to the council, Loschin said school officials condolences to Town Attorney Michael Thomas after NEW Location in Kernersville Quick Lube no appointment needed for oil changes & state inspections Hometown Auto asked parents to respect property owners as they drive through the neighborhoods. She also asked for the community to be patient as officials work out the traffic pattern. the death of his mother. With no further council comments, the meeting was adjourned at 9:43 p.m.

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