County to talk housing standards
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 31, 2016 9:59 AM
Wayne County residents Tuesday will have the opportunity to weigh in on a plan to establish minimum housing standards in the county.
The standards would apply to site-built dwellings and manufactured homes.
Standards for site-built dwellings would include structural condition, plumbing, heating, electrical, ventilation, standards for space and control of insects, rodents and infestations.
For manufactured homes, the standards would include HUD requirements and tax permits, exterior condition, doors and windows, under pinning, structural condition, electrical, heating and plumbing.
The proposed ordinance may be viewed at http://waynegov.com/717/Proposed-Ordinance-Changes.
Wayne County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposal at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in their meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
The meeting will begin with an agenda briefing at 8 a.m. followed by the formal session at 9 a.m.
The board also will hold a work session on a proposed special events ordinance.
The purpose of the special events ordinance is to establish a structured process for permitting the "staging of special planned public events, and/or television and film activities to ensure proper planning and adequate allocation of county resources for events and to protect the health and safety of the public attending such events."
It does not apply to events sponsored by local, state or federal government agencies, or schools located in Wayne County; regular church or worship activities or events; businesses holding events in venues designated to hold large numbers of people, where there is already a safety and emergency plan approved by the county.
However, special events as defined in the ordinance will require a county permit.
According to the ordinance a special event is any public or private event where at least 500 people are expected to be in attendance.
Examples in the ordinance include:
* The use, sale or display of fireworks.
* The sale, purchase, provision or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
* Live entertainment.
* Overnight activities such as camping.
* Motorized or non-motorized vehicular racing or riding.
* Activities located wholly or partially on public rights-of-way.
* Sports that involves physical contact between participants as part of normal play.
* A film or television production event.
Commissioners are expected to set a public hearing on the proposal for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in their meeting room.
In other business Tuesday:
* Wayne County Planner Chip Crumpler will brief commissioners on the county's Internet broadband survey.
The county will host a meeting of broadband providers at 3 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 2, in the third floor conference room in the Jeffreys Building, 134 N. John St.
The county has been working with the North Carolina Broadband Infrastructure Office to gather unserved and under-served addresses in an effort to help the providers identify and consider deployment options in areas where a need has been identified.
More than 650 responses were gathered from the survey.
That information will be provided during the meeting in an effort to spur discussion and consideration of potential solutions.
* Randy Baker and Dr. Jim Watson with Pinnacle Architecture will update the board on plans for a new Meadow Lane Elementary School.
* Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority Director Fred Fontana will make presentation on a free ride promotion for veterans.
* Sheriff Larry Pierce will ask commissioners to purchase a van for the new detention center with an inmate transport upfit and a laundry trailer. The cost is $4,028 for the trailer and $45,350 for the van and upfit.
* The board will consider authorizing County Manager George Wood to approve the bid for disaster management and recovery monitoring services for removal of Hurricane Matthew related construction and reconstruction. The county wants to work quickly to remove those materials, Wood said.
However, the closing date for the proposals is today at 3 p.m. meaning the bids will not have been received in time for the Tuesday meeting.
The board will be asked to authorize Wood to approve the bid so the clean-up can begin as soon as possible.
* Wayne County Finance Director Allison Speight will give the Wayne County 2016-17 quarterly financial report and sales tax update through Sept. 30. Mrs. Speight also will report on the Wayne County Tourism Development Authority 2016-17 quarterly financial report through Sept. 30.
Public comments will be taken at 9:15 a.m. Speakers have four minutes to comment on their topic of choice.