Michelle Ballard

The City Council meeting covered various administrative and legislative matters, including the installation of stop signs in the Marelli Subdivision, the authorization of a five-year lease for the Depot with the Sanford Tourism Development Authority, and the temporary closure of parking lots for community events such as the Bee City USA Field Day. Discussion also involved annexation petitions, rezoning applications for the Shadow Creek Conditional Zoning District to allow for a 202-lot residential subdivision, and zoning text amendments to comply with state statutes regarding architectural standards for residential dwellings. Additionally, the meeting included proclamations for Local News Day, Fair Housing Month, and National Community Development Week.

The board discussed proposed updates to the Flood Hazard Area Regulations and Floodplain Maps, focusing on compliance with federal and state standards for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. Key topics included the appropriate freeboard elevation requirement (two-foot vs. four-foot standard), the definition of "reference level" relative to structural components, and how to manage grading and fill within the floodplain. The board also addressed concerns regarding the burden of requiring surveyor certifications for non-habitable accessory structures and recommended specific updates to the Unified Development Ordinance.

The agenda focuses on the release of various closed session meeting minutes, the adoption of an ordinance amending the annual operating budget, and the approval of a sanitary sewer system route study and a professional services agreement. The council will also consider resolutions regarding the temporary closure of streets for various community events and farmers' markets, the adoption of the Cape Fear Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, and a fireworks celebration agreement. Additionally, there are public hearings scheduled for a non-contiguous annexation petition, rezoning applications, and zoning text amendments related to townhouse and accessory dwelling unit standards.

The agenda for this meeting, scheduled for March 3, 2026, covered several key administrative and action items. The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from multiple prior work sessions and regular meetings held in February 2026, as well as the renewal for the 2027 Deer Urban Archery Season and an Ordinance Amending the Annual Operating Budget for FY 2025-2026 related to Distribution and Collection. A Special Agenda featured a Proclamation Celebrating the 114th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. New Business items involved consideration of a Reimbursement Resolution and related budget ordinance amendments for the Third Street Area Sewer Rehab Project, designation of Deputy Finance Officers, and procedures for considering a Non-Contiguous Annexation petition. Decisions on Public Hearings focused on the Flood Hazard Area Regulations Update and Floodplain Map Update, which involved discussions about increasing the regulatory flood protection elevation to four feet above the base flood elevation. The agenda also included a Case for Public Hearing concerning the closure of portions of Oakdale Street and Hudson Avenue.

The meeting addressed several agenda items, including the approval of the agenda and disclosure of conflicts of interest. The primary focus was on New Business, which included a Joint Public Hearing with the City Council concerning the update of Flood Hazard Area Regulations and the Floodplain Map Update for Lee County, requiring two separate recommendations. Additionally, the Board considered multiple staff-initiated Zoning Text Amendments. These amendments involved adding a definition for "outparcel" in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and clarifying associated language, revising UDO language concerning Town of Broadway Planning Board appointments, amending standards related to lot width-to-depth ratio exemptions for cul-de-sac lots, removing detached single-family dwellings from the MF-12 district, and updating standards for the Village Neighborhood Development (VND). Further text amendments addressed changing the threshold for requiring two access points in new subdivisions to align with NC Fire Code standards, and clarifying language regarding landscape screening for outdoor storage, accessory use status for outdoor storage, architectural design purview for the Historic Preservation Commission, and requirements for pedestrian connectivity in commercial development.