|
Tuesday, 26 September 2006 15:32 |
By DAVID FORBES
WOODFIN ÇƒÓ A new Alcoholic Beverage Control store, Woodfinës first, may end up located on the site of the townës old public works building, as the Board of Aldermen on Sept. 19 voted 3-2 to begin negotiations with the townës ABC commission for leasing the property.
However, the move was not without controversy and the vote saw two aldermen, Virgil Hollifield and Don Honeycutt, oppose the measure, while the other two aldermen, Geneva Maney and Jim Angel, voted in favor of it. Mayor Jerry VeHaun broke the tie.
Aldermen Debra Giezentanner and David Clark were absent from the meeting.
Proponents of the measure noted that such a lease would give the board
more oversight over the ABC commission ÇƒÓ and is one of the only viable
uses for the property.
"You run into problems with something that size," Town Administrator
Jason Young, who recommended that the board adopt the proposal, said.
"Itës not large enough for many other types of commercial enterprise.
This doesnët bind the board to take their deal ÇƒÏ it just helps it to
move forward.
"It also gives the town a unique card to play, since the board is
quasi-independent. Being their landlord at some point in the future may
be something useful to have."
Woodfin residents voted to approve both liquor by the drink and the presence of ABC stores in their town in a May referendum.
Hollifield, not yet an aldermen then, was vocal in his criticism of the
liquor by the drink proposal ÇƒÏ and continued to express his concerns
about the possible effects of an ABC store on the town.
"I think before we do anything, we ought to get a little more
information," Hollifield said. "Could it not be used for some other
purpose, such as a post office or maybe a Hardeeës or McDonaldës?
Youëre talking about putting it awful close to a church. Weëve got to
keep in mind whatës best for the people."
In this case, the church in question is North Asheville Baptist.
However, Young replied, the site had been approved with the ABC
commission "relative to those concerns. The rule on placing it near a
church is that it canët be closer than 50 feet. This well exceeds that.
Thereës also sufficient parking space there to adequately serve that."
Furthermore, Young added, the town would have difficulty attracting a service such as a post office to the same site.
"Weëve had trouble getting the post office interested in sites like
this," Young said. "Theyëre looking for larger spaces where they can
expand. Iëm not a real estate expert ÇƒÓ Iëm not sure it will exceed what
theyëre offering for it."
The ABC commission is currently offering about $300,000 to lease the
site. But negotiations are far from finished and a final proposal will
still have to come back before the board.
The move also takes the property off the market. Woodfin had been
accepting bids on the property and had $45,000 in hand. Now those
deposits will be returned as the town negotiates with the ABC
commission.
Meanwhile, Honeycutt also said the proximity of the possible ABC store to the church troubled him.
"I just donët feel right about it being there across from the church," Honeycutt said.
In reply, Young noted that "if you draw the limit much outside that 50
foot boundary, thereës almost no place that will qualify (for the ABC
store location)."
In other action, the board:
ïVoted 3-1 to annex an area west of the town across the French Broad
River. The area is the smallest part of three zones that the town plans
to annex, which will nearly double its population and increase by half
its size.
This area does not include Woodland Hills, whose residents have voiced
considerable opposition to the involuntary annexations at two prior
public hearings on the annexations.
Honeycutt voted against the measure. He has previously stated that he
feels the annexations to be against Woodfinës founding principles
because they are involuntary, and will vote against them.
|
