June 28, 2007 issue
Boone Town Council Approves Annexing New Watauga High School into Town Limits
Story by Sam Calhoun
Last Thursday, the Boone Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance that would annex the new Watauga High School into the town limits of Boone and approved a zoning amendment for the new high school’s property.
The council also approved street closing orders for Daniel Boone Drive Extension and Hill Top Drive in consideration of the new high school.
Before the council approved the zoning amendment, Boone Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Mason asked that the county consider funding bike lanes and walking paths, as well as conduct traffic studies in the region, perhaps with funding help from the town. Watauga County Commissioners’ Chairperson Jim Deal responded that both points were important to the county but worried that, since the new high school project is at its budget allocation, funds couldn’t be promised to a plan that had no estimated cost.
Deal said that he and the commissioners would “diligently pursue” traffic studies on the intersections, but if funding is affected by natural disasters in the state, then he could not promise that the money would be there. He also said that the county could not mandate the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT) to do anything.
“Trust that we will make the road as safe as possible,” said Deal, “our concern is to try and make someone else (NC DOT) do what we want them to do.”
Considering sidewalks and bike lanes, Deal said there were going to be right of way issues.
“If you tell us we need to do that [before we get a permit], then we’ll have to take money out of the building,” said Deal. “We’re at our budget. But we will do anything we have to do to help you do that—we will go to Raleigh to help put pressure on DOT.”
“There’s a safety issue there where we would be negligent if we didn’t address,” said Mason, who proposed that the town and the county fund it together in a cooperative cost-share agreement.
“You’re opening up a box, though, with an unlimited number attached to it,” said Deal, who worried about funding the project. “When you cause us to spend money off the site, then you take money away from the educational site, especially if you don’t know how much money you are spending.
“There are very few students who walk to high school,” said Deal.
“I’ve seen them do it,” said Mason.
Deal said he was comfortable collectively working on the sidewalks but not comfortable entering into a cost-share with the town when no cost was known.
Council member Dempsey Wilcox said that Mason’s concerns were legitimate but thought that the council should approve the zoning amendment. Council member Bunk Spann asked for the approval of the zoning amendment with the understanding that both parties would work together to get the sidewalks.
The council approved the zoning amendment and changed part of the zoning amendment language to say that both sides would work, in the future, to find out how sidewalks and bike lanes could be incorporated into the plan.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
