Blowing Rock Council Approves Parking Deck Construction Bid

Story by Anna Oakes

The Blowing Rock Town Council on Tuesday voted 3 to 2 to award a $1.08 million contract to Kearey Builders of Statesville to build a two-story, 62- by 200-foot parking deck in downtown Blowing Rock.

The parking deck will be constructed in place of a current parking lot at the American Legion building on Park Avenue. The deck will have about 60 parking spaces. The total construction budget will be $1,138,500 to include a 5 percent contingency to handle unanticipated additional costs.

The $1,084,300 bid was lowest among five bidders—the highest bid came in at $1,199,000.

Although the council several months ago approved a conditional use permit that allows the parking deck to be built, council members Tommy Klutz and Albert Yount voted against the contract on principle—both oppose building a parking deck in the first place.

“It’s going to destroy the character of Blowing Rock,” Klutz said. “I can’t face that the parking deck is going to be in my park.”

Yount referred to a Vision 2000 Community Survey that asked residents how Blowing Rock should add more parking—more than half preferred parking lots, compared to one-fifth who preferred parking decks. “That’s a big difference,” he said. “In my gut, I can’t support a parking deck.”

But Mayor J.B. Lawrence and council members Barbara Ball and Phillip Pickett argued that the parking deck is a “necessary evil,” and provides the best method for funding needed parking.

“It’s, sure, not maybe the most beautiful thing, but we’ve got to have parking,” Pickett said.

The council also awarded a $1.5 million contract to Gilbert Engineering of Statesville to construct improvements to the town’s wastewater treatment facility. The total construction budget, including a 10 percent contingency, is $1,700,500.

The parking deck and wastewater facility projects will be jointly financed through RBC Centura.

Main Street Village Project Continued

The council also approved a request to continue the Main Street Village conditional use permit application until a later date. The applicant, Chetola Severn, LLC, and the town requested a continuance to allow more time to answer questions and concerns raised by council members during and after the February meeting.

After a four-hour meeting in February, the council tabled the permit request for the project, a proposed 7.28-acre, $72 million development that would connect downtown Blowing Rock to the Tanger Shoppes on the Parkway. The development includes a 72-room hotel, two restaurants, condominiums, retail stores and offices. The project is planned for a tract along Main Street, with entrances on Main and Hill streets.

At that meeting, increased traffic, stormwater detention, parking and density were among the council members’ concerns.

According to a March 4 memo from town Planning Director Kevin Rothrock, Town Attorney Allen Moseley reviewed some of the issues raised with outside counsel Tom Terrell of Smith Moore, LLP law firm. Both recommend that the town enter into discussions with the applicant to work toward solutions, with Lawrence and Mayor Pro Tem Keith Tester serving as town representatives working with the applicant to draft a development agreement to be presented to the full council and the public at a later date.

At the meeting, the council also took the following actions:

• Approved a conditional use permit allowing Kilwin’s to make exterior building renovations to its store at 1103 Main Street. Modifications include a new door and windows, replacement of false brick veneer with cultured stone, a new awning, new paint and new lighting.

• Approved a temporary reduction from Stage III water restrictions to Stage I. Town Manager Scott Hildebran recommended the action because of recent rains and restored lake levels, adding that the council should reevaluate the restrictions in April. This makes water conservation measures in Blowing Rock voluntary—instead of mandatory—and allows residents to use water for such uses as watering plants and washing vehicles without penalty.