AUGUST 13, 2009 ISSUE
Blowing Rock Council Extends Outdoor Dining Hours
Restaurant customers in Blowing Rock will no longer be shooed off the outdoor patio at 10:00 p.m. thanks to an amendment to the town’s noise ordinance. The Blowing Rock Town Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to extend the permitted time for outdoor restaurant service from the previous cutoff of 10:00 p.m. to two hours later, at 12:00 a.m.
The extension applies to all zoning districts in the town, including restaurants located outside of business districts. The change means that restaurants cannot serve customers after midnight, but customers can remain outdoors beyond that time without being forced to move.
P.W. Glidewell, owner of Glidewell’s restaurant on Main Street, requested the change. Glidewell said the 10:00 p.m. cutoff has caused friction with customers arriving after an entertainment event, such as shows at the Hayes Performing Arts Center, who want to enjoy the town’s cool evening air outside. He also noted that the bar scene in Blowing Rock has changed since Boone approved mixed drink sales last November—the college students are staying in Boone and not coming to Blowing Rock.
“The problem that this was designed to correct is no longer a battle,” he said.
Richard Goosman, owner of the Meadowbrook Inn, spoke in favor of the later outdoor service time, agreeing with Glidewell.
“Ever since Boone got liquor by the drink, there is no bar business anymore,” Goosman said.
Although the outdoor service time has been extended, businesses are still subject to noise violations and fines if they or their customers violate the town noise ordinance.
Fresh Market Moving to Wallingford Street
The Blowing Rock Fresh Market, a new farmers’ market organized by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, will move from its current location in the Wachovia Bank parking lot to downtown Wallingford Street in the coming weeks. For the past month of its existence, the weekly market has set up in the bank parking lot, but that has caused some parking and traffic problems, said Rita Davis, chamber president.
The market’s hours have been every Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., but once the market moves to the new location, the chamber proposes that hours change to 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., said Charles Hardin, chamber executive director.
The new market has been averaging between 20 to 25 vendors with outstanding attendance, Davis said. Hardin said he does not anticipate the market exceeding 30 vendors. He also said the chamber has been in discussions with the Watauga County Farmers’ Market about future partnerships. The Watauga market employs a market manager who could potentially help with management of the Blowing Rock market in the future, Hardin said. If that happens, the chamber will maintain control of the Fresh Market’s brand, strategy and rules, he said.
The Wallingford Street location will provide market customers close parking at the new American Legion parking deck. The council agreed to allow the chamber to negotiate with town staff a contract for use of Wallingford Street—including the temporary closing of the street during market hours—for the Fresh Market.
Council Approves Bid for Streetscape Phase 1
The Town Council awarded a contract for Phase 1 of the Main Street streetscape improvement plan to Wilkie Construction of Lenoir for $127,626. Doug Chapman of McGill Associates, the town’s engineering firm, said that Wilkie will likely subcontract the work to another contractor capable of completing the specialty work required for the job.
The streetscape plan calls for improvements to sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, utilities, landscaping and other street features along Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock. The project will focus on the stretch of Main Street from St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church to the intersection with Highway 221.
The project will proceed in six phases. Phase 1 extends from the west side of Main Street from Memorial Park to Edgewood Cottage. Because First Citizens Bank on the east side of Main Street is currently renovating its building, it is also included in Phase 1 and will cover the costs of its streetscape improvements.
The project will include the installation of pavers at pedestrian crosswalks and the creation of “bulb-outs,”—extensions of the curb that will curve out into Main Street and be covered with plantings.
After the council approved the contract, Sylvia Kiker of Blowing Rock spoke against the streetscape plan during the public comment period. She said she had understood that the council had only approved a concept for the streetscape plan back in January and had hoped there would be additional time for public comment before the town proceeded with the plan.
Kiker said her biggest concern regards the planned bulb-outs, arguing that they will further congest traffic downtown, replace areas where people stand during parades and will require too much water to maintain the plantings.
Downtown Parking Extended from Two to Three Hours
The also council approved an extension of downtown parking from two hours to three hours. The extension was a recommendation of the Hyatt-Palma retail study. The three-hour parking restriction will last from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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