Garner Public Hearing June 22, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICE 

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Garner Town Council at 7 p.m. on  June 22, 2021 to consider the following applications. 

Please Note: The Garner Town Council will meet in the Council Chambers located in the Town of Garner Town Hall located at 900 7th Avenue, Garner, NC 27529. 

Special Use Permit 

SUP-SP-20-05 - US Highway 70 East and Yeargan Road

Special use site plan (SUP-SP-20-05) requested by W&M Partners, LLC for a 264-unit apartment complex with a club house and a pool on a 22.01-acre site where US HWY 70 E and Yeargan Road intersects. The property may be further identified as Wake County Pin(s) 1701964018 and 1711051809. 

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Conditional Rezoning 

PD-Z-20-02 - 7770 Bryan Road

Conditional rezoning (PD-Z-20-02) requested by Burton Engineering Associates, P.C rezone X +/- acres from Single-Family Residential to Planned Residential District Conditional (PD 12) for the development of approximately 170 single-family homes.

The property is located at 7770 Bryan Road and can be further identified as Wake County PIN(s) 1720012472, 1720027137, and 1720019776.

CZ-SB-20-08 C239 - Weston Road

Conditional rezoning (CZ-SB-20-08 C239) requested by Habitat Humanity of Wake County to rezone 7.67 +/- acres from Single-Family Residential (R-40) to Single-Family Residential Conditional (R-9) for the development of a 25 single-family subdivision.

The site is located at 227, 219, & 215 Weston Road and can be further identified as Wake County PIN(s) 1711473367, 1711472174, 1711462936, and a portion of 1711371783.

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Annexations

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Garner Town Council at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, to consider the following annexation applications filed pursuant to G.S. 160A-31. Public Hearings will be held at Town Hall located at 900 7th Ave, Garner, NC 27529.

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ANX-21-06 - Elevate at White Oak

(ANX-21-06) Elevate at White Oak – Contiguous annexation: Southeast corner of White Oak Rd and Salt Hill Rd; +/- 19.726-acres of Wake County PINs # 1720533317, 1720521929, 1720532042, 1720528735, 1720524844, 1720523554, and 1720525597 or Real Estate IDs 0126337, 0185190, 0039231, 0080841, 0141476, 0030537, and 0148990; and +/- 0.9-acres of Right-of-Way within Salt Hill Rd only along the property’s frontage, totaling approximately 20.626 +/- acres. (MAP HERE) 

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ANX-21-07 - JS Commercial

(ANX-21-07) JS Commercial – Contiguous annexation: Both northwest and southwest tracts of the intersection of Jones Sausage Rd and Wilmington Rd; +/- 53.74-acres of Wake County PINs # 1721165744 and 17211154229 or Real Estate IDs 0255800 and 0255801; and +/- 10.8-acres of Right-of-Way within Jones Sausage Rd, Wilmington Rd, and Calebar St only along the properties’ frontages, totaling approximately 64.54 +/- acres. (MAP HERE) 

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Handicapped persons needing assistance or aids should contact the Clerk’s office prior to the meeting at 919-772-4688.

Stella Gibson, Town Clerk

DATE PUBLISHED: Tuesday, June 8th  through June 22nd.

Town Council Approves Budget for FY 2021-22 That Supports Critical Services

The Town Council at its June 7 regular meeting voted unanimously to adopt a $43.2 million operating budget for fiscal year 2021-22, which begins July 1.

The budget funds a sidewalk maintenance pilot program, replacement of multiple bleachers at Town ballfields and numerous new positions, including four critically needed police patrol officers and a community risk captain for Garner Fire-Rescue. 

The additional officers will allow the Police Department to respond to the Town’s growing population and maintain current service levels. The community risk captain will enable Garner Fire-Rescue to implement various initiatives designed to educate local residents about fire-prevention practices.

A municipal property-tax rate increase of 1.5 cents is included in the FY 21-22 budget, bringing the Town's rate to 50.21 cents per $100 valuation.

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Even with the tax-rate increase, the adopted budget continues to ensure that Garner will have the lowest effective tax rate among Wake County municipalities (view comparison chart).

"I want to thank the staff that worked on this [budget], but particularly I want to thank this Council,” Mayor Ken Marshburn said at the June 7 Council meeting.

He said the Council made prudent decisions to restore to the budget several new positions that had been requested by departments but were not originally part of the recommended budget. Mayor Marshburn said the positions that were restored would help the Town meet important service needs and that failing to include them in the budget would have amounted to “kicking the can down the road—and that’s not a good thing.”

In addition to the four police officers and the fire community risk captain, new positions funded in the budget include a risk manager; a GIS mapping position for Planning; an IT/communications specialist; four park attendants; conversion of part-time Public Works grounds positions to full time; enhancements to the Public Works fleet management team and four positions that could help the Town manage a new bond program if approved by voters in November.

The projected Town-wide value of assessed property for fiscal year 2021-22 increased by $186.2 million, or 3.9 percent, over the projection for the current fiscal year. This rise was driven mainly by new home construction and the addition of $154 million in equipment at the Amazon fulfillment center on Jones Sausage Road.

View the original recommended budget.

View the changes approved by Council as part of the adopted budget.

Watch discussion and adoption of budget at June 7 Council meeting.

Post Date: 06/08/2021 2:55 PM

Garner July 3rd Celebration Is Back!

The Town of Garner is pleased to announce that our July 3rd Independence Day Celebration at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffaloe Road) is back this year with fireworks, the North Carolina Symphony, food vendors and more.

Johnny White and the Elite Band will kick off the festivities on July 3rd with a concert early in the evening before the symphony performs. Once the symphony concludes its show, one of the Triangle’s best fireworks displays will light up the skies over Garner.

There will be no kids zone inflatables this year, but the Town's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department will have craft activities available for children.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. There will be some parking available at the park as well as free shuttle service from South Garner High School (8228 Hebron Church Road) starting at 5.

Riders will be asked to wear masks while on the shuttles. And although masks will not be required at the park, attendees are asked to socially distance to the extent possible.

“We are so excited to welcome folks back to the park this year for our July 3rd Celebration,” Mayor Ken Marshburn said. “Our staff is working exceptionally hard to bring back this beloved Garner tradition after the one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. We look forward to seeing the community come together for this signature event.”

Please look for any updates regarding our July 3rd Celebration at garnernc.gov and on the Town’s main social media accounts as well as accounts managed by Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

We remind attendees that pets are not allowed at Town-sponsored events; exceptions are made for service animals.

For more information about Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, please visit the department’s main webpage.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Garner Veteran Memorial Guided Tours at Lake Benson Park

Town offices will be closed Monday, May 31, in observance of Memorial Day. There will be no Memorial Day ceremony at the Garner Veterans Memorial this year, but from 9-10:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, there will be free guided tours of the memorial, which is located in Lake Benson Park at 921 Buffaloe Road. There is also a self-guided audio tour that visitors can do anytime; just scan one of the QR codes on the signage at the memorial.

Entrepreneurs Wanted: LaunchGarner to Take Off This Fall

The Town of Garner has partnered with Wake Tech and a network of local partners to bring LaunchGarner to the community.  

This 10-week immersive entrepreneurial course is designed to help prospective entrepreneurs and current small-business owners get in-depth knowledge on how to develop and execute a business plan. 

The program also partners students with a mentor, who for six months will help the student gain further insights into how to operate a successful enterprise. The program is now seeking 10 to 20 students for the inaugural class.  

To qualify, students must meet the following requirements: 

• Live or work in the Garner area;

• Demonstrate a need for financial and business resources;

• Consent to interview by the selection committee;

• Complete in-person business training once a week for 10 weeks;

• Develop a business plan and budget;

• Meet and communicate regularly with an assigned business mentor for six months.

Those interested in the program can apply online at launchGarner.com no later than July 31, 2021. The selection process will include an online interview that will be scheduled during August. 

Those interested in applying can also attend one of three information sessions on June 24 at 12 pm (noon), July 12 at 6:30 pm, and July 22 at 6:30 pm. 

To register to attend an information session, please go to launchGarner.com.    

Selected students will be required to attend 10 weeks (one session each week) of a small-business course as well as an in-person orientation and graduation ceremony. The courses will be held virtually and are provided free of charge to all LaunchGarner participants.

Each class is three hours long and will be scheduled on Thursday evenings beginning in September. After the training, students are paired with experienced business persons who will act as mentors for another six months. Students will also receive a free one-year membership to the Garner Chamber of Commerce. 

LaunchGarner is aimed at entrepreneurs who have a great idea but are unsure where or how to begin as well as those who are already in business and need to learn how to progress to the next level. At the end of the 10-week course, students will graduate with a business plan, marketing plan and a path to make success a reality. 

This program would not be possible without the support of the following: Wake Technical Community college, the Garner Chamber of Commerce, Garner Rotary Clubs, the Town of Garner, Garner Economic Development Corporation, the Downtown Garner Association and many other community partners. 

For more information regarding economic development matters in the Town of Garner, contact Joe Stallings at 919-773-4431 or jstallings@garnernc.gov. 

Town of Garner Wins Statewide Awards for Communications

The Town of Garner recently won three 2021 Excellence in Communications Awards from N.C. City and County Communicators.

The awards include second place statewide for a Garner Veterans Memorial audio tour featuring tour guide and veteran Spencer Cardwell. This award-winning project was the result of a unique collaboration among staff in Communications and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, and individuals in the community. The next time you are at the memorial at Lake Benson Park, scan one of the QR codes on the signage and start listening to this fantastic narrative. You can also find it on YouTube.

The Town also won a second-place award for the 2020 Popular Annual Financial Report. The publication was the result of a collaboration between staff in Communications and Finance. Earlier editions of this report have received numerous honors from NC3C and from the Government Finance Officers Association. The report is one more way the Town seeks to be transparent and to make important information easily digestible. You can find the 2020 PAFR online.

In addition, the Town took home second-place honors for a father-son photo made during a community vigil held outside Town Hall last summer amid calls nationwide for racial justice and reconciliation. Communications staff made the photos for the event.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Garner Police Deny Dangerous Animal Permit

Post Date:05/24/2021 10:05 AM

After careful review, the Garner Police Department has denied the request for a Dangerous Animal Permit for the two dogs, Blitzen and Athena.   The dogs were seized on 4/27/2021 by the Garner Police Department after attacking 7yo Jayden Henderson and her mother at the home at 156 Roan Drive.  Jayden died of her injuries sustained from the attack.  The animals are currently being held at the Wake County Animal Shelter. 

“We believe that the dogs are just too dangerous to be allowed to be returned to their owners,” said Chief Joe Binns.  After reviewing all the information, the attack appeared to occur without warning or provocation.  Allowing the dogs to be released would create a substantial and unnecessary danger to the public.” 

The animals will continue to be housed at the Wake County Animal Shelter until 60 days from the date of seizure.  At that time, the animals will be turned over to the shelter to be humanely euthanized.  There are no further avenues for appeal with the Town of Garner, but the owner may appeal to a Superior Court Judge should they wish to challenge the decision. 

Courtesy Town of Garner

Wake County Board of Commissioners Votes to Use Higher-Than-Expected Sales Tax Revenues to Meet Critical Community Needs

The Wake County Board of Commissioners today voted on how to allocate the $67 million in higher-than-anticipated sales tax revenues for Fiscal Year 2021, which ends on June 30.

“When we developed last fiscal year’s budget, we proceeded cautiously to ensure that we would be prepared if sales tax revenues plummeted as a result of the pandemic,” said Matt Calabria, Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. “Thankfully, sales tax revenues exceeded our projections, and our prudent financial management left us with a surplus. We’ve chosen to appropriate the surplus to address some of the county’s most critical needs. Among other things, the board is using these funds to create more affordable housing, expand our public health facilities, improve our behavioral health services and reduce our debt load.”

During its regular meeting, the board approved:

• Putting $22.7 million towards the county’s fund balance to ensure it maintains strong reserves as part of its prestigious AAA bond rating from the top three rating agencies;
  

• Devoting $12.3 million to the Wake County Public School System’s debt service; and
  

• Utilizing $32 million for important one-time projects and initiatives.
  

Breaking down the $32 million
The board voted to use those funds in eight key areas:

1. $12 million for a future Public Health Center
   
   The county originally budgeted $62 million in 2017 to develop and build this four-story facility, but cost escalations between 2017 and 2020 forced the county to reduce its budget and shrink the building plan to three stories. With this new injection of $12 million, the county can afford to restore the four-story design and even expand the square footage to meet growing public health needs.
   
   

2. $7 million transfer to the county’s Housing Capital Fund
   
   The board has challenged our housing department to generate 2,500 affordable housing units by 2023, and they’re currently on track to exceed that goal. The additional $7 million investment will enable their high success rate to continue for several more years and possibly support expanding our services that help the homeless.
   

1. $2 million to fund a behavioral health data-sharing pilot project
   
   Some data is collected on people who enter the criminal justice system with drug addictions or mental health challenges, but it’s not uniform or available in one central location. This pilot project would change that. It would create a single database for health, housing, criminal justice and social service information on our “familiar faces” – those who interact regularly with the county or its partners. This data would be used to help break the cycle of recidivism by providing the right services and interventions to those familiar faces.
   
   

2. $1 million to restore funding to purchase library books
   
   In FY2021, Wake County Public Libraries had to reduce its book budget by $700,000 due to the economic downturn. An infusion of $1 million will enable the libraries to purchase thousands of new titles while replenishing perennial favorites in children and adult fiction. It will also expand the collections for youth and adult book clubs, and support our bilingual reading initiative.
   
   

3. $500,000 to fund a study of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office detention center medical services
   
   For several years, the county has seen increased medical, dental, substance use and mental health needs among the jail population. The $500,000 will enable the county to hire a consultant in FY2022 to determine detention medical unit best practices, staffing models, facility needs and financial considerations.
   

1. $150,000 for a marketing campaign to recruit businesses and talent to Wake County
   
   To capitalize on the buzz generated by the recent series of announcements, Wake County Economic Development will use the $150,000 to fund a three-year marketing campaign to increase the county’s brand awareness. The goals are to reinforce that Wake County is the destination for top talent in key industries and the place where companies should expand or relocate.
   
   

2. $7 million to improve the county’s Enterprise Resource Planning System
   
   The county uses a traditional ERP system that houses the core functions of finance, budget and human resources, including payroll, benefits and accounts payable. Many of its processes still require staff to do work on paper or manually. The county is evaluating options to automate processes for employees and residents while making those processes solely electronic. The $7 million would help fund the cost of those enhancements.
   

1. $2.35 million for Wake 2.0 investments
   
   Due to COVID-19, employees in many positions across our organization worked remotely over the past year, proving that they can serve customers effectively from outside the office. Through an effort called “Wake 2.0,” the county is evaluating potential policy changes to accommodate more teleworking while taking a closer look at the kind of workspace needed in this new environment. The $2.35 million could fund facility modifications and IT investments to serve a more remote workforce.
   

These expenditures would amend the FY2021 budget to be accessed now or incorporated as part of the FY2022 budget. Per North Carolina law, Wake County is required to maintain a balanced budget.

Published May 17, 2021 via Wake County

Town of Garner Names New Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director

María Muñoz-Blanco has been selected to become the next director of the Town of Garner’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department.

Muñoz-Blanco brings more than 25 years of experience in the public sector, working at the state, county and municipal level in arts, parks, venue management and grantmaking organizations. Her work in the public sector has focused on improving quality of life in diverse communities, expanding programs and services in the arts and parks, and successfully integrating diverse voices and a broad spectrum of creative organizations and artists.

Most of Muñoz-Blanco’s professional experience has involved working in large metropolitan areas, and she has had direct responsibility for managing annual operating budgets as large as $38 million. She most recently served as vice president in the Leadership Transitions practice of Arts Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG), a bi-national cultural management consulting firm.

“Maria brings a wealth of experience in all areas of parks and recreation, including programming and cultural resources,” Garner Town Manager Rodney Dickerson said. “Her experience in larger organizations should translate well to the Town of Garner as we plan for continued growth.”

Muñoz-Blanco will assume leadership of a nationally accredited department that currently has 12 parks totaling more than 473 acres and facilities including the Garner Performing Arts Center, Garner Senior Center, White Deer Park Nature Center and the soon-to-open Garner Recreation Center.

“I am honored and delighted to join the Town of Garner Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department,” Muñoz-Blanco said. “Public parks and leisure activities are central to the quality of life of a community and increasingly play an important role in health and wellness. This is an exciting time for the Town of Garner and for the department, with a new master plan and new assets coming online to better serve the community. I look forward to working alongside Town leadership, staff and our advisory boards to provide Garner residents with great recreational experiences in our beautiful park system.”

Muñoz-Blanco has served as deputy director of the Fulton County Arts Council in Atlanta; executive director of the Cultural Arts Council of Houston and Harris County; director of cultural affairs for the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; executive director of cultural affairs for Miami Dade College; and director of parks and neighborhoods for the City of Memphis.

In her leadership role with the City of Memphis, Muñoz-Blanco oversaw a recreational system with 162 parks, 24 community centers, five senior centers, 17 pools, eight public golf courses, a football stadium/fairgrounds and a variety of athletic and sports facilities. 

In Dallas, where she led the Office of Cultural Affairs for nine years, Muñoz-Blanco oversaw 22 city-owned cultural facilities managed through long-term partnerships with leading arts organizations or directly by her staff team.

Her capital projects experience includes planning and opening the $40 million City Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District and a neighborhood cultural center in Oak Cliff, as well as managing $5 million in improvements to the historic Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis.

Muñoz-Blanco has a bachelor of arts degree in arts theory from the University of Puerto Rico, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a master of arts in art history from Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey.

For more information on the Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, please visit garnernc.gov/departments/parks-recreation-and-cultural-resources.

Vandora Pines Community Stands Against Dangerous Dog Permit

Watch the petition to council above.

Patrice Johnson, Vandora Pines HOA board member, speaking on behalf of the Vandora Pines community.

BY MARGARET DAMGHANI

Tuesday night, several members of the Vandora Pines neighborhood in Garner attended the Town Council meeting to voice their concerns about dangerous dog permits for two pit bulls, stemming from the April 17 attack on a local mother and her child. The widely publicized attack resulted in the death of eight-year-old Jayden Henderson, and serious injuries to her mother Heather Trevaskis.

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“Ultimately the decision on the permit will rest with the Garner Police Department and the Garner Police Chief. The review process for these permits has not been completed at this time,” said Town Attorney Terri Jones. There is no deadline for reviewing it, and the Garner Police are gathering information and verifying the information that has been provided.  

Should the permit be approved, the dogs would return to the owners if they fulfill several requirements. Aggrieved parties, either for approval or denial, may submit an administrative appeal to the town’s appeal board, or a judge could file a temporary restraining order or temporary injunction, Jones said. 

 “The neighborhood is very, very concerned. There are a few things they want to make sure you as a board are aware of. The dog has killed one of our jewels, Jayden. Jayden played with many of the children that currently reside in the neighborhood. This will forever be something that is stapled in their minds. It will cause undue stress to them to have these dogs brought back into the neighborhood, which is the current request of the owners,” said HOA Board Member Patrice Johnson. “At this time, we are asking you to reject this permit request given the nature of the incident and the fact that we have lost one of our children…” 

Johnson echoed the worries of residents, saying that even under the best circumstances dogs can escape, and that the requirements of the permit are not enough to ease the anxiety surrounding these particular dogs. 

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Neighbor and Raleigh Police Officer Blake Dicello was first on the scene of the attack.

Blake Dicello, a longtime Raleigh Police Officer who lives across the street from the home the dogs resided at, intervened in the attack that day. 

“That day will change me forever. I did not see two dogs defending their property. That’s not what I saw. I saw two dogs viciously attacking and mauling two unconscious people,” Dicello said. “I stand unequivocally with this community… I see children playing at that intersection daily...In fifteen years, I have never seen anything like what I saw on that afternoon, and I have seen some serious stuff.”

Mayor Ken Marshburn said that the Council has heard the concerns of the community and “will be diligent in pursuing this matter”, and reiterated that the final decision on if the dogs would be allowed to return rests with the Police Chief.

 There is currently a “For Sale By Owner” sign outside of the residence. 

Garner's Station Podcast #15 | Sophia Sandlin, Retired Garner Police Sgt.

After 30 years with the Garner Police Department, Sgt. Sophia Sandlin reflects on her time in Garner, community policing, and crisis intervention.

Garner PRCR's Lorie Clark Receives Margaret Rigg Social Justice Award

Town of Garner Cultural Arts and Events Manager Lorie Clark has received the 2021 Margaret Rigg Social Justice Award, which recognizes an alumna who has demonstrated committed service in the advancement of gender and family justice since graduation from Eckerd College.

Clark has worked for social justice in the Chapel Hill–Carrboro community of North Carolina for more than two decades. As a high school specialist to the Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate Program (BRMA) in the Chapel Hill–Carrboro City Schools for 18 years, she provided opportunities for student growth with a social justice focus. In BRMA, she created experiences for students of color that empowered them to succeed in spaces not originally welcoming to them.

She also was the adviser of BRMA’s Youth Leadership Institute, serving 100 students of all races each year. Under Lorie’s guidance, the Blue Ribbon Leadership Institute was the third-largest extracurricular program in the school district and earned the University of North Carolina’s University Diversity Award. 

"I am delighted and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the Eckerd College Margaret Rigg Social Justice Award," Clark said. "I believe my family's commitment to service and the experiences at Eckerd College prepared me for a life of service to others."  

In her current role as youth adviser to the Chapel Hill–Carrboro NAACP Council, Lorie worked with students to organize peaceful protests in support of the changes asked by the Black Lives Matter movement. With homemade posters, students marched—socially distant and masked—in summer’s heat with community leaders from Chapel Hill–Carrboro’s NAACP and local churches.

Lorie’s work for social justice extends beyond the school system. She founded The Hannah Ruth Foundation to honor her maternal and paternal grandmothers, who have deep roots in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. By bringing together the youth and the elderly, bonds are built between generations, as bridges to the future. The youth learn about the elderly through service—including holiday meal delivery and organizing events such as a formal Valentine’s Day dance and a holiday party for seniors.

Lorie’s service has been recognized by many organizations, including the Chapel Hill–Carrboro NAACP and National Council of Negro Women. Among numerous awards for her community service, the Pauli Murray Service Award, given to Lorie in 2019 by the Orange County Human Rights Commission, is particularly significant. Born in the Jim Crow era, Pauli Murray—poet, writer, activist, labor organizer, legal theorist and Episcopal priest—overcame obstacles during her youth in nearby Durham, North Carolina. In learning about her, one student wrote that Murray reminded her of Lorie Clark: “Ahead of her time, and behind the scenes.”

Lorie began her employment with the Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department in January of 2020 as the Cultural Arts and Events Manager.  

Learn more about this award program.

Courtesy Town of Garner

Help Shape Your Community: Volunteer for a Town Advisory Board or Committee

The Town of Garner is now accepting applications for its resident advisory boards and committees. These are volunteer positions. Serving on one of these bodies is a great way to get involved in your town and to shape its future.

We'll be accepting applications through May 28. Interviews for the positions will occur in June. The application for the boards and committees can be found here.

Here is some information about each body:

Board of Adjustment: This board hears and decides appeals from any order, decision, requirement or interpretation made by the land use administrator or other administrative officials in carrying out or enforcing any provisions of the Town of Garner Unified Development Ordinance, and to hear and decide applications for zoning variances. The board meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Committee: This committee provides recommendations to the Town Council with regard to recreation services, facilities and fee policies. This committee meets every third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.

The Planning Commission: The Planning Commission requires proportional membership of citizens residing within the Town limits and within Garner’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Some members are also required to have experience in fields such as architecture, planning, development, landscaping, the arts or other fields related to urban design or appearance. The Commission provides recommendations to the Town Council concerning land use matters, including the consistency of applications for zoning map and text amendments with adopted Town plans/policies, and meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

Senior Citizens Advisory Committee: This committee serves in an advisory capacity with the Town of Garner in planning, coordinating and directing of programs and activities at the Garner Senior Center. Committee members must be eligible to participate in senior activities by being at least 55 years of age. This committee meets bimonthly every third Friday of odd numbered months at 9 a.m. at the Garner Senior Center.

Veterans Advisory Committee: This committee operates as a public interface between Garner residents and Town officials to explore ways in which to honor and recognize the service of area veterans; assist the Town of Garner’s planning for ceremonies, observances, holidays and events honoring veterans and interact with local veterans’ organizations and assist in the preservation, operation, integrity, maintenance and upkeep of the Garner Veterans Memorial. The committee meets every three months on the second Monday of the meeting months of March, June, September, and December with meeting time scheduled at 9 a.m., at the White Deer Park Nature Center.

For additional information, please visit the Town Boards and Committees webpage or contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 919-773-4406.

Patrick O'Neill: Solitary Confinement

The following column by Ted Vaden originally appeared in lastgaffe.com, an online blog for people in their retirement years.

I wrote to you recently about Patrick O’Neill, the Garner, NC, Catholic pacifist who is serving 14 months in federal prison for following his conscience. That is, he broke into a Naval base in Georgia and defaced a monument to nuclear warfare. The official sentence was conspiracy, trespassing and damage to government property.

Patrick since has written to me – a pencil-scrawled letter on yellow legal paper – to express gratitude for the people who have sent him letters of support after reading of his ordeal on this blog.  He recounted a harrowing tale of his recent hospitalization after experiencing a heart flutter in his cellblock. I’ll let Patrick tell the story from here:

“I have been in solitary confinement for two weeks, following a 4-day stay in the hospital about 45 minutes away. While in the hospital, I was under armed guard (2 corrections officers at all times) who kept me in leg irons and chained to the bed 24-7. I was only out of the bed (always in leg irons) for brief tests. I was expected to use a handheld urinal instead of the toilet….

“The guards worked 8-12 hour shifts over the four days. (They basically ignored me, but one of them I became friends with.) I listened to their conversations and realized some of them were working overtime at close to $50 an hour, so the cost of guarding me for those 4 days was likely in the $5,000 to $10,000 range. Your tax dollars at work.

“I spent my birthday (March 27) in the so-called ‘Special Housing Unit,’ AKA ‘The Hole,’ and I may be in here for Easter as well. So this Lenten season is unlike any other I’ve ever experienced (harder than the year I did a juice-fast all 40 days for Peace in Iraq and lost 30 pounds.) I really do thank God daily for my suffering, but I do have my moments when I try not to think about the fact that I’ve now been in a 9x5-foot room for 13 days and counting without the door opening once. I did feel a little stir-crazy one night and paced and recited the Rosary and felt better. I’m not as tough as I used to be, that’s for sure.”

Patrick’s wife Mary told me that she finally had received a phone call from him on April 7 and that he had been released from solitary confinement. He had been placed there because of COVID. He still has not been vaccinated but was returned to his cellblock of more than 100 inmates. The disease reportedly has infected hundreds of inmates and staff at the Ohio federal prison complex where he is incarcerated.

In a recent letter to supporters, Patrick wrote, “Some of the men in this room have been here for more than 10 years, many have 10 years to go! And almost all for charges that warranted placement in a ‘low security’ prison that has cubicles instead of cells. That means the Bureau of Prisons finds all the men in Elkton are low risk for any kind of violence, which begs the question – Why are they here? Why didn’t they get compassionate home confinement due to Covid? Why didn’t they get some alternative sentence to years in prison? Answer: because the U.S. Prison-Industrial Complex is a self-perpetuating institution that employs thousands of people doing unnecessary jobs, such as watching TV in Patrick’s hospital room.”

Patrick O’Neill is age 65. He and his wife Mary are the parents of eight children and are grandparents. He will complete his prison term in March of 2022 – maybe by Christmas, if gets out on good behavior.

Garner Public Hearing May 18th

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Garner Town Council at 7 p.m. on May 18, 2021 to consider the following applications.

Please Note: The Garner Town Council will meet in the Council Chambers located in the Town of Garner Town Hall located at 900 7th Avenue, Garner, NC 27529. 

Conditional Rezoning

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CZ-PD-21-01 Auburn Station

McAdams Company is requesting conditional rezoning for 66.67-acres from Multi-Residential 1 (MR-1) to Conditional Planned Residential Development (PRD). The is located at the intersection of East Garner Rd. and Auburn Knightdale Rd. and can can be further identified as Wake County PIN(s) 1730-28-9409 & 1730-38-5572.  (MAP HERE)

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CZ-21-03 Lofts at Aversboro

Douglas Ball is requesting conditional rezoning for 0.439+/- acres from Conditional Office & Institutional (O&I C5) to Conditional Multi-Family II (MF-2 C243). The site is located at 1419 Aversboro Rd. and can be further identified as Wake County PIN: 1710-37-9338.   (MAP HERE)

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Annexation

ANX-21-04 Harper’s Landing Subdivision 

Contiguous annexation: on the southside of Clifford Road across from its intersection with Bryan Road; +/- 38.175-acres of Wake County PIN # 1629242358 or Real Estate ID 0079763; and +/- 0.37-acres of Right-of-Way within Clifford Road along only the western portion frontage; totaling approximately 38.55 +/- acres. 

Handicapped persons needing assistance or aids should contact the Clerk’s office prior to the meeting at 919-772-4688.  

Stella Gibson, Town Clerk

DATE PUBLISHED:  Thursday May 6, 2021 through Tuesday May 18, 2021

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Please Note: This public notice is republished from the Town of Garner and The Garner News is not presently a official public notice publisher. Information provided is believed to be accurate at time of publication and is subject to change. You should check with the Town Clerk or Town of Garner website for official notices or changes thereof.

https://www.garnernc.gov/about-us/news-and-information/legal-notices

Garner Selects Lansing Melbourne Group for Downtown Development Site

At their May 3, 2021 meeting, the Garner Town Council voted unanimously to endorse the town staff’s recommendation to move forward with Lansing Melbourne Group (LMG) as developer for the Downtown Opportunity Site. 

This decision is the culmination of an almost two year process of working with the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative (DFI) to complete pre-development analysis  and solicit developer interest for the site, located between the historic business district and the new Recreation Center.DFI consultant Matt Crook gave a brief overview of the process leading up to developer selection and Downtown Development Manager Mari Howe presented the staff recommendation to work with LMG.  Howe told the council that LMG received very high praise from other communities that they worked in, where their original projects often expanded to include additional phases.

In her presentation, Howe shared several key factors that led to staff choosing LMG, including:

• their experience with public private partnerships,

• their background with parking development,

• their community oriented development process,

• their “club-level” financing model,

• their interest in future phases of development, and

• their local approach to retail recruitment.

Council members Demian Dellinger and Gra Singleton participated in interviews with the final two development candidates.  Dellinger agreed that LMG would be a good fit for Garner’s culture and needs in Downtown Garner. Singleton said that he felt confident that LMG would work hard to make sure they could deliver what the community wanted, even if that meant changing some elements of their original proposal.

Town council authorized staff to start working with DFI and LMG on negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding for the project, a process which will take about 90 days.

GEDC, Wake Tech Announce Scholarship for Garner Magnet, South Garner High Students

Garner high school students have a great new opportunity to attend Wake Tech thanks to a new scholarship endowment. The Garner Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) has established a $250,000 endowment with the Wake Tech Foundation which will provide scholarships to graduating seniors at Garner Magnet High School and South Garner High School who wish to further their education at Wake Tech.

GEDC and Wake Tech made the announcement during a ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Town Council Chambers at Garner Town Hall. In addition to Garner and Wake Tech representatives, Matt Calabria, Wake County Commissioner Chair, and Monika Johnson-Hostler, Wake County Public School System Board Member, spoke during the program.

The GEDC believes that an education is fundamental in building a bright and thriving future for the Garner community.

"Having a well-trained and educated population is vitally important to Garner's future," GEDC Chair Jeff Swain said. “Every community's greatest asset is its people. That is why the GEDC is pleased to establish this GEDC Endowment for Education and ensure that Garner students have access to a world-class education and a brighter future."

“Wake Tech is so grateful for the support and generosity of the Garner Economic Development Corporation,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. “Because of this endowment, deserving high school students from the Garner community will have an opportunity to continue their education and pursue their college degree right here in Wake County.”

Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to qualify and financial need will be considered. The scholarship may be designated to assist students in any Wake Tech degree, diploma or certificate program.

The scholarship application is currently open, and the first two recipients will be selected this summer. Current Garner high school seniors graduating this spring who plan to attend Wake Tech in the fall are encouraged to apply at scholarships.waketech.edu by April 30.

"The Town is excited about this new opportunity for a young person from our community to pursue their dreams and career aspirations," Mayor Ken Marshburn said. "Garner has always taken pride in the way it nurtures young people. It's why our town is recognized as an All-America City. It's why Garner is a great place to live and raise a family."

About Garner Economic Development Corporation:

Since its inception in 2010, the Garner Economic Development Corporation (GEDC), an economic development non-profit, has been committed to improving the quality of life for all Garner residents through the recruitment and retention of quality employers, support and encouragement of entrepreneurship, and marketing the Garner community as a great place to locate a business and raise a family. For more information on the GEDC, please go to choosegarnernc.com.

About Wake Tech:

Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 70,000 adults annually, with six campuses, three training centers, multiple community sites, and a comprehensive array of online learning options. The Wake Tech Foundation awards more than $450,000 in over 350 individual scholarships to degree-seeking students each year. The Foundation believes in making an education possible for anyone in our community who wants one so that our region remains the best place to live and work in the world.

Patrick O'Neill: A Birthday Behind Bars

The following column by Ted Vaden originally appeared in lastgaffe.com, an online blog for people in their retirement years.

I would like to tell you about my friend Patrick O’Neill.

Patrick and his wife Mary live in Garner, where they operate a Catholic relief shelter for women and children in crisis. The couple raised 8 children of their own there, and they now are proud grandparents.

Next Saturday, March 27, Patrick turns 65. He will observe his birthday living in a prison cellblock at the Oakton Federal Correction Institute in Lisbon, Ohio, where he is serving a 14-month sentence for breaking into a U.S. Navy base to protest nuclear weapons.

Patrick is a man of unimaginable faith and adherence to his convictions. A longtime pacifist, he is one of the so-called Kings Bay Plowshares 7, a group of peace activists who on April 4, 2018, cut through a security fence and slipped into the King’s Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Mary’s, Ga. King’s Bay is the world’s largest nuclear sub facility, where six Trident submarines bearing nuclear-tipped missiles are berthed.

The group of activists chose the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to protest the nuclear weapons stored at King’s Bay. Patrick was apprehended banging on a monument to nuclear warfare with a hammer made of melted-down guns.

The seven protestors, all Catholic pacifists, were convicted in 2019 in federal court in Georgia, on charges of conspiracy, trespassing and damage to government property. They pleaded not guilty, saying they had entered the base not to commit a crime but to prevent one - “omnicide,” from nuclear warfare. They were sentenced last fall to terms ranging up to 33 months. Patrick was sentenced to 14 months and entered the Ohio prison on Jan. 14. With time served and good behavior, he could be released in 10 months.

Even though Patrick is in a low-security facility, his incarceration has been anything but easy. First, there is the threat of COVID-19 infection. Hundreds of inmates and staff in the Elkton facility have been infected, and nine inmates have died of COVID. A federal judge denied Patrick’s request to delay the start of his sentence until vaccines would be available for inmates.

Because of the infection, the prison is in lockdown, which means prisoners cannot receive visitors and are confined to their cellblock. “My block includes a range of 110-120 men living in a room with bodies always in constant motion as men move about looking to pass time in meaningful ways,” he wrote in a recent letter to supporters. “Many guys speak too loudly and there’s a public address system where guards make shrieking, sometimes shocking announcements throughout the day. The sensory overload is relentless, something akin to low-level torture.”

Patrick reports that many of the inmates are in prison for sex offenses – not for touching children or for manufacturing porn, but for viewing or sharing it on computers. They receive little or no rehabilitation and are treated by guards and other inmates as the lowest caste in prison society.

It is also a race-reversal society.
“Here, in an ironic reversal of fortune, whites are second-class citizens, so I have to learn and follow the rules, rules which are made by the inmates,” he writes. “I see it as my required affirmative action.”

Patrick is an indefatigable spirit. I first came to know him 28 years ago, when he was a reporter at The Chapel Hill News, where I was editor.  He covered UNC like a bloodhound, producing such scoops as the story that 50 coaches and Ram’s Club officials were receiving free loaner cars from 45 auto dealers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Among the beneficiaries were basketball coach Dean Smith (a Cadillac Sedan de Ville) and former star Phil Ford. The dealers were made members of the Rams Club and given free season’s tickets to football and basketball games.

Within a month after Patrick’s stories appeared, UNC cancelled the program.

Another Patrick story was about cars with Rams Club stickers being allowed to park in fire lanes outside Kenan Stadium on football Saturdays. Shortly after, then-Athletics Director John Swofford (now ACC Commissioner) encountered me on campus to ask why the newspaper was so negative about the athletics program. I told Swofford we were just covering the news and told Patrick to keep doing his job – which was not necessary to tell him.

Over the years, Patrick has continued as a freelance journalist, but he has devoted himself foremost to his Catholic activism protesting nuclear arms, the death penalty, racial injustice and mistreatment of immigrants. In his peace work, all in the form of nonviolent protest, he has served more than two years in jail and prison, even before this current term.

After Patrick was sentenced last October, he emerged from the courthouse with an upbeat attitude. The judge, moved by testimony from Patrick’s children and others, gave him a lesser sentence than the 26 months allowed by law.

He said then: “I’m pleased with the outcome. I’m sad that I’m going to be away from my family for quite a while, but I think that the purpose of the Kings Bay Plowshares was to be willing to face the possibility of redemptive suffering, and so it is. It’s not the most severe thing. It’s certainly something that I can tolerate.”

In prison, not surprisingly, he has been an advocate for his fellow inmates, seeking better treatment and more opportunity for pastoral care. He says he sees his sacrifice as a blessing:

“I pray in gratitude each morning for redemptive suffering and humility. The unpleasantness of solitary is also a gift, as I experience a small taste of the suffering that most human beings face every day all over the world. I hope to feel a little more empathy for my sisters and brothers who barely survive in the world.”

Only Patrick O’Neill would see forced isolation in a COVID-invested prison as a gift.

Happy Birthday, Patrick. Happy Easter.

Garner's Station Podcast #14: Jeff Triezenberg, Garner Planning Director

Rick Mercier sits down with Garner's planning director, Jeff Triezenberg, to talk about what a planning department does and how Garner continues to plan for future growth. Topics include reexamination of Garner's UDO (unified development ordinance), traffic impact, public transit and much more in this latest episode of Garner's Station Podcast.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS FOR ART AROUND TOWN

CALL FOR ARTISTS

The Downtown Garner Association (DGA) and the Town of Garner are looking for local and regional visual artists to participate in an outdoor Art Around Garner art installation beginning August – October 2021.

Art Around Town  is a community art project for the residents of Garner and artists from surrounding areas to participate in a temporary art exhibit that will illustrate community and natural beauty and bring joy, healing, and civic engagement.

• Artists will be required to submit their “Art Around Garner” idea, concept, or theme of painting at the time of application.

• DGA will hold an artists interest meeting on May 13 at 6:30pm via Zoom.

• Twenty local and regional artists will be selected to participate.*

• $50-100 material stipends are available upon request.

• Artists will be notified if their artwork is accepted and where it will be located.

• Painting must be completed by July 1.

• *This is not a juried exhibit; however, artwork not consistent with the theme will not be accepted.

SPECS & INSTALLATION

Artists will be provided with a 3′ x 4′ board to paint.  Acrylic paint is recommended and pieces will be varnished by the exhibit coordinators to be weather safe.

The art will be on display August through October 2021 at the following proposed pedestrian-friendly locations including Town Hall, Garner Senior Center, Garner Rec Center (GRC), Garner Performing Arts Center, and other locations around downtown and town parks.

AUCTION

Upon completion of the exhibit, the art will be auctioned with 75% of the proceeds going to  the respective artists and 25% to DGA to benefit future art projects throughout the Town of Garner.
The exact time, location and date of auction is yet to be determined but anticipated for November 2021.

INQUIRIES

Questions from artists should be directed to Lorie Clark at lclark@garnernc.gov.