A parcel of land in northern Carrboro may be repurposed to accommodate light industry operations if town officials are able to agree on details pertaining to a development plan.

Those officials met last week to speak with Annette Lafferty, the local director of economic and community development, on how that plan would bring manufacturing jobs to the town.

“Creating affordable commercial [space] has been our goal, but also, this is going to be about creating jobs, and getting our brain around […] what kind of employment opportunities could be created out here,” she explained.

The plan would establish a light manufacturing zone with approximately 90,000 square feet of flexible commercial space near the intersection of Britton Drive and Old 86.

According to Alderwoman Randee Haven-O’Donnell, that zone and the labor opportunities that it could provide for residents may help the town return to its manufacturing roots.

“The fact that Carrboro, in the last 40 years, has lost what was at its heart for generations is unfortunate, and it also indicates that how the gentrification is not just in housing — it’s in business,” she opined.

The proposed location of the zone was endorsed by Alderman Sammy Slade, who emphasized the importance of developmental foresight and respect for neighboring residents.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to introduce something commercial in this transition area without it automatically impacting the feel of the area, yet, kind of, setting a possibility for what might happen up in the northern area,” he noted.

Nearly $800,000 was spent in 2001 by the municipal government on the acquisition of the 22-acre lot, which was intended for a public works facility that the town no longer needs.

Mayor Lydia Lavelle expressed an interest in having those acres appraised for their value due to the deliberate actions that prior board members took to purchase them.

“Sixteen years ago, the town spent $767,000 for this piece of property to be a public works facility, and so I’m curious about, I guess, what the town’s thinking was at that time,” she relayed.

Documents from the county government indicate that the proposed zone and its associated buildings may generate over $50,000 in revenue for the town if the plan is executed.

The topic of cooperative business models and their place within the zone was also broached by Alderwoman Jacquelyn Gist, who ended the discussion on a lighthearted note.

“I really, really want to pursue the co-op model, and I think when I’m partying with the business community on Thursday, I might talk that up a little,” she joked.

The decision on whether to sell the land or move forward with the establishment of the zone is expected to be made by the Board of Aldermen in the coming months.

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