The Carrboro Town Council met on May 21 to issue a resolution stating its opposition to a North Carolina bill that would restrict public mask-wearing, and ultimately approved a conditional rezoning application at 400 North Greensboro Street. Below are highlights from the  council’s agenda.

Council submits resolution opposing to North Carolina House Bill 237 

Council Member Randee Haven O’Donnell read the resolution on behalf of the council, opposing House Bill 237, which would set restrictions on public mask wearing. Below is the text of the official resolution, as ready by O’Donnell.

“WHEREAS, Since 1953, North Carolina has adhered to state general statutes on masking (general statues on masking) the purpose of which is to restrict secret societies such as the Ku Klux Klan, to disguise or conceal the dientity of the wearer, and

WHEREAS, according to Coates’ Canons NC Local Government Law, the G.S. 14-12 11 (a) provides six exemptions to those prohibitions that presently allow the wearing of masks, hoods, or other devices that conceal identity. In response to Covid-19, a sixth exemption was added in 2020 and states: § 14‐12.11. Exemptions from provisions of Article (6) Any person wearing a mask for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of the wearer or others, and, the NC health exemption was initially to sunset August 1, 2020. S.L. 2020-3, Sec. 4.3 The NC legislature subsequently removed the sunsetting of the exemption to make the provision permanent. S.L. 2020-93, secs. 2, 3. And,

WHEREAS, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, consistent with the State of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, on August 9, 2021, the Town of Carrboro required all employees and visitors accessing town facilities to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, and since that law has had an exemption for people wearing masks for health and safety reasons, and

WHEREAS, the strikethrough of the existing law removes mask wearing for health and safety exemptions for the most vulnerable of our citizens by health, immunocompromised, age, disability or other concern for protecting the health or safety of the wearer and/or the health of their loved ones, and

WHEREAS, the May 15, 2024, health exemption (6) strikethrough of “Any person wearing a mask for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of the wearer or others” action on the part of North Carolina Republican-controlled State Senate, now reads; “Individuals would no longer be able to wear masks in public for health or safety reasons,” and,

WHEREAS, on June 7, 2022 the Town of Carrboro adopted a Comprehensive Plan with twin foundational pillars. In March 2023, The Town of Carrboro adopted the Race Equity Assessment Lens (REAL) tools which inform and embed equity in Town governance decision making. The Decision Making for Racial Equity (DRE tool), and Pocket Questions ask what are the racial impacts, who will experience burden, who will benefit, House Bill 237, will disparately impact and burden the most vulnerable of Carrboro’s citizens, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Town of Carrboro Council in the interest of ensuring the continued health, safety and well-being of its citizens stand in opposition to NC HB 237, urge our legislators to not advance HB 237, not to pass the bill as currently written and press our local municipal and county elected representative bodies to stand in opposition to this bill.

This day, May 21, 2024”

The 2024-25 Carrboro Town Council (Photo via the Town of Carrboro.)

400 North Greensboro Street Rezoning 

The town council unanimously approved a conditional rezoning request at 400 North Greensboro Street to change the property’s designated use from corporate to residential with the possibility of non-residential use in the future. JSA Architects Jim Spencer presented on behalf of one of the property owners and the rezoning applicant Sam Mitchell of Bison Lodge, LLC. With the rezoning application approved, Bison Lodge, LLC plans to develop a multi-family residential building.

“The idea for the project is to have new residents downtown that really want to be in this downtown location,” Spencer said. “There has been a lot of discussion about the commercial element. We do understand the importance of – in the district – having commercial space. [The developers] feel that this time it would be better served to have the residents on the ground spending money at the other businesses, but it does have the adaptability built in to be converted into small commercial space if that becomes a viable option.”

One of the members of the public spoke during the public comment section of the meeting and voiced opposition to the project’s plans to remove a native willow oak tree on the property. Council Member Catherine Fray asked Spencer to elaborate on the plan to remove the tree.  Spencer said that according to a landscaper who surveyed the property, the development would not be possible unless the tree is removed, and the developer plans to plant native trees on the property after removing the willow oak.

Mitchell spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. He said his intent with the application is to make space for him, his co-owner, and other friends to be able to move to Carrboro.

“We already have, of the seven units in the building, five spoken four – of friends and family,” said Mitchell. “So, we’re not developers. We want to be residents of this town, and this is the way we want to live in this town – in a small building, in walking distance to all the amenities of Carrboro. That’s one of the things that’s drawing us here.”

“It’s a place we’re committed to,” continued Mitchell, “and I think that maybe puts a different spin on what this project is.”

To watch a full video recording of the meeting, click here. 

 

Photos via Jim Spencer Architects, PA and Michael, Fiocco Civil Consultants, Inc.

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