The Vance County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $186,000 digital mapping contract during the board’s monthly meeting at the old courthouse Monday night.
Ken Krulik, who is leading the effort to enact countywide zoning as Vance’s chief planner, presented the draft contract with Cadastra of Glen Allen, Va., to digitize the county’s mapping system. After minor changes in the wording of the contract and points of information for the commissioners, the board elected to move forward to the final contract stage.
The project, expected to be completed by June, will digitize information about the 26,000 parcels of land in Vance County using the “best fit” model with existing plats and tax map data. For 11,000 of the 26,000 parcels, more extensive, more precise research called “codo” will be done at a higher cost. Those parcels include areas around the multicounty hub, the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park, watershed areas, and Henderson and its Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction. More detailed information for those areas is thought to be helpful for economic development.
In addition to the $186,000 for the initial work, Krulik said the county will need a $2,500 maintenance package, and a $1,500 annual update fee is recommended.
The commissioners unanimously supported the measure.
Krulik also reviewed his department’s progress in developing the county’s zoning. A full zoning ordinance and map cannot be developed until Cadastra’s work is finished, but Krulik and his staff have developed a generalized map and zoning categories based on existing uses. Krulik’s goal is to have a final draft of the zoning ordinance and map to the commissioners by February.
Based on existing uses, Krulik has developed six to seven zoning categories but anticipates that as he holds public hearings and further develops the ordinance, 11 or 12 categories will emerge.
Krulik also presented his department’s proposed revisions of the county’s 6-year-old litter control ordinance. Vance in the past year hired a code compliance officer to deal with rampant litter and dumping issues around the county. Under the proposed amendments, the county enforcement officer could issue civil or criminal citations for littering and dumping, but not both at the same time.
“We’re trying to improve the health of the county and look of the county,” Krulik said.
The civil penalties range from $25 for accidental personal litter to $500 for repeated commercial dumping. Krulik said those penalties could be increased after discussions with the county Appearance Commission. The initial fines were based on surrounding counties.
“Other counties don’t have the problems we do in Vance County,” Commissioner Deborah Brown said in arguing for stricter penalties. “This is long overdue.”
Other commissioners agreed that tougher penalties are in order, especially in cases of great environmental impact. The commissioners also discussed manpower issues in enforcing the ordinance with more people than the code compliance officer.
“It really ticks me off that we have such a dirty county,” Brown said. “You can pick up a road, and then 30 minutes later trash has been thrown out.”
Brown emphasized the importance of public education at convenience stores and fast-food restaurants and along streets, especially to and from Kerr Lake.
The commissioners will hold a public hearing on the litter ordinance amendments before their next meeting, set for Tuesday, Sept. 6, because Labor Day falls on the first Monday of the month.
In other business Monday night:
* The commissioners approved a five-year grant totaling $45,680 for ETC, a Henderson manufacturer of cleaning supplies. The Economic Development Commission last month recommended a grant of $56,715, but the board’s General Government Committee reduced the amount to reflect the depreciation of equipment.
Commissioner Wilbur Boyd recommended that the General Government Committee consider how the county packages its incentives and economic aid.
* One speaker, Oxford Road resident Lewis Edwards, addressed the board during its new public comment period. Edwards commended the commissioners for passing a budget in June without “it being spread all over the front page.”
He went on to share his concerns about the city being able to maintain Embassy Square after it is completed. He urged the county not to commit more money than it already has.
The commissioners later discussed the public comment period. Under a new state law, elected boards must make time for public comments once a month.
County Manager Jerry Ayscue presented a policy for the comment period that limits it to 30 minutes, with no more than five minutes per speaker. The commissioners intend to tweak the policy while using it.