Aberdeen Residents Fear Traffic From New Center

As of Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Cathy McLean plans to retire in her home on Poplar Street, and she and her neighbors are dead set against a traffic change that could lead to more traffic at the U.S. 1 intersection with U.S. 15-501.

“We don’t need any more traffic on Poplar Street,” she told the Aberdeen Town Commission Monday night.

At issue is a proposed shopping center at the busy intersection and how that traffic would flow along Poplar Street.

McLean said there are a lot of elderly residents and children who live on the street, and extra traffic could be dangerous. She spoke during the public hearing on a conditional use permit for a project that would include a CVS pharmacy and two other parcels with yet-to-be-determined commercial uses.

The commission took no action on the request following the public hearing. The town’s Planning board had recommended the permit, but with more than 20 conditions. One of those is that a proposed access to the shopping center via Poplar Street be removed from the plan.

During the public hearing, increased traffic, access to the shopping center and parking were topics of discussion.

Representing the developer, Ramey Kemp provided a traffic impact analysis, which estimates an additional 4,750 vehicle trips per day into and out of the site upon completion.

On the original plan, the development had access via Poplar and Washington streets. The developer asked to remove the access from Washington Street because the road is substandard and needs significant upgrades, Planning Director Kathy Liles said.

Closing off access from Poplar Street would force residents living there to access the development from U.S. 1 only.

Another concern aired during the public hearing was the issue of a right turn access into the shopping center. The turn lane is being provided by CVS and not by the state Department of Transportation, town officials said.

Pat Ann McMurray called the turn lane a “wonderful safety gesture.”

A public hearing on the 2012-13 budget was also held following a brief presentation of the budget message by Town Manager Bill Zell. No public comment was made on the budget, which will be considered for approval during a special meeting set for 5:30 p.m. on June 18.

The recommended budget includes a $6.48 million general fund and an additional $2.45 million in the water-sewer fund, totaling $8.9 million.

The tax rate would remain unchanged at 43 cents per $100 property valuation, but there is a 5 percent water-sewer rate increase.

The proposed budget includes two additional positions — a police investigator and a grant writer — and money for police vehicles and a vehicle for the public works department.

The budget must be approved by July 1.

In other news, the board approved a conditional zoning district for property at 354 Parkway Drive that would allow a day care center as a use. The facility will be the first of its kind in Aberdeen.

The board also approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that would reflect the proper proportionate representation based on population of in-town residents and those living in the extra territorial jurisdiction. The change means the board will consist of six in-town members and one from the ETJ.

After approving the change, the board also made several appointments to the Planning Board. It reappointed Joe Dannelley, moved Janet Peele from alternate member to regular member, and appointed Raymond Lee and Graylon King as in-town members, and added Timothy Marcum and Peter Koch as alternate members.

The board also appointed Molly Wilson and John Ring as in-town members of the Historic Preservation Commission.

The board also recognized Bob Rigsby for his service on the Planning Board, and Joel Stancil and Shirley Starkey for their service on the Historic Preservation Commission.

Rigsby, a former chair of the board, opted not to be re-appointed after five years on the board. Stancil retired from service on the board after eight years, and Starkey, the chair of the HPC, is resigning after moving out of the town.

All three honorees received a plaque, a set of coasters with pictures of historic Aberdeen and a gift certificate to a local restaurant.

Contact Tom Embrey at (910) 693-2484 or tembrey @thepilot.com.

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hippiern 11 months, 1 week ago

thats stupid to not allow access on poplar street. Its the safest way. New stores and competion is needed because prices will come down and everything is so much higher in Moore CO. People also need the jobs Im sure some idiot will sue and then only the lawyers will be making money for awhile. Moore county needs to be able to add new stores without always having to fight.

mymindwanders 11 months, 1 week ago

We really need more stores? really?..

stanley10 11 months, 1 week ago

This Business would increase the value of the property and the tax base of the town. It would also provide JOBS here in the area. Do we REALLY need increased property values, a broader tax base and more JOBS in the area? We do! We REALLY, REALLY do.

DoubleHeroides 11 months, 1 week ago

I agree that jobs are great; a greater tax base is good too. In reality it is all well and good but at what price are we willing to sell out the town and the quality of life the town’s citizens have been enjoying in their (comparative to the alternative presented here) quieter neighborhoods along Poplar Street? Poplar Street is used as an alternative to going up and down US 1 along that portion of the highway in Aberdeen. A large commercial development attracting shoppers from the southern portion of the county and from outside the county (Hoke, Scotland and Cumberland) that approach from 15-501 or 211 will find it quite easy to skip the increased traffic along US 1 brought on by all these new stores and shops that people seem to be scrabbling for and travel up Poplar Street. That street is a 35 mile an hour zone with on street parking for a good portion of it and minimal sidewalks. People walk their dogs, go jogging or biking, children are playing in their yards up and down that street. An increase of traffic would be detrimental to that quality of life all for the sake of out of town business owners and the cry of “more jobs.”

Courseaire 11 months, 1 week ago

McLean said there are a lot of elderly residents and children who live on the street - It's so sad that these elderly residents & children have to live on the street. Can't anything be done to provide them housing?

zeikette 11 months, 1 week ago

@ courseaire, LOL ha ha ha, good play on words! I use poplar st all the time to get away from US1 traffic.

Granted, i wouldn't be happy with a CVS in my front yard,either , but such is progress, People have to do their shopping somewhere. and all the elderly can just walk to the CVS! how green is that!

mymindwanders 11 months, 1 week ago

We have plenty of shopping areas already.It also makes no sense to put it so close to a Major Intersection. It's going to be a Cluster Duck.I guess maybe when our NEW future US-1 By-pass comes to be, it will not matter as much. Gotta love progress. NOT.

Bflat 11 months, 1 week ago

Ah yes...progress. I remember the days of a narrow 2 lane US1 and only the Clambox was the outstanding restaurant. I remember that Town & Country Shopping center was going to carry us into the future...... Remember when?