Book and culture center coming to Water Street

May 12—HENDERSON — A book and cultural center is coming to Water Street.

At their meeting on Monday, the Henderson City Council unanimously approved a rezoning request submitted by Vincent McCall, a resident of the city.

"I wanted to do something different, you know? I wanted to enhance the community," said McCall. "It's a cultural center for everyone, it's not just limited. So, I thought it'd be a good idea to bring some positivity to the area — I would say it's a low income area. It'll help. A lot of people need some kind of direction, a place to come to and educate themselves."

The project is mostly finished on the structural end, said McCall. The next steps are going to be marketing and landscaping. The name of the bookstore has yet to be announced.

"This is how you change communities," said Councilman Jason Spriggs, "these private investors. People always talk about the larger investors coming in, but, in that area, it's individuals like this gentleman who are putting in their hard work and their own resources. And, that's why the area is changing."

The meeting was chock full of zoning-related items. Council members voted to deny a request from LD Land Holdings, LLC to rezone two parcels totaling around 40 acres near Fernwood Avenue and Tiny Broadwick Boulevard to R11, or moderate density residential.

Though it isn't really 40 acres. A flood zone composes around 15 acres of the parcels, as Development Services Director Corey Williams described, which aren't typically developed.

Based in Cary, LD Land Holdings bills itself as "experts in identifying properties with a higher potential use," per their website.

Mike Marshall, who spoke in favor of the rezoning, said there were some benefits. Different types of housing would give more people opportunities to own homes, he said, which would adhere to the city's Comprehensive Plan. Employment opportunities would be opened up during construction, and new residents' money would "trickle down" to local businesses.

He also noted that the LLC wanted to be completely above board during the project's process and work with the adjacent community to address their concerns.

In rezoning cases, officials look at how the land could potentially be used, said City Attorney Rix Edwards. Any project beyond single-family residential homes would require a special use permit, said City Manager Terrell Blackmon.

The Planning Board had unanimously denied the request at their meeting in April.

On Monday, nobody else spoke in favor. Many residents in the neighborhood around the area in question came to speak against the rezoning.

T.W. Floyd expressed concern over the possibility of higher density housing.

"So the more dense you allow, by zoning, the less opportunity you're going to have to control what's there," said Floyd. "If they're an RA, they can come back and ask for a variance for whatever it is, project that they want to accomplish [sic]."

He requested the City Council keep their options open and not grant the rezoning request.

Mary Rogers said her husband graduated from medical school in 2016. They debated where he would practice. They could have gone anywhere, she said, but they chose Vance County, as he was a native. He felt driven to serve the people of his home county, she recounted.

She was concerned that higher density housing would lead to more traffic and noise, and that the current roads would be unable to handle the extra load.

Rogers, like others speaking against, noted that she wasn't against development on principle. However, rezoning to moderate density could lower property values in the area, she said.

Al Rivers called for more focus placed on egress and ingress to the parcel. He also raised concern over the possibility of increased traffic. He noted the Planning Board voted unanimously to deny the request.

Sam Seifert spoke in opposition as well, saying that he and others moved to the area to avoid big city noise and traffic, for more yards and more space. Rezoning would possibly take that away, he said,

"Frankly, rezoning land within a well-established neighborhood without knowing the full intended use could be detrimental to the future of the area," said Seifert.

He continued, saying that the city does need housing and a larger tax base, but that "any development needs to be done thoughtfully" to address everybody's needs.

Mayor Pro Tempore Sara Coffey initially requested to table the discussion pending further investigation.

"We're pushing it back and kicking it down the road instead of making a decision now," said Ellington. Coffey then made a motion to deny the request, with a second from Michael Rainey.

Councilman Garry Daeke noted that it was "as 50-50 as it ever gets," but voted to deny. Councilwoman Melissa Elliott said she would abstain, but then voted "opposite of what everyone else" voted.

The motion to deny passed.

"I hate to have to come out against something that gives us more tax base and nicer homes," said Rivers after the vote. "I'm not necessarily opposed to the growth, but I am opposed to it being this way."

Floyd shared his thoughts as well.

"We're certainly not anti-development — we're pro-development — but we think that the city should have a firm understanding of what the project was going to be, and we just didn't have that," said Floyd.

LD Land Holdings, LLC declined to comment.

The last rezoning request was from Allen Simmons. Alight Investments LLC wants to build a funeral home at 549 South William Street.

"We provide professional funeral services for families here, in this community," said "to allow us to help those families also, to have nice funerals for their loved ones and not walk away broke. We're just seeking to use this property for that purpose, having everything in one location."

Coffey thanked the applicants — they made tombstones for her parents and her son. She noted it was "one of the most beautiful tombstones I've ever seen done."

The request was granted unanimously.

"I feel like it is a major need for the community," said Simmons afterward. "I think we'll be able to help a lot of people here in this community with funeral services and also clean up that area where it is actually currently located and help beautify it, and hopefully add some value to the surrounding community."

They have a name planned — Alight Funeral and Cremation Services, LLC. It's a portmanteau of he and his business partners' names — Allen Simmons and Dwight Elam.

Afterwards, the council discussed an amendment to the city's zoning ordinances that would allow florist establishments to double as residences.

One Matthew Campbell wants to open a florist shop and use it as a residence. The property he's looking at is two stories.

Nobody spoke for or against. The council passed it unanimously.