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Troutman ordinance tries to keep town's image
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Published: December 4, 2008
Troutman officials are hoping to use the lessons learned from Exit 36 to preserve the town's small-town feel.
Town officials met with local business owners and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce's Troutman Area Council on Wednesday to discuss how various public and private entities could work together to achieve that goal.
Town Manager David Saleeby said the town's Unified Development ordinance has set the bar high for developers.
When developers come to the town with a big plan for the area, Saleeby said they have to make the Board of Aldermen see something other than what Mooresville looks like.
"We don't want an Exit 36," Saleeby said. "It is a concrete jungle all the way into town."
For a good portion of the meeting, Saleeby went over the purpose of the Unified Development ordinance and explained that it will help determine how the town looks in 10 to 20 years.
"As much as people hate this book," he said, "the developers that are self-centered and they want to make a quick buck and leave, they take a look at this and never come back."
Some of the business owners were concerned about the flexibility of the ordinance.
Happy Days Child Development Center owner Sherry Beard was concerned about being able to expand her business.
Troutman Area Council Board member Julia Tedder was concerned about what downtown would look like.
Saleeby said the town staff would be willing to work with residents and business owners to address those concerns, but ultimately the decision is up to the elected board.
While the town can control the signs, setbacks and where things go, it can't control the pace roads and schools are built.
Iredell-Statesville Schools Director of Maintenance Services Kenny Miller said the school district is working with Barium Springs to acquire some property to build a new middle school next to South Iredell High School.
The current Troutman Elementary and Middle School complex would be turned into an elementary and intermediate school combination to ease the overcrowding issue that comes along with growth.
"Troutman's biggest problem is transportation," said Mayor Elbert Richardson.
Saleeby said if the N.C. Department of Transportation doesn't do something to help the town with its road system — particularly on Main Street — Troutman will become a town without left turns.
In addition to the questions about the downtown area and traffic, Saleeby answered several questions about future parks and the town library.
Saleeby said the town has big plans for the downtown area, which will be unveiled in the future.
Richardson said Wagner Street will end next to Dollar General, creating a T-shaped intersection. The portion of the street in the downtown commercial area will be turned into a walking mall, he said.
Greater Statesville Chamber President and CEO David Bradley said Troutman is a lot like Alpharetta, Ga. The chamber visited the Atlanta suburb a while back to learn how the leaders dealt with the encroaching growth from the capital city.
"You can pick and chose what you want to look like when you grow," he said. "Troutman is in a really cool position."
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