The Greenville Board of Adjustment held a remote quasi-judicial evidentiary hearing on February 25, 2021, beginning at 11:15 AM. The meeting was conducted via a remote electronic platform due to the COVID-19 state of emergency, in accordance with North Carolina General Statutes 166A-19.24 and Session Law 2020-3. The board considered six agenda items: a special use permit amendment for a dormitory development, two special use permits for mobile homes on separate lots, a special use permit for a convenience store with gasoline sales (continued to a later date), a special use permit for a building supply and lumber sales facility, and a variance from parking regulations for a church. The meeting lasted approximately five hours, concluding after 10:30 PM. All votes were unanimous except where noted.
Item 4 – Mango Man LLC (Convenience Store with Gasoline Sales): Six members of the public spoke in opposition to the proposed convenience store with gasoline sales at the corner of Davenport Farm Road and Frog Level Road. Speakers included:
No speakers spoke in favor of the application. The applicant, Robert Jeffries, and Sophia Avila (management) presented testimony supporting the convenience store with gas pumps.
Other Items: No public comments were made for items 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6.
Mr. Bullock, you're alive. Good to go. Good evening, everyone. We're going to call the meeting to order. Um the meeting will now come to order. Welcome to the February 25th, 2021 meeting of the City of Greenville Board of Adjustment. My name is Rodney Bullock, and I am vice chair of this board and will be serving as the chair tonight. I would like to start by acknowledging that we are conduct conducting this meeting using a remote electronic platform. This is a meeting of the Greenville Board of Adjustment. I would ask for your patience tonight as we proceed. There may be slight delays as we transition between speakers, participants, and presentations. We conduct evidentiary hearings on requests for special use permits and variances and also hear certain administrative appeals. Before we begin the evidentiary hearings on tonight's agenda, I would like to provide some important information about the steps taken to ensure that each party's due process rights are protected as we proceed in this remote platform. First, tonight was conducted by simultaneous communication in accordance with the newly enacted statutes, such as North Carolina General Statute 166A-19.24 in session law 2020-3, which allow for remote meetings and quad quasi judicial hearings during declarations of emergency and additional requirements regarding notice and the opportunity to be heard. Second, each applicant on tonight's agenda was notified before being placed on the agenda that this meeting would be conducted using a remote electronic platform. Applicants on tonight's agenda have consented to the board conducting the evidentiary hearing on their request using this remote platform. We will also confirm tonight at the start of each evidentiary hearing that the participant the participants in the evidentiary hearing consent to the matter proceeding in this remote platform. Specifically, notice of tonight's remote evidentiary hearings was provided by mail to the applicants and all property owners within 250 feet of each subject property. The mail notices were sent two weeks in advance and the meeting date and within the law to provide such notice, and each notice letter notified the recipient of the remote meeting platform. The letters also stated to contact the city immediately if there were any objections to the evidentiary hearing for which the notice was sent or to the remote meeting platform. No case is proceeding tonight in which the city has been contacted by an individual who objects to this meeting being heard by way of simultaneous remote meeting platform. Notice was also provided by the posting of a sign on the site of each property, publishing of a notice in the newspaper, and providing notice on the city's website. Each of these notice methods were also done within the legal requirement to provide such notice. The notices for tonight's meeting contained information about the means by which the public can access the remote meeting as the meeting occurs. Information about this sign-up requirement, along with information about how to sign up to participate, was included in the mail notice letter sent to each property owner within 250 feet of each subject property. No cases proceeding tonight in which anyone contacted the city to voice an objection to a request or the remote meeting platform. All individuals participating in tonight's evidentiary hearings were also required to submit a copy of any presentation document, exhibit, or other material that they wish to submit at the evidentiary hearing prior to tonight's remote meeting. Tonight's agenda and all materials that the city received from the participants in tonight's cases, as well as a copy of city staff's presentation and documents were posted online on the city's website at Greenville NC dot G O V. Prior to this remote meeting. All materials that will be discussed tonight can be viewed at any time during tonight's meeting by going to the city's website and clicking on the link at the top of the page for tonight's meeting. All decisions of this board are subject to appeal to the Pig County Superior Court. Finally, all individuals who signed up to participate in an evidentiary hearing on tonight's agenda, as well as all city staff participants were emailed a witness consent and oath form prior to tonight's meeting. Any individual planning to testify or submit evidence in an evidentiary hearing was notified that he or she must sign the oath form prior to tonight's to today's meeting. We will also reaffirm everyone's oath on the record at tonight's meeting. Elizabeth Blunt, lead planner with the city planning and development services department is serving as staff to the board. Tony Parker, neighborhood liaison, planner I with the city's planning and development services department will be serving as the clerk for the meeting tonight and will also assist with procedural questions. Also, assistant city attorney Donald Phillips will be advising the board on legal and procedural questions. Now that that's out of the way, Mr. Clerk, would you please call the roll? Yes, sir. Be glad to. Michael Glenn. Rodney Bullock? Here. Ann Bellis. Ann Bellis. Miss Ann, you need to unmute. Miss Ann? Tony, can you unmute her and ask her to unmute?