The INDEPENDENT, January 21, 2010
Page 13
Fowler newest Banks councilor
Banks new councilor, Rob
Fowler, was sworn in as the
first order of business at the
Wednesday, January 13, meet-
ing of the city council. After re-
ceiving congratulatory hand-
shakes from the other coun-
cilors and applause from the
audience, Fowler took his place
at council table.
The meeting was well at-
tended, with the audience out-
numbering available seats.
Most of the audience attended
to hear a land use presentation
by attorney Phillip Grille, who
was representing Jim Craw-
ford, a rural property owner in
the Zone 3 study area of the
city’s proposed Urban Growth
Boundry (UGB). [Zone 3 is
west of Hwy. 47, starting on the
south side of Sunset Park and
continuing beyond Hwy. 6.]
Grille focused on the criteria
and issues of efficient accom-
modation of identified needs for
all four zones in the study area,
including public facilities and
services; comparative environ-
mental, energy, economic, and
social consequences; and
compatibility with agricultural
and forest activities outside the
UGB. He concluded with his
client’s position, making it clear
that this was a process to begin
discussions.
The analysis presented by
Grille rated Zone 3 as the “most
suitable” future development
area with its easy access to
Hwy 6, it could serve as a gate-
way to the City of Banks, and
would promote efficient use of
vital transportation, directly ad-
jacent to the largest area of ex-
ception lands to be designated
as employment lands; future
traffic would be distributed
more evenly throughout the
Banks area; access to new em-
ployment areas in Zone 4
would be more convenient, and
transportation upgrades to the
on-off ramp to Hwy. 6 could be
funded by available system de-
velopment charges (SDCs)
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The presentation graded
Zones 1 and 4 as “mostly suit-
able” for development, but with
significant problems. Zone 1
would negatively affect traffic
congestion in old town Banks,
and future development would
increase the chance of conflicts
with Sunset Park and, possibly,
the speedway. Zone 1 would
also allow safe access to shop-
ping and schools; the land is
flat; and has 28 acres of devel-
opable lands. Zone 4 negatives
include realigning Wilkesboro
Road further south to allow for
more separation from the
exit/entrance ramp on Hwy 6
and lands included for a re-
alignment of Wilkesboro Road
contain a small stream and as-
sociated wetlands, additionally,
future residential lands in the
zone, that are north of Hwy 6,
would not have convenient ac-
cess to Main Street without a
direct connection across the
railroad tracks. The positive as-
pects of Zone 4 are that an em-
ployment area south of Hwy 6
would allow for easy access,
and commercial lands in the
zone would promote a compact
growth pattern.
Zone 2 was graded as ‘un-
suitable’ in all criteria areas for
development. This zone would
negatively create an overre-
liance on Main Street; the up-
grades or improvements to ru-
ral roads serving east Banks
may be cost prohibitive as
Banks Road is hilly with poor
sight distance, the stop sign
controlled intersections along
NW Banks Road, NW Aerts
Each of the pennants made as part of “The Banks Beautification Pennant Project” was shown
on the cake made to celebrate the project’s completion.
Leadership group completes project
A group in Banks has cele-
brated the completion of a proj-
ect they undertook as part of a
leadership training program.
The project was entitled
“The Banks Beautification Pen-
nant Project” and the results
can be seen in colorful pen-
nants hung along Main Street.
The group celebrated, and
made a presentation to the City
of Banks and the Banks Cham-
ber of Commerce, on Saturday,
January 16.
The leadership class includ-
ed JoLynn Becker, Tyler Bir-
man, Katherine Burgesser, Dan
Dethlefs, Kathy Edison, Sam
Edison, Christine Fore, Christy
Greagor, Sue Hauser, Tiara
Herr, Allan Polendey, Janice
Randolph, Bill Schlegel, Kelsey
Taylor, Mark Ward, and Debra
Wyckoff. The leadership pro-
gram was through the Ford
Family Institute.
The class came up with the
project, raised funds, found
sponsors for each of the 24
pennants, solicited help from
other community members (and
friends), and then completed
the beautification project.
Road, Hwy. 47 and Hwy. 6
would need to support a great
deal of traffic, the widening of
Main Street to alleviate the traf-
fic congestion is not possible,
and future residential develop-
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