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A dam that regulates water levels in Lake Glenwood in Eastern Pines needs repairs. The Greenville City Council on Thursday unanimously voted against a rezoning request because runoff from the property would flow into the lake and likely put additional stress on the dam.
The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted for a feasibility study to consider taking ownership of Lake Glenwood off of Eastern Pines Road on Monday.
The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted for a feasibility study to consider taking ownership of Lake Glenwood off of Eastern Pines Road on Monday.
A dam that regulates water levels in Lake Glenwood in Eastern Pines needs repairs. The Greenville City Council on Thursday unanimously voted against a rezoning request because runoff from the property would flow into the lake and likely put additional stress on the dam.
The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted for a feasibility study to consider taking ownership of Lake Glenwood off of Eastern Pines Road on Monday.
The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted for a feasibility study to consider taking ownership of Lake Glenwood off of Eastern Pines Road on Monday.
The Greenville City Council on Thursday voted 5-0 to approve two downtown social districts and deny a rezoning request on L.T. Hardee Road out of concerns over a nearby dam.
Social districts allow people to walk in designated areas with open containers of alcoholic beverages in hand while moving in and out of participating businesses. The Uptown District is focused around Fifth street between Washington and Read streets and the Dickinson Avenue district is focused on Dickinson Avenue and several surrounding streets.
The districts go in effect Oct. 2, following a 45-day implantation period that will allow the city to print and post signs and make other preparations.
The social district vote came at the end of a nearly three-hour meeting and little discussion occurred. Earlier in the meeting, 5th Street Hardware Restaurant and Taproom owner Billy Smith asked council to consider a 30-day implementation period so the districts would be operational during more East Carolina University home football games. He also suggested the district’s operating hours be between noon and 5 p.m. or noon to 10 p.m.
Council didn’t incorporate Smith’s suggestions.
Councilwoman Marion Blackburn, who lobbied during a Monday review of the proposal to delay action to receive more public input, asked that the city host discussions during the implementation period.
Following Thursday’s meeting, Mayor P.J. Connelly said he supported the idea of an input session.
“It’s very important that we continue to get feedback from the public and it is successful,” he said. “We want to make sure we know what is going well and what is not going well so we can make adjustments.”
The implementation of social districts is new and occurring across the state, Connelly said. It’s important to monitor those communities to see what is succeeding and what needs changing, he said.
“I am hopeful it will continue to bring commerce to our area. I think it’s important we support all our local businesses but we have to do it in an appropriate way that is safe for all the citizens as well,” Connelly said.
Councilman Will Bell, who voted against the ordinance on Monday because he didn’t believe it did enough to help local businesses, did not attend Thursday’s meeting.
Prior to the social district vote, the council unanimously voted to deny a request to rezone 13.8 acres located east of L.T. Hardee Road and between Norfolk Southern Railroad and Leon Drive from residential-agricultural to residential high density multi-family. The vote came after nearly a dozen people living in the area asked council to reject the recommendation.
The neighbors feared stormwater runoff from the property would flow into Lake Glenwood south of the development off Eastern Pines Road.
The lake is contained by a dam that has received notices of deficiency from the state Dam Safety Program.
The speakers feared additional stormwater runoff would cause the dam to fail and flood Eastern Pines Roads and downstream neighborhoods. Council members raised concerns a breach could be catastrophic and threaten lives.
Other neighbors expressed worries over increased traffic and that the only entrance into the proposed development is located in the vortex of a 90-degree curve.
Councilman Rick Smiley first raised the question about Lake Glenwood’s dam when questioning Landon Weaver, who represents Bill Clark Homes, which sought the rezoning.
Smiley asked Weaver what he knew about the lake and the dam.
“I think it’s been in disrepair for quite some time,” Weaver said. “Whether we develop this area or not, the problem is still going to be there.”
Jeff Bair, a Lake Glenwood resident who has undertaken the job of managing the lake, said repairing the dam isn’t as simple as replacing the deteriorating piping.
The state has declared it a “high hazard” and is mandating larger piping be the installed, Bair said. The repairs will cost more than $500,000.
Bair said many times he’s found himself in near hurricane-strength winds monitoring the dam and making adjustments to prevent a breach.
When the lake was created, the surrounding area was rural and undeveloped and could handle runoff. Given the growth that has occurred, it would be better described as a stormwater reservoir, Bair said.
Mark and Delene Posey, who live in a nearby neighborhood, were told their home was outside the floodplain when they purchased it even though a ditch that ran into Lake Glenwood was nearby.
The couple described how water was an inch away from flooding their home during a storm. They fear runoff from the apartment complex would close that gap.
Ron Lancaster said the Lake Glenwood dam has been breached twice in a 23-year period. It was nearly breached several other times but it was avoided thanks to the work of residents and local emergency responders.
Lancaster also said he believed putting a high density development in a community of single-family homes would be a detriment to the area’s quality of life.
Dennis Campbell, who echoed the concerns about drainage, also raised questions about noise and light pollution coming from an apartment complex.
He said he had researched data that showed that between June 2021 and June 2022, 200 car crashes occurred at the intersection of L.T. Hardee Road and N.C. 33 East, which would be used by most of the increased traffic generated by the apartment complex.
Weaver said Bill Clark Homes is having discussions with Norfolk Southern Railroad about utilizing an access road that connects the property to the Walmart property on East 10th Street as a secondary access.
Weaver said Norfolk Southern had already agreed that the road could be accessed by emergency vehicles that might need it when the development is complete.
Contact Ginger Livingston at glivingston@reflector.com or 252-329-9570.
www.Reflector.com 1150 Sugg Pkwy Greenville, NC 27834 Main Phone: 252-329-9500 Customer Care Phone: 252-329-9505
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