Pembroke rejects tribes bid to provide housing for homeless veterans – The Robesonian

PEMBROKE The Pembroke Town Council rejected on Monday a rezoning request that would have cleared the way for construction of housing for homeless veterans.

The council voted 3-1 to deny the request from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

With a burdened heart, I make a motion to not approve the request, Councilman Channing Jones said.

Councilman Ryan Sampson cast the lone no vote on Jones motion.

In February, the tribe asked the council to rezone the land from multi-family to residential district and to issue a conditional-use permit for the operation of a mobile home park to be called Veterans Village near Arrow Point subdivision. The request was tabled until Mondays meeting.

The tribe-funded project called for the placing of 20 14-by-64-foot single-wide mobile homes on a nine-acre tract of land off Darkwater Lane, located behind the Boys and Girls Club and Tribal Administration Complex, also known as The Turtle.

The homes would be furnished, maintained and secured by the tribe, said Bradley Locklear, Lumbee Tribal Housing director.

The proposal was made possible by a partnership between the Lumbee Tribe and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

We were awarded these homes because of our performance and positive standing with HUD, Lumbee Tribe Chairman Harvey Godwin Jr. said. HUD gave us these homes for free.

During his presentation, Locklear was backed by tribal members who support the project.

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the tribe, spoke about the homes and what the tribe does for its veterans.

This is our opportunity to utilize property that has been given to us, Jacobs said. Veterans bond together. They need a second chance just like anyone in here needs a second chance.

Im pouring my heart out to you.

Jacobs also told the council members that neighboring residents should not object to the mobile homes.

These homes are built better than modular homes, Jacobs said. I did some research, and 38% to 40% of the homes in Robeson County are mobile.

Gary Deese, retired military veteran, made a passionate plea to the council members, specifically to Mayor Gregory Cummings, a Vietnam War veteran.

I would like to plead to the council, a veteran to a veteran, Deese said. Consider our veterans and consider what this would be for our community. The word would get out that Pembroke is veteran friendly.

These trailers, I would not be ashamed to live in.

Council members assured the audience that whether or not the town supported veterans is not the issue.

To all the veterans in the room thank you for your service, Jones said. I most certainly know the need our veterans have. Theres nothing about the council that wants to anything but help our veterans.

Jones and Councilman Larry McNeill said the problem is the potential for spot zoning and issues with future developers wanting to open mobile home parks.

Its clearly inconsistent with the current development that is there, Jones said. The consideration is that if this type of development goes forward, can this council be consistent with future developers? This council has to make a decision based on everybody.

Councilwoman Theresa Locklear asked tribal leaders if they had a Plan B.

Not at the moment, Godwin said.

These veterans have been on our waiting list for the past two years, Bradley Locklear said. This was the plan to expedite it quickly.

Jones said the town would partner with the tribe in finding another route.

In other business, the council approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance, Article 10 Table of Permitted Use, to add brewery as a permitted use. The board also awarded the applicant, the A.S. Thomas Center, a conditional-use permit to operate a mixed-use development at 205 Union Chapel Road.

The A.S. Thomas Center will be a 36,000-square-foot, mixed-use development that will feature retail, restaurants and student apartment-style housing with a total of 34 bedrooms. Developed by Thomas Properties Group in partnership with Metcon Buildings and Infrastructure, the development is the first in a series of planned downtown revitalization projects. Metcon will provide design/build services for the project.

Anchor tenants for the new space include microbrewery Lonerider Spirits Distillery & Brewery and New York Deli. The new center will replace the existing Pates Supply storefront on Union Chapel Road.

The total investment is around $8 million, Metcon President and CEO Aaron Thomas said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the center is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.

Council members approved a request from the N.C. Department of Transportation to initiate a 30-day public comment period so town residents can give their input on recommendations contained in a Traffic Separation Study. The purpose of the study is to identify ways to reduce accidents and improve the overall safety at railroad crossings in the town.

A draft will be available on the towns website, and Councilman Jones requested maps be displayed at Town Hall.

Also on Monday, the council:

Tabled a request to amend the towns Unified Development Ordinance to add Public Safety Stations such as fire stations, police stations and rescue squads as permitted uses in a R-8 Residential District. The applicant is the Pembroke Rescue Squad, which currently is in a R-8 District.

Approved a resolution closing Union Chapel Road from Second Street to Third Street on Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the groundbreaking of the A.S. Thomas Center.

Set a public hearing date for the April meeting for a condition-use permit request to build a mixed-use development on Corinth and Prospect roads.

Jones

Gregory Jacobs, a volunteer Veterans Services officer with the Lumbee Tribe, asks the Pembroke Town Council on Monday to consider rezoning land to allow the tribe to develop Veterans Village, a housing project for homeless veterans. The council voted 3-1 to deny the request.

Tribe wanted to place home near The Turtle

Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at [emailprotected] or 910-416-5865.

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Pembroke rejects tribes bid to provide housing for homeless veterans - The Robesonian