January 4, 2016 - 6:00 PM - County Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes (Rezoning)

10 26 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners January 4 , 2016 6 00 pm The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday , January 4 , 2016 at 6 00 pm in the Commissioners Meeting Room , Johnston County Courthouse Annex , Smithfield , North Carolina The following members were present Present Chairman Tony Braswell , Vice Chairman DeVan Barbour , Cookie Pope , Allen L Mims , Jr , Jeffrey P Carver , Ted G Godwin , and Chad M Stewart Absent None Also Present County Manager Rick J Hester , County Attorney Jennifer J Slusser , and Paralegal Deputy Clerk to the Board Dana Cuddington Chairman Tony Braswell called the meeting to order at 6 00 pm and the following business was transacted 1 Public Comment None 2 Public Hearing Rezoning and Special Use Requests Advertised – The Smithfield Herald – December 23 and 30 , 2015 Certified letters were mailed to adjoining property owners on December 18 , 2015 A notice was posted at the location on November 4 , 2015 for Case 15 - 28 The Chairman opened the Rezoning Hearing for Case 15 - 28 Case 15 - 28 Petition to rezone 17122 acres located along Cornwallis Road SR 1525 approximately 1 mile from its intersection with Cleveland Road SR 1010 in Cleveland Township from Agricultural Residential AR to Agricultural Residential – Special Use District AR - SUD Tax ID 06E03013 Owner Joy E Mercer and M Earl Eakes , Jr Applicant Capital Properties of Raleigh II , NC Planning Director Berry Gray stated the petition is to rezone 17122 acres located along Cornwallis Road approximately 1 mile from its intersection with Cleveland Road in Cleveland Township from Agricultural Residential to Agricultural Residential – Special Use District Mr Gray noted the special use request associated with the rezoning is to allow for a Planned Unit Development The surrounding land uses are zoned Agricultural Residential and used for agricultural and residential purposes ; Agricultural Residential – Special Use District for a campground and a cell tower ; Mobile Home Park District for a mobile home park ; General Business – Special Use District for a mini - storage facility ; Industrial 1 – Special Use District for a grading and utility business ; and Industrial 2 – Special Use District for open storage Mr Gray reported the area is located within a designated “ Primary Growth Area ” on the County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan which denotes an area in which high levels of growth pressures currently exist or are anticipated near term Also , the Land Use Plan states that the Primary Growth area should be considered as the locations for investment of public infrastructure roads and utilities , along with consideration of adjustments to zoning to allow higher residential densities and non - residential uses Additionally , this site is located within a mile of a “ Community Center ” commercial activity node and higher density housing is encouraged near Commercial Activity Centers Mr Gray also stated in the Land Use Plan , objective 1B encourages the County to allow for higher densities and a greater mixture of land uses in urban areas and the County will encourage development and mixed land use patterns in concentrated areas that make the most of efficient use of infrastructure Mr Gray stated the area is within the Sewer Service Area Mr Gray stated the site is 17122 acres and the developer is requesting the special use permit for 375 single family detached dwellings at a density of 22 units per acre versus 15 units per acre which is currently allowed in the Agricultural Residential zoning classification Mr Gray reported there is a Planned Unit Development in close proximity known as Cleveland Bluffs with a planned density at 4 units per acre Mr Gray stated a Traffic Impact Analysis TIA was conducted and recommended improvements are included in the special use permit conditions , should the rezoning be approved Page27 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Commissioner Cookie Pope asked about sewer capacities and how this proposed development could affect future commercial growth at I - 40 NC 42 as far as utilities are concerned Mr Gray stated he consulted with Public Utilities Director Chandra Coats regarding sewer capacities for the subject site and Ms Coats reported there is approximately 2 million gallons per day available Mr Gray stated Ms Coats confirmed that adequate sewer capacity is available for the proposed development which is based on 80 gallons per day per bedroom Mr Gray stated regarding future commercial growth in the subject area , any residential use would take away from the total capacity ; however , he would have to consult with Ms Coats to determine exactly how that growth could be impacted Commissioner Ted G Godwin calculated that if every house in the proposed development has three bedrooms , then it would require 90,000 gallons per day of capacity so he feels there is plenty of capacity At the inquiry of Commissioner DeVan Barbour , Mr Gray stated he is aware that the developer has spoken with Public Utilities regarding sewer capacity and a possible pump station arrangement and the developer could possibly provide more information on those discussions Jerry Dalton , Engineer , 446 E Main Street , Clayton , representing Applicant Capital Properties of Raleigh II , NC , addressed the Board Mr Dalton stated regarding sewer capacity , they have been in talks with Public Utilities concerning a joint project to upgrade the pump station which could eliminate one or possibly two other pump stations in the area Mr Dalton stated the County Public Utilities staff is very interested in discussing the joint project if the rezoning is approved and the project goes forward as planned Mr Dalton explained that regarding the force main size , they can currently proceed with Phase 1 of the development with no force main upgrades ; however , the lines would need to be upgraded either for a regional pump station or during the second or third phase of the development Mr Dalton stated there were questions regarding the proposed amenities for the development as well as the type of construction planned He submitted copies of a booklet to the Board that highlighted the type of planned amenities for the development such as a club house and pool as well as the type of construction Mr Dalton continued that at the Planning Board meeting there were questions regarding the traffic improvements and the Planning Board had asked if the Department of Transportation could review the Traffic Impact Analysis again about possible additional improvements at S Shiloh Road and Cornwallis Road Mr Dalton stated they had their TIA Engineer look at the area again and he has recommended no additional improvements other than what is planned in the original TIA Mr Dalton stated it is his understanding that the County staff checked with the Department of Transportation who reviewed the TIA again also and indicated no additional improvements were needed other than what is required in the original TIA At the request of Commissioner Barbour , Mr Dalton clarified the areas where the amenities are planned for the development Upon questions by Commissioner Ted G Godwin regarding traffic concerns that were expressed at the Planning Board meeting , Mr Gray confirmed that staff asked the Department of Transportation to go back and review the area at S Shiloh Road and the Department of Transportation did review the area again and reported that even with the proposed development , it does not warrant a left turn lane at S Shiloh Road Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr mentioned the Planned Unit Development across from the school in the area and recalled when the Board considered that development there were requirements then about turn lanes at Cleveland Road and Cornwallis Road and he asked if those turn lanes have been installed or if there were issues with the right - of - way being obtained Mr Gray responded those turn lanes have not been installed yet and the Department of Transportation is working with the developer on that project to phase in the turn lanes Mr Gray stated regarding the right - of - way , he believes that is still a work in progress Commissioner Godwin asked how the construction phasing would take place on the proposed development Mr Dalton stated the first phase of construction would be at the front near the entrance and continue down to the area planned for the pool with subsequent phasing thereafter Commissioner Cookie Pope stated at the Planning Board meeting , Paul Brang spoke regarding access for his property through the subject site and she asked for clarification on this matter Page28 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Dalton stated they have allowed an access for Mr Brang on the map Commissioner Mims commented that the maps the Board were given in the agenda packet versus the map in the booklets submitted at this meeting are not the same Mr Dalton stated they have made revisions to the map since the Planning Board meeting and provided that revised map to staff Mr Gray stated the current map under consideration is the one that is included in the booklet submitted by the applicant at this meeting Mr Dalton stated the map was revised to try and address some of the concerns that have been expressed Commissioner Pope asked if the access provided for Mr Brang would be for logging Mr Dalton stated it is his understanding that Mr Brang raised the possibility of logging his property in the future Mr Dalton stated a 30 ft access is shown on the map for Mr Brang’s property and they are not declaring a 50 ft public right - of - way Mr Dalton stated they are planning for a 30 ft easement for access only for hunting and possibly logging Mr Dalton stated Mr Brang is in the audience and could possibly provide more information as to his future plans for his property Commissioner Pope expressed concerns about the possibility of log trucks traveling through the development stating the citizens may question that also Mr Dalton stated he also had questions about logging and who would pay to repair the road if it were damaged by the log trucks , but the access is there Mr Dalton stated this is something that would have to be worked out between the developer and Mr Brang Commissioner Chad M Stewart noted whether or not the subdivision is developed , Mr Brang still needs access to his property Mr Dalton stated Mr Brang has enjoyed the land for many years because he has had access through the subject site and the proposed development would not hinder or stop that access in any way Mr Dalton also spoke on the flood plain area within the Brang tract of land and how it could affect the development of that property Mr Gray reported staff looked at the Brang property and he confirmed that a lot of it is within the 100 year flood plain with some of the property being included in an environmentally sensitive area which states development cannot occur at all within the 100 year flood plain Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver noted at the Planning Board meeting , Mr Brang mentioned that his attorney advised him that he had an “ easement of necessity ” Commissioner Carver asked for more information on that County Attorney Jennifer Slusser stated she is not familiar with the “ easement of necessity ” for the Brang property and is not sure that is the case Mr Dalton stated they are not against Mr Brang having access to his property ; however , because Mr Brang’s property could probably not be developed due to the flood plain and the environmentally sensitive area they did not see the need to grant a 50 ft right - of - way easement Commissioner Carver expressed concerns with the two access points for the proposed development being so close together Commissioner Carver stated it defeats the purpose of what the Board adopted years ago after the hurricanes caused a great deal of damage and emergency vehicles were not able to get to the back of some of the subdivisions Commissioner Carver stated the two entrances being located so close together could cause problems for emergency vehicles trying to access the back of the development during a disaster At the inquiry of Commissioner Mims , Mr Dalton stated they would install curb and gutter as well as stormwater retention ponds Page29 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Brent Williford , 1507 Cornwallis Road , stated he lives at the turn where Cornwallis Road turns off onto S Shiloh Road Mr Williford stated he is not against the proposed development ; however , his issue is the traffic Mr Williford stated the roads are already overloaded and worn out He continued the new Cleveland Bluffs development will add even more congestion and he spoke on the congested traffic conditions along Cornwallis Road Mr Williford stated the current roadway cannot support the proposed development and he spoke on the traffic conditions around the school Mr Williford stated the traffic and road situation needs to be looked at again Richard Boylard , 3047 Jack Road , Clayton , echoed the comments by Mr Williford and spoke on the traffic conditions in the area and the dangers at the intersections Mr Boylard stated people are having to look at alternate routes because of all the traffic in the area Mr Boylard spoke on Government Road noting it is being used as a shortcut for traffic to bypass Hwy 42 traffic and stated he is concerned as the area continues to be developed , accidents on many of these roads being used as shortcuts will happen Mr Boylard stated the traffic situation needs to be addressed for safety reasons Arlene Lampley , 4544 S Shiloh Road , stated she lives in front of Brent Williford Ms Lampley spoke on the number of accidents that have occurred at the intersection with S Shiloh Road Ms Lampley expressed concerns with putting another development in the area considering the current conditions of the roads and intersections Ms Lampley stressed the need to improve the roads in the area Peter Bacon , 61 Carriage Creek , stated he has concerns with the Traffic Impact Analysis that was performed for the proposed development Mr Bacon stated the intersection of Cleveland School Road and Cornwallis Road is of particular concern to him Mr Bacon stated every subdivision in the area is adding houses rapidly on top of the new Cleveland Bluffs development which is adding to the traffic congestion Mr Bacon spoke on his frustrations that because of the congestion everything he moved to the area for is now gone Mr Bacon stated they are not a town and they do not have police or other resources and they cannot continue to grow without direction Commissioner Chad M Stewart commented that the roads keep coming up for discussion and at some point he would assume the Department of Transportation would have to address the roads for safety issues Commissioner Stewart stated he understands the concerns of the citizens ; however , when developers continue to construct these types of subdivisions then it must be attractive to someone otherwise the homes would not sell Mr Bacon responded to Commissioner Stewart stating the homes keep selling because the buyers are coming from out of the County and they are not aware of the issues with traffic or school crowding in that all they see is they can get a bigger home for less money Mr Bacon stated he just cannot understand why the Department of Transportation does not see the problems and fix them Commissioner Barbour commented that most of the roads in the area were designed and built long before the subdivisions were developed and the traffic studies being discussed today are for ingress egress issues instead of traffic volumes Paul Brang , 2463 Midway Drive , Raleigh , addressed the Board Mr Brang pointed out the access point to his property from the subject site Mr Brang stated when the title work was done on his property he was told by his attorney at that time that he had an “ easement by necessity ” so he is under the opinion that this is a law which does exist Mr Brang stated he does intend to log his property and has been working with the State to plant trees which would encourage forestry type activities Mr Brang reported he has spoken with the developer of the subject site and he hopes the 30 ft easement will allow him to log his property Mr Brang stated regarding any damage to the roads from the log trucks , he would assume that he would be responsible Mr Brang stated he would prefer a 50 ft right - of - way easement , but he does not see the 30 ft access as an encumbrance Upon a question by Commissioner Godwin , Mr Brang stated he owns three tracts of land in the area and the tract at the access point from the subject site is 84 acres with the other two tracts being 40 acres and 35 acres to the east with the access to those coming off Lee Road Mr Dalton readdressed the Board and stated they have been looking at the map of the property and there is a possibility for another stub near the western property line of the development if another access point is needed Mr Dalton stated the stub would be through Phil Wood’s property and he does not know if Mr Wood would be agreeable to that ; however , there is a possibility PagePage pageNumber530 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued At the inquiry of Commissioner Mims , Mr Dalton stated he is unsure if Mr Wood plans to develop his property Commissioner Carver stated that would be a stub and not another access for emergency vehicles Wendy Ella May , 1577 Davis Homestead Road , spoke on the need for proper access for emergency vehicles Ms May stated her background is in Fire and Emergency Management and she spoke on the importance of having fire and emergency access for all the homes and schools in the area Ms May stated the area is growing and safety must be considered Ms May stated it is great to put in a stub , but she expressed concerns with the difficulties of emergency trucks accessing properties and she asked the Board to require a second paved access for emergency vehicles Ms May disagreed that people moving into Johnston County are not aware of the growth problems Mr Bacon readdressed the Board and stated a lot of the people that move into the area are from out of State and are indeed unaware of the growth issues Johnston County has There being no further public comments , the Chairman closed the public comment portion of the hearing Mr Gray reported the Planning Board recommended approval of the rezoning and adoption of a Resolution for the Statement of Consistency as submitted in the agenda packet There being no further comments , the Chairman closed the Rezoning Hearing for Case 15 - 28 Discussion by the Board Commissioner Ted G Godwin stated he thinks the proposed development has a lot of merits , but there are a lot of concerns that have been raised Commissioner Godwin stated one of his concerns is the limited access to the property particularly the back section of the property and while the revised map improves that , his concern is now limiting the number of lots that could come on line before a back access is actually put into place Commissioner DeVan Barbour stated in looking at the development he is concerned over the access points Commissioner Barbour stated he is unsure that a back access could be obtained Commissioner Allen L Mims , Jr stated no one knows if the property owned by Mr Wood in which Mr Dalton referenced possibly putting a stub at will even be developed at some point Commissioner Chad M Stewart asked what would happen if the rezoning request is denied and if some type of development could currently be constructed under the current Agricultural Residential zoning Commissioner Mims stated a density of 15 units per acre is currently allowed under the current Agricultural Residential zoning classification Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver agreed that the developer could go through the Planning Board to construct a subdivision at a lesser density of 15 units per acre without Board of Commissioner approval , but the applicant is asking for the special use because they want the higher density of 22 units per acre Commissioner Mims stated he does not see where this request is in the public interest considering what he has seen and heard during this hearing Commissioner Mims noted he travels the area frequently and he can agree with the traffic congestion concerns that have been expressed Decision on Rezoning Case 15 - 28 Case 15 - 28 Petition to rezone 17122 acres located along Cornwallis Road SR 1525 approximately 1 mile from its intersection with Cleveland Road SR 1010 in Cleveland Township from Agricultural Residential AR to Agricultural Residential – Special Use District AR - SUD Tax ID 06E03013 Owner Joy E Mercer and M Earl Eakes , Jr Applicant Capital Properties of Raleigh II , NC Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver moved the Board adopt the following Statement of Consistency Resolution for Case 15 - 28 that this Board finds and determines that the request is consistent with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and that it is not reasonable and not in the public interest to adopt the proposedPagePage pageNumber631 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued amendment for the reasons that traffic issues exist at the closely spaced access points on Cornwallis Road and the potential for limited or prohibited access to the lots in the back of the development in the event there is a failure of the streets which is contrary to the ordinance requirement that a secondary access be provided for emergency situations for developments of this size Commissioner DeVan Barbour seconded the motion which carried by unanimous vote RESOLUTION FOR CASE NUMBER 15 - 28 RESOLUTION ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF CONSISTENCY REGARDING A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAPS OF JOHNSTON COUNTY WHEREAS , pursuant to NC Gen Stat § 153A - 341 , prior to adopting or rejecting a zoning amendment , the governing board is required to adopt a statement as to whether the amendment is consistent with the comprehensive zoning plan and why the board considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest ; WHEREAS , the County Planning Board has reviewed a proposed amendment to The Official Zoning Maps of Johnston County , for the parcel identified as tax Tag ID 06E03013 located on Cornwallis Road as shown on the attached Exhibit A , from Agricultural Residential AR to Agricultural Residential - Special Use District AR SUD WHEREAS , based on a review of the proposed amendment the Planning Board found that the proposed amendment is consistent with the Johnston County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and updates and further recommended that the Board of Commissioners approve the proposed amendment ; and WHEREAS , this Board has reviewed and considered the above written recommendation of the Planning Board and has held a public hearing on the proposed amendment , and this Board desires to adopt a statement describing why the adoption of the proposed amendment is consistent with the Johnston County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and updates but considers the proposed amendment not to be reasonable and in the public interest NOW , THEREFORE , BE IT ORDAINED BY THE JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT 1 This Board finds and determines that the adoption of the proposed amendment to the Official Zoning Maps of Johnston County is consistent with the Johnston County Land Use Plan and updates thereto because the Land Use Plan and updates indicate that a The amendment is consistent in that this site is located within a “ Community Center ” commercial activity node with higher density housing encouraged near Commercial Activity Centers Objective 1B encourages the County to allow for higher densities and a greater mixture of land uses in urban areas and encourages development and mixed land use patterns in concentrated areas that make the most of efficient use of infrastructure with this area located in the Sewer Service Area 2 This Board finds and determines that it is not reasonable and not in the public interest to adopt the proposed amendment because a Traffic issues exist at the closely spaced access points on Cornwallis Road and the potential for limited or prohibited access to the lots in the back of the development in the event there is a failure of the streets which is contrary to the Ordinance requirement that a secondary access be provided for emergency situations for developments of this size Adopted this the 4th day of January , 2016 Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver moved the Board deny Rezoning Case 15 - 28 to rezone 17122 acres located along Cornwallis Road approximately 1 mile from its intersection with Cleveland Road in Cleveland Township from Agricultural Residential to Agricultural Residential – Special Use District Commissioner DeVan Barbour seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote 3 North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation – Mountains to Sea Trail Tim Johnson , Manager of the Recreation Grants and Outreach Program with the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation , addressed the Board Mr Johnson introduced Smith Raynor and Carol Tingley accompanying him to the meeting and thanked the Board for allowing them to speak on the possibility of assisting the County to extend the Mountains to Sea Trail from Clayton possibly through Wilson’s Mills and into Smithfield Mr Johnson stated Smith Raynor is a Trail Specialist with the Division of Parks and Recreation and will be discussing the statewide Mountains to Sea Trail Master Plan which has recently been completed He continued that Carol Tingley is the Deputy Director of the Division of Parks and Recreation and will be discussing the upcoming bond issue to be put before the voters of North Carolina in March referred to as Connect NC and how that may affect the future of the Mountains to Sea Trail development across the State Trail Specialist Smith Raynor thanked the Board for allowing her to speak Ms Raynor reviewed the following presentation with the Board PagePage pageNumber732 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm ContinuedPagePage pageNumber833 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Ms Raynor shared stories with the Board of some of the conversations she has had with people on the Mountains to Sea Trail and how the trail has impacted their lives positively She specifically spoke on a conversation she had with a mother whose children are autistic and have been positively impacted by daily walks on the trail Ms Raynor stated in national studies , access to trails ranked as the second most important amenity to home buyers with schools being first Ms Raynor spoke on the increased value to homes that access to trails can have as well as the positive health benefits Ms Raynor stated greenways and trails protect water quality with many of them being constructed in the flood plains which protects the flood plains by preserving them from development Ms Raynor also spoke on the recreational opportunities , wildlife habitats , and economic development opportunities that greenways and trails promote Ms Raynor continued her presentation , as follows Ms Raynor concluded her comments by stating that state trails equal partnerships and they would welcome the opportunity to partner with Johnston County on extending the Mountains to Sea Trail Deputy Director Carol Tingley stated the proposed Connect NC bond referendum is a 2 billion bond that would provide funding for projects for universities , community colleges , and other entities across the State of North Carolina Ms Tingley reported part of the 2 billion bond would include 75 million for the StatePagePage pageNumber934 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued Parks System to assist with construction projects in parks across the State Ms Tingley stated some of the money will be allocated towards land acquisition and an additional 3 million will be put into the Parks and Recreation Trust fund to focus on a grant program supporting local parks for disabled children and veterans Ms Tingley stated out of the 75 million designated for the State Parks System , 45 million would be allocated to the Mountains to Sea Trail Ms Tingley continued that they do not want to get too far ahead in the planning stages until the bond referendum passes ; however , they will be looking to spend the money on land acquisition for the Mountains to Sea Trail to complete usable sections of the trail that will be ready for people in the communities to use Ms Tingley reported the actual construction of the trail once land has been acquired is another step as well as the ongoing associated maintenance that would follow She stated the money from the bond referendum would fund land acquisition , and if the County were to decide to pursue extending the trail , they would assist the County in raising the funds for construction Ms Tingley stated Federal funds are available which could provide up to 80 of the construction cost and the remaining 20 could possibly come from a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant Ms Tingley stated the County’s long - term responsibility would then be the ongoing maintenance of the section of trail that would connect the completed Clayton trail to the completed Smithfield trail Ms Tingley stated they would welcome the opportunity to work with the County on this project Commissioner Chad M Stewart asked about estimated maintenance costs for the trail once it has been completed Mr Johnson responded that as the former Smithfield Parks and Recreation Director who worked on the Smithfield portion of the trail , he can confirm there is very little maintenance involved Mr Johnson stated in the summer the grass on either side of the trail was cut approximately every 10 days and other than the occasional tree limb removal , there was very little to do in the winter months Commissioner DeVan Barbour asked if the trail would become a part of the State Parks System once completed Ms Tingley stated once the trail section is completed , the State Parks System would help to market and publicize the section , but the actual trail section would be managed and operated by the individual owners of each section At the inquiry of Commissioner Barbour , Ms Raynor reported one of the requirements of trail designation is for the local Emergency Management Emergency Services to be a part of the process At the inquiry of Commissioner Cookie Pope , Ms Tingley stated the type of construction for the trail sections are left up to the section owners and they do not have to be paved Ms Tingley noted there are sections of the trail that are paved , but others are left natural or graveled County Manager Rick Hester stated one possibility to cover the cost of trail maintenance could be the open space fund monies Chairman Tony Braswell thanked Mr Johnson , Ms Raynor , and Ms Tingley for coming to the meeting and stated he feels this initiative is a good opportunity for the County and should be researched further , should the bond referendum pass by the voters 4 Johnston County Sports Council – Recreation Master Plan Johnston County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Donna Bailey - Taylor presented resolutions of support for the Recreation Master Plan from ten of the County’s municipalities as well as the Johnston County Tourism Authority , the Johnston United Soccer Association , Benson Chamber of Commerce , Clayton Chamber of Commerce , Smithfield - Selma Chamber of Commerce , and the Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center Ms Bailey - Taylor reviewed highlights from the Recreation Master Plan with the Board and submitted a summary of the recommendations from the plan to the Board for their review She stated 2,500 people responded to the survey for the Master Plan and 95 of the people that responded live in Johnston County Ms Bailey - Taylor reported that in the study , 72 of the respondents indicated bicycling and walking was most important to them She stated the Johnston County Sports Council has been working on bike routes and currently there are four approved Department of Transportation bike routes in Johnston County Ms Bailey - Taylor stated they will continue to market those routes and work on signage Ms Bailey - Taylor stated in addition to the Mountains to Sea Trail connection from Clayton to Smithfield , the survey respondents were alsoPage035 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued interested in a connection from the Cleveland area to Clayton and Smithfield as well as a western trail connecting Benson to Four Oaks and on to Smithfield Ms Bailey - Taylor spoke on the other areas of interest that the survey respondents would like to see more of including hiking trails , swimming pools , amphitheaters , playgrounds , and baseball softball fields Ms Bailey - Taylor stated 60 of the survey respondents said they would vote to support a county - wide bond referendum for recreation and 61 of the respondents felt a County Parks and Recreation Director is needed Ms Bailey - Taylor asked the Board to continue the conversation as to where recreation is going in Johnston County and to consider the recommendations Chairman Tony Braswell stated the last recreation bond referendum in Johnston County was in 2007 with good results and he thinks the Board will begin discussions for another recreation bond referendum in the near future Chairman Braswell stated the entire process of a referendum takes some time but it is important to begin the discussions Johnston County Sports Council Chairman Jim Godfrey stated he is pleased to be a part of the Johnston County Sports Council and he spoke on how everyone has come together to see the big picture for recreation Mr Godfrey spoke on the need to create a recreation department for Johnston County that would help to coordinate all the different recreation programs in the County and create more opportunities Mr Godfrey spoke on the importance of coordinated recreational programs noting when he speaks with newcomers in the County they want to know first about homes , then about schools , and the third thing is always about recreation Mr Godfrey cited examples of recreation programs and facilities in other areas and stated he would like for the County to look at those areas as we go forward Mr Godfrey reiterated the need for a full - time County Recreation Director Susan Locklear , 213 Farm Lane , Clayton , spoke on her involvement as a volunteer coordinator with the Archer Lodge baseball program Ms Locklear spoke on how her son had to play baseball out of County in the beginning and how they have been able to expand the program in Archer Lodge Ms Locklear stated the program has expanded to the point where she fears she may have to turn away children because they do not have a facility to accommodate everyone Ms Locklear reported she has worked with Johnston County Schools and has received permission to utilize some of the school facilities , but there is still a need Ms Locklear noted she and others volunteer their time so she sees the benefits of having someone to coordinate the programs Susan Jeanette from All Out Bikes in Four Oaks , 106 S Main Street , addressed the Board Ms Jeanette stated her husband has been working in the bicycle industry for over 22 years Ms Jeanette spoke on her experiences with people visiting their shop who bike on the greenway on a regular basis Ms Jeanette stated people are using the greenway and bicycling is increasing in Johnston County and they want people in the County to have more recreational facilities Johnston United Soccer Association JUSA President David Glover stated JUSA is in strong support of the Recreation Master Plan and he encouraged the Board to look at all avenues for funding recreation needs Mr Glover stated both public and private partnerships could be engaged to help advance the needs and wants of the citizens for recreation Mr Glover stated the recreation groups are maxing out the school facilities and more space is needed Mr Glover stated they have to hire custodial staff because they play indoor soccer and serve approximately 1,200 families a year Mr Glover reported they hold tournaments four times a year with anywhere from 30 to 40 families attending from around the State Mr Glover stated they are open to working with the County to advance recreation opportunities Commissioner Chad M Stewart stated he appreciated everyone’s comments and he likes the vision that everyone is speaking about Commissioner Stewart continued that while he understands the vision of possibly trying to build a large complex to bring in tourism dollars , he questioned what the immediate problems are Commissioner Stewart stated he is heavily involved with recreation programs for his children and he does not see any major immediate issues Commissioner Stewart stated they may have minor issues from time to time , but as far as he is aware , they are able to schedule local fields and facilities to play Benson Parks and Recreation Director Matt Smith stated when he first heard about a County Recreation Director he was nervous that it would take over their programs ; however , he has learned such a position would not take over their programs but just help with coordination and bringing more opportunities to the County Mr Smith stated Benson is fortunate , but there are other areas in the County that do not have adequate facilities which a County Recreation Director could help to coordinate Commissioner DeVan Barbour stated historically through the years , the role the County has tried to play in recreation has been by providing funding through grants and bonds to help with the capital needs Commissioner Barbour continued that there are limits to funding and if the County were to decide to have aPage136 January 4 , 2016 – 6 00 pm Continued County Recreation Department or Director , then some of that funding may have to be diverted to support such a position or department Commissioner Barbour questioned if diverting those funds would hurt the other recreation programs in the County Mr Smith stated he believes it would be a balance that would have to be considered Chairman Tony Braswell suggested the Board continue the dialogue in between now and the budget discussions for Fiscal Year 2016 - 2017 to better understand what is needed in order to address the issues Chairman Braswell thanked the Johnston County Sports Council for their service stating everyone has a vision of doing what is best for Johnston County Commissioner Barbour stated if the Board is going to be discussing the possibility of a County Recreation Director , he would like to see a job description as to what that person would be doing as well as salary information Commissioner Jeffrey P Carver stated he is all about getting something done , but there are a lot of questions and more information is needed before decisions can be made Commissioner Carver stated he would like to see a specific business plan regarding the return on investment for the taxpayers that the Board could discuss with regards to a County Recreation Director at the March 4 , 2016 Annual Work Session Chairman Braswell noted the Board has supported recreation in the County in the past and called on County Manager Rick Hester to review some of the things that have been done Mr Hester stated the Board has committed to recreation in the past by supporting and funding an aggressive school construction and renovation program in which hopefully some of those facilities are helping with recreation space needs Mr Hester spoke on the partnership between the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to purchase additional acreage when possible at the school sites for recreation needs Mr Hester also spoke on the projects that were completed with the funds from the 2007 recreation bond referendum as well as the recent Open Space Fund monies that were distributed last year Mr Hester stated he does believe the County can be a major player with the Mountains to Sea Trail initiative Chairman Braswell thanked everyone for attending as well as for their input with regards to recreation and stated the Board will continue the dialogue 5 Manager Reports and Comments None 6 Board Reports and Comments None There being no further business , Commissioner Cookie Pope moved the Board adjourn Commissioner Chad M Stewart seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote The meeting adjourned at 8 00 pm Tony Braswell , Chairman Paula G Woodard , Clerk to the Board Dana Cuddington , Deputy Clerk to the BoardPage