Cleveland, NC Zoning/ZBOA Meeting June 2022- Yes to Organic Farm and Outdoor Storage

Tonight Monday 6-27-2022 was the scheduled meeting of the Cleveland, NC zoning/ZBOA board. The group meets every other month and as needed with special called meetings. 

Under zoning concerns, Naga Venicata Pullarad Maddissetti was present to request a change from R15 to A1 for 10 acres of property on Kesler Rd. (Tax Map 272 Parcel 022). Per board member Jim Brown, R15 is zoned for mobile homes while A1 is agricultural. 

Maddissetti was a few minutes late to the meeting, and the board was about to table the request when he arrived. Since Maddissetti did come, he was able to answer questions which were mainly about concerns with the type of farming proposed and the impact on the community with noise and odors. 

Maddissetti said that he was planning to farm organically and have a "beautiful garden." He said that he had farmed in Chile and hoped to do the same here. His plan is to start with one acre of the land and build a business from there. His business plan includes green houses and selling produce. 

Board members questioned Maddissetti about whether he would be using animal waste as fertilizer, and he said that he would not. He is going to build compost containers and use green and brown yard waste to make organic compost. He said he does not plan to be a compost business and that he will make compost for organic farming only and buy compost as needed until he can produce enough for his own use. He agreed to make adjustments if neighbors complain about odors from the compost but said that he will compost alongside the railroad tracks where neighbors should not see or smell anything. When questioned about noise, he said that he would only use a small tractor.

Brown said that he would "go out on a limb" and make a motion to accept the change, and Chip Adkins seconded. The board voted unanimously to approve the request for the change of zoning. This means that the request will go before the Cleveland Town Board where the actual decision will be made. The zoning board does research and makes recommendations only. 

Zoning board closed at 6:15 and ZBOA opened immediately with a request by ES Wagner LLC for a conditional use permit to allow outdoor storage of trucks and equipment at 108 Fiber Acres (Tax Map 272C Parcel 108 currently zoned GBD). 

Equipment Superintendent David Majors for Wagner was present to explain the request and to field any questions by the board. 

Majors said that the building on the property would be used for storage and as a workshop. Traffic would be mostly in and out at the start and end of the day, but he and one other guy might work on site on occasion and when it rains. 

Majors said that storage would be minimal and would be mostly a company vehicle and a few specific pieces of equipment (but newer equipment and not pieces junked for parts). He said that a key reason for using the facility was because a new lowboy was stolen at a location in Winston and this was seen as a better place to keep such items. Also, the location is convenient to the employees who all live within about 20 minutes of Cleveland.

In addition, Majors said that the company would update and upgrade the property. He said they planned to take down the current fence, grade the property, add a retaining wall, paint the building, and add a six foot privacy fence with wire on top. He said things were currently "not up to company standards." With the changes planned and reworking the corner to make it higher, equipment would not be visible and the property would look better. 

Majors also noted that the company would be interested in perhaps buying adjoining properties if/when they became available. Bob White, who owns an adjoining lot, was present and asked a couple of questions.

Brown made a motion and Adkins seconded to recommend that the request be approved and that the request go before Cleveland town board. All members of the ZBOA board voted yes.