SILER CITY — Commissioners heard an update from Mountaire Farms regarding the rerouting of Third Street at the board’s regular meeting Monday night.
Jaime Bowen, an engineer with Mountaire Farms, presented progress drawings of the plans — which reroute streets near the company’s poultry processing plant in Siler City — to commissioners. He said the drafted plans will be finalized by the town’s planning department and sent to the N.C. Dept. of Transportation within the following weeks.
“This is just a first draft to NCDOT,” Bowen said. “It does not have a lot of detail.”
The current portion of the rerouting project on Third Street has not changed from Mountaire’s original proposal, according to Bowen, but there have been some changes to the overall project.
Bowen said after the original presentation with NCDOT, Mountaire Farms shifted the road 12 feet to the east of its original design.
“That was basically to align what was North Street — what’s going to become Third (Street) — and to align it better with existing North Street on the north side of (U.S. Hwy.) 64,” Bowen said.
According to Bowen, it could take 12 to 18 months to get the necessary permits before Mountaire can start working on the road project. Since the first plans were drafted in January, it could be as late as June 2023 before any permits can be obtained.
“Jack (Meadows, Siler City’s town planner) should be getting something on the 14th from the engineer,” Bowen said. “(It will be) the same packet sent to NCDOT, and they’ll send you (commissioners) a copy.”
Commissioners approved an ordinance to allow for the demolition of a house at 506 Womble St. The town received a complaint regarding the property on Jan. 6, and staff found the property was “unfit for human habitation and is in violation of the town’s Minimum Housing Ordinance.”
Reporter Taylor Heeden can be reached at theeden@chathamnr.com.