The Pittsboro Board of Commissioners held its regular meeting on Monday, receiving updates and approving two requests.
The board received an update from Jim Nass, Chairman of the town’s Affordable Housing Committee. The committee, following previous approvals from the board, has been working on setting up an Affordable Housing non-profit. In addition, the committee is working with a consultant to take previous affordable housing recommendations approved by the board and put them into ordinance language. The first draft of the ordinance language should be ready for the committee to review on March 26. The committee is also working with town staff to set a schedule to bring the recommended ordinances to the Board of Commissioners for their consideration.
The board approved an increase in sewer allocation for the Modern Deli and Drinks — also known as “The Mod” — for a planned expansion project. Pittsboro Town Engineer Elizabeth Goodson presented the request to the board as well as a status update of the amount of sewer allocation available based on the capacity of the town’s wastewater treatment plant. Goodson noted that, at least on paper, with the number of allocations already approved, the plant will be at 90 percent capacity. The board a preliminarily approved a new force main and pipe to connect to Sanford’s Wastewater Treatment plant, increasing the town’s capacity for wastewater, but the permitting for the project has not yet been secured.
The board also approved an amendment to its ordinance regarding alcohol on town or public property during special events. The amendment was requested by Main Street Pittsboro in anticipation of many of the special events it will organize this year. The amendment would allow, with proper ABC permitting, the sale and consumption of alcohol on Pittsboro streets when closed for events.
The Chatham County Health Department currently has a team from UNC-Chapel Hill conducting a system assessment of Mental Health and Intellectual & Developmental Disability Services in the county. They are asking residents to participate in the Chatham County Mental Health & I/DD Assessment Survey.
Are you or someone you care for experiencing mental illness, a substance use disorder, or an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD)? Would you be willing to share your perspective based on these experiences to help strengthen the system of services in Chatham County?
If so, please consider completing a short survey to help the department understand the opportunities and gaps in resources in Chatham County. The team is made up of UNC Health Policy and Management students collaborating with the Chatham County Public Health Department and the Chatham Health Alliance to conduct a system assessment of I/DD, mental health, and substance use resources. Responses are very important to helping better understand existing resources, gaps in resources, and opportunities to strengthen services throughout the county.
As input is valuable to the team, it is reaching out to ask residents to take the Chatham County Community Survey. The online survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and is due by March 22. Please take our survey using this link: https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1LgSRfQPAN8fWPr
If you would like to provide a more in-depth interview over the phone, please call 919-533-9202 or email hpmatchatham@gmail.com.
The team leader for the survey is Mike Zelek of the Chatham County Public Health Department. He can be reached via email at michael.zelek@chathamnc.org or by phone at 919-545-8466.
The Pittsboro Business Association’s First Sunday Artisan Market and Fair will be held from noon to 5 p.m. the first Sunday of the month from April through November.
The 2019 vendor application is online now and can be found at on the www.shoppittsboro.com website.
A standard booth space is 10’x10’. Each vendor is responsible for his or her table, chairs and shade. Booth sharing is not permitted. All vendors including non-profits and youth must apply, be approved and prepay to participate at he Pittsboro First Sunday Artisan Market and Fair. All food vendors must obtain proper permits or obtain exempt status by filling out an exemption application.
Links to the sites that provide required permits can be found inside the application.
Fees for vendors:
A link to the application can be found at https://www.shoppittsboro.com/vendors-sell-on-pittsboro-first-sunday/
Vendors will be notified once they are approved and will then be provided with an online link to pay and get a space assignment. The new vendor procedures are fully explained within the application.
Chatham County Public Libraries will host a spring book sale in March, with more than 18,000 hardbound and softbound books, audio books, CDs, DVDs,and LPs will be available for purchase.
Sale dates:
The library is located at 197 N.C. Hwy. 87 North in Pittsboro.
Each sale offers a completely new assortment of titles in very good to excellent condition, and all are organized by category, subject or format. Proceeds from the sale are used to benefit the library for underwriting various programs; purchasing needed books, materials and equipment; and improving its technology and services.
For questions, email booksale@friendsccl.org
PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Appearance Commission seeks applicants to fill a vacant seat. The commission especially need members with expertise in plant knowledge, landscaping and landscape design. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 22.
The Appearance Commission establishes and oversees programs to enhance the appearance of the county. The commission also reviews and comments on non-residential site plans for Business, Industrial, Conditional Zoning Districts and Conditional Use Permits. It typically meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month in Pittsboro.
The person appointed by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to fill the vacancy would serve until June 30, 2020, but would be eligible for reappointment for a full three years. All appointees must live in Chatham County.
The online application form can be found at https://chathamnc.seamlessdocs.com/f/CommitteeForm. Contact Lindsay Ray at 919-542-8200 or lindsay.ray@chathamnc.org to have a copy mailed or emailed to you.
The county’s first Household Hazardous Waste event of the year will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Pittsboro’s Solid Waste & Recycling Main Facility, located at 28 County Services Road.
HHW events are a way for residents to dispose of hazardous materials safely. Decals are not required, but residents will need to show their N.C. Driver License with their current address. HHW is only for households; no hazardous waste from businesses will be accepted.
At HHW events, the county accepts such items as paints, solvents, stains, bleach, aerosols, cleaners, pesticides, brake fluid, fluorescent light bulbs, propane tanks, etc. For a complete list, please visit the Household Hazardous Waste webpage or contact the Solid Waste & Recycling Division at 919-542-5516.
Chatham County invites residents to the 2nd annual Spring Ag Fest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 30 at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center.
The Spring Ag Fest is a celebration of Chatham County’s agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. The event will offer something for everyone, including livestock, exhibits, demonstrations, food trucks, and more.
Events planned at the Livestock Arena include a barrel racing demonstration, cutting horse demonstration and a sheep herding demonstration, as well as a N.C. Horse Council Parade of Breeds and a 4-H livestock exhibition.
Livestock including cattle, sheep, poultry, goats, horses, rabbits, and more will be on display for an up-close look. Free pony rides for children will be sponsored by the Chatham County Farm Bureau.
Indoor and outdoor exhibitors and vendors will highlight local farms, farmers’ markets, sustainable agriculture, agricultural support and advocacy, agribusiness, beekeeping, livestock, forestry, green industry, wildlife, conservation, and much more. Several food trucks will offer options for lunch. Thanks to the generosity of the Chatham County Farm Bureau, the first 800 visitors will receive a $5 food ticket to spend at the food trucks.
The event is free and open to the public.
If you are interested in exhibiting around the theme of agriculture, forestry, or natural resources, contact Victoria Brewer at 919-545-8303.
For questions about the Spring Ag Fest, email Debbie Roos at debbie.roos@chathamnc.org.
The CCACC houses the offices of Chatham County Cooperative Extension, Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation, and the Forest Service. The event facilities provide year-round meeting and workshop space for agriculture, horticulture, forestry, natural resources, family and consumer science, and youth programs. However, the CCACC is available for rental by organizations and individuals for all types of events, including conventions, trade shows, weddings, workshops, and banquets. It is the largest flexible meeting space in the county.
The CCACC is one mile west of the traffic circle at 1192 US 64 West Business in Pittsboro.
RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in NCDOT Now, the department’s weekly newscast.
Severe Weather Preparedness
Now is the time of year when severe weather occurs, so it’s important to make sure your family is ready.
As part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week, remember these tips to stay safe when driving:
Additional information on severe weather readiness is available at www.ReadyNC.org.
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles is using new technology to combat identity fraud. With state-to-state verification, the NCDMV can see if applicants already hold a driver license or ID card in another state.
After a North Carolina driver license or ID card is issued, any out-of-state license or ID will be canceled. If an applicant does not want to cancel the out-of-state license or ID, they will not be issued one in North Carolina.
If you’re looking to become a safer and more confident motorcycle rider, sign up for a free rider skills day taught by professional police motorcyclists. Learn more and view upcoming classes at BikeSafeNC.com.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on www.NCDOT.gov.
The newest Bodacious Theatre show has been planned to help victims of domestic violence.
Women know this — what one wears to a funeral, wedding or divorce proceeding can become the thing that sticks in your mind most of all. That dress, those jeans, will always evoke the powerful feelings of that life event, whether happy or sad.
A local cast of 17 women acts and sings its way through this phenomenon in a series of monologues and vignettes that comprise the play “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” by sisters Nora and Delia Ephron, based on the 1995 book of the same name by Ilene Beckerman. Nora Ephron wrote that the play “is not about fashion; it is about what clothes really are to us, those moments when we are constantly trying to find our identity through them.”
The play is being put on by The Bodacious Theatre Company of Chatham, directed by Ellen Bland. All proceeds from the production benefit Second Bloom of Chatham Inc., a nonprofit that aids victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tickets are $20, not including online service charges. Three shows during the last week of March give several opportunities for audiences in Chatham and Lee counties to enjoy an evening that helps Second Bloom provide services to people in domestic violence situations.
Shows will be held:
To get tickets, go to Bodacious Theater Company of Chatham on Facebook, click on Shop Now and choose the show you want to attend.
Due to mature content, recommended audience age is 13+.