By Jim Medlin

On August 9, the Kings Mountain Vietnam Veterans retired an old flag and dedicated a new flag for Fairview Masonic Lodge No. 339. Rodney Paulson, Abraham Ruff, Ernie Howell, Carl Marrow and Jim Medlin participated in retiring the old flying flag. That flag along with one other old flag will be properly, and in flag decorum and protocol, burned later.
After the old flag was taken from the base of the flagpole, folded one last time, a new flag was dedicated and raised accordingly with honor and tradition. There were 28 people present reviewing the ceremony of Retirement and Dedication.
Later that evening, George Melton (Past Master of the Lodge) was honored for his service during World War II. George was presented a Certificate of Honor and a North Carolina flag, certified by the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives that said flag flew over the State Capital building. 
It is proper to note, that George Melton, along with other Kings Mountain citizens were a part of the “Greatest Generation.” As Tom Brokaw so eloquently stated, “At a time in their lives when their days and nights should have  been  filled
with innocent adventure, love, and the lessons of the workaday world, they were fighting in the most primitive conditions possible across the bloodied landscape of France, Belgium, Italy, Austria, and the coral islands of the Pacific. They answered the call to save the world from the two most powerful and ruthless military machines ever assembled, instruments of conquest in the hands of fascist maniacs. They faced great odds and a late start, but they did not protest. They won the war....”  There were 43 family members and friends present to witness George's heartfelt recognition for his duty, honor, and country.

By Loretta Cozart

American Legion Post 155 announces its monthly Veteran’s Breakfast is this Saturday morning, September 4, from 9 am to 11 am at the Otis D. Green Post home on East Gold Street.
All veterans are invited to this free breakfast the first Saturday of each month. Guests can dine-in or carry-out their meal. Selections include eggs, bacon, liver mush, gravy, grits, biscuits, toast, coffee, and juice.
The gathering is an opportunity for the community to support local veterans by joining them for a meal and visiting with them in fellowship. Non-veterans are asked to make a small donation to offset the cost of the meal, enabling American Legion Post to continue the program on a monthly basis.

In a 25-19 vote on August 25, the North Carolina Senate passed House Bill 805, a bill sponsored by House Speaker Tim Moore to prevent rioting and civil disorder.
The bill is described as an act to increase the penalties for rioting or inciting rioting that results in damage to property, serious bodily injury, or death and assaulting emergency personnel during a riot or state of emergency; to allow recovery of treble damages for property damage or personal injury caused by rioting or looting; and to require pretrial release conditions for rioting and looting offenses to be determined by a judge.
On May 10, Representative Loftin proposed Amendment A1 for page 2, line 6, rewriting that line to read, “Mere presence alone without an overt act is not sufficient to sustain a conviction pursuant to this section."
House Speaker Tim Moore said, "I saw firsthand the violence and destruction caused by rioters right here in downtown Raleigh last year. What this bill does is enforce harsher penalties for the perpetrators of violence and looting, while preserving every North Carolinian's right to protest peacefully."
He continued, "Our rights to free speech and assembly are precious and must be preserved, but never at the expense of harm to others. House Bill 805 simply ensures the safety of our citizens while upholding their rights to free speech and assembly."
The bill will return to the House for concurrence.

By Loretta Cozart

The median sales price for single-family homes in Kings Mountain has risen an astonishing 40.8% in the last 12 months. With the opening of the casino, many speculate the reason for the increase in home costs happened because of the announcement. Chris Jolly, licensed NC Realtor® and owner of Jolly Realty Group, suggests the reason has less to do with the casino and more to do with a lack of inventory.
Looking at MLS listings for July 2018, Kings Mountain had 194 properties available for purchase. In July 2019, there were only 161 properties listed. By 2020, 151 were offered, and as of August 15, there are just 140 residential listings. Of those 140 properties, only 28 aren’t already under contract.** If you were to need a house now in Kings Mountain, you would have less than 30 houses from which to choose. Jolly explains, “We have a very hot seller’s market right now with historically low interest rates creating very strong and competitive buyer activity.”
A lot of that activity comes from homeowners who look to take advantage of the increase in positive equity from the sale of their home and use that to upgrade their homes with little, or in some cases no increase, in their monthly payment due to the lower cost of lending.
A supply and demand issue are created when sellers are hesitant to list their home for sale for fear of selling their house before they have found the home that suits their needs. These shoppers are checking for new listings daily, and when the right one comes on the market, they make an offer with the intention of selling their current residence to qualify for a new mortgage.
When a buyer offers this way, most feel the need to make their offers as strong as possible in hopes that the seller chooses them. You see increases in purchase price, due diligence fees, etc.  “When this happens for an extended period, real estate agents can see the trends, we have sold/closed comparable properties and value listings with the most up to date information available, which reflects the current trends of the market,” Jolly shared.
“While low inventory supply has affected many markets across the country, there are a couple different factors that I believe are driving people to Kings Mountain, specifically.”
“Affordability is becoming a major concern for a lot of cities and counties in our area.  Even with the recent increase in values, Kings Mountain is still an affordable place to live.  We are seeing situations where homeowners are frustrated with congestion from the high rate of development in cities like Charlotte and Belmont. A lot of those people find Kings Mountain   and   realize  its
affordable, with great access to I-85 and Highway 74,” said Jolly.
“Another large factor into the rise of interest in Kings Mountain is due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With an incredible amount of people now working remotely, it’s easier
than ever for families to move a little further away from their physical office, and we are seeing a lot of people from Charlotte, who now work from home, looking for homes in our area.  As lockdowns and mandates started happening last year, I think it influenced people to seek out less congested areas to live,” he said.
“Lastly, I believe this city is finally seeing the fruits of its labor. Major downtown revitalization continues, and our Special Events department has done an incredible job getting Kings Mountain ‘on the map’, through the many events, concerts, and Christmas festivities it’s hosted over the last few years. We are seeing more people come into Kings Mountain than ever before.”
Jolly concludes, “Once they see how many boxes the city checks for them, it’s just really hard to say no to Kings Mountain right now.”
Important note to readers - Jolly states that each individual property is unique, and that values will vary with each property. Please contact a local, licensed NC Realtor® for a proper and thorough home valuation.
**Data compiled from CanopyMLS©. Information accurate as of August 15, 2021.

By Loretta Cozart

According to a Capitol Police press release Friday, at approximately 9:15 a.m.  Thursday morning, a man in a black pick-up truck drove onto the sidewalk in front of the Library of Congress, near First Street, S.E., and Independence Avenue.
The driver of the truck, later identified as 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, NC, told the officer on the scene he had a bomb. The officer noticed what appeared to be a detonator in the man’s hand.
Officers immediately evacuated nearby buildings, including the Library of Congress Buildings and the Cannon Office Building.
The U.S. House and U.S. Senate were on recess, but some people were still working in the buildings.
Roseberry was communicating by holding up hand-written signs through the front, driver-side window.
Officers delivered him a phone in hopes of trying to continue the dialogue.
Then the suspect got out of the car on his own and US Capitol Police officers safely took him into custody.
The United States Capitol Police is working in conjunction with the FBI Washington Field Office to investigate Roseberry’s background and the motive.
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office shared their role in the investigation. “On Thursday morning at approximately 11 a.m., Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office received information from the FBI office in Charlotte, regarding an on-going investigation in Washington, DC that possibly had ties to Cleveland
County,” a press release on Friday shared.
“The person of interest was identified as Floyd Ray Roseberry by the US Capitol Police and is a resident of our county. The sheriff’s office, acting in partnership with FBI Charlotte, NC SBI, and several other agencies, secured and acquired legal documentation for a residence in the southern part of Cleveland County,” the press release said.
   On Friday, a Criminal Complaint was filed in Washington, DC Federal Court, charging Roseberry with threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction and threatening to use an explosive device.
   The complaint states, “At approximately 9:45 a.m. on August 19, the FBI responded to assist U.S. Capitol Police with a bomb threat made by an individual later identified as Floyd Roseberry, a resident of Grover, North Carolina. Roseberry had reportedly claimed to have a bomb and a detonator in his possession.”
   The complaint also states, that during these events on August 19, which garnered widespread media attention, a local law enforcement official in Cleveland County, North Carolina contacted the FBI to report that the official recognized Roseberry as the subject of a report received the previous day, on August 18, 2021, by a person (W-1) related to Roseberry. W-1 had reported their concern that Roseberry had recently expressed anti-government views and an intent to travel to Virginia or Washington, D.C. to conduct acts of violence. W-1 also reported that Roseberry had stated that he “ordered a trench coat to protect him from Taser and pepper ball guns and he would just tip his cowboy hat at the police”.
   “At approximately 2:15 pm, after a four-and-a-half-hour standoff, Roseberry was taken into custody by United States Capitol Police. In a post-arrest interview, Roseberry confirmed his identity,” the Criminal Complaint stated. He was taken into custody without incident, according to Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger.
   Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui ordered a medical evaluation to determine whether Roseberry is competent before moving forward. The evaluation is expected to be completed on Monday or Tuesday and Roseberry will remain in federal custody. He is expected back in court on Wednesday, August 25 at 4:00 p.m.

Due to the increase in COVID-related illnesses throughout Cleveland County, the Board of Education voted to require face coverings/masks for all students, staff and building occupants while inside a school building when occupied by students during the instructional day.
Cleveland County Schools has developed a standardized form to provide consent for or on behalf of a student enrolled in our district to exempt a student from the local face-covering requirement. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have provided guidance stating that the wearing of face coverings slows the spread of COVID-19 and encourages all students and school staff to wear face coverings. Failure to wear a face-covering may subject a student or staff member to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading COVID-19 to others.
By completing this form, parents and guardians are authorizing your student to not wear a face-covering while at school. A separate form must be completed for each child.
The form can be found online at https://clevelandcountyschools.formstack.com/forms/face_covering_exemption_form

By Loretta Cozart

Terra Mia Ristorante held a ribbon cutting on Friday, August 20 to celebrate its one-year anniversary in downtown Kings Mountain at 238 Cherokee Street.
On hand for the ribbon cutting were Mayor Scott Neisler, Councilman Keith Miller, and representatives from City of Kings Mountain and Terra Mia Ristorante owner and staff.
Owner Tony Coppola is from Monte di Procida, which means Mountain overlooking island of Procida, and is close to Napoli (Naples Italy). He has been living in the US and working in the restaurant industry for 25 years. “But I feel like it’s my first day,” he said.
He was taught to cook by his Mama and his Nonna (grandma). Tony is a big soccer fan and has been cooking his entire life. He chose Kings Mountain because, “I love the cozy little village that brings me back to my little Italian Village.”
Tony welcomes you to come by Terra Mia Ristorante for a slice of authentic Italian cuisine in downtown Kings Mountain.

Inflatables! Games! Water Wars! A Ferris Wheel! The NC BeachBlast Festival presented by Carolina Power Partners brings FREE family fun to downtown Kings Mountain, Saturday, August 21.
Inflatables, games, rides, and many other attractions will fill Patriots Park. For the first time in the history of the festival, free Ferris wheel rides will be offered as well.
Activities at the Patriots Park Gazebo will begin at 10:30 am. Dance Magic, Dance Reflections, Fitness Troopers and Step-N-Out Productions will perform.
Sigmon Theatrical will bring super cool fish Gil and Fin and Ollie the Octopus to the festival. Festival goers may see some mermaids as well. What would a festival be without contests? Registration for the Tiny Tots & Teenie Bikini, Watermelon, and Hula Hoop contests will begin promptly at 10:00 am.
Ross the Balloon Guy will be on hand creating fabulous balloon art. Free face painting and much more will make this a festival no one will forget.
The NC BeachBlast Festival will open for a full day of fun Saturday, August 21, at 10:00 am.
For more information on the NC BeachBlast Festival, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com/nc-beachblast-festival. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

Shuttle service
offered for
BeachBlast
festival
attendees

Heavy traffic is expected in downtown Kings Mountain, August 21 as The City of Kings Mountain hosts the NC BeachBlast Festival Presented by Carolina Power Partners.
   Roads impacted during the events will be South Railroad Avenue and West Gold Street. As a result, the city is offering shuttle pick-up and drop-off at the following locations:
• First Baptist Church located at 605 West King Street, Kings Mountain
• Patrick Senior Center located at 909 East Kings Street, Kings Mountain
• Cherokee Street Parking-located at South Cherokee Street
• Parkdale Mill-500 South Railroad Avenue
Shuttle service will begin August 21 at 9:30am and end at 10:30pm.
The city urges patrons to use the shuttle services as parking will be scarce in the downtown.
Motorists are urged to use extreme caution when traveling through downtown Kings Mountain due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by road closures.
For more information on the NC BeachBlast Festival, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com/nc-beachblast-festival. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

Band will perform Friday, August 20
at Liberty Falls
Amphitheatre 

The City of Kings Mountain welcomes legendary group, Swingin’ Medallions to kick-off the NC BeachBlast Festival presented by Carolina Power Partners, Friday, August 20.
Based in Greenwood South Carolina, Swingin’ Medallions was founded in 1962. In 1966, the group hit #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)”.
“This is the second visit to Kings Mountain for Swingin’ Medallions,” states drummer Robby Cox. “We can’t wait to get back to Kings Mountain. The crowd is always ready to have a great time.”
The kick-off party begins at 6:00 pm with Carolina Beach Music Award winning DJ Eric Bowman followed by Swingin’ Medallions at 7:00 pm.
Many of your favorite food vendors will be on hand serving kettle corn, seafood, burgers and more.
The full day festival begins Saturday, August 21, at 10:00 am.
For more information on the NC BeachBlast Festival, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com/nc-beachblast-festival. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents. 

By Loretta Cozart

Cleveland County students begin the 2021-2022 school year on Monday, August 23. While the School Board has opted to let parents determine if students will wear masks at school, all students and adults must wear a mask on school buses.
According to Kings Mountain High Schools website, ALL students will eat breakfast and lunch for free during the 2021-2022 school year. If you want additional services, like free internet, additional P-EBT funds, cost waived for ACT, SAT, AP, and other tests, or to have college application fees waived, parents must apply at https://www.lunchapplication.com/.
KMHS offered laptop pick-up before school starts this year in the media center. They encourage all rising 9th-grade students to come before school starts to get their new Chromebook and laptop case.
Distribution dates were August 3, 4, and 5. If you missed the pickup dates, contact the school.
A signed laptop user agreement is required. Those forms may be picked up in the main office or downloaded from https://drive.google.com/.../1mdz_LpJ_F.../view There is an annual technology fee of $20 be paid at the time of pickup.
KMHS Orientation started yesterday for 9th graders. Due to mass gathering restrictions currently in place, Cleveland County Schools request only one parent per child attend the session. Orientation for 10th-grade is tonight, August 18, from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Tomorrow, 11th and 12th-grade Orientation will be August 18th from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Steffes, LLC of Dickinson, North Dakota, a leader in the development and production of innovative energy technology and advanced manufacturing has announced their decision to expand into the southeast through the acquisition of a manufacturing facility in the town of Shelby, North Carolina.
This investment of $20.9 million in Cleveland County will create 130 new, full-time jobs over the next five years. Start of production is expected to begin in late 2021 with plans be fully operational in the first quarter of 2023. Steffes plans to provide advanced comprehensive metal fabrication services to support production of Steffes OEM products and customer production in the region.
 “This expansion is the realization of the company’s strategic vision,” said Todd Mayer, Co-President of Steffes. “The combination of customers and friends in this area combined with the workforce potential and community support made Shelby the best fit for us. We are excited to become part of the  community and support innovation in the region.”
Steffes is a privately held, diversified original equipment and contract manufacturer headquartered in Dickinson, North Dakota with additional manufacturing and customer support facilities in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Midland, Texas; Casper, Wyoming; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Steffes specializes in:
• the design, manufacturing and service of energy technology products that support the extraction and processing and gas management of oil & gas.
• innovative product development and manufacturing of electric thermal storage and load management control technologies to meet our country’s adoption of sustainable electricity distribution and storage to meet decarbonization goals.
• steel fabrication, electrical services and engineering support for companies requiring prototype and manufacturing partners to support their business success.
   Because Steffes is locating in Cleveland County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 1, the company’s JDIG agreement does not require a contribution into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account.
   “We are excited to welcome Steffes to North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “We know that when companies are ready to expand, they choose our state because of our ready workforce, exceptional quality of life and robust infrastructure.”
   “This is a great announcement for the entire state,” said N.C. Speaker of the House Tim Moore. “It takes diligent local and state leaders to recruit these types of investments to North Carolina and we’re eager to see to these investments come to reality in Shelby.”
   “Cleveland County is thrilled to have another manufacturer join our community,” said N.C. Senator Ted Alexander. “The people of Cleveland County are ready to accept these new opportunities and to support the company’s transition to our region. These are the types of jobs that are so necessary for a diverse economy, and I am delighted that Steffes has chosen to come to our region. They will be outstanding corporate citizens. Thanks to all those who worked so hard to recruit this great business.”
     In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Cleveland Community College, Cleveland County, City of Shelby, Duke Energy and Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership.
 

By Loretta Cozart

On August 5, Blessed Boutique and Consignment celebrated it’s second month anniversary at their new location at 210 East Kings Street in Kings Mountain. Destiny Lindsay operated her business from home on Walker Street for nearly two years before making the leap to lease a storefront. “I told my husband we just didn’t have any more room at home and I needed to rent space. Within 3-days, this property became available,” she said.
Downstairs, she uses two rooms for her own boutique, offering clothes, shoes, and accessories. Upstairs, she rents space and currently has 20 vendors, from consultants like Paparazzi Jewelry to Pillow Street. “We also have vendors who make their own crafts, like wreaths and tumblers. There’s all sorts of stuff,” Destiny said. “We rent space by the month and do not take a percentage of sales.” That is a good option for vendors who want
to know their fixed costs. “We’re always looking for new vendors,” she added.
The shop carries size small to 3x, so there is something there for everyone. Other items include children’s clothes, bows, jewelry, paintings, tumblers, dreamcatchers, shoes, birdhouses, wallets, accessories, pillows, candles, woodcrafts, and wall-art weaving. New items are added daily.
The shop is open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 am – 6 pm, Wednesday 10 am – 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am – 4 pm. They are closed on Tuesday and Sunday.
Destiny has lived in Kings Mountain since 2011 and graduated Kings Mountain High School in 2015. She and her husband have three children: Cooper, 7, Aiden 5, and Rosie 6 months.

By Loretta Cozart

On August 3, Kings Mountain celebrated National Night Out in a big way at Patriots Park. Kids and parents turned out to celebrate, meeting officers, deputies, and first responders, along with others from Kings Mountain who support safe communities.
Police Chief Lisa Proctor, along with other local dignitaries welcomed those in attendance and shared the importance of the night.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
   Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.

A few weeks ago, Verizon began installation of a new cell tower to help with poor phone coverage in town. Citizens seemed surprised at the news, but the topic was discussed in January at a Public Hearing of the Kings Mountain Board of Adjustments on January 19.
According to now retired David W. Owens of the UNC School of Government, “Quasi-judicial decisions involve the application of zoning policies already established in the ordinance to individual situations--for example, variances, special- and conditional-use permits (even if issued by the governing board), appeals, and interpretations. Quasi-judicial decisions involve two key elements: the finding of facts regarding the specific proposal and the exercise of some discretion in applying predetermined policies to the situation.”
Owens goes on to share, “Both (legislative and Quasi-judicial) hearings are open to the public and are intended to solicit comments, but they have different standards for the notice required prior to the hearing, as well as for who can speak, what issues are appropriately raised, the formality with which the hearing must be conducted, and the records that must be maintained.”
The cell tower is located at 500 S. Railroad Avenue. Joel K. Harris of Baker Donelson applied for a conditional use permit for  Verizon Wireless cell phone tower requesting a variance of setback from 131.25 feet to 106.25 feet. To mitigate concerns about the tower not meeting the 75% of tower height setback, the tower has a 25-feet engineered fall-zone radius so that in the event of failure, it would fall entirely within the parent parcels.
Twenty-four companies and individuals were notified of the conditional use permit request in a letter mailed on January 6. Notices went to the applicant, the owners of the affected property, the owners of abutting properties, and anyone else required to receive notice under the ordinance.

By Loretta Cozart

On Friday, July 30, at 11:06 am, a Piedmont, LLC landscaping truck hauling equipment on a trailer behind, got caught on a cement pole at the Gold Street railroad crossing in Kings Mountain. According to witnesses, two men in the truck got out to see what got caught just as the crossing arms dropped and the signal indicated an approaching train.
The men moved away from the truck and witnesses in downtown watched as the Norfolk Southern cargo train traveling from South to North sounded its horn loudly before impacting and demolishing the truck. Along with the truck, the crossing arm and signal were pulled from the ground. Nobody was hurt in the accident.
The driver of the truck, Joseph David Bridges of Shelby, works for Piedmont, LLC, a landscaping company based in Mooresville, NC
Regarding the accident, KMPD Police Chief Lisa Proctor said, “When crossing over any crossing one must make sure that they do so in a safe manner and when you are pulling a trailer you have to allow yourself more room to make the turn based on the length of the trailer.”
She went on to day, “There are several other routes one could use in town instead of this location when you are pulling a trailer of any size. It's always best to err on the side of caution and go the extra block or two, instead of trying to cross there with a trailer.”
Preston Brown captured the impact on video, as did Grace Graham who was on S. Railroad Avenue near the intersection. Bystanders took photos of the scene and shared them with the Herald.

Full-day Festival set for August 21st

Vendor registration has officially opened for the NC BeachBlast Festival, the City of Kings Mountain’s award winning full-day Carolina Beach Music Festival scheduled for 10:00am-10:00pm, August 21st, 2021.
Vendors, who are interested, are encouraged to register at www.kingsmountainevents.com/vendor-application.
Registration for Arts/Craft/Information Vendors-$30.00. Registration for Food/Beverage Vendors-$100.00.
Space is limited. To register, vendors must agree to stay for the duration of the event.
Bring your grass table skirts, seashells and sand dollars, vendors are asked to decorate booths to match the beach theme of the event. One lucky vendor will win a Mayor’s Choice prize for best set-up.
For more information on the NC BeachBlast Festival contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101 or visit their website at www.kingsmountainevents.com/nc-beachblast-festival. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

The City of Kings Mountain looks forward to this year’s NC BeachBlast Festival located at Patriots Park. A portion of Railroad Avenue and West Gold Street surrounding Patriots Park will be closed beginning at midnight Thursday, August 19th, 2021, and remain closed or barricaded until midnight, Saturday, August 21, 2021. Please use
extreme caution when traveling on Cansler Street due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads if you are impacted by this change. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

By Loretta Cozart

Tempers flared during city council as staff, citizens, and city council shared their frustrations over communication related to the downtown Street-scape project.
Early in the meeting, City Manager Marilyn Seller announced an update of Kings Mountain’s Streetscape plan during the city council meeting on July 27. “I'm very excited to give an update on our downtown Streetscape phase two. The streetlight design has been completed, lights and poles have been selected, and
all  the materials have been quoted as of last week. The DOT responded back to our design and calculations last week and have approved with one minor change. So, we are working on that change and that should be approved soon. All the Wi-Fi equipment has been mounted in phase two. The testing is now being done and everything will be completed within the next two weeks. Documents for bidding is being gathered and will be sent out soon. We are still targeting Thanksgiving for completion, weather permitting and we receive all supplies. So, we are hoping for a Thanksgiving and are still on board with that.”
During citizen recognition, developer David Stone requested that the city consider a special committee to improve communication related to Streetscape. “We had an unofficial public meeting on May 10. The most update I’ve had in the last 90-days on the Streetscape is what Marilyn Sellers just shared right there. That’s great news, but the fact is we left the meeting expecting that as soon as you had a detailed plan, more than the detail in the lobby, that you would share it. It hasn’t occurred. We want collaboration and (what we are getting) this doesn’t work for us businesspeople. We’ve asked for more communication on Streetscape and it’s not occurring.”
“Here’s what I’d like to see. I'd like a special committee formed with two people on the council, two property owners, two business owners to oversee Streetscape from here to this completion,” he said.  “And I'm asking instead of an informal meeting with council with the business meeting, that you do a public hearing with the business owners so that everything goes on record, and we have a clear action plan for how you're going to be better transparent, communicate, and partner with the downtown business owners.  it's very clear when we talk off the record things don't get done; there's no follow up. If it takes talking on the record to get the follow up, let's do it. Inaction, that's what breeds distrust,” Stone said.
Later, during the regular meeting, Main Street Coordinator Christy Adkins asked city council to help decide between two logo designs for rebranding downtown. Her committee had a 50/50 split on which logo was better and asked for the council’s input.
Councilman David Allen asked how current business owners responded to the concepts and Adkins replied, “We have not approached a whole lot of the current business owners. We wanted to see what your thoughts were on this before we did that.” Allen said, “I would think that would be a prudent step, since we are looking for buy-in. We are looking for them to support this, so I would think we should take these (concepts) and shop them around and let’s get some feedback from them.”
Councilman Jimmy West said he agreed with Councilman Allen. “I think the business owners feel they have been left in the dark long enough. I think their input would be vital in our deciding. If we decide without their input, that would not be a good move.” Adkins was directed by council to get additional input to come to a consensus and bring it before city council again in the next month or two.
Before concluding the meeting, Councilman West reiterated his concern that downtown property owners and business feel left out on the Streetscape plan. “I think David had a great idea and I would like to see us look into that more closely to determine if we should make a committee like David recommended to keep everybody abreast. I don’t know if we can do that tonight, but I’d hate to see it fall by the wayside like the last meeting did. We need to try to meet these guys in the middle. We made a pact to do that, and we haven’t done that.”
Mayor Neisler reminded the business owners. “The city has a thing called Main Street that is our vehicle for downtown. I know we’ve been talking about these plans since 2018, so there has been plenty of time that input could have been made. We are waiting on DOT approval, which we didn’t anticipate. Otherwise, we’d be further down the road on this. The fact of the matter is there has been input and there is a vehicle we setup called Main Street where input can be done. I’d like to see it be a part of Main Street where you get together.”
West continued, “This meeting in May what we talked about doing, none of that’s been done. And I’m not saying that we dropped the ball, or they dropped the ball. It’s just, the ball has been dropped. (We should) work together as a group to be more informed.”
David Stone spoke saying, “Nobody on the Main Street Advisory Board could give me an update on Streetscape because the last four or five meeting have been cancelled. Mr. Mayor, I appreciate you saying that we have a process, but that process is broken.”
   Councilwoman Annie Thombs spoke saying, “We have a vehicle already in place, but evidently the vehicle is not working to produce the benefits that would be viable for both the property owners and the city. So, I would ask that management would come together and find out what can be done to improve the current vehicle that we have in order to make things functional for all parties concerned. This is the second time we’ve had this request and there must be a solution. You can’t solve a problem on the level of the problem. We need management to come together and fix this, so it doesn’t happen again.”
Councilman Allen reminded city council, “The mayor has the power to create an ad-hoc committee. And really what we are talking about is communication. Perhaps we could put together some communication between us and the group and involve whoever you want to, Sir. Obviously, something is not getting communicated. I put that back on you, Sir.”
  Jay Rhodes commented, “I was involved starting in 2018 and we had citizen’s involvement. We had Mr. Flowe come, and he visited with every business owner. I don’t understand what we are arguing over or complaining about. We are going to put sidewalks and lighting in and change the dynamics some. We put picture out and all we are really doing is making the sidewalks where you don’t hurt someone and get new lighting.”
Keith Miller explained that  the delay in the project was due to a change in leadership at the DOT. “The new people decided that, no, they want to slow down and look at it from their perspective, maybe get engineering studies, new requirements. So, we had to deal with new people now.”  So, there's no point in showing the public where we're at when we don't know where we're at. Because DOT could make us change a lot of things, it’s their street. Then you got the railroad right-of-way. So, my understanding is that you know the lack of information is more a function of the process sort of got hijacked by the new folks at DOT. That burned six to eight weeks and that’s where we’re at.”
Assistant City Manager Nick Hendricks asked to speak. “Gary Spangler, DOT for many, many years retired that staff totally changed. That project went from an easement to a project, which dealt with hydraulics and other processes so there has been a lot of change associated with that. There was an enormous amount of work to go into the hydraulics associated with that process.  It went from check the box on easement to a package this thick, creating all of water flow, water outlets, inflows and outflows. So, it was a huge mark to be able to get it from where we were to today.  So Gary and Richard Flowe both emailed myself Marilyn. Marilyn asked me about an update, and we did get it approved except for one minor drainage issue right here on the railroad. So, the biggest hurdle has been crossed.”
“I think it would behoove me not to say that, and I’m going to say that because I am going to support the City of Kings Mountain employees. City of Kings Mountain’s employees have always done a  tremendous job. They worked their butts off over the last many years in the downtown area. The gazebo, you’ve seen it; you’ve seen what's been done down there. The City of Kings Mountain has done a tremendous value to the downtown area and will continue to, just like we treat the downtown just like we do any other part of town. And that is a value. My office is always open, communication is two-way street process. It takes two people, any time you ask me my work, you can always come and meet me anytime, any day, and talk with me about anything you want to talk about. I work pretty much 12-14 hours a day; enjoy the conversation. Come meet with me, I give you all the updates you want to acknowledge you. The Streetscape, there has been several cancellations. Cancellations are called a product of productivity.When you have nothing to talk about, there's no use to meet. When the DOT hold you up, there’s nothing else to talk about. When you've already made the decision to pick the light you need, there's no other decision to make. It becomes a time waiting game, so there's no use to continue talking about something until there is a decision that must be made. Lastly, nothing that we do will adversely affect any business or the design thereof. We must come back to your door threshold, we must go back to where you were, and we must meet that grade. So, regardless of the design that you may be doing, could be doing, or should be doing, think about it. We're working on public right-of-way. Public right-of-way is a right-of-way that is owned and operated by the City of Kings Mountain citizens. We only can work in that area, so therefore no design or nobody to change, or we can change anything that adversely effects that. Ken Fieger can come visit me anytime he wants, bring your drawings. We’ll talk about it. But we cannot adversely affect what you have. No different than me not going down and speaking to Papa John's, He hasn't come and said, “Well, wait a minute, you’re going to upset my door.” I can’t. The law says I can only work in my area and wherever his door is, I’ve got to meet that threshold. Meaning ground down, ground over, flatten down and meet the hydraulics.
So, as for us holding up the project, that's baloney.
   I'm getting tired of getting beat up on Streetscape. We work our tails off down there, and continue to work our tails off down there, we spent more money down there, and I've always had open door policy to help anybody coming and going.  My projects prove it, and it shows. Any other comments or questions?
 Jimmy West said, “I got one. I don’t think you know; I wasn’t beating up on you personally, Nick.”
“Well, I take it that way, Mr. West, because I’m personally the Project Manager.”
“Well, I understand that” West said.
“I don’t keep nobody in the dark,” Henricks replied.
“Okay. What I asked for was to allow these gentlemen right here who own these businesses to have some input downtown. And this thing got run all around the table here for no reason. And if that offended you, then I am sorry.”
“Well, it did,” Hendricks replied.
“Well, I’m sorry that it did,” West said.
“Well, I’m sorry, it did,” Hendricks replied.
“But the bottom line is nobody came in here to kick your ass over Streetscape,” West said.
“Well, it sure felt like it did, Mr. West. It does,” said Hendricks.
Mr. West said, “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“I am sorry you feel that way, yes Sir,” Hendricks replied.
City Manager Marilyn Sellers interjected saying, “I’ll just have to say I’ve seen a lot of correspondence from staff and emails, and we have really corresponded with all the downtown business through Main Street and through different committees. Staff have reached out: I see a lot of correspondence. But we could always do better, and we will try our best in the future. I'm not sure how, because I've noticed and have personally seen the commitment and the correspondence that they have given.”
Councilman West commented, “I don't think anybody's questioning the city side of their commitment, Marilyn. I don't think that at all. I don't think these gentlemen question that. We're just trying to figure out a better way to keep people informed and for them to have their input and we are not doing that.
I know and I agree with Nick. We can’t go in there and fix their business for them. I know that; they know that. But they feel like they are kept in the dark.”
City Attorney Mickey Corry reminded everyone, “We have gotten so far off the agenda.”
Councilman West stated, “I haven’t even seen the plans downtown. So, if I’ve not seen them, I’m sure they haven’t seen them.”
Sellers replied, “We’ve not either. They have not been released from the consultant. That is what we keep trying to tell everyone. We don’t have them yet.”
Again Atty. Corry reminded city council they had strayed far from the agenda. So, Mayor Neisler asked for a motion to adjourn. Mr. Miller made the motion, and the vote was unanimous.

By Betsy Wells

The Cleveland County Commission for Women will host its twenty-ninth Distinguished Women’s Banquet on Thursday, August 26, 2021, at the LeGrand Center, 1800 E. Marion St, Shelby at 6:30 PM.  Valerie Boyd (704-813-7713) is chairing the 2021 Banquet Committee. Tanzy Wallace (704-300-5439) is co-chair.
The Commission solicited nominations from the community to find these “Distinguished Women”.  After reviewing the numerous applications that were submitted, the group selected the following women for the 2021 Distinguished Women Awards:
1. Carol Ann Hoard:  Known as The Christmas Tree Lady who has spread Christmas cheer and goodwill throughout appearances in New York on “The Today Show” & last year throughout Shelby distributing toilet paper and gift cards during the Covid crisis.
2. Lisa Proctor:  First female Chief of Police in Kings Mountain and Cleveland County. A leader in her community. Joined the Kings Mountain Police Department in 1992. Describes herself as a Christian, writer, competitive horseback rider, & cancer survivor.
3.  Terricia (Teresa) Wingo:  Known as the “Trunk Lady” throughout this area because she gives food, clothing, etc to the needy. Even the shoes off her feet if someone is barefoot and needs shoes. This is her mission in life.  A true Good Samaritan.
   Tickets for the banquet are $40 and may be picked up at the Cleveland County Arts Council on Courthouse Square in Shelby (9AM to 5 PM) Tuesday, Aug 2nd through Friday, Aug 20th.    No tickets will be sold at the door, nor will money be taken at the event. Please go by the Arts Council to get your tickets.
   Also tickets may be purchased on line at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-distinguished-women-banquet-tickets-163495325921. Check out the Commission for Women’s Facebook page for additional information.
   Members of the Commission are: Valerie Boyd, Tanzy Wallace, Diane Davis, Debra Blanton, Linda Martin, Robert Miller, Shirley Lail, Mary Accor, Cathy Robertson, Betsy Harnage, Patti Alexander, Joyce Coleman, Sandy Bailey, Holly Wall, Betsy Wells, and Commissioner Ronnie Whetstine.
Women who have been honored:
(1992)  * NC Senator Helen Rhyne Marvin, *Joyce Cashion, *NC Rep Edith Lutz,   *Martha Lee Scruggs, *Rosalynd Gilliatt,   *Grace Hamrick,   *Doris Borders,  Patty Dorian,   Dorothy  Edwards,    * Aileen Ford,   *Ellen Powell,    Dot Roark 
(1993)  Chinetta Brooks,     *Arrie Ellis,     * Virginia Raymer
(1994)  Marietta Floyd,  Jacqueline  Lavender,    *Thelma McVae
(1995)  Nancy Abasiekong,   Suzi Kennedy,    Linda Thrift
(1996)  Anganette Homsley,   *Dr. Lonnie Proctor,   Elizabeth Shipley
(1997)  Dr. Dottie McIntyre,  *Esther Plummer,  Kay Archer Price,   *Betty Withrow
(1998)  Julia Banks,   * Adelaide Craver,    Anne Short
(1999)  *Barbara Brock,    *Erma Drum,    Madge Wray
(2000)  *Rosaline Hunt,    Emily Ousley,      *Jackie Rountree
(2001)  Commissioner  Mary Accor,  the late Fay Webb Gardner,
             *Katie Norris,  Page Sherer
(2002)  *Beverly Shuford,    *Kathleen Hamrick,  * Ezra Bridges
(2003)  Karla Haynes,     *Brenda Page,     *Betty Roberts
(2004)  LouVerne McCray,     Jane Bryson Blake,     the late Bess Gardner Hoey
(2005)  *Betty Jean Mauney,    *Aloyse Jones,   * Annie Farley Dawkins
(2006)  Margie Christopher,       Shirley Lail,      Phyllis Sims
(2007)  Dr. Nellie Aspel,   *Lucille  Evans,    Mary Neisler  
(2008)  Shirley Brutko,  *Daeira Roberts,  * Evelyn  West
(2009)  Jo Powell Boggs, Lillie Hinton,  Zita  Roberts
(2010)  *Sybil Dixon, Jeanne Patterson, Suzette Ross, Elizabeth “Lib” Stewart
(2011)  * Lou Ballew, Helen Barrow, Elizabeth “Lib” Revels, Ruth Wilson
(2012)   Annie Mae Ross Beam, Dr.Collette Deviney, Patti Norman, Stella Putnam
(2013)   Dr Laura Bingham, Jane Cooke, Mary Degree, Dr. Jane King
(2014)   Libbey Lavender, Dr. Linda Hopper, Betsy Wells
(2015)  Dr. Shannon Kennedy,   Sharon Martin,   Marguerite Mebane
(2016)  Gaye DeVoe, Shearra Miller, Macy Stinchcomb, Rev. Frances Webber
(2017)  Doris H. Dedmon, Ramona Gash, Kathryn Hamrick, Kathy Wilson
(2018)  Tropzie McCluney, Bess-Alice Phifer,  Venita Roberts
(2019)  Susan K. Allen, Betty Gamble,  Dr. B.J. Zamora
(2020)  No Banquet--COVID
(* deceased)
   Committee Chairwomen include Valerie Boyd, 2021 Banquet Chair, 704-813-7113 cell. vrboyd@bellsouth.net. Tanzy Wallace, 2021 Banquet Co-Chair, 704-300-5439 tanzybw@gmail.com, Betsy Wells, 2021 Publicity Chair. 704-477-7024 cell betsywells@yahoo.com.
 

Urges other
agencies and
private employers
to do the same 

On July 29, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced that state government would begin verifying vaccination status of its workers. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Thursday’s announcement comes as North Carolina’s latest upswing in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is driven by unvaccinated North Carolinians.
 “Until more people get the vaccine, we will continue living with the very real threat of serious disease, and we will continue to see more dangerous and contagious variants like Delta,” said Governor Cooper.
NCDHHS updated guidance encourages private sector businesses to, at a minimum, verify vaccination status for their workers as well. The requirement for state government employees applies to cabinet agencies and is included in Executive Order 224.
All workers must either:
1. Provide proof that they are Fully Vaccinated; or
2. Be tested at least once a week for COVID-19.
All other state and local government agencies are strongly encouraged to voluntarily adopt similar policies.
“There is only one way out of this pandemic and that is vaccination. Our trends are accelerating at an alarmingly fast rate and the highest rates of viral spread are happening in areas with low vaccination rates and among those who are not fully vaccinated,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are already vaccinated, I call on you to urge your unvaccinated family and friends to get their shot now. It is not an understatement to say that you will save lives by doing so.”
The NCDHHS updated guidance reminds unvaccinated people that they need to continue practicing the three Ws – wear a mask in all indoor public settings, wait six feet apart in all public settings and wash hands often. In addition, unvaccinated people should not gather with other unvaccinated people who do not live with them. If they do, they should stay outside and keep 6 feet of distance. In addition, unvaccinated people should not travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new mask guidance this week based on levels of transmission in communities. The new maps designate counties as areas of low (blue), moderate (yellow), substantial (orange) or high (red) transmission. Moving forward, everyone in a red or orange county in North Carolina, including those who have been vaccinated, should wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Additionally, in accordance with the updated CDC guidance, all K-12 schools should require universal masking, regardless of vaccination status. NCDHHS is updating its guidance for schools to align with this recommendation.
To date, North Carolina has administered nearly 9.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 57 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. Sixty-one percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of North Carolinians 65 and over.

On July 26, NC House Speaker Tim Moore responded to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announcement that the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) will now require employees at all state healthcare facilities to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 30.
All DSOHF employees who are not fully vaccinated by the deadline will "be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, for unacceptable personal conduct," according to the announcement.
“I have personally been vaccinated against COVID-19, and I have done my best to help educate the public and urge others to get vaccinated if they choose to do so. But at the end of the day, the decision whether, or not, to vaccinate is a personal one and should be made between a doctor and patient. North Carolinians will not be bullied into being vaccinated against their will, particularly with a vaccine that has yet to be approved by the FDA.”
He continued, “Our healthcare workers are certainly capable of weighing the risks and benefits and can make their own decision about the vaccine. This mandate could force healthcare workers to choose between their employment and their conscience. Now is not the time to risk losing any of our healthcare workers who have been at the front lines of this pandemic.”

Downtown Wi-Fi installation began in July and will be completed by August 31 –  Shown above  is a map showing the general location of the access points and the approximate coverage area.                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Photo by City of Kings Mountain Main Street Program)
 

The City of Kings Mountain will celebrate National Night Out, Tuesda3y, August 3, at the Gazebo in Patriots Park.
This special event gives the community the opportunity to meet local law enforcement and first responders while offering food, music and a variety of family friendly activities.
Community Partners such as Safe Kids of Cleveland County and Kings Mountain YMCA, will be on hand with games and activities as well. Special guests include Cleveland Community College’s Yeti mascot and Chase from Paw Patrol.
National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen communities by encouraging neighborhoods to engage in stronger relationships with each other and with the local law enforcement partners.
Great food, fun games, inflatables and much more are available! All the fun starts in Patriots Park at 6 pm. Patriots Park is located at 220 South Railroad Avenue. Due to this special event, a portion of Railroad Avenue and West Gold Street surrounding Patriots Park will be closed beginning at 5:30pm, August 3, and remain closed or barricaded until 9:30 pm. Please use extreme caution when traveling in the area due to the increase in motor vehicles and pedestrians. Please plan to travel different roads  if  you  are  impacted  by this change.
For more information on National Night Out, contact the City of Kings Mountain’s Special Events Department at 704-730-2101, or visit their website at www.KingsMountainEvents.Com. You may also visit their Facebook page at @cityofkmspecialevents.

By Loretta Cozart

When Mike Butler decided to open Butler’s Garage in 1995, little did he know that his son, Bryan, who was about to graduate college at UNC-Charlotte, would follow in his footsteps twenty-four years later. Mike started the business after taking early retirement from Winn-Dixie when the Kings Mountain store announced it was closing. He opened a one-bay garage at 205 E. King Street and over the years, the business expanded to three-bays.
“Opening a garage wasn’t such a far reach for my dad. His father, Claude ‘Smokie’ Butler, was a backyard mechanic who taught his  kids  mechanical BUTLER
work; they had a garage on their property. Dad started buying equipment and pretty soon he was doing a lot of the pre-work with Kings Mountain Auto Sales, getting their cars ready to sell. They kept him really, really busy. His reputation just grew from there. He always had cars in the lot and had the reputation for hiring good mechanics,” Bryan said of his dad.
After college, Bryan became a commercial relationship banker with a huge territory in western NC and worked in that field for 25-years. I did a lot of driving,” he recalls. “One day, dad came to me and said he was going to retire. Mom had retired and he was ready to do so, too. The more I thought about it, I thought maybe I could take the business, grow it, and have someone run it for me. My wife, Stephanie, was supportive of me and said we were in a good place in our lives to try and that I should go for it. When I asked dad about it, he said he thought that would be cool.”
Two years later, Bryan and Stephanie bought a lot at 404 E. King Street, just down the block from the shop’s old location. “The rest is history. I disappeared from the banking industry and started doing this. I just wish I had done it 10-years earlier.”
Mike now helps in the business. “I put dad on special projects. He’s my go-to-guy for the motors and the bigger jobs that we get around here; I don’t think I’ve ever seen him happier. To be able to work with my dad now is really great, because I had been away from Kings Mountain for a long time.”
Butler’s Tire and Auto Service currently has eight-bays, with a mechanic working in each. They shop specializes in full-service work and are one of a few in town that do. “We do everything, from tires, to engines, to transmissions. Some places won’t do valve cover gaskets, but we do it all - including tires. We are a one-stop-shop,” Bryan said. “And we keep all the work in-house.”
“We bought all-new ROTARY® equipment when we opened this shop. They are well-known for lifts and alignment machines. And we are the only shop in town with a zero entry lift, so low cars like Corvettes can drive straight onto the lift and not worry about rubbing. People who lower their cars can come here and to get alignments and things like that.”
Bryan says he focuses on customer service, offering a 2-year warranty on most repairs. “We are a good old family business with a good reputation. If someone is unhappy about something, they can just come talk with me. I’ll be glad to have a conversation with them and make it right.” Bryan said, “Our reputation is something I want to continue to build upon. That’s why we have been for around so long.”
When asked where he sees the business going, Bryan said, “I feel we are going to continue to grow. We’ve got two-acres here and have plenty of room if we want to expand. I am always looking for other ventures, like popular franchises that might be a hit here. I own the property next to me it has good road frontage on King Street. So, I keep my options open.”
   “But my first job is to make sure this place does really well. So far, it’s been really good. We are growing every month and that’s all you can ask for,” he said. “I am excited I am part of the future here. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right. I want everyone to come here and feel comfortable while they sit in the lobby. Customers can watch TV and enjoy a free water or coffee. If you have to get your car fixed, and you have to stay here, I want you to be comfortable. This is my vision built on my father’s reputation.”
When asked about the 1948 Ford he drives around town, Bryan shared the story. “We moved back to Kings Mountain about a year ago and we were looking for a house with property. We came across the Herndon residence and went to see it. That truck was in the garage. So I asked, ‘Does the truck come with the house?’” It did, and Bryan didn’t have to do anything to the truck; he drives it as he found it. “All I did was put stickers on the side and put gas in it. That’s it. It is definitely a conversation starter.”
Bryan Butler and wife Stefanie now live in Kings Mountain with their two boys, Ethan, 20, a junior at Virginia Tech, and Corbin, 9, who is in the fourth grade. One day, Bryan may have a similar conversation with his sons about taking over Butler’s Tire and Auto Service. But for now, he’s glad to be back home in Kings Mountain with his family carrying on the family tradition in a business his father started over 25 years ago.

By Kimberly Herndon,
Senior Planner,
City of  Kings Mountain
Planning Department

On Tuesday, June 29, City Council adopted the City of Kings Mountain Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). The UDO provides regulations for land use and development in the City of Kings Mountain and its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction. The new ordinance replaces the City of Kings Mountain Zoning Ordinance, originally adopted in December of 1996, and the City of Kings Mountain Subdivision Ordinance, originally adopted in April of 1996, and all of the subsequent amendments. These ordinances had long served the community. With changing times, it was time for the ordinances to changes as well.
   The need for a UDO came about as a result of a number of factors. In 2019, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted a complete reorganization of the state’s planning and development regulations. State standards from 1905 to present day were revised, consolidated, and clarified. The new Chapter 160D mandated that every city and county development regulation in the state to be updated by January 1, 2021. Due to the effects of Covid 19 a six-month extension was allowed, thus bringing the new deadline to July 1, 2021. The City of Kings Mountain UDO became effective on July 1, 2021 in compliance with the state law.
   The city planning staff worked with Kendig Keast Collaborative, a consulting firm known for their work in land use codes and specializing in performance zoning. Bret Keast, Principal, and Kelli McCormick, Senior Associate, worked with the city planning staff to evaluate the existing city ordinances and draft a new unified ordinance to carry the city into the future. A series of community meetings were held via Zoom and in-person. The City Planning & Zoning Board hosted public input sessions, board workshops, and participated in joint workshops with city council. Edits and public hearings continued until the time the ordinance was adopted.
   One goal of the UDO process was to make the code more user friendly and understandable. The entire ordinance was moved to EnCode Plus software. The use of EnCode allows the ordinance to be easily accessed by any from the city’s web site. The code is now a searchable document and can easily lead users to the sections in which they have interest with a simple search by topic. Reference sections appear as interactive links for easy access to charts, tables, and diagrams. Definitions are also linked to text for clarity.
    Another feature of the software is its link to the official zoning map. Once updated, users can search by property address and easily access zoning information as well as information linked to the Cleveland and Gaston County GIS databases. The map function will go live once the official zoning map is updated with the proper zoning terminology.
   The UDO replaced the old Euclidian zoning model that had been used since the 1990’s with a hybrid zoning classification system that merges aspects of Euclidian zoning with performance based zoning. In so doing, the zoning classifications were changed.
   An example of this type of update that effects residential properties is in the difference between the old Residential-10 zoning and the new Suburban Residential Classification. Residential 10 (R-10) zoning was converted to Suburban Residential (SR). The Suburban Residential (SR) classification now allows for three different development types based upon the desired character of a neighborhood. Standard lots (S) is most similar to the old R-10 designation. Cluster (C) and Planned (PL) are additional designations in this classification that allow for higher density development upon compliance with additional development standards. This approach allows housing to be addressed with residential standards, allow for clustering, and bonus techniques compatible with resource protection and quality design.
   The UDO and the related Official Zoning Map are the first steps in moving the development and land uses forward. The City of Kings Mountain and surrounding ETJ are currently experiencing record growth and development requests. Ensuring that land use compatibility is maintained, and that growth is managed in a controlled fashion are critical to community development and sustainability. Development guidelines can often be perceived as difficult or overbearing. In reality, good development is always welcome in a community and encouraged. Development increases the tax base, allows for variety of housing options, new commerce, new jobs, and quality of life.
   The UDO can be accessed on the City of Kings Mountain website on the Community Planning & Economic Development page. The link is: http://online.encodeplus.com/regs/kingsmountain-nc-update/
   The UDO and official zoning map did not make broad scale changes to zoning classifications. If your property was zoned residential prior to July 1, 2021 it is still zoned residential today. The name of the zone has changed. Some changes have been made in allowances and setbacks within zoning classifications. A table of uses is included in the UDO that outlines what uses are permitted in each of the zones. Some uses require special use permits and other uses are limited. Terms and definitions are included to provide clarity. Questions and concerns about land use and the UDO may be addressed to the planning office.
   Zoning permits, rezoning applications, subdivision requests, address requests, and text amendments will be handled as in the past. Forms for such requests continue to be available online. In the near future, these forms will be moved to OpenGov, a new online format being implemented by city staff. At that time, all new applications will come through the online portal and be reviewed by staff.
   A new zoning map will be generated in conjunction with the comprehensive plan that is being written. The City of Kings Mountain had paused its work on the Vision 2040 Comprehensive Plan due to Covid 19 and the inability to host community input sessions in person. The planning staff has restarted these efforts and will work to complete the new plan by the end of 2021/early 2022. Based upon the findings of the comprehensive plan and analysis of existing land uses, economic forecasts, development needs of the community, and supply of undeveloped land, the zoning map will be updated to meet the needs of the future of the community. Public input is welcomed as this process moves forward.