BY STACIE LETT CAIN
The Statesville City Council voted on Monday to approve a special-use permit that will allow for the expansion of the Sherwin-Williams paint manufacturing facility.
The expansion will add 50,000 square feet to the plant.
“This expansion is part of a $324 million project that Sherwin Williams is undertaking, $121 million to be a part of this particular facility,” James Todd of the Smith Anderson law firm, which represents Sherwin Williams, said. “This will make this facility the largest Sherwin-Williams has in North America and they are very excited to proceed with it.”
The expanded facility will add office space, expanded truck parking as well as four railroad spurs. One of the criteria that must be met in order to grant the permit is that the proposed project must not decrease property values of adjacent or abutting property.
According to Anne Johnson of CBRE, that is not a real concern.
“I have pulled research showing that industrial property value has increased from $42,000 per acre to $64,400 per acre since the proposal of the Sherwin-Williams project and the North Point development,” she explained. “It is very clear that establishing well known companies like Sherwin-Williams is definitely an enhancement.”
The council approved the special use permit unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The meeting Monday was also a public comment night. All of the speakers were focused on one main theme: coming together to help those in need.
Valerie Keaton, a 26-year Statesville resident, asked the council for access to the public schools for her mentoring program, Cotilion, which is organized out of the Christ Cathedral of Deliverance Church in Statesville.
“I teach my young ladies that they can take themselves to McDonald’s. They need to expect higher standards from their young men, and we teach those higher standards to the young men,” she explained. “They need to know they are someone and need to be treated like they are someone.”
Tyrone Phifer spoke of the prayer walk through the south side of the city called Empowering the Neighborhood. He thanked the mayor and council for their presence at the event and asked for the support of all elected leaders.
“We don’t care what your political affiliation is. We just need everyone to be committed to making our community better,” he explained. “We need you to care that we need speed bumps in our neighborhoods to keep our children safe and we need better lighting in our neighborhoods and parks. That’s what we need to make our community better.”
OTHER BUSINESS
The council also held a public hearing on the first reading of a rezoning request for a 264-unit apartment complex off James Farm Road and Glenway Drive. City staff recommended the approval with the stipulation that to receive city utilities it would have to be annexed into the city. The parcel, once owned by Doosan Manufacturing, is across the street from that plant and was zoned for light industrial. The rezoning approval would change zoning to R5 Multi Family.
NEXT MEETING
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for November 7 at 7 p.m.