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City Council to meet Tuesday

Special session will address placing limits on drinking establishments.

By Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record

Published: November 2, 2008

HICKORY - Hickory City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. to conduct a workshop regarding amendments to Hickory's city ordinances to place limits and controls on the establishment and expansion of drinking establishments within the city, according to a press release.

The workshop is the result of the council's Sept. 16 decision to enact a four-month moratorium on the establishment of new drinking establishments.

The moratorium was presented by Assistant City Manager Andrea Surratt, who said it was designed to reduce the kinds of crime and nuisances typically associated with drinking establishments. Surratt said there are currently 14 drinking establishments in the city of Hickory and "The city has done little to plan for and appropriately direct their location and type of growth."

Z. Ann Hoyle, representative of Ward 4, and Brad Lail, representative of Ward 1, voted against the moratorium, which is due to expire in early January.

According to the published meeting agenda the council will also:

• Decide whether to pay the $9,640 fine it incurred from the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources Division of Waste management on Aug. 13. Hickory was fined for leachate into the stormwater system on June 19 and July 9.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "A leachate is a contaminated liquid that results when water collects contaminants as it trickles through wastes, agricultural pesticides, or fertilizers.

Leaching may occur in farming areas and landfills and may be a means of the entry of hazardous substances into soil, surface water, or groundwater."

• Discuss whether to allow Hickory's community development department to apply for urgent repair program funds. The department wishes to apply for $75,000 through the program to assist a minimum of 18 homes badly in need of repair. If approved, the city will provide $37,000 in matching funds.

• Address whether to approve a $5,000 downtown appearance grant for a property owned by Abacus Investments LLC and located at 313 Fourth St.