Last Updated on October 25, 2026 5:34 pm
BOONE — The Boone Town Council meets Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Town Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road, with a work session at 5 p.m. followed by regular business and public comment at 6 p.m.
The agenda includes a discussion of ordinance enforcement on Oak Street, a request to expand drive-through hours at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, a granite bench at the Veterans Memorial, a $230,500 water system engineering agreement and two rezoning cases heard at the September public hearing.
5 p.m. Work Session
Oak Street ordinance enforcement. Mayor Dalton George has requested a discussion of the enforcement of town ordinances on Oak Street, specifically those relating to noise, parking and trash management.
Workforce housing program application. Grants Coordinator Laney Wise has asked council to discuss potential next steps for the town’s application to the CDBG-DR Workforce Housing for Ownership Program.
Requested Appearances
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice drive-through hours. Chelsea Garrett will ask council to review and expand the drive-through hours at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.
Under conditional district order A25-0115 for JSeventeen7, LLC, the drive-through was temporarily approved for 6 p.m. until close on weeknights and open all weekend, from 6 p.m. Friday until close Sunday, with the applicant able to return to council no earlier than June 1, 2026.
In the request, Garrett writes that after 10 full months of operation the business has not observed or been informed of any unreasonable traffic or backups into Grove Street during drive-through hours, and describes a system for taking orders from the queue on an iPad and directing traffic into two lanes that merge before the window.
Veterans Memorial bench. George Brudzinski of the High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America will present a request to install a granite reflection bench on town-owned property next to the Veterans Memorial on King Street.
When the memorial was completed in 2018, the High Country MOAA gave the town $15,000 designated for future upkeep and maintenance. The full amount remains available. The bench would measure 72 by 14 by 2 inches with granite legs and a backrest, at a total cost of $5,307 including fabrication, engraving, delivery and installation.
The MOAA has agreed to provide the initial $2,700 deposit and coordinate the purchase and installation. Staff asks council to authorize spending $5,307 from the existing Veterans Memorial maintenance fund, payable to the High Country MOAA.
Consent Agenda
Water system engineering. Deputy Public Works Director Joshua Eller reports that McGill Associates was selected through a request for qualifications for the Fairway Drive and Hospital Area Water System Improvements project. The engineering services agreement is $230,500, funded through SL 2023-134 Directed Appropriations Act funds, so the town will incur no expense.
Blue Ridge Conservancy resolution. Council will consider a resolution supporting the Blue Ridge Conservancy’s application to NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division Paved Trails and Sidewalk Feasibility Studies Grant Program. Council directed staff last October to work with the conservancy on grant opportunities to fund a feasibility study of a connection between Rivers House Park and Howard Knob Park.
Budget amendments. Two are listed. The Finance Department amendment moves $88,250 to regular salaries and $5,222 to FICA tax, drawing $73,472 from miscellaneous revenue, to recognize a payment from the SBI and appropriate funds for the Local Law Enforcement Bonus Program. The Public Works amendment moves $1,070,400 to contracted services and $478,000 to capital outlay for other equipment, drawing $1,548,400 from appropriated fund balance, to cover grant-reimbursable water and sewer projects.
Also on consent are the October 2026 monthly financial report and the minutes of the Oct. 14 regular meeting.
Planning Matters
Two cases heard at the Sept. 28 public hearing come back for action.
Case A26-0515, Khulaqi parcel. Abdulrahman Yasser Khulaqi has applied to rezone a portion of a 0.311-acre vacant parcel on U.S. 421 South from R3 Multiple-Family Residential to B3 General Business with Corridor District Overlay. The parcel is currently split-zoned B3 and R3.
The Planning Commission voted 5-0, with one member absent, to recommend approval, finding the request matches the B3 zoning on adjoining parcels along a commercial corridor and that the full range of B3 uses is compatible with neighboring hotel, commercial and manufacturing uses, with required buffers addressing the apartment to the south.
Case A26-0521, Clement Street Apartments. Clement Street Apartments, LLC has applied to rezone 138 Clement St. from B3 General Business to Conditional District R3 Multiple-Family Residential with a site-specific development plan for a 12-unit, 18-bedroom multi-family dwelling.
The applicant’s narrative describes an adaptive reuse of the existing building: converting the interior into four apartments and adding two floors of four apartments each. The narrative states the approach creates housing while minimizing site disturbance by reusing an existing structure rather than demolishing and redeveloping the site.
Two deviations are requested: removing the requirement that 25% of units have a garage or carport, and reducing required livability space from .50 to 0.15, including balcony areas for upper-floor units.
The Planning Commission voted 5-0, with one member absent, to recommend approval as an adaptive reuse that adds housing within walking distance of a campus without new impervious surface, subject to seven conditions. Among them: units must be leased by the unit rather than by the bedroom, parking must not impede traffic on Clement Street, existing trees must be retained, and the applicant must work with staff on a solid waste collection plan before site plan approval.
Commission members discussed the leasing condition at length. According to the draft minutes, Commission Member King said students pushed people out of housing because split leasing gave them more buying power, and that conditioning by-the-unit leases would give families a better chance of renting the units. Commission Member Paz-Miranda agreed, noting it could open the units to families and young professionals. Planning Director Jane Shook asked the applicant whether she would accept such a condition, and Brooke Butler said it could be accommodated if imposed.
The applicant has proposed its own conditions as well, including a sidewalk with roll curb along the Clement Street frontage, rain barrels at downspouts with no increase in impervious surface, a gable roof, a screened trash enclosure, an exterior of at least 25% brick and stone, a bike rack, fiber cement siding in colors other than white or black, and shielded full cut-off exterior lighting.
Board leadership. Council will select the chair and vice-chair of both the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission.
For the Historic Preservation Commission, current Chair Vardell Smythe was the sole applicant for chair and member Bennie Gaetano the sole applicant for vice-chair; the commission unanimously recommended both. For the Planning Commission, current Chair Frank Veno was the sole applicant for chair and was unanimously recommended. Members King and Paz-Miranda each applied for vice-chair, and the commission forwarded both applications to council for selection.
Council Matters: 155 WYN Way
Council will consider the proposed conditional district zoning map amendment project narrative for 155 WYN Way, reviewing and providing feedback based on an Oct. 19 neighborhood meeting. Planning Director Jane Shook reports staff intends to submit the application for consideration at the Nov. 23 public hearing, and will upload the draft project narrative once it is complete.
Closed Session
The agenda lists a closed session under three provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11: subsection (a)(1), to review, approve and seal minutes from prior closed sessions; (a)(3), to consult with the town attorney concerning one or more potential legal claims; and (a)(6), to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness or conditions of appointment or initial employment of a public officer or employee.
Potential action following closed session is listed before adjournment.
The full agenda and packet are posted on the town’s online agenda portal.
