A new ordinance might require construction sites impacting Carrboro sidewalks and roads to have construction plans approved by the town.
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen tried to clear up the proposed ordinance during its meeting Tuesday night.
Alderman Jacquelyn Gist said the ordinance didn’t make it clear what development situations would require discussions with neighbors and nearby businesses to explain the construction’s impact on the town roads.
Alderman Damon Seils said the solution is to always have meetings with neighbors.
“Don’t leave it to discretion at all,” Damon said.
The aldermen asked the town staff to further explore their questions before the Oct. 15 public hearing for the ordinance.
Pesky Styrofoam
The board also discussed the use of Styrofoam material in construction sites around town.
Mike Brough, the town’s attorney, said this isn’t something the town could monitor but he agreed to follow-up to find out if there is an industry regulation.
Alderman Sammy Slade said he was worried about the pollution potential for the use of this Styrofoam material.
“Big dead zones in the ocean have a lot of plastic — this (styomfoam material) ends up there,” Slade said.
Brough said this would be the kind of problem that could be solved by mandating that sites wouldn’t use this material if the wind is more than 15 miles per hour.
“They really are a very significant pollutant,” Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton said of the plastic building material.
Notable:
Carrboro second graders will be learning kitchen fire safety next week as part of the town’s fire prevention month.
This year’s theme will is ‘Prevent Kitchen Fires’ and the fire station will hold an open house Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Firefighters will travel to Carrboro’s elementary schools this week to teach fire safety.
“We’ll target second graders and teaching them about cooking, safety, being around the kitchen when helping mom and dad out,” Fire Marshal Kent Squires said.
Seven fire fighters attended the meeting with Squires. The men were recognized for their service. Carrboro firefighters responded to 1,517 calls in the preceding fiscal year resulting in no fire deaths and only two fire injuries, Chilton said.
Quotable:
Alderwoman Randee Haven-O’Donnell said she was also concerned about the Styrofoam material and wanted to know if construction workers are required to wear masks on building sites.
“I come from a generation whose fathers were handling asbestos with their bare hands,” Haven-O’Donnell said.
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