Analysis

Cary takes pride in its neat appearance, but some property owners apparently don’t “maintain their vegetation to minimum community standards.” So Cary does it for them. But every time it does, it has to send a notice, give them time to comply, et ceterawell, it’s just a pain dealing with folks who “use the Town as a landscaping service.” So Cary wants to be authorized to put habitual offenders on notice and thereafter “take remedial action immediately.”

Also on Cary’s list:

  • It supports giving the Wake County school board taxing authority, independent of the county commissioners, and also wants some school board members elected at-large.
  • It wants to apply the same tough development standards to land in the Cape Fear watershed (which includes Lake Jordan) as it applies in the Neuse River watershed. The General Assembly “is anticipating a stakeholder process … to seek compromise between the interested parties,” it complains. Please don’t give in to the developers, is the Town’s position.
  • Like Raleigh, Cary wants authority to tear down boarded-up structures unless they’re fixed in six months, instead of the current 12-month requirement. It’s important to Cary’s downtown revitalization efforts, the Town says. Bob Geary

Priorities list

(complied from a draft of the Town of Cary agenda)

  • Add Cary to S.L. 2004-98 which provides local authority to the Cities of Winston-Salem and Reidsville to order dwellings determined unfit for human habitation repaired or demolished after a period of six months (instead of one year).
  • The town of Cary is requesting that habitual violators (3 or more times within a year) of vegetation maintenance laws will receive a notice that all violations will be immediately rectified. (This would save staff time and prevent violations from continuing throughout the waiting period.)
  • Is requesting that the rules which apply to Jordan Lake be applied to the Cape Fear watershed so that it will ensure quality of drinking water not only for Cary, but also for surrounding towns.
  • Is requesting an electoral process for the Wake County Board of Education that provides at-large representation because parents feel that they do not have a voice in the decision and their children are suffering from the consequences.
  • Provide taxing authority for the Wake County School Board and relieve Wake County of the responsibility of providing funding to the Wake County Public School System because the boards are forced to rely on others who are not accountable for the academic success.
  • Support funding for Land for Tomorrow and the NC Adopt a Trail grant program
  • Support amendments to G.S. 66-11 (b)(2) to make it easier to track thefts of copper by increasing records requirements for secondary metals recyclers.
  • Support state-wide legislation that makes using a fake gun in the commission of a crime a felony.
  • Support advocacy agenda of the NC League of Municipalities.