By Stan Welch
The lack of official confirmation about the plans for a large tract of land in Powdersville did nothing to reduce the public’s interest at last Thursday’s town hall meeting, hosted by District Six Councilman Ken Waters.
At a meeting of the type usually dominated by recreation and traffic, neither of those topics could even make it onto the radar; as rumored plans for a low income housing development at the site, located between the Ingle’s supermarket and Concrete School, dominated the discussion.
More than 100 people crowded the room to express their feelings about such a project. Little firm information was available; a circumstance that continued throughout a telephone interview with the listed realtor for the property, Jerry Tripp.
“All I can say is that I am the listing realtor for the site. The client has a contingency contract on the land. They will now perform their due diligence and if the site meets the needs and conditions of the buyer, we will probably move to a binding contract,” said Tripp.
Due diligence in such a situation would involve such actions as environmental and soil testing, impact studies, and various permits and approvals.
According to Waters and county administrator Rusty Burns, some of those actions might take place at the state regulatory and permitting level; a possibility which could support the theory that the project might be a public housing or low income housing development, since the county administration would have little or no authority over such an operation.
Tripp indicated that the project would be commercial in nature, and added that the potential buyer had until July 31 to perform due diligence and seek a binding contract on the property. “At that time,” said Tripp, I will be glad to share whatever information the buyer agrees to share, including drawings and proposals for the project.
Waters could not, and Tripp would not, provide the exact acreage involved, but Waters said it is a sizable piece of land. He added, “Knowing the people involved, I am confident that the project will meet high standards.”
