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Wednesday, May 5, 2004
ALD
Hayes site could replicate style of historic district
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
A pre-colonial estate just
east of Edenton could be
come a replica of the town’s
historic district.
Owners of Hayes Planta
tion have hired a develop
ment team to design an ex
tensive development on their
ancestral farmland. The vast
tract dates back to the mid
18th Century and was home
to Samuel Johnston, a
former North Carolina gov
ernor and U.S. Senator.
Johnston is buried at Hayes.
Gilliam Wood said the
move is “a very, very sensible
thing for our family to do” '
during Town Council’s April
26 committee meeting. Devel
opers told Council it was also
a sensible idea for the town
and Chowan County to con
sider approving. i
Officers'
training
held here
BY SEAN JACKSON
Staff Writer
TYNER — One mistake can
cost a life.
Law enforcement personnel
know this, and hope never to
have to test the theory. A state
of-the-art firearms training
simulator rolled .into Chowan
County last week to give the
good guys practice in dealing
with bad guys.
A flannel-clad man check
ing under his hood on the road
side blasts away at a helpful
sheriff’s deputy. A high school
student rampages through the
halls, gunning down class
mates. A trio of bandits draw
their guns as they exit the
scene of a convenience store
robbery.
“This is as close to being
like the real thing as anything
you’ll get,” Andy Bunch, a
Chowan County Sheriff’s Of
fice detective, said after lead
ing deputies from Perquimans
County through a string of
computer-controlled danger
ous — and “deadly” — plots.
In a dark trailer, real offic
ers gripped laser-firing Glocks,
while gun-toting criminals
fired back from a life-sized
screen. When the trainees
were caught off guard they
were peppered in the legs by
marble-sized plastic “bullets.”
“It didn’t hurt too bad, did
it?” Minor Allen, a technology
See TRAINING On Page 3-A
Staff photo by Sean Jackson
Owners of the Hayes farm property, in background, bor
dered by Queen Anne Creek here, are mulling plans to turn
:he rural tract into a large development similar in fashion
:o Edenton's Historic District:
Developers Bob.Chapman,
Vlilton Grenfell and Tony
lease gave a 50-minute
PowerPoint presentation to
council. Plans are in the
early stages, Chapman said,
but hopes are to fully develop
the land over 50 years.
Development would in
clude “walkable streets,”
sites for civic use, an “iden
tifiable” center and bound
aries, as well as homes and
buildings that resemble
Edenton’s historic manner.
The town’s designers and
founders used a well
thought-out plan that has
withstood nearly 300 years,
Chapman said. Forward
thinking development is key
to a healthy community, he
said.
“That’s what they did 200
years ago, 100 years ago, 50
years ago,” Chapman added,
“amd, we can still do it.”
llprpnfeirialso said new
houses could be fashioned af
ter Edenton’s enduring sites.
"They’re Mill here,” he
said, “because they were
built for the long haul.”
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Photo by Bill Haley
Event Chair Pat Mesa and volunteer Keith Sorensen adjust the small sign at the foot
of Broad Street promoting the May 8 Friends of the Library fundraiser. According to
Town Planner Elizabeth Bryant the town decided more than a year ago to reduce sign
clutter and make the corner safer for motorists by limiting the signs.
Friends adapt to 'signs of the
times' preparing for fundraiser
BY BILL HALEY
Contributing Writer
When Shepard-Pruden Li
brary volunteers dusted off
the 3x4 foot sign used for
their past three fundraisers
they found the sign was no
longer legal. Since the last
Spring Forward party/auc
tion in 2002 the town of
Edenton decided to limit
signs at the foot of Broad
Street to four square feet. The
Friends were three times out
of compliance.
To the rescue came real es
tate developer Judy Adams
who invited Friends to place
the large sign on her property
along Virginia Road, while a 2
x 2 foot sign was commissioned
for Broad Street. Signs were
installed less than two weeks
before the event, hoping to add
to the awareness of the event.
Meanwhile, tickets are selling
fast for the gala wine and
cheese party, which along
with the silent and live auc
tion help keep the library a
vibrant part of the commu
nity. The party will be held at
6 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at the
American Legion building on
West Queen Street. Tickets
are $7 in advance and $10 at
the door.
Adams is not the only
Edenton business person to
See SIGNS On Page 3-A
Grenfell said the proposed
development style is known
as traditional, not historic,
architectural. “It’s not an
imitative thing,” he said of
traditional architecture, “it’s
a living, breathing, way to
make buildings.”
Council and the audience
on hand viewed examples of
such homes and buildings
from sites in South Carolina
and at Duke University that
the developers had worked
on.
The developers also out
lined ways the plan could
help the town and county
avoid urban sprawl, strip
malls, and short-lived subdi
visions.
Chapman forecasted that
Edenton and Chowan County
would grow significantly
over the next few decades.
With a 1.7 percent population
increase the county would
double its citizenry in 50
years. Smart development
will allow the county and
town to maintain their
strengths, he added.
The plan does not include
any substantial commercial
development. What busi
nesses would be built would
“support the vitality of
downtown Edenton,” Sease
said.
The rezoning will have to
be approved by council. The
developers are scheduled to
meet with the town Planning
Board May 17. The Wood fam
ily inherited the property in
1865 from James Johnston, a
friend of the family. James
Johnston was the son of
Samuel Johnston.
The project is the third
,new major development
pitched to Chowan County
and town officials since last
fall.
Bill Gardner Jr.
files for seat as
Commissioner
BY EARLINE WHITE
Staff Writer
Bill Gardner Jr. officially
entered the race on April 29
seeking to fill a soon-to-be va
cant seat on the Chowan
CountvBoard of Commission
ers. G;»ldner, a Republican,
hopes to replace George E.
Jones, a Democrat, on the
board in the upcoming July
election.
Gardner, a lifetime resident
of Chowan County, wants to
represent District 2, Seat 1. He
hopes to fulfill the ‘large shoes’
left behind by his predecessor,
Jones, who served for 26 years
in the position.
“I am giving Bill my full sup
port,” said Jones. “I don’t
think that political parties
should come into play with the
election; it should be given to
the best man for the job. We
need someone to look after
Chowan County’s best inter
ests.” Jones said. Gardner
made it clear he has no agenda
but a sincere interest in the
area.
“I see a lot of change happen
ing in Chowan County. There
are developments in the works
and I would like to have an in
put,” Gardner said.
Though Gardner has never
See GARDNER On Page 3-A
Staff photo by Barline White
Chowan Board of Elections Supervisor Rebecca Lowe
watches as Bill Gardner Jr. files to seek election to the
Chowan County Board of Commissioners. Looking on his
retiring Commissioner George Jones, right, who has en
dorsed Gardner for the seat.
OLF's presence may change area forever
INSIDE THIS WEEK
Mother’s
Day contest
winner
announced
Acoustic Coffee
celebrates first year
_ 12-A
Cycle Speedway open
for season_1-B
Volunteers honored at
banquets___3-C
BY SUSAN R. HARRIS
Cox NC Publications
First in a series
Northeastern North Caro
lina may be described by some
as the land time forgot.
Still largely rural and agri
cultural, the counties of the
northeast corner of the state
by and large lag behind in eco
nomic growth and pace of life.
Things move slowly in this
corner of the world, where the
honking of geese and the roar
of a tractor motor are often the
loudest sounds heard.
This relatively slow-paced
lifestyle and tranquility, the
serene, pristine waterways,
and the friendliness of the re
gion have made it a haven for
city-dwellers looking for a
peaceful place to retire. Its rich
history and lack of high-pay
ing jobs have forced economic
development groups and local
governments to pursue heri
tage and eco-tourism as a
means to remain economically
viable.
But.the character of this se
rene setting may change for
ever if the U.S. Navy builds an
outlying landing field, or OLF,
in the region.
If that happens, hnd the
Navy does plan to build an aux
iliary landing field in Wash
ington County, the roar of jets
practicing touch-and-go land
ings at all hours of the day and
night will certainly not be con
ducive to people or wildlife.
Proponents of a landing
field in North Carolina cite
military preparedness as the
i V.UOUU IV 10 liCCUCU.
See OLF On Page 5-A
Tundra swans (above) and other wildlife will face an
uncertain future in Washington County if an OLF is built.
Spring Forward SATURDAY MAY 8th American Legion Hall Tickets $7 Sponsored by Friends of the
-"" STARTS AT 6:00 P.M. West Queen Street, Edenton $10 at door Shepard'Pruden Library
Auction ... Wine and Cheese Party
Pas^d^rarech^^fir^gaf^d^Twine and soft drinh... silent and live auction - Come one, come all! Help support our library!