Cherryville City Council Approves Residential Rezoning, Honors Veterans with Poppy Day Proclamation
By: Lauren Ramsey – Wise News Network
Cherryville, NC (WNN)- The Cherryville City Council addressed a variety of issues during its regular monthly meeting on Monday, May 12, 2025. Council Members voted to approve a rezoning request and a voluntary annexation that allow for a potential residential development site. The council also set a public hearing for citizens to comment on the proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 budget. View the Proposed Budget Here
The meeting began at 6:00 p.m. with an invocation by John Roghelia, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members quickly moved through the agenda approval. They unanimously approved the meeting agenda as submitted, along with the minutes from the regular council meeting on April 14th and the budget work session meeting on April 29.
Mayor’s Comments
Mayor H.L Beam then delivered his comments, beginning with thanks to the Cherryville Chamber of Commerce and its dedicated volunteers for arranging a successful 2025 Cherry Blossom Festival. He specifically mentioned Event Coordinator Emily Dellinger, noting how well she handled her first event in the role, which gathered positive feedback from vendors.
Beam also announced that the city has received 14 additional urns that have been placed in the downtown district. They have already been filled, and the results are astounding as they represent additional decor for the city. Looking ahead, he mentioned that the Gaston Business Association is hosting a “Salute to Business Black Tie Gala” at 3700 Country Club Drive in Gastonia. Beam Construction will be receiving the award for spirit of the economy at the event. Mayor Beam congratulated the company for the recognition.
A major announcement followed as Mayor Beam announced that the American Legion National Executive Committee in Indianapolis, Indiana, has chosen Cherryville for two regional tournaments in 2026 and 2027. He added that it’s a significant chance to draw 10-15,000 visitors from a projected 14 states into the city, and said Cherryville is honored to be chosen for these upcoming occurrences.
Beam concluded his comments by informing the council that City Manager Brian Dalton and Finance Director Dixie Wall have distributed the proposed city budget for the upcoming year to them. They must thoroughly study it before the scheduled vote at the June council meeting.
Cherryville Honors Veterans with Poppy Day Proclamation
Mayor Beam acknowledged the American Legion 100 Auxiliary by presenting a proclamation declaring May 23rd, 2025, as National Poppy Day in the city of Cherryville. The proclamation was presented to Councilwoman Jill Puett, current president of the North Carolina American Legion 100 Auxiliary, and representatives of the Legion who were present.
The proclamation explained that the red poppy has become a nationally known symbol for sacrifice, ultimately honoring those who served and gave their lives for the nation in all wars. It also recognized the continuing efforts of the American Legion Auxiliary to remind Americans of that sacrifice through the distribution of the symbolic red poppy. The red poppy also symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Puett expressed gratitude for the city’s continued appreciation, stating, “This means a lot to the American Legion because the poppy is our symbolic flower that came about during World War I when the fields were turned up from all the bombs going off. And all of a sudden, even when they were burying bodies, the poppies started growing. It was just a beautiful sight. If you’ve ever read the poem In Flanders Fields, that’s where all this originated, and this is very meaningful to the American Legion. Thank you for the appreciation.”
Single-Family Zoning Gets Approved for Delview Road Property
The council then moved into a public hearing about changing the zoning of part of a property known as parcel 305524 at 1115 Delview Road. Richard Elam, the Planning and Zoning Director, explained Nick Petrie from Better Path Homes wanted to change the zoning of the 11.15-acre land. The current R-40 (rural residential) zoning needs bigger lots. The proposed R-12 (single-family residential) zoning allows smaller lots of at least 12,000 square feet.
Elam told the council that the Berryville, Virginia, property owners, Gary and Dawn Buckley, knew about the request. He said the Cherryville Planning Board had all agreed to approve it on April 21. He also confirmed they had followed the right steps to notify people. This included putting up notices on the property and at city hall, sending mail to nearby property owners, and advertising the hearing in the Lincoln Times-News.
Elam noted they only received one phone call asking about lot sizes and where the road would enter, which he said would be on Delview Road. After the public hearing, where no one spoke up, the council all voted to end the hearing. They then approved the zoning change, deciding it fit with the city’s land use plan and made sense for the public good.
Voluntary Annexation of Delview Road Parcel Gets Full Approval
The city council held a second public hearing about a voluntary annexation request for the same piece of land at 1115 Delview Road. Director Elam explained that the property owners had asked to join the city limits on March 17, 2025.
He pointed out that the property touches the current city boundary in two spots. Like the rezoning, they gave proper notice, and one person asked about it. After the public hearing, where nobody spoke up, the council all agreed to end the hearing and then gave the go-ahead to the annexation law. The new city area will become part of Ward 3.
Public Hearing Set for Proposed Fiscal Year Budget
The council then looked at scheduling a public hearing to discuss the budget plan for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Finance Director Dixie Wall attended to answer questions. A motion was made and seconded to schedule the public hearing on Monday, June 9, 2025, during the next regular council meeting. Another council member backed this idea. The motion passed unanimously, allowing citizens a chance to share their thoughts on the city’s financial strategy. View the Proposed Budget Here
ABC Board Travel Policy Gets Approved
City Manager Brian Dalton discussed the yearly decision about the ABC Board’s travel policy. He explained how the board chooses whether it will follow the city’s or the state’s travel rules each year. This time, the board asked to stick with the city’s policy to handle out-of-town travel needs for meetings attended by Allen Fraley. The council agreed without opposition to let the board keep using the city’s travel rules.
Council Thanks Volunteers and Shares Updates
Councilwoman Jill Puett thanked the volunteers and sponsors who helped with the recent Main Street plantings. She pointed out the quick work and how great the results looked.
City Manager Dalton shared news about the City Hall remodeling project. Beam Construction won the construction manager at-risk contract. Also, through insurance cost negotiations, the city managed to lower a proposed 28% increase to just a 10% increase. With no more topics to discuss, a motion was made to adjourn the meeting, seconded and unanimously approved, concluding the meeting.
To Review the Proposed 2025-2026 Budget, Click Here
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