Greensboro City Council Member Zack Matheny Has A Golfing Buddy,Campaign Donor and Rezoning Case with Protest Petition

Greensboro City Council member Zack Matheny had a lot to say about the controversial rezoning case for properties at the corner of elm street and cornwallis that was brought in front of the council on 11-17-2009. If you would like to see the video CLICKHERE then proceed to the 2:42 mark of video and the part where Zack Matheny spoke like the energizer bunny is around the 3:59 mark on video.

John Stratton was presenting a rezoning case in front of the Greensboro City Council.Campaign donations for this past election shows that John Stratton gave Zack Matheny on 8-24-2009 $100.00 with a election sum to date total of $350.00 , it was also interesting to see John Stratton on the 35 day report for Zack Matheny campaign forms as self employed and business owner maybe you could add developer to your resume when it is in regards to job title or profession or just let treasurer Robert Kidwell know this information for the future .Maybe just maybe in the future we can get rid of these campaign donors who know full well they have business in front of council and will not be able to give for a period of time before or after a election.

When the councilman Zack Matheny was speaking about the area of Greensboro where he lives, he mentioned the area off of elm street called Fountain Manor and said " if voted on today fountain manor wouldn't be passed by any council." Nice try to say that statement about fountain manor , that was about as ridiculous as Betty Smith from the Greater Greensboro Realtors Association say that if Protest Petition had been in play then Lake Jeanette would not have been built, too much hearsay for me.

Let's also take what Zack Matheny had to say in regards to this rezoning case off of elm and cornwallis. "I have never seen a developer work harder. If you ask Mr. Stratton he would probably tell you he and i don't agree on everything. I am a much better golfer than he is for one thing". It looks like Zack Matheny has a golfing buddy in zoning presenter John Stratton. What is your relationship with Mr. Stratton? Was he one of your anonymous investors off of Highway 68 which you will not disclose ?Here is a link to that post, CLICKHERE . How much agreeing and disagreeing goes on between Zack Matheny and John Stratton?

Now let's end with what Greensboro City Council member Zack Matheny had to say at the end of this rezoning case off of elm and cornwallis.

"It surprised me the comment was made setting the stage what this would do for the future of Greensboro. We can let everybody come in like developers and they will control the whole city. I don't think that is correct, neighborhoods have a voice , if you haven't seen it tonight you will in future especially when it pertains to the protest petition."

As you can see from the above statement neighborhoods all over Greensboro are going to finally have their say in regards to zoning cases.This state law should have never been taken away from the citizens of Greensboro. It looks like having Protest Petition back as state law in Greensboro will level the playing field because for way too long we have known how this outcome has been in regards to developers in town because Zack Matheny just said so. Thanks for letting us all know what the future brings for neighborhoods all over Greensboro and hopefully there will be more cases where Protest Petition is used .

First Protest Petition in Front of Greensboro City Council What Happened?

At the Greensboro City Council meeting on 11-17-2009 items #11 and #12 came in front of council here is the items below

11. Ordinance amending Chapter 30, Section 30-1-10, Relation to the Comprehensive Plan, to consider an amendment to the Connections 2025 Comprehensive Plan Generalized Future Land Use Map (Figure 4-2) from the Low Residential and Mixed Use Commercial land use classifications to the Moderate Residential land use classification for property located in the northwest quadrant of the intersection of W. Cornwallis Road and N. Elm Street. (Attachment #11 (CP-09-02) to Councilmembers) (roll call vote) (THIS ITEM WAS CONTINUED FROM THE NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING OF COUNCIL WITHOUT FURTHER ADVERTISING)

12. Ordinance rezoning classification from RS-12 (Residential-Single Family) to CD-RM-12 (Conditional District-Residential Multi-Family property located at 2207-2209 North Elm Street and 106-108 West Cornwallis Drive, generally described as north of West Cornwallis Drive and west of North Elm Street. (Attachment #12 (PL(Z)09-14) to Councilmembers) (roll call vote) (THIS ITEM WAS CONTINUED FROM THE NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING OF COUNCIL WITHOUT FURTHER ADVERTISING) (A VALID PROTEST PETITION WAS RECEIVED BY THE CLERK AND DELIVERED TO PLANNING ON 11.11.09 AT 11:48 A.M.)

As you can see from above there was a valid protest petition received by the city clerk. This is the first time since the bill was passed earlier this year for this to happen. Here is the article by Amanda Lehmert on this rezonong case with a title " Council fails to pass controversial rezoning" CLICKHERE

In the article this is what was said"The motion to approve the rezoning failed 4 to 3, with Mayor Yvonne Johnson, Councilwoman Wells, and Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small voting no.
Councilman Robbie Perkins abstained and Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw was absent. Councilman Matheny later changed his vote to no – meaning he will be able to ask that the council reconsider the decision at a future council meeting.

The protest petition is now a part of the landscape of future zoning cases in Greensboro.This state law should have never been taken away from the citizens of Greensboro in the first place, hopefully in future will see more zoning cases with a valid protest petition attached to the case. But in the future there might be a case with a valid protest petition and still pass muster with the council and pass but at least they had the right to use a protest petition in the zoning process.