The budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 was passed on a final vote at the Red Bank Commission meeting Monday night. With uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic, City Manager Tim Thornbury thanked the department heads for being flexible with their requests. The budget has total expenditures of $6,784,297. There will be no property tax increase, and the rate remains at $1.39 per $100 of assessed value. There will be a one-time, additional $4 increase per household to the stormwater fee, raising it from $36 to $40.
Employees will receive a 2 percent, across the board, raise.
Also included in the proposed budget are several vehicles that are needed for keeping the same level of service that the city has provided in previous years. A rescue truck will be purchased for the fire department and there will also be one police vehicle, a dump truck used for leaf collections, a new garbage truck and one backhoe bought in 2021.
The budget passed with a unanimous vote and no citizens speaking for or against it. But all available seats in the room were filled with citizens opposed to and who spoke against allowing a proposed development at 2101 Dayton Blvd. which would convert the old Save-a-Lot grocery store into a plasma collection center. Immunotek Biocenters has applied for a special exemption permit to allow the business to operate at that location. The business would “pay for their customers’time” to collect plasma that is used to make medicines for treating blood disorders.
The real estate acquisition representative from the company said that the building would be given a face lift with paint, signage and landscaping in the parking lot in addition to gutting the interior.
The Red Bank Planning Commission compiled a list of provisions that would be needed for issuing the permit including that the remodel would have to adhere to all design requirements established by the city including screening of the lots and no loitering signs. The plan would have to be approved by the planning commission. Days of operation would be from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and no activity on Sundays. A waiting room would be required to prevent loitering outside the building. There would need to be lighting and security cameras that have a high enough resolution to be able to identify people. Data from the cameras would have to be kept for 60 days, and a full-time security guard would be mandatory.
Nearby property owners were sent a letter notifying them of the application prior to the meeting. All who spoke were against allowing what was referred to as a predatory business, fearing it would bring outsiders into the community affecting safety and reducing property values. This type of business does not promote pride, said one speaker, saying "only the desperate will take advantage of this service." She said she feeks that the city is saying “this is the best that we can do.” A suggestion was made to notify all citizens in Red Bank who may be unaware about the permit application, not just those in the immediate neighborhood.
A nearby business owner said even if the plasma center has security outside the building, people loitering could move over to his parking lot then he would have to hire security guards. And he said good businesses are allowed to open on Sundays and asked why this one would not be allowed. He said this would be inviting undesirable activity into the community in exchange for maybe a prettier building and some trees. He asked, "What would it cost us?"
Carter Wexler, owner of Big Frog Brewing located at 2122 Dayton Blvd., directly across the street from Save-a-Lot, told the commissioners that if they are already talking about security even before allowing the business, then “we’re heading in the wrong direction.” He asked the commissioners if any of them would invest their money in a business next door to this plasma collection center. He said, “I already have.”
Another speaker said, "First we got the Love Shack and then the proposed plasma center." She said, “I didn’t realize that Dayton Boulevard would become Rossville Boulevard.” She told the commission that she moved to Red Bank because she saw potential. This is against everything that Red Bank should stand for.”
Mayor Ruth Jeno told the audience that the city is listening and it has a lot of the same concerns. The city will do everything it can lawfully do regarding this issue. She made a motion to table the request so the commissioners can have more discussion and time to research this type of business. It will be on the agenda for the July 7 commission meeting.
An amendment to a zoning ordinance regulating adult-oriented establishments was passed at the meeting. City Attorney Arnold Stulce said the city’s ordinance was old and needed to be updated. The revision will change the designation where these businesses are permitted, which will be restricted to the C-1 zone. On the south end of town, this is between Newberry Street to the tunnel at Cherokee Boulevard. On the north end of town, the C-1 zone is from Wickley and Browntown Roads to Gadd Road. The amended ordinance will enhance the city’s ability to regulate these businesses.
A request for a special exceptions permit was approved for developer Chris Anderson with GreenTech Homebuilders. He has bought property along the rear of the Midvale Highlands development which will allow a 15-foot expansion to the adjacent lots. This change of lot sizes required a revision in the Planned Unit Development plan. He said there would be no new construction and no trees would be cut.
Property located at 14 Kingston St. was approved for a zoning change from R-1 Residential to R-TZ Townhouse / Zero Lot Line Residential. He said all the neighbors he spoke to approved of the change. The new construction will replace a house that has been vacant five years and is in disrepair and a neglected condition.
The city manager announced that the Red Bank pool will be opening in a couple of weeks following Governor Bill Lee’s guidelines.