A second landscape design that would expand the Veteran's Memorial in Carthage was approved, with suggested revisions, by the Veteran’s Memorial Design Subcommittee during their Monday, January 28 meeting.
Planner Jeremy Rust presented the design, one of two prepared by the Moore County Planning Department. One of the two was rejected by the committee.
Unlike an earlier plan developed by Southern Pines Landscape Architect Vince Zucchino, Rust's plan covered only 1.5 of the 3.5 acres adjacent to the Memorial, leaving the remainder of the property available for use by the County or sale to commercial interests.
Several Subcommittee members noted that Rust's design lacked an amphitheater and restrooms, both of which were included in Zucchino's plan.
Many events at the Memorial are held on weekends, when adjacent County offices are closed, so a lack of restroom facilities has been an issue in the past, explained Subcommittee member Ruby Hendrick.
The Subcommittee asked Rust to redraw the design, incorporating an amphitheater and restrooms.
Zucchino's design was presented by the original Moore County Veterans Memorial Committee in December. Covering the entire 3.5 acre parcel, it included an amphitheater, restrooms, a reflective pond, and walking trails.
Social Services Director John Benton, who facilitated the Subcommittee meeting, advocated taking ideas from each design concept and incorporating them into a single plan that would then be presented to the larger Veteran’s Memorial Advisory Committee.
“Be mindful, there is not a right or wrong plan here,” said Benton. “These are options with pluses and minuses.”
Moore County Planning Board Chairman Robert Hayter, who also sits on the Subcommittee, asked the group to look at the designs to determine what is “essential” and what is “ideal.”
According to Hayter the 3.5 acres that the first design calls for is more land than is necessary to protect the Veterans Memorial from encroachment by commercial interests.
The Board of Commissioners created the Veteran's Memorial Advisory Committee in order to quell a controversy that erupted when it was revealed they had considered, in closed session, an offer from Bojangles' Restaurants to purchase a portion of the parcel adjacent to the Memorial. Veterans objected that litter and noise from a fast-food restaurant would disturb those seeking a moment of reflection at the Memorial.
“What is the optimal amount of land to facilitate the Memorial?” asked Hayter. “It does not take this much land in option A to do this. That is a fact.”
Hayter added that the cost of the projects also has to be taken into consideration, but he was apparently thinking more about the potential loss of tax dollars than the actual cost of construction.
Hayter explained that the tax base in Carthage has declined. The property on which the Memorial currently sits -- as well as the adjacent 3.5 acres -- are both County-owned and currently exempt from Carthage property taxes. Turning the 3.5 parcel adjacent to the Memorial into a park would permanently exclude it from the town's tax rolls, while placing a restaurant on a portion of the property would put that acreage back on the town's tax rolls.
Hendrick reminded Hayter that, when it comes to funding the project, the Memorial Committee has not asked for any money.
“We have not asked anyone for anything," she said. "Not the Commissioners, not the taxpayers. We have donations waiting . . . sizable donations.”
Implementing the Zucchino design, created at the request of the original Memorial Committee, could cost as much as $1 million. Rust did not provide a cost estimate for the design concept he presented.
The Subcommittee will meet again on Monday, February 25 at 9:30 am at the Social Services Building in Carthage.
