By Jim Buice
For the Clemmons Courier

Clemmons has enjoyed a rich history long before being incorporated, and that story will be told in a book being put together as part of the county architectural survey project through the Historic Resources Commission after the Clemmons Village Council gave its financial approval to be included.
Michelle McCullough, representing the commission through the City of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning Department, appeared before the council Monday night to seek $750 in funding in 2019 (and the possibility of up to a total of $17,500 over the next six years) to support the project along with other municipalities in Forsyth County. Each community will have its own section in the new book.
McCullough, who introduced the concept and sought support from the council in the December, said that the commission decided to move forward with the Phase I of the project — with the end product being a hard-bound book — after receiving a $15,000 Certified Local Government Grant.
She said that all the other communities in the county had agreed to be a part of the project with the exception of Tobaccoville, which will still be included but not have its own section.
“The difference in you saying yes or saying no is you will be with Tobaccoville if you say no,” McCullough said.
Mayor John Wait asked Village Manager Scott Buffkin about the budget, considering this and future years.
“I think the $750 is already allocated, so it’s really just an OK from council to release those funds to the Historic Commission,” Buffkin said. “It will need to be budgeted each and every year, so that’s the ultimate way you would say yes or no. I don’t think you need to say anything other than it is our intention to continue funding in future years.”
McCullough said that the previous council had given its approval, but with three new members now aboard, she felt like she needed to come back.
The first book that was done went through the 1920s and this one will go through the 1970s and include neighborhood development.
“This will give you all of the history,” McCullough said. “There will be a lot more social history and cultural history and a lot more about the community, how it developed and how it got to be where it is today. At the end, we will have a beautiful publication that we will sell and make back a portion of the money that has been spent.”
A book has already been done on Winston-Salem, and McCullough said it broke even.
Councilwoman Pam Lofland, who made the motion in favor of the project said: “History is very important, and I’m really glad that groups and then governments have departments that handle things like this. People love history books.”
In other business, the council called for a public hearing in the Jan. 28 meeting on a Zoning Text Amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to amend Chapter B, Article III, “Other Development Standards” Section II — Sign Regulations of Chapter B “Zoning” — C-UDO-80.
That includes changing the language in a paragraph In Political Signs under the Permitted Signs heading to state: “Political signs shall comply with N.C. General Statute 136-32, Regulation of signs, as amended from time to time.
Councilman Mike Combest asked about a section on Prohibitive Signs, which brought a comment from attorney Warren Kasper that, upon his review, that the entire ordinance needs to be revisited and possibly rewritten after looking at some of the language included — but that would be up to council.
In other business, the council:
• Heard from councilwoman Michelle Barson in council comments, regarding the Tanglewood Business Park, that a special zoning district created with a partnership of the Village staff and the county staff “alleviates all of our original concerns regarding the park” including traffic, noise, pollution, impact on property taxes, etc.
• Approved changing the start time for regular council meetings on the second and fourth Mondays from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m., effective with the next meeting on Jan. 28, after receiving no responses from the public on moving to the new time.
• Approved continued use of the trademark/service mark for the Hattie Butner stagecoach through the state trademarks section by paying a $35 fee for the next 10 years.
• Approved continuing to charge $5 for candidate filing fees.
• Heard from Shannon Ford in the marketing/communications report that there has been little response to the scheduled behind the scenes tour of Public Works scheduled on Feb. 5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and suggested that it might need to be rescheduled, perhaps to the first Saturday when Public Works is open. She wanted to remind everyone that February kicks off Neighbors Helping Neighbors month, which is a month-long community effort to benefit the Clemmons Food Pantry.