The Holly Springs Town Council encouraged staff to pursue a grant for housing for seniors and voted to allow a private school, Little Pros Academy, off Holly Springs Rd. near its intersection with the G.B. Alford Hwy. among other business at its March 16 meeting.

A developer of a project at Woods at Avent Ferry requested the town’s assistance in the grant for housing for seniors.

“The project addresses a growing need in Holly Springs,” said Jenny Mizelle, the town’s economic development director.

She said the proposed project will be located near shopping and medical facilities. “I think it’s good to get it going in that direction,” said Councilwoman Linda Hunt Williams. “There’s a growing community of elders, including myself, that’s out there.”

In the discussion before the vote to allow Little Pros Academy with a variance allowing more parking spaces than required by the town, concerns were raised about sharing parking space with future development near the school.

Residents near the proposed project who spoke during the public hearing on the project cited concerns about the buffer, the storm water retention area attracting mosquitoes, noise and fencing material.

Staff said the buffer around the property was 20 feet and that dragonflies in the storm water wetland area would eat mosquitoes. The applicant agreed to extend fence inserts higher to block the view of the property from nearby houses.

In other business at the meeting, the council voted to allowing an additional dwelling unit with a home off Hidden Stream in the Woodcreek subdivision. A basement including a bedroom and a kitchen with a separate entrance is to be constructed. The developer said the homeowner’s association did not allow a homeowner to rent separate floors of a house. The council indicated the space would be used as a mother-in-law suite.

The council tabled a decision on establishing a time limit for parking on Center St. Councilman Parrish Womble, who was absent at Tuesday’s meeting, had requested the limit at a previous council meeting.

Councilman Chet VanFossen said he was concerned about how the town would enforce the time limits but suggested the council wait for Womble to vote on the issue.

As part of its consent agenda, the council approved spending $108,941.20 to install a reclaimed water bulk loading station and to replace worn flooring in the administration building at the wastewater treatment plant.

The council approved spending $14,900 to increase the Methodist Church parking lot work scope. Part of the increase is to fund installing 10 additional decorative stone columns along Main St. in front of Town Hall. The council also approved spending $4,100 for a firm to complete an environmental assessment study for potential extension of water and sewer services into the Friendship area.

The council also authorized an amendment to the town’s water shortage and conservation codes to allow unrestricted water use for essential uses. A town document said the amendment was encouraged by Novartis to ensure “that the production of vaccine in the event of an emergency, or pandemic, is as unrestricted as possible.”

During the public comment period, resident Ken Webster approached the council and said he was disappointed that the council did not approve backyard hens at its previous meeting.

“Everyone has been watching your comments on this subject,” he said.

He asked for a compromise, such as four backyard hens, and asked what number of signatures the council needed to reconsider the issue. He said more than 150 people have signed up for an email newsletter on the subject.

“Progressive doesn’t mean chasing out all the family farms in Holly Springs,” he said. In addition to Womble, Councilman Tim Sack was absent from the meeting.