Jan. 8 - 14, 2016
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Looking back: local news highlights from 2015 As is tradition, we begin 2016 with story highlights and updates to some of the most noteworthy issues the Northwest Observer covered in the previous year; look for more story highlights and updates in our Jan. 15-21 issue.
Fit for occupancy
OAK RIDGE – The saga that unfolded among CMT Commons, which operates CrossFit, the Town of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Historic Preservation Commission was undoubtedly one of the most ongoing and contentious series of stories to appear in the Northwest Observer during 2015. The friction stemmed from CMT Commons’ non-compliance with a conditional certificate of appropriateness (COA) the HPC approved in 2012, which paved the way for the company to build a 12,350-square-foot fitness facility in the town’s historic district. The HPC issued CMT Commons a temporary Certificate of Occupancy (CO) on Sept. 12, 2012; simultaneously, the company’s representatives were instructed to come back to the HPC the following month with suggestions for addressing several design elements that had been modified and remained unresolved. The commission issued its conditions for the COA on Oct. 23, 2012, and CrossFit held its grand opening four days later. The COA conditions were based
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CrossFit, I-73 construction and Congressman Coble: Three of the top stories the Northwest Observer covered in 2015.
on an illustration of the CrossFit building that CMT Commons’ representatives had submitted with its COA application. Town officials said they viewed the illustration as an elevation – and thus an official depiction of the building’s details – and took issue with building features that were not consistent with the depiction. CMT Commons’ representatives, who maintained the depiction was an artist’s rendering and never intended to be a final, detailed elevation, appealed the conditions. The appeal was heard by the town’s Board of Adjustment on March 13, 2013, and the board voted unanimously to uphold the historic commission’s decisions. With the conditions of the COA not satisfied, a long battle between the Town and CMT Commons ensued. The issue was taken through
the Guilford County Superior Court system, but after hearing delays, court appearances, and a judge urging the two parties to continue trying to work out their differences, the Town and CMT Commons were still at odds. Last June, the Town notified CMT Commons that civil penalties were accruing daily due to the non-compliance with town ordinances, and CrossFit was instructed to immediately vacate its building and bring it into compliance. CrossFit owners contended that some of the compliance items were not economically feasible, and downright unreasonable. By July, with CrossFit still occupying the building, the Town threatened to have the power cut off. A month later, CrossFit owners and HPC members informally met, and after more discussions between
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IN THIS ISSUE News in brief.............................................. 3 Your Questions .......................................... 5 Bits & Pieces .............................................. 6 Pets & Critters ............................................ 7 A look back at local critters.................... 8 Pet Adoptions ..........................................10 High School Sports ..................................11 Student Profiles ........................................12 Youth/School news .................................14 From frontlines to sidelines .....................15 Community Calendar .............................18 Crime/Incident Report ........................... 20 Creative Colfax crocheter .....................21 Grins & Gripes ......................................... 22 Letters/Opinions ..................................... 23 Guilford County Animal Shelter ............ 24 Classifieds ............................................... 27 Index of Advertisers ................................31