A proposed land swap that would facilitate creation of a roundabout at Kiwanis Children’s Park and amenities on a one-mile section of Carthage Street in Sanford got held up over concerns about the impact to the community garden.
The Sanford City Council considered approval of the land swap on Tuesday evening because the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s improvement project would take .59 acres from the Lee County park for construction and permanent easements and a right-of-way.
Councilmen Byron Buckels and Charles Taylor expressed concern over the impact of swapping four parcels of city-owned land adjacent to Horton Park, which would be given to Lee County, due to the potential impact to the community garden nearby.
According to its website, Brick Capital helped fund creation of the garden, along with Lee County Social Services. The garden, which was created by Crystal B. McIver, is located at the end of a cul-de-sac on Hudson Avenue.
Taylor suggested that the county agree to allow the garden to have a one-year lease with two one-year extensions as a condition for the land swap. That would give Brick Capital time to figure out where the garden will be located in the future, he said.
City Attorney Susan Patterson and City Manager Hal Hegwer said they didn’t know if the county would be amenable, but the city could request it.
In addition to the four city parcels, the county would also receive $84,625 as part of the swap. Horton Park is located 1.7 miles southeast of Kiwanis Childrens Park.
The NCDOT project would install bike lanes, a multi-use path, sidewalk and a raised median on Carthage Street between Fire Tower Road to the south and Wicker Street to the north. In addition to a roundabout at Wicker and Carthage streets, roundabouts would also be installed on Carthage Steet at Fields Drive and Fire Tower Road.
Federal funds from the Land & Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 were donated to Kiwanis Childrens Park in 1967, according to a Dec. 11, 2025 letter from NCDOT’s engineer Morgan DeWit.
A motion to table the lawn swap was approved 6-0. Councilwoman Jean Dabbs was just arriving to the meeting and did not vote.
RIVERBIRCH
A requested rezoning of 45 acres at Riverbirch Corner Shopping Center was unanimously approved. The zoning map will go from general commercial (C-2) and office/institutional (O&I) to general commercial conditional (C-2-C).
The site at 1015 Spring Lane is scheduled to be upgraded with a Target, grocery store and other amenities.
ANNEXATIONS
The city council unanimously approved two contiguous annexations, including 2 acres for a single-family subdivision for Got Dirt LLC, east of Lemon Springs Road, north of Glendale Circle, and 31.5 acres for Adams Village LLC, south of Walmart. The current zoning for both properties will remain. The latter annexation is slated for several new businesses.
On March 11, 2025, Sanford developer Mark Lyczkowski noted that Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Whataburger, Academy Sports, Burlington Coat Factory and Books-A-Million are slated for the property.
LIFE SPRINGS RESTORATION CENTER
The council unanimously approved closure of portions of McIver and Jenkins streets on Saturday, Jan. 17, for a ribbon-cutting, grand opening and tours of Life Springs Restoration Center, which will be located at 154 McIver St.
The site is a new behavioral health clinic and community opportunity center operated in partnership with Trillium Health Resources, according to a council document.
The center will provide behavioral health services, individual and family therapy, group therapy, substance use services and child therapy.
In addition, it will house a free digital literacy lab and podcast studio that will be open to the public as a community resource.
Daniel Owens, executive director of the center, requested street closure from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We need these services,” Councilwoman Linda Rhodes said.
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