City council approves multi-family apartments next to Kinston High School

The City of Kinston received a request from Halcon Companies to utilize a Conditional Use Permit for multi-family apartment units on an 8.61 acre tract on a lot just off North Queen Street, adjacent to Kinston High School.

"The project is designed to accommodate emergency vehicles; fire, police, rescue. Our engineers designed that to accommodate all those vehicles to make safe maneuvers as well throughout the development," said Mark McCloskey representing Halcon Companies.

Leadership at Kinston High School, where the properties would be next to, weren't receptive to the apartment complex moving so close.

"Our job, my job is to ensure limited access to our children, to our students, to our staff on a school campus to anyone on the outside to safeguard instruction and the well being of our students and staff while in our care each and every day," said Kinston High School Principal Kellan Bryant.

The high school wasn't the only local respondent to the public hearing for the permit.

"I am here to oppose and stand in support of Kinston High School," said Dr. Eric Lbegbu, whose business is nearby as well. "I think there are great, nicely spaced places in Kinston these apartments should go.”

One councilman worried about the future noise complaints of residents who may move into the apartments so close to a football field.

"We had an issue earlier where the resident that moved close to a place that’s loud and now he wants the city to step in and do something about it," said Councilman Antonio Hardy. "When we make these decisions to put things close to events that’s loud the people that’s moving there you know they're going to complain to the city police department about the noise."

Despite the opposition to the permit, the council voted unanimously to approve Halcon Companies Conditional Use Permit to build the multi-family apartments.