Knightdale — Town Council has taken the first step toward making the entrance to the town more appealing.

Following up on work by the town’s Gateway Committee, the council approved a resolution Sept. 2, committing to a beautification program of the interchange of Knightdale Boulevard and I-540.

Planning Director Mike Frangos told councilmen that members of the Gateway Committee met with N.C. Department of Transportation Division of Environmental representatives on two occasions.

N.C. DOT plans to plant flowers at the location, but it will not create an entrance with a sign or presence as impressive as town councilmen described.

The town committed its Gateway Committee to work with N.C. DOT to come up with such a plan. The town could have to pay for additional plantings and maintenance.

Council authorized an N.C. DOT designer to submit a plan to the council to consider.

Frangos told the council he did not have a cost estimate yet, and requested the town take the planning opportunity to determine if it will participate financially to further add to N.C. DOT’s landscape intentions.

Town Councilman Mike Chalk said the area would need to be maintained better than N.C. DOT can provide. He said the department crews work on landscaping four times a year.

“It’s the gateway to our city,” said Mayor Russell Killen. “We need to do it right.” Killen said the entrance could be enhanced by public art. He said the town could apply for a grant for the art through the United Arts Council.

“This sets the tone we want to set for our community,” he said.

The council also unanimously rezoned 30.57 acres east of Mailman Road. THe request for the rezoning was made by William Jones of Fuquay Varina, and Wanda J. Ramm. Sandra Dabrowski and Anne Caudle of Knightdale.

The zoning changes the property from urban residential to general residential, eliminating the possibility of denser development.

Jones first told council there was a need to rezone the property at an earlier meeting. He said his Wake County tax bill was $7,900 this year, up from $800 because of a zoning change Knightdale made between the last revaluation of taxes and now.

Jones said a less dense zoning designation would ease his tax burden and save his family farm. The council also:

•Tabled the annexation request of 15.53 acres west of Hodge Road and between Tower and Poole Roads until the developer’s agreement is complete. A developer plans a retail/office development there.

•Tabled the request for a second amendment to the ordinance governing parking lots. The State Employees Credit Union is trying to keep from digging up its lot that was in violation of the ordinance governing parking lots. The most recent amendment would have allowed the parking lot to be paved with asphalt. But town officials ruled that the parking lot was in violation because its was constructed before the first amendment.

•Approved an amendment to a condition of the zoning of the Midtown Commons Shopping Center property. Developers will add more trees instead of porous pavement in its parking lot. The ordinance governing parking lots no longer requires only porous pavement as a deterrent to excessive runoff on large parking lots.