A nuisance: Belmont looks to implement ordinance for sites of habitual crime
BELMONT, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Belmont is not backing down.
City leaders are listening to neighbors’ concerns about crime after two homes were shot up from nearly 60 rounds fired almost two weeks ago. Police say the home that took the bulk of the bullets is known for repeated crime.
Belmont neighbor fears for family after house on street riddled with bullets
Belmont’s mayor says before the incident on Nixon Road on Jan. 28, the city was working on an ordinance that would give them legal authority to step in when crime keeps happening at businesses or homes.
The fear was palpable on Nixon Road when two houses were riddled with bullets. Almost 60 rounds were fired in a Sunday night shooting.
“It was very alarming and scary. I’ve never been put in that situation before,” said one neighbor who didn’t want to be identified.
Families are facing decisions on whether to move from the Amberley neighborhood.
“I’ve got a zero-tolerance policy for this,” said Mayor Richard Turner. “We don’t want this here, we don’t need this here.”
If neighbors stay, they want to know they’re safe.
“I think I was shocked like everyone else was,” Turner said. “This is a statistical anomaly for Belmont, this has never happened here before.”
The barrage of bullets is not something that happens every day, but Belmont Police say they’ve been called out to the home on Nixon Road that took the bulk of the bullets eight times since 2021.
“Everyone was concerned, and they want to know what we’re doing to address their concerns,” said Turner.
Belmont city staff are in the process of drafting a nuisance abatement ordinance that would allow them to take legal action if crime continues at a home or a business.
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“I would say there’s some comfort in knowing that there’s one more tool that the police have to abate these kind of properties,” said Turner.
It’s something other local towns already have.
In 2022 a judge in Lenoir signed a judgment against this home on Oak Street where police say there was drug activity, a history of disturbances, and a death.
Back in Belmont, the mayor says passing the ordinance just may be what’s necessary to help cut back on crime.
“We’re going to put our resources into trying to make sure that it never happens again,” said Turner.
The mayor says it could take 60 to 90 days to get a draft of the ordinance that would be reviewed by the police chief and district attorney before City Council would vote on it.
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