A company in Hildebran planned to dismantle train car cabins, sell the cabins as living spaces and use the train bed to build temporary bridges in western North Carolina. In June, the town said the business is operating without a permit, but the business owner believes the town won't issue a permit because it doesn鈥檛 want the business there.
The town of Hildebran said in a release on June 12 that Innovative Bridge Company is operating without a permit and issued a notice of violation.聽
The town said the company was given a deadline of June 9 to reach out with plans to seek a permit and get zoning approval to resolve the violation.
鈥淶oning applies to all citizens, businesses and industries within town limits, and the town will enforce any known violations in an equal and fair manner,鈥 the town鈥檚 June 12 release said. 鈥淭he property owner was notified of town zoning requirements prior to their purchase of the property, and has been encouraged to take steps towards compliance.鈥
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Cody Bradshaw, a part owner of the business at 500 U.S. 70, Hildebran, said the company tried to get a permit.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e telling me I鈥檓 operating illegally, but they won鈥檛 give us a permit,鈥 Bradshaw said.
His attorney is still working with the town to try to get it sorted out, Bradshaw told The News Herald recently. Town officials have been in communication with the owners and the attorney and have offered guidance on how to come into compliance, according to the town.
The town said the company is operating a scrapyard, but Bradshaw denies that and said the company is using the property to store heavy equipment and materials.
He said before the land was purchased, the company spoke to officials with the town of Hildebran about what they planned to do. The business was told to talk to Western Piedmont Council of Governments planners, Bradshaw said. WPCOG told him the town鈥檚 zoning ordinance allows the use of material and equipment storage. That鈥檚 when the company decided to buy the land.
鈥淲e bought the land. You know, we wasn't building a building. We wasn't asking for permits to build anything,鈥 Bradshaw said. 鈥淪o we were never sure what type of permits to get. Then they tell us we're working in violation, so we try to go get a permit.
鈥淭hey still, yet, don't have us a permit and don't know what type of permit we need. They just know we don't have a permit. They just don't want us here.鈥
Bradshaw said the company spent months trying to find a property to be close to the areas of western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene to cut down on transportation costs.
Bradshaw said the train cabins are a by-product of the work the company has done in building temporary bridges for impacted areas. The company removes the train cabins from the rail bed, which is the part used to build temporary bridges.
David Uchiyama, a spokesman for NCDOT, said the company built 38 temporary bridges in Division 13 in western North Carolina. Division 13 includes Burke, Rutherford, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison and Buncombe counties.
The company is currently doing work for private organizations helping rebuild private bridges, Uchiyama said.
Bradshaw said the company will either have to sell the train cabins or scrap them. So far, the company has sold two, he said.
鈥淲ell, at this point, I want to move them off of the property to, hopefully, satisfy the town of Hildebran,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t's just a shame, it really is. I mean, all they鈥檙e doing is delaying helping western North Carolina, you know.鈥
He said there were about 200 train cabins at the Hildebran property. More of the company鈥檚 train cabins were lined up on the railroad tracks above McDonald Parkway in Hickory.
He said he is moving the cabins to his shop off Johnson Bridge Road, which is in the unincorporated community of George Hildebrand.
