Land Use Advisory Committee

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The committee, which meets as the Land Use Advisory Committee, took two rezonings on the same stretch of Rex Road and neither was a decision. Its role is to give developers feedback before they file.

Davidson Homes brought the Myers-Patterson project, 34 detached houses on 21.86 acres at 6305 and 6317 People Road next to Bridgeberry, rezoning from rural residential to suburban residential conditional at 1.66 units an acre. Staff put Bridgeberry's own density at 2.93. The site is designated conservation neighborhood on the future land use map, and staff said the designation predates the school next door, which now separates these parcels from the rest of that category. Council member Deshazor pushed back that the area is conservation neighborhood for a reason. The knot is People Road itself: it has two connections to Rex Road, and staff would rather see it reconfigured or abandoned so the development takes a single access, which needs parcels the applicant does not have under contract. One adjoining parcel is vacant with living heirs and a lawsuit pending. Members also pressed on whether children could walk to Rex Road Elementary; the applicant said the school does not want a back entrance on security grounds.

Taylor Morrison brought the Bridgeberry expansion, 68 to 80 detached houses on 42.71 acres, also conservation neighborhood, rezoning to suburban residential using the conservation subdivision option. Staff said the site design does not reflect the clustered housing and contiguous open space that designation calls for, and that the topography will need significant grading and probably substantial retaining walls whatever happens. Sewer cannot go to the Bridgeberry pump station, which is not sized for it and which the utility plans to shut down eventually, so it would be sent west to Norris Branch. Any development over 100 units needs two access points and the only way out at present is Buckhorn Duncan, so the applicant is still looking for land for a second. Staff also raised fire response: the nearest station is on Avent Ferry Road and already struggles to hit its target time in that area, with a fifth station expected at the Rex Road convenience center but no firm plan.

Staff also previewed the 20-part semiannual development ordinance package due at a council public hearing on May 19. It would move group homes, large solar, wireless towers and several other uses from special use permits to conditional zoning, cap fuel stations at four pumps, and loosen electric vehicle parking rules for schools. Council member Deshazor and planning board member Van Crandall wanted the existing EV standard kept. Mayor Pro Tem Drees moved to endorse the package as presented and Deshazor seconded; the minutes, submitted on July 7, do not record the vote. No recording of the meeting is on file, so this account comes from the minutes.

How the votes went

Approval of the January 6 minutes, moved by Scott Chase and seconded by Chris Deshazor, was unanimous. A motion by Annie Drees, seconded by Deshazor, to endorse the development ordinance amendments as presented is in the minutes without a recorded vote. The committee takes no action on the rezonings it reviews.

From the published minutes.