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Town Council Business Meeting

Town of Holly Springs · Town Council
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Regular meeting AnnexationBudget and appropriationsCivil rights and nondiscriminationFees and utility ratesWater and sewerZoning text amendmentAppointments and personnelEnvironment and sustainabilityHousing and affordabilityLGBTQ+ policyLand conversion and large developmentParks and recreationPolice and public safetyPublic facilitiesRezoningRoads and transportationSolid waste and recyclingStormwater and floodingTax rate and revaluation

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Received 10Monthly Budget Amendments Received on consent, unanimously
  2. Approved 11Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan Update Contract Approval Approved on consent, unanimously
  3. Continued 13Semiannual UDO Text Amendments 26-UDO-01 - Legislative Public Hearing Hearing held with no public input; sent to the Planning Board, with a council vote planned for June 2
  4. Continued 14Fiscal Year 2026-27 Recommended Budget Public Hearing Hearing held with no public input; adoption scheduled for June 2
  5. Continued 15Voluntary Annexation A25-08 Twin Springs Tabled until further notice, unanimously, to be readvertised
  6. Denied 16Rezoning 25-REZ-02 Powell Place Rezoning and Development Agreement Approval failed 2-3 (Larson, Hewetson for; Deshazor, Foster, Drees against); deferred to July 21 by 4-1, Drees opposed

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Holly Springs holds four public hearings at this meeting: two voluntary annexations (6200 Windy Farm Lane, known as the Evanston case, and the Twin Springs case), the town's semiannual UDO text amendments (26-UDO-01), and the FY 2026-27 recommended budget. Under new business, the council takes up the Powell Place rezoning and an associated development agreement, and makes committee and board appointments.

The consent agenda includes a contract to update the town's ADA Transition Plan (which addresses accessibility barriers in town facilities and services) and routine monthly budget amendments. The meeting opens with proclamations for Pride Month, Safe Boating Week, and Public Works Week.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

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

The Powell Place rezoning failed, then was deferred. Council members Larson and Hewetson voted for it and Deshazor, Foster and Drees against, so the motion to approve 25-REZ-02 fell 2-3. Larson then moved to defer it to July 21 instead, and that carried 4-1 with Drees still opposed.

The case is 97 homes at 7051 and 7121 Rouse Road next to Honeycutt Farm: 42 front-loaded detached, 13 rear-loaded detached and 42 attached, priced by the applicant at $300,000s to low $400,000s for townhomes and mid $400,000s to low $500,000s for houses. After the January public hearing the developer added 450 feet of road widening east of the site drive, turn lanes in and out, a request to the state to drop Rouse Road to 35 miles an hour, and $100,000 toward a future signal at Piney Grove Wilbon. The Planning Board recommended approval 6-1. Deshazor said Piney Grove Wilbon is bad now and one entrance close to the S curve makes it worse; Drees said the state's safety rating at that curve is red and drivers will cut through Honeycutt Farm. Hewetson, who had asked for the road work in January and got it, proposed the deferral rather than a no, so the council could first hold its June 1 community conversation on the Piney Grove Wilbon corridor.

The budget hearing drew nobody. Budget director Corey Petersohn put the recommended 2026-27 budget at $139,226,267 with the property tax rate held at 34.35 cents per $100, which he said is the lowest recommended rate in Wake County, and 19 new positions. Garbage and recycling fees rise because the hauler raised its charges; water, wastewater and stormwater go up about 46 cents a day for an average household to pay for the Utley Creek reclamation expansion, the TriRiver filtration expansion and a conveyance line partnership with Fuquay-Varina drawing from the Cape Fear River, and two more elevated tanks.

The council also heard the semiannual development ordinance amendments, which would allow bars in neighborhood mixed-use districts as a permitted use capped at 2,500 square feet, allow fueling stations there by conditional zoning with no more than five pumps and none within 300 feet of a thoroughfare, and change school electric vehicle parking so the requirement falls on staff spaces. It annexed 53.868 acres at 6200 Windy Farm Lane and tabled the Twin Springs annexation indefinitely because the project straddles the Fuquay-Varina line and that town's process has slowed. On consent it awarded WT Group AEC $226,951 to update the town's ADA transition plan.

How the votes went

The only divided votes were on Powell Place. The motion to approve rezoning 25-REZ-02 failed 2-3, Larson and Hewetson for, Deshazor, Foster and Drees against. The motion to defer it to July 21 passed 4-1, Drees opposed. Everything else was unanimous: the agenda, the consent agenda, the Windy Farm Lane annexation ordinance, tabling the Twin Springs annexation, four sets of committee appointments, and entry into and return from closed session.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

2 members of the public spoke.

  1. Frank Malinski of Harnett County, for the Wake County Fraternal Order of Police, asked the council to name the Holly Springs Road bridge over I-540 after Sheriff's Deputy Mark Tucker, and set out his record.
  2. Craig Ashby of Highland Springs Lane said parks and recreation senior tours have risen in price to the point of being unaffordable, some of them requiring hotel nights, and that the non-resident surcharge is excessive.

Two people spoke in person. Nine written comments came in beforehand, on bicycle bells, license plate readers, noise in 12 Oaks and in Trinity Creek, Carolina Springs Park, taxes, fees, traffic and construction, and parking at Sugg Farm Park.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Holly Springs's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Jump to an item (15 on this agenda)
  1. 1Call to Order
  2. 2Pledge of Allegiance
  3. 3Invocation
  4. 4Adjustment and approval of May 19, 2026 meeting agenda
  5. 5Pride Month Proclamation
  6. 6Safe Boating Week Proclamation
  7. 7Public Works Week Proclamation
  8. 10Monthly Budget Amendments
  9. 11Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan Update Contract Appro…
  10. 12Voluntary Annexation A25-12 6200 Windy Farm Ln (Evanston) - Legislati…
  11. 13Semiannual UDO Text Amendments 26-UDO-01 - Legislative Public Hearing
  12. 14Fiscal Year 2026-27 Recommended Budget Public Hearing
  13. 15Voluntary Annexation A25-08 Twin Springs
  14. 16Rezoning 25-REZ-02 Powell Place Rezoning and Development Agreement
  15. 17Committee and Board Appointments

Agenda items (15)

Procedural · 4Public hearing · 4Proclamation or recognition · 3Budget action · 1Contract or award · 1Ordinance · 1Appointment · 1
  1. 1 Call to Order
    Procedural
  2. 2 Pledge of Allegiance
    Procedural
  3. 3 Invocation
    Procedural
    Invocation by Mark Savoldi of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
  4. 4 Adjustment and approval of May 19, 2026 meeting agenda
    Procedural
    Adoption of the May 19 agenda.
    Adopted unanimously with no changes
  5. 5 Pride Month Proclamation
    Proclamation or recognition Civil rights and nondiscriminationLGBTQ+ policy
    The mayor proclaims June as Pride Month and presents the proclamation to the Pride of Holly Springs Committee.
    Proclaimed
  6. 6 Safe Boating Week Proclamation
    Proclamation or recognition Police and public safety
    The mayor proclaims May 16 to 22 as Safe Boating Week, presented to the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
    Proclaimed
  7. 7 Public Works Week Proclamation
    Proclamation or recognition
    The mayor proclaims May 17 to 23 as Public Works Week, presented to the public works and utilities staff.
    Proclaimed
  8. 10 Monthly Budget Amendments
    Budget action Budget and appropriations
    The manager's monthly budget amendment report, received on consent.
    Received on consent, unanimously
  9. 11 Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan Update Contract Approval
    Contract or award Civil rights and nondiscriminationPublic facilities
    Awards WT Group AEC, Inc. a $226,951 contract to update the town's ADA Transition Plan.
    Approved on consent, unanimously
  10. 12 Voluntary Annexation A25-12 6200 Windy Farm Ln (Evanston) - Legislative Public Hearing
    Public hearing Annexation
    Voluntary annexation A25-12 of about 53.868 acres at 6200 Windy Farm Lane, the Evanston case. The sufficiency resolution passed March 17 and the case was continued after the property changed hands.
    Annexation Ordinance A25-12 adopted unanimously; no one spoke at the hearing
  11. 13 Semiannual UDO Text Amendments 26-UDO-01 - Legislative Public Hearing
    Public hearing Zoning text amendment
    The semiannual development ordinance amendments, 26-UDO-01. They would convert special use permits to conditional zoning, allow bars up to 2,500 square feet and, by conditional zoning, fueling stations of up to five pumps in neighborhood mixed-use districts, and base school EV parking on staff spaces.
    Hearing held with no public input; sent to the Planning Board, with a council vote planned for June 2
  12. 14 Fiscal Year 2026-27 Recommended Budget Public Hearing
    Public hearing AnnexationBudget and appropriationsFees and utility ratesSolid waste and recyclingStormwater and floodingTax rate and revaluationWater and sewer
    Hearing on the $139,226,267 FY 2026-27 recommended budget, which holds the tax rate at 34.35 cents per $100, adds 19 positions, and raises garbage, recycling and utility fees. Water, wastewater and stormwater fees rise about 46 cents a day for an average household.
    Hearing held with no public input; adoption scheduled for June 2
  13. 15 Voluntary Annexation A25-08 Twin Springs
    Public hearing AnnexationLand conversion and large developmentZoning text amendment
    Voluntary annexation A25-08, Twin Springs. The project straddles the Holly Springs and Fuquay-Varina lines, and staff asked to wait on Fuquay-Varina's process.
    Tabled until further notice, unanimously, to be readvertised
  14. 16 Rezoning 25-REZ-02 Powell Place Rezoning and Development Agreement
    Ordinance Budget and appropriationsFees and utility ratesHousing and affordabilityRezoningRoads and transportationWater and sewer
    Conditional rezoning 25-REZ-02 and development agreement for Powell Place, 97 homes at 7051 and 7121 Rouse Road next to Honeycutt Farm. After the January hearing the developer added road widening, turn lanes and $100,000 toward a signal at Piney Grove Wilbon Road. The Planning Board recommended approval 6-1.
    Approval failed 2-3 (Larson, Hewetson for; Deshazor, Foster, Drees against); deferred to July 21 by 4-1, Drees opposed
    • 7051 Rouse Rd · Powell, Ludie Larue Powell, Philip Kessler · 15 acres · assessed $544,474
    • 7121 Rouse Rd · Powell, Larue Matthews Powell, Lisa · 2.8 acres · assessed $404,868
  15. 17 Committee and Board Appointments
    Appointment AnnexationAppointments and personnelEnvironment and sustainabilityParks and recreation
    Appointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, three seats with 16 applicants, and the Tree Advisory Committee, four seats and a junior member.
    Malinda Walker, Fred Stehle and Thomas Rayle appointed to the parks committee; Robin Haney, Autum Dean, Marissa Parker, Tom Joyce and junior member Delila Devitt to the tree committee; all unanimous

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