Joint Public Hearing

All right. Good evening. Good evening. We are going to go ahead and get started. Thank you for joining us at our joint public hearing for June and we are going to start with the adoption of the agenda. Are there any changes to tonight's agenda, questions, comments, or motion to adopt?

Motion to adopt.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? Majority approves. Motion carries. We will start with our first one, which is ZTA-3-26, flood damage prevention updates. Mr. Brown.

Good evening, Mayor, council members of the Land Use Review Board. I have before you tonight ZTA 326, which is an update to our flood damage prevention ordinance. Uh the reason we're doing this is there's a recent update from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and FEMA regarding uh kind of the model ordinance language for flood plains, and it impacts three chapters of our UDO, chapter 9, which is our environmental protection standards. That's where our flood plain damage prevention ordinance is housed. It also affects chapter 12, our administrative standards. They've standardized some forms that FEMA has for elevation certificates and flood proofing. Um and then uh chapter 15, uh there's a lot of updates to different definitions of the flood hazard areas. And so, tonight is the joint public hearing. This is um scheduled to go to Land Use Review Board in July and back to the Town Council in August for a final decision. Uh really, there's four buckets of changes, if you will. Uh the first is a new flood plain that's called a community flood hazard area. This is an area that if it's not on a FEMA designated uh flood map, but the community knows there are flooding issues, such as eyewitness observations, high water marks, things of that nature, where flooding is uh persistent problem, the local uh flood plain administrator can ask for this to be designated as a flood plain. Um and so, it it's

different than the uh flood insurance rate maps. It's just a locally designated area. Um there are uh different uh flood hazard reduction ordinances, uh some further limitations on what can be done in a flood plain with accessory buildings, recreational vehicles, and fill dirt. Uh again, various new or modified definition definitions, including that new community flood hazard area. And then more well-defined procedures to stop or correct violations within flood area zones. Uh looking at the strategic plan and comprehensive plan for this, um obviously we uh try to uh bolster a safe community and flood hazard reduction is certainly part of that. Um and then being sustainable and trying to preserve and protect our natural and environmental features, um and making sure our regulations adapt to environmental change. Looking at the comprehensive plan and our preserved open space, uh we do a really good job in our UDO now. We don't allow for flood hazard areas to be mapped onto individual lots, so there is not a whole lot of um folks in Knightdale who need to carry flood insurance. Uh we try to protect those areas and put them in either uh homeowners association or local um control as much as possible, and we don't allow, you know, much development or growth in areas um beyond that, even our new riparian buffers. And so, this being a public hearing tonight, our process is um I'm happy to answer any questions uh that you have for me from both the council and the land use review board. We'll hear any public comment tonight, um and then um our staff recommendation recommendation is after that is to close the public hearing and refer ZTA 326 to the July 13th land use review board meeting for recommendation advisory statement. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

Thank you, Mr. Brewin. Any questions or comments from council?

So,

would these be do you anticipate these eventually getting mapped and we sort of creating some GIS layers or something? Um in other words, ahead of development or um just you know, I don't want to get too much in the weeds, but you know, there can be certainly um if if there's legislation that allows um the flood plain administrator to designate that those areas. There could be a you know, point of contention with with somebody saying no, I there's no reason why I can't develop there, but if we had something designated ahead of time, I I could see that sort of helping us a little bit.

Yeah, I'm I'm not aware of any areas where we would necessarily utilize that section as it stands right now. Of course, you know, with changes in the environment and things of that nature, there's I don't know what the future might hold, but I wouldn't anticipate there's any that we have identified or would identify now that wouldn't be part of the already adopted flood insurance rate maps. So, I don't think that there would be any, but I'm not you know, 100% positive. But if there are, that would be there's a procedure to go through to designate those areas and it includes public hearings and things like that. And then once you do that, we certainly would have to keep it on a GIS layer map somewhere.

All right. Any others? From our alert members? All right. Thank you. All right, this is a public hearing. At this time, I will open the floor for public comment. If there's anyone here tonight who wishes to speak on this item, you may come forward at this time. All right. If not, then I will bring it back to council for any last questions or comments. Or motion.

I'll make a motion to refer ZTA 326 to the July 13th, 2026 land use review

board meeting for recommendation and advisory statement.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

Any opposed? Majority approves. Motion carries. We will move to our second, which is ZMA-2-26 Farmville Road office conversion.

Thank you, Mayor Day. Good evening, Council. Good evening, board members. Thank you for joining us. This is the last public hearing for tonight, which is ZMA 2-26. It's a conditional district zone for property located at 5845 Farmwell Road. So, looking at the vicinity, the subject property is located on Farmwell Road. It's about midway between Milburnie Old Milburnie Road and and Hodge Road. Knightdale Gateway is immediately adjacent to the north. Currently, the zoning of the area or the zoning of the subject property is GR3, so it's a residential zoning district. There are other low-density residential uses as well with some commercial and industrial in the vicinity. So, looking at project profile, the site's about 0.6 acres and it's currently home currently cited as a 1600 square foot home. What's being proposed is that this existing home is converted to a professional office. The applicant is here tonight and they can provide more details on the actual operation of what they foresee as this office being. But, moving forward, here's a quick look at the master plan. Um, looking at it, you have Farmwell Road on the right and they're proposing to build or construct four parking spaces to the rear of the existing structure. No other real site improvements are necessary here or really proposed. Here are some renderings of the existing

home and if you were to go out there today, this is generally what you would see. So, with the looking at the project timeline, we're here uh the joint public hearing. Uh we met all notification requirements to hold this hearing. Um so, looking at the timeline, uh it's been about a year that we've been working with the applicant here. Uh met with them back in June of 2025 to talk about uh what the what this process looks like. Talked about the UDO comprehensive plan and all of our adopted plans. Uh at that time, uh they they went ahead and submitted a sketch plan in December. Uh it's that's largely the same as what you see today. Um during that review, uh it was identified that uh several variances would uh likely be required in order to um allow for this adaptive reuse of of the existing property. Uh so, the uh the applicant submitted a variance petition um and uh the Board of Adjustment granted that variance on March 24th, 2024 2026. Um and it removed the requirement to install vegetative buffers um along the uh two common property lines that are adjacent to uh residential uses. Also removed the requirement to install roadway and pedestrian improvements along both Farmwell Road and Coffee Street to the rear. And then also part of that, uh they uh got relief from the requirement to route utilities underground as part of uh construction. Um so, all that to say there have been several variances granted for this um that that remove uh your typical uh requirements for commercial developments um to allow for this uh adaptive reuse project.

The In April, neighborhood meeting was held two uh nearby neighbors attended that in-person meeting. Uh they had general questions about the the rezoning request itself and you know, the process. Also had questions about the parking, where it'd be located, total number. Also talked about uh landscape buffers and fencing that'll be uh put in

place. And then uh whether or not, you know, how the neighbors felt about the need for roadway improvements. After that in May, we took this to development review committee. No action was taken by that by that committee because town council was the decision maker for this rezoning. It was a fairly straightforward meeting. We talked about public gathering areas and whether or not that could be incorporated into the site. Fire department access, trash, screening of those receptacles, the different requirements for private water and sewer, and then just some general minor cleanup items. And here's another quick look at the master plan that was submitted after that DRC meeting. Again, it's a redevelopment project looking to, you know, utilize the existing 1600 square foot home converted to a an office space for professional services. Um and I didn't mention earlier with the variance there there were several conditions added you know, to that. You know, they're largely about the fence installing a fence with some some shrubs to the rear to to lessen the impact of that small parking lot. Um I think I have a slide about it so I will I'm getting ahead of myself. Um but in general the request is to convert this home to to an office. The NMX neighborhood mixed use is the base zoning district. All the standards must be met unless the conditions are proposed or or approved by council. Um and you know, this master plan um and specific uses will become conditions. Um so if if another um tenant or another business owner came in that, you know, didn't fit into the perfect professional service use category or what's, you know, contained within this application, they'd be required to come back before council and uh go through a rezoning process. Moving on to comprehensive plan consistency. Consistency statements are important and uh why the council's

actions reasonable in public interest. Uh looking at the intentional growth areas map, uh this, you know, gives gives the decision maker our decision makers an idea of of uh areas that are ripe for development, you know, access uh to available infrastructure. And these these areas have been identified um to help accommodate growth and, you know, provide services, continue providing services to our citizens, the future citizens. Um and they also these areas just give an opportunity for uh business owners to reimagine Knightdale's future and and be part of of Knightdale here. Looking at the urban small town framework map, uh it's it's in multiple, it's classified in multiple um categories. Uh they're all related to transit-oriented development um and, you know, being that it's along a uh bus rapid transit corridor, um some additional information. You know, I I know we're we're fairly familiar with with BRT and and making sure that there's places for um you know, stops uh along along our Knightdale Boulevard. Um And then, you know, with the future of BRT, you know, we want to ensure that that remains a a viable option in the future down the boulevard. Um so, you know, with this uh the there's an existing bus stop on Farm Road. Uh in the future with Knightdale Gateway, there will be a uh uh stop will be slightly relocated so that it's successful on Knightdale Boulevard. Um and, you know, shelter will be constructed. Then future place type map, last stop here. Uh it's located with subject property is located within the innovation center. Um you know, these are meant to be alternatives to your your conventional or typical industrial park. Uh the comprehensive plan talks about including a mixture of non-residential uses and those being, you know, the primary makeup over uh residential. Uh key to this is that any non-residential use should be compatible with the area

and complement the existing development in the vicinity um while providing support to the near nearby retail, you know, uh distribution and and those employees um in the in the vicinity. Also talks about parking to the rear and then, you know, providing natural areas and public spaces. And then the comprehensive plan also details, you know, different design characteristics that, you know, should be implemented through this uh development. Then looking at the place type transect sect, the uh innovation center's you know, the most intense uh cla- you know, uh classification on this. Um have a little typo there, but um this graphic, as you're familiar, shows how different uses can can blend together um and and coexist. We're all familiar with the uh the eight guiding principles. Looking at this uh proposal, we identified that it uh lends itself to three of those guiding principles. Uh first being the planned and orderly growth, second being inclusive livable town, and then the third being economic vitality. And here's just all eight of them as a reminder. The roadway network plan and sidewalk and greenway plan uh with the variances, you know, the board of adjustment found that uh they met the required findings to not uh install required roadway improvements, pedestrian improvements. So therefore, um in face value, this project is generally consistent with with those two plans there. Uh looking at the uh comprehensive parks and rec map, it's the subject property is located within the 2 and 1/2 mile service area of Knightdale community pool. As part of the application, the applicant did offer um several conditions. Uh most of them were already captured in the variance. The conditions for the variance approval, so didn't find that it was necessary to to attach them to this to this zoning case.

The the variance approval runs with the land in perpetuity, so any development would be you know bound by those conditions, which I will get to. But they're they're proposing that the hours of operation will just be Monday through Thursday Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:00 p.m. and all services and appointments will be by appointment only. But again, looking at the the conditions for the variance, it talks about requiring a 6-ft tall fence and and some shrubs around the parking area to the rear to lessen the impacts. Talks about limiting the exterior lighting to be only uh lights on the on the building to again, you know, limit its impact to the neighbors. And then talk then just there through the process they're going to dedicate the additional right-of-way along Farmville and Coffee Street, so then whenever a project does come forward, we we have the right-of-way available to make the necessary roadway improvements. And then just some other conditions about making sure that they don't place things, you know, in in the areas where, you know, future improvements will be made. But with that, that concludes my presentation. As always, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. Following that, the applicant and their engineer are here to answer any questions and, you know, provide a little bit more detail. Following that, we'll have the general public comments. I don't know if anyone's here, but we'll have that option. But after that, staff's recommendation is to close the public hearing and refer ZMA 2-26 to the land use review board for review and recommendation. Thank you.

Uh-huh. Any questions or comments?

I have one question. Um so, you know, we've gotten accustomed to looking at much, much larger scale developments. And so, kind of zoomed in here. Um when we've got a smaller proposal like this, uh the new plantings that are occurring,

they're Are they required to be in line with our UDO with like the native plantings and that type of thing?

Yeah, they This project would still be subject chapter seven.

Okay.

Landscape requirements.

Um I know previously when we saw a project like this with the Edward Jones building, uh Edward Jones building downtown, um they offered a uh condition that they would remove any, you know, invasive or noxious plants. Um especially when we've got older houses like this over the years, you know, there's can tend to be a build-up of plants that we wouldn't find acceptable anymore, like a Bradford pear or something like that. Um so, I'd love to see a condition to uh you know, remove any invasive or noxious plants that are on the property.

Understood. Thank you.

Yeah, no. And I think from my comment, um sort of the code that we already have, I think takes care of a lot of things. A lot of times I've seen these uh houses get sort of adaptively reused and parking in the front, a lot of asphalt in the front. So, I'm looking at it as Basically, there's a driveway, you wouldn't necessarily know any difference. Uh so, from that standpoint, um I I like where it's gotten to, especially the variances given so that it doesn't It could almost feel like it's stands out if it, you know, a lot of too much screening. I think screening to the rear is a prep All of that All of that is included, I think, is getting us to a really good place. So, I'm glad that it's been able to be worked through to the point that it is.

Thank you.

So, I echo Councilman Morgan's statement. I'm a big fan of adaptive reuse. Um and the variance is to not put too much of the onus in terms of some of the heavier infrastructure such as sidewalk and improvements of that sort on on these small businesses. But I'm and I think I did hear you reference this. So, unless something falls into category of exi- um of

acceptable uses in current, right? Like if it change ownership, it would have to come back before this council or if there was any more extensive construction-related activities, it would come back to this council for review in terms of any of those types of variances that we may be affording now that we could still attach to a project, correct?

Yeah, if the use change. So, if say a new owner comes in and is doing the same exact thing, they likely would fall under this zoning, you know, with the with looking in front of use. Um so, you know, that that would necessitate. So, say someone wanted to come in and and open a barber shop. That would be a completely different use category and we would be here at some point. Hopefully, we don't have to with this property. Hopefully, we have we have success um if this is approved, but but yeah, council would have another uh go around.

And this follow follows our sign ordinance in terms of any placards or any type of identifiable business signage from the yardage and things

in nature, right?

There we go.

All right.

Thank you.

And the only other comment I'll wouldn't make, it sounds odd, but I think there's a when we think about professional uses, this is certainly a you know, low usage category. You're talking about appointment only. And I'll I would also think about you know, if if the property were sold or whatever, that if there's other uses that sort of fit in that same definition, I I don't it probably would be who is not to exclude you know, once they have it too narrow. You know, you definitely want it to be narrow, but not maybe too narrow so that Yeah, probably not a barber shop or something of that nature perhaps. But, um you know, there's some other things that are on the professional type office setting that I think would would be fine with that could be handled administratively. It's sort of where I'm leaning on that.

Yeah, and within the professional services definition, it talks about, you know, various, you know, office-related

uses. You know, if Edward Jones wanted to move over here, that's that's some sort of office use that would, you know, fall under this. So, it doesn't necessarily have to be, you know, the psychological services. There are other UDO defined definitions in within professional services that we could look through and see, you know, if staff's comfortable, you know, move forward through the zoning compliance permit or or the appropriate process.

Any questions from our board members? All right. If not,

Thank you.

thank you so much. And now, I believe we have the applicant here. I will give some space for the applicant to speak.

Good evening, council members. My name is Amber Margaretten. I'm the owner of Free Free Psychology. I also live right here in Knightdale, so it's really important for me to open up a business in my community. Um just a little bit about what we do, our meat and potatoes, if you will, um is psychological testing. And when most people hear about psychological services, they immediately think therapy. While we do offer therapy, all of our therapy is actually virtual. Um so, our psychological testing services is what we do in person. And the way that differs from therapy is that psychological testing takes hours. So, one client could take 4 hours, right? And so, then we're seeing two a day, right? Just for one staff. So, in this house, for example, that we're looking to rezone has a maximum of three offices. So, if we had three people working, you're looking at maximum of six people a day. Um and that's really like a worst-case scenario, right? It might even be less than that. Um so, just to give you an example of how low use it will be. Um there's not going to be a lot of cars going in and out. We are only open Monday through

Friday. Um very reasonable hours, typical working 8:00 to 5:00. Um no holidays, no weekends. Um in terms of why I picked this location, we've outgrown our current space. We're in the current building right in between the Burger King and the KFC. And there's just no more room. So, in the process of looking for office space, I was just running into roadblock after roadblock. And this ended up being the cheapest option, as well as an option that is right on a bus stop. We do take insurance, which is what is really unique in our field. Um and we're a really accessible practice. We're in network with every single North Carolina Medicaid plan, most um major insurances. And so, we do have a lot of clients who will be utilizing the um public bus system, which is great. So, that was one of the main reasons why I also picked this location. Um I've done my best to meet the neighbors and get their input. One of my neighbors is really excited for his property value to go up if this gets rezoned. And he's even been asking me what he needs to do to get his rezoned to sell it as commercial, too. Um but don't worry. I discouraged him from that. Um but I'm trying to think of what else may be helpful for y'all to know. Um I don't know. Any Any questions? Any Any thing that's you need to know that's helpful for you to help make your decision. Yeah.

Any questions for the applicant?

Just to put any into perspective how necessary our services are. Um, we have over 400 people on our waitlist. And so we're looking at like 6 to 8 month waitlist. And ideally, if we can move into a bigger space, I can hire more staff and we can get that down. While we are serving Knightdale, we have people driving from Boone, Greenville, you name it, to receive our services. So, just trying to provide necessary services to our members.

All right. Thank you.

Oh, thank you.

All right. Thank you.

Um, once again, this is a public hearing item. If there is anyone here tonight who wishes to speak on this item, you may come forward at this time. If not, then uh, at this time I will turn it over to our town clerk to share written comments.

Thank you. Good evening, Mayor, members of the council, members of the land use review board. We did receive nine written comments for tonight's case. Um, the following individuals all shared remarks in favor of ZMA 2-26. Um, Ryan Wehan, 409 Liberty Express Place. Ashley Chaplin, 630 Sunland Drive. Mira Waters, 502 Sunland Drive. Carolyn Wayman, 409 Liberty Express Place. Lindsey Hale, 4821 Stony Oak Lane, Raleigh. Cammy Roth, 1205 Jameson Pond Drive. Tracy Conti, 611 Hartland Flyer Drive. Laura Gallinger, 249 Douglas Falls Drive in Wendell. and Amber Margaretten 614 Sunland Drive. Um since you've received all these comments in their entirety, I just want to briefly share some common themes that were provided throughout these comments. Um just the need for more affordable office space in Knightdale, the property location already being in a commercial area, uh the high demand and need for the services that are proposed at this site, and the limited impact to traffic that the proposal would bring. Um so the full comments will be included in the official record of the meeting. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Smith. All right. Now we'll bring it back to council. And if there are no more comments or questions, closing the public hearing, and a motion.

I make a motion to refer ZMA-2-26 to the Land Use Review Board for review and recommendation. Oh. And uh I I'm making recommendation to close the public uh to close the joint public hearing.

Second.

All in favor?

I I

Any opposed? Majority approves. Motion carries. That is our last item on the agenda for this evening. Um so at this point, is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

I I

Any opposed? Majority approves. Motion carries.