Alexander Farm project: First you Z it…then you don’t
Alexander Farm / Photo by Jason Benavides
April 13. By Dave Vieser. For those who recently saw the public hearing “Z” signs posted on the Alexander Farm development site—only to be removed a few days later—here’s the scoop.
The signs were posted last month when Florida-based WIN Development appealed a decision by the town which wouldn’t permit them to build more senior units than originally approved. The original approval called for 130 senior units, but Win asked the town to allow 143 units in the final construction plans.
Details
“I advised WIN that I could not make that decision administratively,” said Deputy Town Manager Wayne Herron. “They would have to amend their zoning approval legislatively with the Planning Board and Town Board along with the required public hearings.”
Herron said the first hearing was initially scheduled for Monday, April 11 with the Planning Board/Board of Adjustment and the “Z” signs went up.
Difference of opinion
However, WIN CEO Jesse McInerney disagreed with the town’s opinion on whether or not they could reallocate densities from the single-family residential to the active adult section.
“By our understanding and our legal counsel opinion, our rezoning approval notes allow us to move densities around and also modify design, within certain limitations,” McInerney said. (See full statement below.)
On April 7, after discussions with the town, WIN filed a legislative zoning amendment for their original zoning to increase the senior unit count from 130 to 143. In addition, WIN is proposing to move the historic tenant house to the corner of Westmoreland Road and West Catawba. Since that application will not be heard by the Planning Board until May 9, down came the Z signs.
Hearing in May
The Town Board will conduct a public hearing on that same application on Monday May 16 and could make a final decision that same night. Since filing the legislative amendment, WIN has postponed their appeal hearing until May 23. If the Town Board approves their legislative zoning amendment request, the appeal becomes moot and unnecessary.
Both hearings in May will be held at Town Hall and will also be streamed online via the town web site: www.Cornelius.org. (Click on “watch meetings online”).
McInerney’s statement
“We seem to have found a middle ground with the Town. We are going to relocate the Tenant House to the corner of Westmoreland and West Catawba. This will provide a marquee position for the community to enjoy and showcase the history of the property. In exchange we and the planning board are presenting an increase of 13 active adult units to the Town Board.
McInerney
“Note, this is less than the trip gen exchange equivalent of 19 units as an increase in relation to the reduction of 7 single family lots. We don’t anticipate any hiccups here and we feel this is an equitable solution for all parties.
“The traffic improvements that we are making, along with the pending NCDOT projects are going to make this entire area flow much better. Additionally, the overall trip generation of our project seems to be coming in quite a bit lower than what it was designed for so that is good news for concerns about traffic as well.
“We are very excited to be breaking ground here within the next few weeks and look forward to providing this community with responsibly designed project that will generate jobs and tax base, along with providing a nice venue for families to gather.”
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NO ADDITION UNITS!! What does moving the location of the Tenant House have to do with INCREASED density higher than previously approved? Answer: Nothing!
Enough is enough. We do not desire more density. The city and developer agreed on a plan. Stick to it. What other concessions will the developer ask for? Our resident voices were heard loud and strong during our last election by voting in four new commissioners whose platform was controlling growth and congestion. Let’s stand by it.
If this a REALLOCATION of density, I would actually prefer the senior units. Single family home owners will inevitably have more vehicles and make more trips every day thus increasing the traffic. SOMETHING is going to be built there regardless whether it is senior units or the single-family homes that are already planned for the property. Since I live in the neighborhood that borders that property, traffic is really my main concern at this point.
How much more overcrowding can we stand? Cornelius has become, figuratively speaking, a sardine can – totally overcrowded, and it’s only getting worse! The developers don’t give a rat’s ass about what they are doing to our area, they just want to make record profits by putting up as many units of cookie-cutter construction as they can, then they are gone, laughing all the way to the bank. Meanwhile we are left to deal with even more traffic, congestion and poorly thought out ”solutions”. The town board is complicit in this mayhem too by approving all these projects! There are lots of people here that would much rather see that property remain a green space! We need these green buffers! Who wants to look at more high density housing and more parking lots? It is destroying the appeal of our town and the very thing that draws people here in the first place – trees and green space.
Do the current sewer capacity issues affect the density increase in this development?
No, not on this side of town.
Do I understand no more construction in north MECK due to full capacity of waste system serving the area? Does this not apply?