Tuesday night the Wake Forest Planning Board unanimously approved Crenshaw Corners, a commercial subdivision protested by its Crenshaw Manor neighbors, along with a 100-unit townhouse addition to Traditions, a waiver of the height restriction for a hotel on Stadium Drive, and a zoning change from neighborhood business to general residential. They accomplished all that, with four public hearings, the election of Ed Gary as chairman and Thad Juszczak as vice-chair and welcoming three new members, in under two hours.
About 40 people concerned about Crenshaw Corners were in the audience but only two men spoke, mostly about the uncertain future development of five 1- to 2-acre lots aside from the “upscale” grocery store planned for the largest lot, 6.3 acres, in the southeast corner of the property. The existing stub to the property from the N.C. 98 Bypass (Dr. Calvin Jones Highway) will become a right-in, right-out entrance/exit. The existing stub on Durham Road will change to right and left in but only right out.
John Winings, who lives on Jones Wynd in Crenshaw Manor, said he and other neighbors had been discussing the development with Wake Forest developer Steve Gould over several years, during which Gould portrayed it as becoming comparable to Lafayette Village in Raleigh but with an Italian theme. They had hoped to be able to support the project, Winings said, but “we are not able to come to this meeting with support with only one store planned at this time.” He said they want to know what kind of store will be built and when.
“We are a major gateway to the town,” Mike Parker, another neighbor, said. “We have always seen that as an opportunity” for this property. Their discussions with Gould, who is selling the property to DelHaize America Shared Services Group in Salisbury, involved a consistent architectural scheme. “We knew it would be upscale, but I’m not sure what that means. We were hoping this would be a combined effort of the developer, the town and the neighbors.” Parker concluded that there is an “opportunity for the town and the developer to make this a diamond.”
Assistant Planning Director Charlie Yokley said there will be “some continuity of design” and later said either the Design Review Board or the planning staff will review the proposed buildings using the same standards.
There was concern about the buffer with trees and shrubs between the property and the residential subdivision. Senior Planner Jonathan Cooper said the required minimum is 20 feet but the plan adds 5 feet and also doubles the minimum to 40 feet on the southeast side around the grocery store.
When the planning board members discussed the project in their regular meeting, Juszczak said he appreciated the problems the neighbors are facing. “They don’t really know what else is going to happen.” It is one of the major entrances to town, but “I can’t find a reason why we shouldn’t approve it.” The neighbors will have to be vigilant, he said. “Development happens the way development happens.”
New board member Chad Sary (Yes, he was the assistant planning director until he resigned more than a year ago to work for a development company.) said a lot of the neighbors’ concerns will be taken care of through existing town ordinances. He also asked the developer, John R. McAdams Company, to add fencing around the retention pond and a gate to access the City of Raleigh sewer line. Planning Director Chip Russell said they can ask the developer but Raleigh would have to approve.
The vote to recommend approval by the town board was unanimous for this project and the other three on the night’s agenda with all eight members voting yes. Colleen Sharpe was absent Tuesday.
The only question facing the board for the proposed four-story hotel at 1005 Stadium Drive was whether to approve a special use permit for a building more than three stories high. Milan Patel, whose company owns and operates Candlewood Suites on Retail Drive and is planning this hotel, said, “It should be 45 feet, plus or minus. The building next to us is quite high.” Chairman Gary noted that it will look more like a three-story building because of the topography. The first floor and part of the second floor will look like they are underground from Capital Boulevard.
There was little discussion about the request by JPM South, the Traditions developer, for a review and approval of a plan for 100 townhouses called The Willows at the intersection of Traditions Grande Boulevard and Royal Mill Avenue. They will be built on 11.98 acres that is constrained by the buffers for Dunn Creek.
The fourth request was by David Alford, who asked that a wooded area he owns at 844 South Main Street be rezone from neighborhood business to general residential. The wooded area is a buffer between his house at 852 South Main and the Wake Tire garage.
The new members are Karin Kuropas, a teacher at Rolesville Middle School; Joe Kimrey, the general manager of B&W Hardware; and Sary.
At the close of the meeting Yokley announced his last day at the town will be Jan. 18. “It’s been a pleasure to be here and I’ve had a lot of fun,” he said. He is joining a area development firm.
