The three acres in the southeast corner of the Burlington Mills Road/Ligon Mill Road intersection have been on and off the Wake Forest Planning Board and Town Board agendas since 2005, when a request to rezone it for a convenience store and gas station were denied though the land was annexed into town.
In 2007, after a spat about ownership and a similar request that was withdrawn, Wake Forest developer Jim Adams won approval for the rezoning to conditional use neighborhood business. But the dozen-plus neighbors who had vigorously opposed the plan for the also won because the conditions the town board placed on the property were for the uses to be only food sales and service, neighborhood-oriented personal services, retail and professional and business services. Convenience stores and gas sales were not included.
Adams will be back before the planning board on May 3 with a request to add gas/fueling stations and general commercial uses to the property. Assistant Planning Director Charlie Yokley is recommended adding those uses. Only one couple were at the advertised neighborhood meeting and they opposed a convenience store because it would add traffic to the two roads and might cause “loitering, annoying lighting on the property and trash. More neighbors may be at the May 3 meeting.
George Mackie’s Westford Place subdivision plan to be withdrawn
The annexation request along with the request for rezoning and a master plan for George Mackie’s 100-acre, 248-lot subdivision running south from Wait Avenue to Jones Dairy Road is being withdrawn.
In an email on April 7, Bob Zumwalt, the director of planning and design with the McAdams Company, told Yokley, “Unfortunately we have run into some contract issues with the purchaser of the land that have cause further delays of the project. Sine we are unclear as to how long it will take to resolve these issues, we would like to officially request that both the rezoning/master plan and the annexation be withdrawn at this time.”
The annexation request has been on the town board agendas for February, March and April and the rezoning/master plan was on the April planning board agenda but withdrawn.
Oak Hills subdivision back on agenda
A month ago Mike Crowley, the engineer for the proposed Oak Hills subdivision on West Oak Avenue asked the planning board to delay discussion and action on the plan for 55 single-family lots that also connect to West Chestnut Street because of uncertainty about the property line for the Duke Energy power line easement. He will be back on May 3 with a plan for 54 lots, the result of the adjustment of the entrance off West Oak.
He and the owner, Randy Spivey of Wendell, and the applicant, Mathew Winslow of Winslow Custom Homes in Youngsville, will ask for rezoning to GR10 (CD) general residential 10 conditional district for the 25.91 acres. Yokley is recommending approval with the conditions of a fee in lieu of the construction of the greenway trail, dedication of 5 feet of right-of-way and improvements to West Oak Avenue, and approval of the street and greenway within the power line easement before approval of the construction plans.
