A mixed-use plan – townhouses, single-family homes and some commercial – that the Wake Forest Planning Department had said should be denied was approved Tuesday night with Mayor Vivian Jones casting the tie-breaking vote because Commissioner Liz Simpers was absent.
There was an unusual difference of opinion by the four other commissioners, with Bridget Wall-Lennon seconding Brian Pate’s motion to approve, Greg Harrington saying “. . . this is one of those times when I have to agree with the staff,” and Anne Reeve voicing grave concerns about the road system and congestion in that area near Harris Road where the North Carolina Department of Transportation plans a major interchange on the future Capital Boulevard freeway.
After Reeve spoke, John Myers, president of JPM Development which proposes to develop Devon Square, went to the podium with a large map. He propped the map on the podium and explained the roads to Reeve, but the audience was largely in the dark, not being able to see the map.
Reeve then said, “I do trust our staff. I believe they are very thorough in what they do.” The others lined up to say voting for the Devon Square plan did not reflect on the planning staff. Wall-Lennon said commissioners have to balance what staff recommends against other considerations. Jones said staff sees in black and white. “We can put some gray in there, kind of balancing things a little bit, looking at things a little differently.”
There were several factors about the plan that came out during the public hearing two weeks ago. The land, 68 acres zoned commercial on the east side of Capital Boulevard between Staffordshire subdivision and Harris Road, has been for sale for 22 years. Beth Pleasants McCain said, “This is the only offer in 22 years.”
Louise Springer, a Staffordshire homeowner, brought a letter from two other homeowners and a petition signed by 40 Staffordshire residents. Springer noted that there has been a reduced need for retail and commercial uses since the onset of online purchasing. She also noted that usually commercial uses are recommended at intersections with access from two sides, not in the middle of block as this property is.
The plan includes a 50-foot naturally wooded buffer between the single-family section of Devon Square and E. Carroll Joyner Park.
Pate, who went to the back of Lowes Home Improvement on Galaxy Drive to see what a commercial use would mean for the low-lying part of the Pleasants land, said he would rather have the 50-foot buffer and homes adjoining the park. “I would rather see kids playing in back yards rather than dempsy dumpsters in the back.”
Jones had written a consistency statement – one of the requirements for changing zoning – that was made a part of Pate’s winning motion. It said:
“The rezoning request is consistent with the Wake Forest Community Plan and Unified Development Ordinance in that:
- It mitigates the adverse impacts of strip development and encourages pedestrian movement along the US 1 Corridor. Large-scale commercial uses are best located on the corners of neighborhood planning areas, at the intersection of two major streets and are discouraged from “mid-block” locations. Commercial is limited to the corner of the property with pedestrian access from this development as well as giving pedestrian access to Staffordshire. Planned mixed-use developments which allow for compatible mixture of residential and non-residential uses should be encouraged. New businesses may be located adjoining an existing residential area when design considerations are similar to newly planned, pedestrian-scaled mixed-use development. New large-scale development should be buffered from adjacent residential areas by smaller scale buildings or by buffer
- Higher density housing may often act as a transitional use between offices or shops and lower density housing.
- This development with the 50 foot buffer will protect Joyner Park from intrusion much more so than a big box retail/office development. Storm water controls above the minimum are proposed which will also protect the
- Our policies encourage well-designed, higher density projects to discourage sprawl and slow down land consumption; promote connectedness; promote mixed use development; promote non-auto oriented commercial connected to residential
- Future neighborhoods should be compact in form; neighborhood serving businesses should be encouraged; a mixture of housing types should be encouraged; higher density housing projects should be located adjoining places of work, shopping and public transit and may often act as a transitional use between offices or shops and lower density
- The US 1 Corridor Committee and NCDOT have approved the concept and the developer will implement all road improvements ”
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The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the plan for the Ginny Soule property on Wall Road, which was to change the zoning to conditional general residential 10 and rural holding. The 33 acres will be used to build 42 duplexes and 18 single-family homes. It is part of the larger William Wall farm which has been divided between descendants.
Jon Frazier with FLM Engineering said it is an age-targeted community – most residents will be 55 and older – but there will be no formal or required age restrictions. The homeowners association will be responsible for the exterior maintenance.
Two large trees will be preserved, a 52-inch oak in the entrance roundabout and a 39-inch white oak in the park, or rural holding, section.
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Allison Snyder, the assistant public works director, said there were two options for parking on West Sycamore Avenue: do nothing allow all 21 spaces be free to use by anyone or allot parking spaces to the residents who do not have driveways. The plan devised by the public works department would allow residents to request up to three spaces, taking up 15 of the 21 spaces and leaving six for school visitors.
Wall-Lennon asked about people demonstrating a need. A number of the residents on the street are elderly.
Pate wondered if most would really need three spaces, and Snyder said that only one will probably require three spaces. The others will need one or two.
Snyder said volunteers can use the back parking lot with a lot of capacity, leaving the front parking lot on South Main Street for visitors.
In another matter, Charlie Oakley, a former Wake Forest Planner, spoke on behalf of the McAdams Company in asking for a waiver of the six-month wait after an item was denied. He said, “We felt like we didn’t provide the information for you guys to understand the nature of the request,” which was for a text amendment about FEMA flood maps. Oakley said the text change they are requesting would only affect infrastructure, not any buildings.
“I didn’t understand it,” Pate said, and the board voted unanimously to allow the company to return before July.
