Nearly 290 neighbors of the site signed a petition opposing the project, citing concerns that the townhomes would increase traffic that would negatively impact the two neighboring schools.
The Union Cross area between Winston-Salem and Kernersville is one step closer to having a major townhome community despite opposition from almost 300 neighbors.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning Board recommended approval of a request to rezone about 28 acres of farm land between Interstate 74 and High Point Road from Agricultural District to Residential Multifamily-5 Special Use Rezoning on Thursday evening. The RM5 zoning district allows for a density of 5 units per acre.
Developer Greg Garrett's proposed 138-unit two-story townhome community, along the east side of Hastings Road, would have two connections onto Hastings Road, two additional internal streets and a density of 4.59 units per acre, according to the site plans for the project. Site plans also show a 1,500-square food centrally located recreation area connected to 19-lot overflow parking lot.
Public water is already available along Hastings Road and public sewer is proposed via an access easement from High Point, planning staff said at the meeting. The development's plans also include two proposed stormwater devices.
Garrett, owner of Braxton Real Estate and Development Company, said his 25-year development history in the Triad includes multiple communities similar to the proposed Union Cross project that have been "very successful."
He said the townhomes will be for sale upon completion and will be targeted towards those in the workforce looking for housing.
"There's so many business parks in the area and there's a tremendous need for housing, so that's what we have in mind here," Garrett said.
Garrett said the reason the community consists of townhomes is because it is easier to offer them at an affordable price point amid expensive land and infrastructure costs. While costs could change during construction, Garrett said he expects prices for the units to start in the $300,000s.
A distinctive feature of the development is that two thirds of the property will remain open space, he said. He added that one of the ways the development team aims to mitigate negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood is by improving the stormwater situation in the area, which officials from the two churches adjacent to the property had expressed concerns about. Garrett's solution is a stormwater pond that will gradually release water into a drainage path that has significantly eroded over time.
Garrett said the site is unique because Union Cross Moravian Church, Union Cross Baptist Church, Union Cross Elementary School and North Carolina Leadership Academy make up the majority of the site's 500-foot radius. Garrett also said the community's required buffer yard will attempt to mitigate negative impacts on the neighbors.
Noel DiBona spoke on behalf of neighbors of the site who opposed Garrett's proposal, citing the increase in traffic and its negative impact on the neighboring schools as a main point of concern. He said about 290 people signed a petition expressing concern about the rezoning, including parents and administrators from the two schools, many of whom attended the meeting.
DiBona said the project should trigger a traffic impact study for the area, though planning director Chris Murphy said the area does not meet the threshold for car trips per day to trigger a study.
Garrett said he has hired a traffic engineer to evaluate the project's impact and the number of cars during pick-up and drop-off times at Union Cross Elementary School. The engineer will make recommendations to mitigate negative impacts, Garrett said.
DiBona also disagreed with Garrett that the townhomes would be affordable to people in the area, so he does not believe the project would create any benefit for the community.
"We see this as a cash grab rather than a benefit to the community," he said. "If there were a benefit to the community you wouldn't have to rely on marketing this to people that don't even live in Kernersville who are coming into the area because they are young professionals. There's not a lot of people in Kernersville right now that would buy a $315,000 townhome."
Despite DiBona's comments, the board recommended approval of the project with a 5-1 vote.
Board member Jason Grubbs, the only member to vote against the rezoning, said while he was not concerned about the points DiBona brought up, he is worried about the gap between the site and existing high density housing projects.
Board Member Walter Farabee said given the schools, churches and existing residential development, the project makes sense to him. Board Chair Chris Leek said while he understands the concerns of the neighbors, he believes the project does address the shortage of housing in the area and will have a benefit to the community.