Zoning vote or `moratorium'?

Charlotte.com

March 23, 2008

A vote against multifamily zoning by six Charlotte City Council members, all Democrats, brought a charge from Republican member John Lassiter that the vote signals a de facto apartment moratorium in University City.

'I adamantly oppose a moratorium,' Lassiter said Monday, shortly before the council voted 6-5 to reject a rezoning request for 181 apartments on Salome Church Road near U.S. 29.

District 4 council member Michael Barnes called for denying the request, though both the city's planning staff and the advisory zoning committee of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission supported the rezoning.

It was the first time a rezoning request for multifamily housing in University City had been rejected in 17 months, and just the second since September 2005.

Barnes, who represents much of University City, has become more vocal about the amount of multifamily housing built or proposed for University City.

The additional students who would live in the proposed Salome Church apartment community would further strain University Meadows Elementary School, he added, citing a report from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

That school currently has 1,231 students in a facility designed for 830. The school uses 25 mobile classrooms.

Lassiter countered that the increase in students caused by apartments vs. single-family homes would be nominal -- just eight at University Meadows and eight more at James Martin Middle and Mallard Creek High schools.

Barnes e-mailed some District 4 residents on Tuesday explaining his vote.

He said he is concerned about the impact of some multifamily development on property values, public safety and infrastructure such as roads and schools.

Some multifamily communities are warranted, he said, such as a proposal to build townhouses, apartments and offices near I-485 and Rocky River Road. CMS data does not show this project to be a burden to nearby schools, and the developer will build a needed connector road, Barnes said.

'My job is to make sure we get the best product that we can,' he said.

The council was to vote on that petition, No. 2008-014, Monday but deferred the decision until its April 21 meeting. TIDBIT

Church at Faires Farm OK'd

The City Council Monday approved construction of a new church building on the site of the defunct Faires Farm swim club at 9520 Faires Farm Road.The rezoning, to institutional, will allow the Romanian Baptist Church of Charlotte to replace the two pools and fire-damaged clubhouse with a new building that contains a 300-seat sanctuary and room for offices, classrooms and other uses.

The final plan reduces sanctuary seating from 500 to 300 but reflects a comparable increase in other spaces, said Tom Drake with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department.

The Rev. Livius Percy, the church's senior pastor, said the new building will incorporate the current clubhouse and then extend back across the pool site.

An illustration shows a clean, modern building with peaked roof and cross. The lower floor will probably be cinder block, Percy said, while the upper floor will either be stucco or brick.

He said the congregation hopes to start construction by mid-May on the $600,000 project, and complete it by Christmas. The 150-member congregation currently worships at Derita Baptist Church.

Petition 2008-003

Bigger home for Truck Center

Charlotte Truck Center is getting a bigger home beside Northside Baptist Church.

The City Council approved a rezoning Monday that will allow construction of a 110,000-square-foot sales, service and parts center for Freightliner trucks on about 20 acres of the 28.7-acre site fronting Equipment Drive just west of Jeremiah Boulevard, the church's entrance road. The site is between City Boulevard and West Sugar Creek Road.

The rezoning requires a 50-foot buffer between the truck center and Northside Baptist Church.

The land had been zoned for a business park. Invisible Fence occupies a building on the remaining 8.7 acres.

Charlotte Truck Center is currently on Equipment Drive between West Sugar Creek Road and North Graham Street.

The company plans to have its new offices facing Equipment Drive and service bays to the rear and sides. The front facing I-85 would be made of stucco, brick or masonry materials.

As part of the conditional rezoning, the company agreed not to conduct business on Sundays.

Company President Frank Ellett, at a community meeting in January, said his Charlotte operation needs a new location so it can expand. Charlotte Truck Center employs about 85 people, and Ellett said his goal is to grow to 135 employees.

Petition 2008-023

Commons

Copyright © 2008 Charlotte.com, All Rights Reserved.