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HomeMy Public PortalAbout1.22.2002 Joint Public HearingAGENDA JOINT PUBLIC HEARING HILLSBOROUGH TOWN BOARD and PLANNING BOARD Tuesday, January 22, 2002 7:00 PM, Town Barn ITEM #1: Call public hearing to order. ITEM #2: Request from the NRP Group to rezone approximately 8.73 acres from High Intensity Commercial to Multi -Family. The parcel is 4.40.A.8k and is located adjacent to I-85 and behind the Hampton Pointe development. ITEM #3: Request from Tri -star Development to rezone approximately 30.8 acres from Agricultural -Residential to Multi -Family. The parcels are 4.38.B.26&26E and are located on the north side Orange Grove Rd just south of the Eno Mountain Rd intersection. The parcel has frontage on both roads approximately 5.5 acres is on the north side of Eno Mountain Rd. ITEM #4: Adjourn public hearing and excuse Planning Board ITEM #5: Convene Special Town Board meeting ITEM #6: Discussion with applicant regarding proposed Old Mill Ridge annexation request. Please call the Clerk or Planning Department if you cannot attend 732-1270 ext. 71 or73 Both lines are connected to voice mail 101 East Orange Street - P.O. Box 429 - Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 919-732-1270 - Fax 919-644-2390 MINUTES JOINT PUBLIC HEARING January 22, 2002 PRESENT: Mayor Joe Phelps, Ken Chavious, Frances Dancy, Mike Gering, Evelyn Lloyd, Ed Gill (PB Chair), Jim Boericke, Joel Brinkley, Cathy Carroll, David Daniel, Kelly Hopper, Chris Quinn, Bryant Warren STAFF: Eric Peterson, Demetric Potts, and Margaret Hauth ITEM #1: Mayor Phelps called the hearing to order and passed the gavel to Planning Board Chair Gill. Gill briefly described the hearing process. ITEM #2: Gill announced this item had been withdrawn at the request of the applicant, as noted in the letter distributed to members at their seats. ITEM #3: Ilauth introduced the request from Tri-Star Development to rezone approximately 30 acres on Orange Grove and Eno Mountain Roads from Agriculture -Residential to Multi -Family. She noted that the draft site plan was included in the agenda packet to clarify that the application includes development on both sides of Eno Mountain Road. She added that the plan is not binding to the applicants. If the rezoning is approved a site plan will be reviewed by the Board of Adjustment. She noted that the property owner and applicants are present. Hauth said neighbors have submitted a protest petition about the application and she is still verifying whether it meets the statutory requirements. She said if it does, the Town Board would have to vote by either 4-1 or unanimously to approve the rezoning request. Annette Chodl, architect for the project, distributed handouts containing a basic traffic study, building elevations, and site plan. She called the proposal an active adult community. She said they are proposing to build 278 condominium, townhome, and apartment units. All the first floor units would have an accessible route to them. She said more than 30% of the units would be handicap accessible, which greatly exceeds building code requirements. She said the existing home would be renovated into the clubhouse and there would be numerous programs and activities on-site for residents. She said the units are a mixture of 2 and 3 bedrooms. She described the design elements they intend to pull from Federal style buildings downtown to make the development compatible. Carlos Gomez of Coastal Engineering highlighted some site features. He said the existing pond would be retained and used for stormwater management as well as an on-site recreational amenity. The developer will build turn lanes into the site at all access points. He noted that garbage would be handled through an on-site compactor. Craig Sheffler of HNTB described the traffic impacts. He said the base traffic counts were made during the last two weeks and the build- out projections are for 2004. He noted the road capacity was calculated at 12,500 vehicles per day and the projected traffic in 2004 is 10,039. Sheffler said that the projected traffic is for a standard apartment community, and the handout shows the reduced traffic expected from an active adult community, which is roughly 1000 fewer vehicles per day. Commissioner Chavious asked what "active adult community" meant. Chodl said late 40s and older, early retirees. Chavious expressed doubt that folks in that age group would "sit home" and asked how the complex could be restricted to that age group. Chodl said they are unlikely to travel during peak hours because they aren't bound to work schedules. She said there would not be elevators in the units. She said marketing is the main tool to ensure the client mix they are looking for. JPH 1/22/2002, page 2 Quinn asked about the Level of Service and "delay" figures. Sheffler said they delay times are in seconds per vehicle. Gering asked whether he had heard correctly that neither road could be widened. Sheffler said there were no plans to widen either road with the exception of turn lanes at the entrances. Daniel about the projections. Sheffler said they are based on a regular apartment complex, not an age-specific one. Richard A. Simpson spoke on behalf of himself and his wife who own adjacent property. He said they have been in their house two years and the peace and quiet of the area was a primary reason for building there. Richard O. Simpson spoke as a neighboring owner. He said he is opposed to the rezoning as well, even though he is not anti -growth. He expressed his concern about putting some many people in a close area with the Heritage, proposed Patriot's Pointe, and new high school. He said he has been in his house three years and the traffic is increasing daily. Paul Sharon, general partner in the Orange Grove Park Development, spoke against the development. He said they are building the townhomes and apartments across Orange Grove Road. He distributed marketing brochures showing the design of his project. He said this rezoning would impact the efforts to fit in his project made. He noted that 30% of the units in Heritage are also accessible. He said he agreed with the traffic concerns that others noted. Ben Lloyd, property owner spoke. He said while he was a county commissioner 16 years earlier, he had been encouraged to sell land for a retirement center by a local newspaper editor. He said at the time he wasn't interested, but he remembered the advice when he was approached by Evans to sell. He has been approached to sell this and other parcels many times before, but never for a project he thought was good for the community. He said after reviewing the proposed plan he was convinced to sell to Evans and his group. Lloyd noted that developers are often accused of coming into a town, making a quick buck, and leaving. He said that neither he nor Evans was going anywhere. He noted that studies show that folks who age with their social support structure nearby do better than others. He said this development would fill that need. He compared the proposal to Carol Woods in Chapel Hill, quoted their rates, and noted they have a 2-5 year waiting list. Lloyd noted that he could ensure Evans fulfills his promises. He read a letter from Evans indicating their commitment to the plan. Commissioner Lloyd asked for clarification of the target population. Chodl said the activities planned are for older adults, active retirees. Lloyd asked if transportation services would be provided. Chodl said there would be transportation services, but no medical support. Carroll asked the owner/rental mix and Chodl said it would likely be half and half. Commissioner Dancy asked the anticipated cost of the units. Dennis Evans, applicant, responded the townhomes would sell for between $130,000 and $160,000, the condominiums between $89,000 and $129,000. He added the monthly rent for the apartments would be between $800 and $900. He said some units might start at $750. Hopper asked if any meal service was provided. Chodl said that - gets into dietary and medical type services that this complex isn't set up for. There will not be meals available on site. Daniel asked how or if they could guarantee the occupants of the development would be active seniors. Chodl said they could not guarantee it. Marketing is the main strategy to JPH 1/22/2002, page 3 target the occupants. She added that construction is timed to bring a limited number on units on the market at any time. Commissioner Chavious asked how younger residents could be kept out. Chodl said they couldn't be restricted out. She said the first floor units that are handicap accessible can be restricted, but she conceded that there would be some younger residents in the complex. Evans noted that market research indicates a strong demand for this type housing. He added that once the first few units are occupied and the "stigma" is attached to the development as being an adult community, residents would self -sort themselves. Carroll asked why elevators aren't used. Evans said they visited many similar neighborhoods and very few use elevators. The upper story units tend to go to the younger residents who want the exercise. He added that the price structure and design elements are set up to encourage the able, younger residents to take the upper units. Mayor Phelps asked if names of similar neighborhoods could be provided and Evans said he would do that. He asked Hauth about name duplication and whether "Magnolia Manor" was too close to Magnolia Place. Hauth said the town could prohibit exact duplication and looks closely at very similar names to see if there might be confusion. Mayor Phelps suggested providing garden plots for residents, as many folks like to keep vegetables and flowers. Gill closed the public hearing and returned the gavel to Mayor Phelps. He called for a short recess before convening a special town board meeting. ITEM #6: Mayor Phelps reminded members they had wanted an opportunity to discuss the Old Mill Ridge proposal more closely before deciding to request a petition for annexation. Hauth distributed a chronology the project has followed. She said, while this request has taken a long time to bring to this point, all the steps in the annexation policy have been followed. She said the Town Board next needed to decide whether to request a petition for annexation and set a public hearing date. Mike Camann of Sear Brown (formerly Callemyn-Parker) described the project, noting the plan to use clustered lots and concentrate building lots on the most suitable land. He said the remaining land does not lend itself to active sports facilities like soccer fields. He said a short-term pump station would be needed until the Cates Creek Outfall was constructed. Commissioner Dancy asked for clarification about what area was seeking annexation. Hauth said that the entire parcel is seeking annexation, the majority of it is in the ETJ, but none is currently in the city. Gering asked if the presence of trading paths had been checked into as he had asked. Hauth said she had not checked on that point. Mayor Phelps asked about Oakdale Drive extension and whether this developer could assist with that. Hauth said she could contact NCDOT about their ability and willingness to move forward with the extension since they are the property owner in the way of construction. By consensus the members asked that Barnhill submit an annexation petition. They asked Hauth to have public hearing date options available for them at their February meeting so they could pick a date. Mayor Phelps adjourned the meeting at 9:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, aret aut , . ecretary