Tuesday's Internet Edition, September 07, 2010.
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| Rev. Amy Crump of Shiloh Lutheran Church blesses Cornelia Kepley’s dog, Buddy, during a Blessing of the Animals service. |
The new center will be developed and built on a 60-acre tract. There will be 541,000 square feet for retail, office and a theatre complex. A main street will be built and some 18 acres of green space will be set aside in the plan.
Clemmons Town Center will bring an estimated 1,100 jobs to the town and enhance the tax base, according to planner Gary Roberts, from the City-County Planning staff.
This development will leave some 280 acres for future development in the area bordering I-40, Lewisville-Clemmons Road, Peace Haven Road and Harper Road.
Town Hall was filled to capacity with many residents standing. Some 75 to 80 people attended the public hearing, with the majority of opponents living in Old Meadowbrook.
The Old Meadowbrook residents were concerned with stormwater run-off from the new development into their lakes.
Roberts presented the plan to council members, saying the staff recommended denial of the site plan, but the Clemmons Planning Board had recommended approval in a 6-2 vote in September.
Hill Partners Inc. of Charlotte is the developer of the Town Center. Roberts said, “This is primarily a retail and office center with no residential. A network of multiple sidewalks, angled parking, planters, trees and decorative lighting are included on the plan, which has good pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns.”
There will be a 124,000 square feet
“big box” type anchor store. Roberts said this store meets the large scale development guidelines adopted earlier by the council.
“The elements of the plan are consistent with the Unified Development Ordinance for the county and the Clemmons Area Guide,” said Roberts. “There is no residential plans in this development and there will be a removal of the Reynolds pond and there is a small stream that will have to be crossed.”
A transportation impact study has been done and the proposed improvements are adequate to address this development per the study as well as the NC Department of Transportation, Roberts said.
Roberts said the staff findings included the lack of multi-family housing, which was on the Clemmons Vision Plan for this area.
Gary Looper, village manager, spoke on the stormwater conditions for the site plan. He said the developer must have stormwater analysis done prior to any grading permits and a water quality plant will be required for this amount of square feet usage.
Doug Jewell, stormwater consultant for the town, said a study has already been done on the Reynolds pond on the property.
“No development is without impact to the existing environment. If these stormwater requirements are met by this developer, they’ll do a good job on their impact to the environment.”
During the public hearing, Mayor Ed Brewer told the speakers to limit their time to three minutes each. Proponents were first to speak.
The first speaker was Joe Tannenberger, executive vice-president of Hill Partners, Inc. of Charlotte.
“Our plan tonight includes an identifiable main street for Clemmons. This will be a place to work, shop, dine and be entertained. We plan to attract national tenants. Retail will be on some 40 acres.”
Tanneberger said the company will be spending some $2 million dollars on stormwater management. He said the transportation plan has been approved by DOT and the traffic consulting firm.
A brochure explaining other retail developments by Hill Partners Inc.was distributed. These are located in Perrysburg, Ohio; Columbia, SC; Barefoot Landing at Myrtle Beach, SC; and include stores like Talbots, Coldwater Creek, Chicos, Books-A-Million. J.Jill. Joseph A. Bank Clothiers, Liz Claiborne and Royal and Showcase Cinemas.
The owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Al Luen, and a spokesman for LSB Bank, announced their approval of the Town Center. After meeting with the developers, these two businesses plan to provide additional access to the property after “engineering and economic details are worked out and all can move forward to work together.”
John Ingle, a Planning Board member, said “Clemmons needs more quality office space. This will be a place we can come to sit and meet. The stormwater and traffic concerns have been met. I personally received some 100 telephone calls and emails in support of this plan.”
Tom Benzink, 6770 Doublegate Drive,and owner of Marble Slab Creamery in the Pinnacle Development at the entrance of the proposed Town Center, said “Without this investment and further development in this area, we won’t make it. We need this new development.”
Opponents then spoke at the public hearing.
Donna Pedroso, 7025 Tramore Lane, asked the council for a continuance on Town Center’s proposal so a revised site plan would be available.
“Do not confuse the ignorance of the general public with silent approval by the general public…We need you to represent us and our desire for higher standards. There is just too much at stake here to do anything less.”
Paul Whitener, 4165 Briarcreek Road, president of Old Meadowbrook Homeowners, had residents from that subdivision to stand if they opposed Town Center’s plan, and there were about 15.
“We are opposed to the enormous scale of development here. We have lakes in Old Meadowbrook that serve as a public utility. A good portion of all stormwater in the village flows into our lakes. Village Pointe runoff flows right into our lakes and will impact us with silt, trash, dirt and chemicals.” Whitener called on the council to vote no.
Al Harbury, 6606 Village Brook Trail, told council the planning staff had recommended denial of the request and encouraged council to follow this recommendation. Harbury called for preservation of green/open space; preservation of environmental features like trees and ponds.
Gardner Gidley, 4350 Woodlark Drive, and a noted planner, said he had lived in Clemmons 50 years.
“This development is far in excess of what the village needs. Sixty acres is an intense development. All this land will be stripped and 70 percent paved. This will be a total violation of the watershed on Old Meadowbrook lakes. Stop this rampant development and consider the recommendation of the planning staff and vote this down.”
Councilwoman Mary Cameron asked Doug Jewell about the advantages of piecemeal development instead of this large development on the stormwater management.
Jewell replied, “The advantage is this developer is putting the necessary amount of money for this management, whereas small parcels (called bird bath stormwater management) do not have the ability to manage.”
Jewell added, “This development will impact the Reynolds lake as well as the Old Meadowbrook lakes, but will reduce the negativity of this project.”
Councilman Larry McClellan was the lone opponent for the plan. He said, “I have spent hours considering this petition, and it is an attractive and appealing plan. We will kill more trees with this project than ever before. I have spent 30 years living in Clemmons and it is already a destination for a quiet surburban setting. We do not need this project.”
Councilman Jim Hayes made the motion to approve the rezoning and site plan consistent with the conditions noted and discussed. Second was by Councilman Mark Smith. Vote was 4 to 1 to approve.