BY DEBBIE PAGE
The Troutman Planning and Zoning Board approved a rezoning request for a parcel on Byers Road and strengthened the town’s parking requirements at its October meeting.
Rocky Creek LLC wants to rezone 19.511 acres on Byers Road from Conditional Zoning-Mixed Residential District to Suburban Residential District. No site plan was submitted as a part of the rezoning request. The property is in the town limits.
The site was approved for conditional rezoning in 2022 as the second phase of the Rocky Creek development (now Norman Creek). The site was then approved to have up to 53 single-family lots, not to exceed a density of 2.71 units per acre.
This new request proposes to rezone the subject parcel to suburban residential, low-density single-family residences. The RS District is meant for single-family on lots no less than half-acre lots. The maximum density allowed is two units per acre.
Elizabeth Brown, representing developers, said this change would allow the developer to build five larger homes on estate style lots with minimal disturbance to the creek and natural features on the property. The smallest lot would be 3 acres. This decrease in homes will also reduce impacts on community services and traffic.
This change came about because the creek splitting the property would be too expensive to cross, so developers decided to go with estate lot homes instead. The homes will be on septic systems. Developers would like to connect to town water but will drill wells if necessary.
These homes will not be connected to the Norman Creek development and would not have an HOA. Brown said lots would be sold to individuals who can choose their own builders.
No community meeting was required because it is not a conditional zoning request.
Some planning board members were concerned because with no conditions developers would not be held to the five estate lot plan presented.
Staff recommended approval of the requested rezoning.
The board unanimously recommended the rezoning request, wiith Paul Rooney abstaining from the vote because of his home’s proximity to the property. The final decision will rest with the Town Council, which is expected to consider the request on November 13.
PROPOSED PARKING ORDINANCE CHANGES
The Unified Development Ordinance currently has no parking requirements for commercial development under 10,000 square feet nor for industrial development. It also only requires one parking space for a single-family residential unit.
Town Planner Andrew Ventresca proposed several changes, at the direction of Town Council, to strengthen minimum standards for off-street parking quantities.
Under the proposed changes, all new developments would be required to meet the minimum quantity of parking spaces listed in a UDO table.
Changes of use, enlargements, or additions to existing structures would need adhere to the minimum quantity of spaces listed in the table, to the greatest extent possible, as determined by the town engineer and planning director.
Ventresca’s proposal suggested a minimum of two spaces per single-family residential (attached or detached) unit, with one additional space for each additional bedroom over three. The board recommended that that be changed to one additional space for each additional bedroom over two, with garages not counting as required spaces since most residents use garages as storage.
Restaurants would require five spaces per 1,000 square feet of building space, up from two spaces.
Commercial uses would require two spaces per 1,000 square feet of facility space as stated in the UDO but eliminates the phrase “none for uses under 10,000 square feet.”
Staff recommended that Planning Board give a favorable recommendation to the proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance.
The UDO amendments are expected to move on for Town Council consideration at its November meeting.