Tree Board - meeting_joint_regular

I'd like to call tonight's meeting to order. The first order of business is to determine a quorum. If we could sound off.

Kim Sandoval. Cynthia Wiley.

Meg Fielding.

Richard Sayre. Sydney Sandy.

Okay, there being a quorum, we'll move to the next order of business, which is the approval of the minutes of the March 17th meeting. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? There being none, may I have a motion to approve the minutes as presented?

So moved.

Second. Okay.

All in favor?

Aye.

Okay, the minutes are approved. Okay, for new business, we have ZM2026-0056, 2119 and 2209 Yotes Road.

Thank you, board members and chair. Make sure this, yeah. As mentioned, this is a zoning map amendment for the case that's along 2119 and 2209 Younce Road. It's a conventional rezoning, not a conditional. Zoning request is to rezone from SF1, low density residential, to RBD, regional business district. There are two parcels involved, totaling 9.09 acres. Again, for 2119 and 2209 Younce Road parcels. The intent is to rezone to allow uses in the RBD district for commercial rather than the existing residential use. The letter of intent states to permit uses allowed by right within the RBD district, including an inpatient rehabilitation hospital, medical facility, or associated healthcare services. The applicant is Encompass Health Corporation. And the owners are Sherry Roldan and Bertha Younts. Property owners. Current conditions. You see on the current conditions map, the two parcels indicated in striped and red. They're just behind Walmart Supercenter. It's existing single family detached residential land use. There's a house on each parcel. The one at 2119 was built in 1960. The one at 2209 was built in 1995. There's moderate tree coverage in those areas. The current zoning map you see on the right shows the current zoning, single family, low density residential, and the other properties surrounding it. to the east, west, a little bit to the north are also single-family low density. Up Younce Road, a little bit further to the north, you run into some parcels that are GBD. And the ones to the south is where RBD follows Highway 74 for the regional business district zones. The future land use map shows the property as low density residential, but it's adjacent to the mixed use land use. So here's a photograph, street view looking north along Younce Road with the subject properties to the left, or mainly 2119 at this point in the roadway. And then up on around the curve, going in that same direction, now looking northwest, subject property still on the left, but now you see both the end of the property for 2119 and then the front of 2209 on the left. Here's looking the other direction, looking southeast at the two properties on the right. and then past the curve looking at at least the one property on the right and Walmart is behind the trees there behind the arrow. And here are the two homes, the one on the left at 2119 and the one on the right, and they would, with development on the entire lot, if that occurs, those would be part of a demolition. So the analysis, comprehensive plan consistency. Subject property is in the US 74 West corridor plan in the comprehensive plan. Regional business district is not consistent with the future land use of low density residential, but is consistent in the comprehensive plan where Younce Road is becoming part of what they call an activity center boulevard. The activity center boulevard is not as much a boulevard as it is a more heavily traveled corridor that kind of loops around in the comprehensive plan with other roads such as Indian Trail Road, Unionville, and circles around for that kind of circulation in the center of that area. Existing development and recent rezonings is the second part of why it's consistent, because Younts Road is already receiving more intensive rezonings, such as the existing development with Trails Dynasty, Union Preparatory Academy, Walmart Supercenter, and the more recent Younce Road Flex facility. That's GBD. Compatibility with the area. Subject properties request for RBD is compatible with the adjacent RBD on the southern end of Younce Road. That is not far, four-tenths of a mile from Highway 74. So you have this table in your packet. I had a lot of room on the slide where I could show like basically a lot of the uses they're allowed by right, but still have to follow our code when they develop. But these are the uses that could be allowed by right. And these are similar to GBD. GBD also has a lot of these same uses So the requested zoning designation is RBD. The intent is to rezone to allow uses in RBD district for commercial rather than the existing residential use to, uh, later propose the rehabilitation hospital medical facility or associated healthcare services, as I mentioned earlier. The concept plan is not part of zoning map amendment. It's just to rezone the base zoning. Allowed uses under this rezoning allow anything that's by right to be developed that follows the UDO requirements. unless there are other uses that could be in the table, but they'll be listed as a C or four conditional if they require so. The request is in line with future land uses that would occur along the planned activity center corridor boulevard that I spoke about. So consistency findings, staff are of the determination that the following consistency items can be made with those two points I made earlier. The request is reasonable and in the public interest as it promotes the goals of the comprehensive plan under land use and housing goal number one, promotes a variety of land uses within each village and avoid potential land use conflicts between neighboring properties and surrounding municipalities. Land use and housing number four, coordinate land use and transportation planning to ensure sustainable community development. So before the requested action, I'd like to pass it back to the board for any questions and if we have any public speakers.

So the two houses that are there now, are they being lived in?

I'm not sure. I think they're vacated. Yeah, the two homes that are there are currently vacant.

Okay.

And we do have the Encompass is present with us today, if you have any questions. Okay.

I have a question.

Uh, question for you on the second picture, uh, looking down where the 2209 is on the left, one more by, or before that. Yeah.

Yeah.

Just to the right of the speed limit sign, there's a for sale sign, uh, on that property there. Uh, is that just a vacant lot? Do you know, or is there plans for. I believe that is, is, is a vacant property there and not part of the, uh, the horse farm is not part of this, but, um, it just caught my eye that, huh? Well, if this gets rezoned as being requested, is that going to, um, make a determination? that they would, well, hey, we might wanna rezone too, or maybe not, I don't know, but anyway.

Staff, due to the comprehensive plan, this Younts Road being a part of that activity, Center Boulevard, staff is actually encouraging folks when they come in to develop more intensively along Younts Road.

And I understand because I've traveled that, and there's a lot of traffic on that road that use that instead of 74, like I do. Also then, just before that for sale sign is the farm that's across the road. Yes. Yeah, you can see there on the right. So far as you know, I know there hasn't been a development plan presented, but this, if it does go through as planned, what it looks like they want to do, medical facility of some sort, that is not going to adversely affect this farmland any that you know of?

I don't believe the farmland itself. I try to think of any noise or anything that would come from it. Other than the view affecting the natural view of the area with development, that's naturally one of the disturbances that comes along with it.

Yeah, well, currently, if you look at that picture where it says subject properties, it's not like that view is really all that wonderful unless you're into wildflowers and the like. But no, the only thing that I would I don't think the noise per se would be much, just runoff and drainage.

At the site plan stage, they'd be required to meet all requirements of that, as well as our code. If anything can't be met, then they would have to back up and do a conditional rezoning. But I think they believe that they can meet all the requirements and do site plans which are required to meet all North Carolina and federal laws.

I wouldn't expect much difficulty because it's not a manufacturing facility or an automotive repair facility or something like that.

Yeah, that would be very disturbing for the area.

I think that's all the questions that I had.

I have a question for Encompass Health Corporation. It says that project description inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Can you tell us a little more about that? The scope and the size and how many patients and just tell us a little bit about what the plans are.

Thank you. My name's Edmund Ball. I'm the Chief Real Estate Officer for Encompass Health. I'm actually from this area, but I live in Birmingham with my family, which is where Encompass is headquartered. And I think the question was just to understand a little bit about what we do specifically? Yes. Okay. So Encompass is the largest provider of inpatient rehabilitation, and we define that as physical, occupational, and speech therapies. We get a lot of questions and concerns about substance abuse or behavioral. Those are not services we provide at any of our hospitals. We have 176 hospitals open in 36 states, which excludes a couple that we have in Puerto Rico, actually. We have an existing hospital in North Carolina in Winston-Salem where we've partnered with Novant. And we also opened a hospital last year in Fort Mill and have an older facility in the Rock Hill area.

How many patients do you think you'll have?

I think what we have shown here, and you'll correct me if I'm wrong, is 50 beds. 50 bed facility. Yeah. And so we'll start by filling up those 50 beds. And then we'll expand by usually 10 or 20, depending on what the market is saying the number of patients who require services, how many are in this area.

Okay, and I know you don't have a site plan yet that comes later, but there's a really large tree buffer between the Walmart and this. Is the plan to clear that area and make it accessible from both the Walmart side and this road?

No, I believe it's to try to kind of keep that. Preserve that? Preserve that, yeah. Our patients are working typically three hours a day, so they've... they've been stabilized at the acute care hospital and then they'll come to our facility they have to be ready for rehabilitation with the purpose of getting back home so what i mean by that is our patients have exterior facing windows so we like for them to retreat back to their patient rooms and be able to enjoy some natural beauty and so landscaping and and that's where thing is an important piece for all of us thank you yeah

So in addition to not being some of the rehab facilities that you said people sometimes have concerns about, it's also different than a nursing home. That's correct. Thinking about younger patients than that.

On average, our patients are leaving our facilities within a couple of weeks, just on average.

education perspective thank you yes yeah absolutely do you expect to partner with novant here as well or is that determined yet uh that has not been determined yet yeah thank you i have a question sure so this is the two properties combined are nine acres uh which that's a pretty good piece of land but i also know well a facility that houses

that number of patients that's going to be pretty good size building is this could be single story or two story this would be a single story yeah and nine acres would be sufficient for yeah that's on about on average we're uh trying to find six to eight acres uh just because this is a little bit larger that didn't necessarily rule it out and that would also incorporate the storm water that you had noted earlier yeah

And also, if you'll be leaving the tree buffers, well, a lot of those trees, looking at the aerial view, those are on, look to be a lot of those on Walmart's side of the line. Well, I don't see the...

picture that now, but anyway. Yeah. I'm trying to recall if the trees were, they do mark the boundary line on one side.

And I understand when Walmart was built that they had to have a buffer between them and the existing house because you know, they don't want to see the backside of Walmart, you know? And so I understand your patients wouldn't want to see that either. So, um, uh, but yeah, the, I mean, having such a facility, here in town would be uh very good because i i have friends that have needed those kind of services and they've gone various places and being close to home where family and friends can come and visit or help or do whatever you know that would be very good um and so i'm not opposed to such a facility just making sure this is the that you have enough space to do it properly, physically, enough land space, and that it's compatible with the surrounding properties. That's all I have.

Any other questions?

I have one for Tim.

Thank you. Are there any public comments?

Did any of you wanna speak in the back?

Can I ask Tim real quick? Yeah, you can ask Tim. Okay. In the meantime, can you step up so you can sign in?

Tim, just for transportation logistics, walk us through again, please refresh my memory, on the Four Lane Activity Center Boulevard. Is that a Town of Indian Trail? Is that an NCDOT? And do we have a timeline?

That was an element that was put into the comp plan when it was done previously in 2012 or? 2011 and before i was here and i believe the four lanes has part has dissipated there's no foreseeable uh expansion of that to come and that was a town and i think that was a town element that was put into the comp plan But we do view from the comp plan that this is a more heavily traveled road, at least to, you know, for whatever's along it to be a little more intensive development. But no funding allocated, no funding, no design, visionary, not it was visionary for back then, you know, each plans like 20 years, and that was 2011. And still hasn't happened and not not still not foreseeable for a four lane just for context.

Thank you.

Absolutely. Oh, and if I could add one more thing. Yeah. Just for my curiosity today, I did call the facility because I was looking on their website and I saw some different ages on there. But I think you confirmed they in Fort Mill did confirm that they take patients that not youth below 18, but 18 and over. And so they do they do take care of more than just elderly 18 and over.

Thank you. Okay.

We have one speaker. His name is Robert Ross.

Okay.

Good afternoon. Can you hear me?

Tip the microphone down so that there you go.

Can you hear me better now?

Very good. Thank you.

I'd like to say hello. Robert Ross.

What is your address?

2208 Yonce Road. I'm across the street. And I've been there for some time. I was born in 1948. Other than four years away in college and a couple in the United States Army, that's been my home. And we love horses. We love cows. I would like to keep our side road that way. And if you got some other question, I'm here to answer. You know, there's been all sorts of talk going on, you know, and I don't have any problem with progress, but I don't want to see a four lane road come through there. You know, we have enough people lined up in the yard the way it is in the pasture.

Yeah, I see here on this. Yeah, you can see it up there, too, that you have some utility poles there.

Absolutely. I just catch some of the cars. Yeah. Some of them, they jump them.

Yeah, I can imagine people come around that curve and

It's a, it's a 35 mile per hour. That doesn't mean 135.

No, it doesn't. Uh, so since, um, I wasn't sure what sort of agriculture we're was going there. So it's mostly pasture that you have there.

Cows and horses for grazing.

Yeah.

Got four cats and a dog.

So on Tim, can you bring up that picture? You had that earlier. It's the aerial view.

Yeah, it was in the presentation. Absolutely. I'm going the wrong way. Sorry.

Yeah, well.

I don't think I have that one. Oh, OK.

Well, anyhow, that was it's in towards the back.

OK. Yeah, we've got it in our packet. Oh, I got it. I got it.

OK. So directly across the street from from this property. 2009. Yeah, it's two to two where there's some buildings and the like. Mm hmm. That's not the pasture land. The pasture land is a little further up. That would be.

Toward Kennedy Drive. That red line. Is this the pasture here?

When you look at 2209 directly across the street, this pasture right alongside the road.

Yeah.

OK. And then it goes back, and then it cuts across and leaving the putt-putt out there by itself. There's four acres there.

Yeah.

And it's all from there. We go to the school, and we go to Lake Park, and back down Brookstone, and out to those buildings on any trail, Unionville Road.

Yeah.

There's 50 acres in that tract that my house sits on. Yeah, then my daughter owns other property.

Right. So the question I have for you, which is along the curve that you see up there, that would I'm not sure where they would be putting the entrance and exit to come in and out of the property, you know, if it's developed. But that in terms of if your animals were out grazing, You know, they're accustomed to traffic going past now.

I would assume they're they're accustomed to traffic. Yes. Yeah. And these kids with the lab mufflers. Yes. You know, turn their head and look, you know, they don't run.

Yeah. Okay. Because I don't think the people in the facility themselves will be causing you too much trouble.

I don't think so. I think you'll find that they'll love to watch them.

And it could be, yes, if the ones that have the view across the road, they might be like, Yeah, we want to see this instead of those trees.

Last year, we had four veterinarians and two doctors boarding their horses with us. If that tells you about the quality of our service.

Yeah.

And we rarely have a turnover because my daughter interviews everybody before they get a stall. She's pretty hard, I'll tell you. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Well, thank you very much for your comments. We appreciate your coming.

Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Any other questions, comments? Are we ready to take a vote?

All right.

I think based on the reasonability, and this being within the public interest, and it seems to be compatible with the area, I would make a motion to approve CM2026-0065 as presented.

I second that.

Okay. Can I hear everyone in favor say aye? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. That passed unanimously. Okay. And the next item on the agenda is the appeal of the administrative decision of the zoning administrator's notice of violation from our meeting on June 1st.

Do we need to have a motion to approve it, or do we just say yes, we approve it?

I think, yes, we would need a motion. Did anyone have any questions, concerns? Seemed to adequately reflect our discussion that night.

Yes. Yeah, to put three and a half hours in ten pages, seven pages, that's pretty amazing.

To be sure, to be sure. Yeah.

Okay, so may I hear a motion to approve or disapprove this item? Anybody?

I make a motion to approve the, what do we call this order? Is it an order?

Yeah.

The order in regards to the appeal of administrative decision of the zoning administrator's notice of violation as presented.

second all those in favor say aye aye opposed okay that carries unanimously also is there any other business before the board

Yes, Madam Chair, just quickly wanted to introduce you to our intern that we have here tonight. I'm gonna put him on the spot for just a second. He has a speech prepared. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. We have Cade Falkenberry with us tonight. No relation to Michael Falkenberry. We did that, that was our first question. But he is a high school intern through Union County Public School System. uh started yesterday and he's not gonna be with planning until next week but we certainly wanted to take the opportunity for him to be here tonight with you um and so if you'll just give him a warm welcome thank you welcome we're glad you're here welcome so you're going to be primarily working with the the planning group So our HR director actually has set out a schedule for him. And he's going to be all over the place. We're going to really immerse him in every department, even summer camp with Parks and Rec. So he's going to be all over.

Enjoy it. OK.

There being no other business, I call for adjournment.

Thank you.