Town Council - Regular Meeting

mixture of uses the Chesant. We also have a small area plan for this area. The small area plan shows this area as multif family, but we did uh approve multif family across the street at Cottage Green recently, but um so we do think commercial's reasonable here as staff. They're also incorporated the greenway. The Greenwood master plan shows this as a suburban spine trail uh along the frontage of Matthews Weddington Road and on Chestnut as well. And the applicant is providing 12T multi-use path on both sides. Planning board did recommend approval last month of the resoning and staff recommends approval of resoning. Um it proposes a non-residential mixeduse development compatible with the surrounding area. It's consistent with our walkable activity center future lang use. And even though multif family, it doesn't show multif family um and it's inconsistent with the chest small area plan, it is reasonable due to the highdensity residential already located in the area.

Um and the applicant also has a presentation. Do you have any questions with for me before the applicant presents the the map that you showed us in the beginning with the red that's is that all Union County? So red is all in Union County. Correct. Everything that you see no belong I mean oh sorry sorry union county um zone owned by union county I don't mean the people I don't mean the so this red is owned by stallings jurisdiction right okay and then if it's not colored then it's in Union County jurisdiction okay so the rest of the green is union county yeah that's just the green like the grass area okay

on the aerial max I do have a question um in the resoning development standards uh item six subsection 2. Um you had said that the applicant had requested or not requested but had committed to 12T foot wide suburban spine greenway connection. This says 10 to 12 ft. Yeah. So on the site plan it does show 12 but I would ask for a clarification from the applicant to commit to to make sure that says 12 10 to 12.

Okay. the applicants here. Um, let me just pull their presentation up the reason. Okay, there it is. All right, let them present. Good evening, council. Good to see everybody.

You know, I'm here a lot when everybody looks familiar. So, good to see everybody here. Um, I'm Steve Singleton, Urban Design Partners. I represent my client um and the petitioner for this project. Okay, here we go. Um, so not to go in too much detail. You already know about the site and I already know the specifics, but what's important to point out here is the consistency to the vision of of the town of Stallings. And so, as Max pointed out, uh, we're in a community growth center. Uh, we have a walkable activity center place type. Um, obviously in the Chestnut Lane small area plan, and then he talked about the suburban spine greenway. This is all really important, right? All this is part of the the town vision. And so what I wanted to point out here um was the framework and then delivery that's that's now approved or in process. And so um a big part of the chestnut lane small area um plan is about activating the entirety of the corridor from Chestnut Lane at the roundabout down through Antioch Church Road. So when you talk about Chestnut Farm Apartments, uh the future cottage green that got um approved and and in process and then combined with this project, what you can see in the lines represent the um pedestrian connectivity and greenway trail plan as it's being implemented um and as approved by those various projects. And so for the most part, um, you're seeing the, um, reality, I guess the the reality come to life, if you will, with some of these approved projects and current and including this one as well. And then the other important thing too, as part of the Chestnut Lane area plan talks about

creating a western gateway as being a a primary focus of of the plan. And so at this roundabout, the goal with uh this project in conjunction with the um Chestnut Farm Apartments, and I'm going to show you here in a moment how we believe with the architectural carrior character and um scale, we're creating that gateway. So, no need to read all of this, but as I work through this presentation, so that the goal is really to kind of see how do we how do we uh achieve success with the uh Chestnut Lane small area plan. So, these are a lot of the primary uh features and goals of the plan. And so, I'm going to show you how we achieve those with the plan. Uh so, this is the site plan you guys saw initially just more of this is the initial resigning plan. in black and white kind of technical and then we've got uh illustrative plan which kind of is easier to read and um easier to kind of see the detail. So, just to point out again with um the roundabout in the northwest corner, Chestnut Farm Apartments offscreen but to the left. We believe that in conjunction with that development and then the activation of the edge with our buildings, um we're really starting to activate that the frontage, which is a primary goal of the the plan. And then you can also see the proposed sidewalk system um at the periphery on Matthews Weddington as well as Chestnut Lane which is a 12T um paved suburban spine greenway. So when we talk about precedent and trying to create a gateway um most folks maybe everyone obviously knows the Chestnut Farm Apartments and so I won't read all this but the the architectural

character that exists which is fresh modern farmhouse look. It's got two-tone um contrast dark and light. It's got a lot of glazing and windows. Um, and it's got a lot of pedestrian scale features as well um for for those points of entry and access. And so we believe by taking a lot of that architectural character and applying that to our development, we really start to create more of a cohesive look and feel at the roundabout, thereby reinforcing this sense of gateway. So just a few architectural uh visuals. This would be almost almost standing out in the uh roundabout looking back at the corner. Um this is the corner of our site. Um and so the goal is kind of activate that edge. There's a lot of utilities currently that run there. So we'll have to do some coordination on ultimately what this ultimately ends up being. The goal here is to create some sort of pedestrian ccentric space whether it's um just outdoor it could be dining or if it's more for office um outdoor seating um social engagement patio space but something to activate that edge and then just a few more architectural elevations.

Steve ma'am are you doing the farmhouse architecture or this? So yeah it's it's it's it's really going to be farmhouse architecture. This one ended up ju this this color is not worth necessarily proposing. We wanted to show this just to highlight this is the gateway feature. It'll ultimately probably end up being white. So we'll have to work through that with um council cuz you're proposing flat roofs and not the roofs.

Yeah, these will be these are singlestory buildings and they would be flat roofs be typical of these type of buildings. But the so the the architectural vernacular if you will is is really complimentary to what's um at the apartments not so much gable roof but more in the um the architectural material the tone the tone that I talked about the dark brush light some of the precedent maybe for wood or timber accents to help it distinguish those sense of entry points and then a lot of the glazing as And then just another um visual. So So we believe this proposal um works for these reasons. We believe it's a strong fit for the town of uh Stallings. It certainly supports the town vision for the Chestnut Lane small area plan. It actuates the western gateways we've talked about. It activates the frontage which again is a really big component along Wington Matthews corridor and then uh the the pedestrian linkages and greenway integration also a big component. So for these reasons um we believe this is the the right proposal for this space and we ask for your consideration and I would open it up to questions. questions from council.

Um I I like the farmhouse look better than the flat roofs. Um now I love the windows, but I don't know how offices are going to want all those windows. Um but I do love that you have parking behind the buildings. I mean, that's a planner's dream. just try to get people to do that. Um, I do have a a a little bit of a concern about the parking. It just seems like there may not be enough depending on what you have

in those buildings. And Max said that you do have, you know, what what our code calls for, but I believe we're above I think we're above compliance. Um, I mean, I'm I don't like extra parking, but I just want to um make sure that you do have enough. Sure. For the size of those buildings and the uses.

Yeah. I mean, they're singlestory uh buildings and I guess to be determined would be the actual number of tenants in these spaces. So, it's twofold. parking would obviously be um contingent to that, but also the the glazing you mentioned with windows. So, we don't know how these buildings are cut up necessarily. You know what I'm saying? As far as individual units, so I think the the um architectural rendering assumes maximum units, if you will, but there could be a case where someone takes two or three units and you end up with less demand for parking. But not only do we meet minimum compliance, we're I have to go back and look at the number, but we are right in the middle of your minimum and maximum. And the goal too is as more residential comes online and the whole purpose of the corridor with the greenway and the pedestrian linkages is that a lot of this is supported by local residents and walkability.

Okay, good. I'm going to go ahead and um what do you make this public com the public hearing from the audience and then council will have I I jumped the gun folks in the audience that have comments the two in particular that signed up this is your turn um and then if they have questions or we'll uh then we'll come back to us. Okay. Thank you. So, Amber Hartus, I revoke a realize for

Oh, okay. Does anyone else have uh want to address or counsel on this project? Okay, then I will close the public hearing. One more thing. One more and then back to council questions. Okay. My last thing, my last question is what are you going to do with those telephone poles? What you're referring to the transmission easement on the right hand side of the plan. They're staying

Yeah, those those stay in place. And so part of the reason why we're showing future development is we don't fully know what goes there just yet, but we wanted to leave it open for some future out parcel. But there's we're limited on what we can do because of those easements. Those will stay in place. Those are heavy duty lines, right? Remember, right? They go right through that residential neighborhood to the north. All right. Any other questions from council? Yes, Mr. Singleton. Um, you mentioned 12T uh greenway. Documentation says 10 to 12 ft. Can we amend that to 12 ft? Yeah. Okay. It says I think it says 10 to 12 because the ordinance says 10 to 12. We just copied and pasted it as it was, but we're happy to go just full 12. Okay. Thank you.

That's what we intend. Yep. And then the uh the request for the reduced buffer zone, I assume that's to allow the buildings to be pushed out to allow the parking on the in on the interior. Yeah, correct. Okay. And also meet the minimum depth we need for these uses as well. Graham,

I have a question. I think it might best be for max. Um, just understanding. So, the permitted uses and then what's not permitted is uh drive-thru facilities. However, it says it would be permitted within the future developable area set forth in section 4. And then it said um which talks about allowing financial institutions. So I assume a bank with drive-thru would be allowed. So they wouldn't have it one. Does that essentially mean that they would not have to come back before council to get approval if they wanted to go forward with that?

Correct. So for the future developable area, they'd be allowed to do anything permitted in mixed use 2 and get that reviewed administratively if this was approved. They would have a few prohibited uses like vape shops, CBD retailers, hookah lounges, and similar. Um, but they would they're also requesting as part of the conditional zoning um to allow drive-thru banks as a administrative review and not have to come back to council. Okay. Uh

just in the future developable area, but they don't know what they're doing with that that specific site yet. But the anything future future developable area would have to follow all this you know parking building placement and things like that. But it would just essentially be so the conditional zoning on this part and then the future developable area would just be MU2. It would be still part of this conditional zoning. Okay. Just reviewed as like a separate phase. Okay. Anything else? Do you have more questions? No, I I'm looking over you, so you

Oh, I'm sorry. We made eye contact. I thought you were going to keep asking questions, which is fine. Very good. Um, I don't have any questions. I just wanted to to make a couple of comments. By the way, this is my district, so I live uh in a neighborhood near near this. So, this has been very important um for our community. A couple of our community members are with us tonight. Um, so some things I appreciate about this and some things I just want to point out. Um, I appreciate number one, um, that this is, uh, unincorporated now and it came to the town of Stylings for consideration, uh, and embraced sort of the community plan. And we talk a lot about small area plans and and how they start out one way. In fact, we talked about that earlier today and how they come out looking a lot different. If we were to go back four or five slides, you'd see that plan document. You couldn't tell from there unless you live there where those streets are. I know them because I know the plan. I could pick out this parcel. And believe it or not, this lines up fairly closely. The use is different. The use is not multifamily housing, but that's okay because I think this community uh by virtue of conversations with many of you out there uh desire less multifamily housing, particularly on this site in favor of some commercial, particularly neighborhood serving commercial. So I want to point that out. I think developer and his team was very responsive. So thanks Steve for that. Um we cared a lot about the approach to the roundabout. Uh you know there was a lot of consternation about the apartment complex nine years seven years ago um about what kind of neighbor they would be both in in activity and in look and feel. And Mr. Papus built a very nice looking apartment complex. um and they have been good neighbors. And so notwithstanding the comment about less multifamily around the roundabout, uh this does accomplish the idea of of coordinating a look and approaching the

roundabout uh with some green space, some trees, 50 foot on center and the 12-oot sidewalk, which we're thrilled about. Um the the one thing that that we've um I don't think is clear the renderings uh Steve show power lines underground. I don't think that's part of the proposal. Is it correct? I don't think so. Artistic renderings of that of the what would look like a corner western entrance way the green building that may not say green. You don't show power lines but I just wanted to point that out to council. I don't think this proposal intends to bury current power lines that are running through. comment on the adjacent to the roundabout. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not there's a whole bank of utilities through there.

Yeah. It's beautiful to think about a render with no power lines. I just want to point out to council and the public who might have seen that rendering that those power lines and those poles probably stay. Correct. Um and there's no way to easily get rid of those. Um I am concerned Steve real one more question for you. There were some comments during both the neighborhood meeting and the public hearing. I can't remember from the property owners to the south and the wrap around the parcel. I know they're here tonight. There was questions about storm water. He's got a pond. We want to be a good neighbor to them. What consideration was given to sort of runoff and capturing and uh and to make that family feel good about their property at the conclusion?

Sure. Well, it's it's interesting as I saw the site plan. So, we're showing a a a a vibrant blue pond, which we know that's not what it's going to be. It most likely will be a um sand filter or some sort of low impact development type storm water feature. Um but it'll be designed to meet all the requirements for for quality, um quantity, and so forth. I mean, it'll it'll be Okay, fair enough. Yeah.

Yeah. I didn't want to lose that thought. Um, uh, throughout this process, y'all have been very responsive. We've had good community input. Some folks, uh, shared some comments with me, but nothing has been really negative. So, I would be happy to make a motion when council's questions are complete to approve the the annexation and the reasonzoning. I have one other one, I think, for Max, which is that when this came to us in the planning process that we had um, you know, Mr. Mr. Singleton had just presented the um architectural similarities to the apartments across the street. Is that Max did I miss that in the development or the CZ application about having that in there in writing?

So if you want um consistency with the Chestnut Farms apartments, I I think that's the intent of the presentation, but I just want to make sure that we have that in in We could put that you agree to that in writing. I'm pretty sure we already have that. I I and I that's why I was saying I'm not sure if I had missed it. So I apologize if I did. If not, I know we talked about it. If not, then we'd be happy to add it because I know on behalf of my client, he's more than willing to make sure that this complements the character um across the street like we showed in the presentation. So if it's not here, then we will make a note or add a note before this is approved. Yep.

Okay. Thank you. And I I do have one additional question. Uh Max clarify number 12 on the landscaping and screening parking lot islands and other planning shove construction fill compacted clay removed replaced and at a rate of 900 cubic feet per tree. Is that speaking to the trees that would be in the parking lot? Let me pull this up right here. It's really a typical note just to make sure that any um rocks and poor materials removed and amended with good soil so the trees have a viable chance of survival. That's a developer. Yeah. Requested condition. Yeah.

Uh so I I just I'm trying to conceptually it looks uh great. The parking lot, lots of space. I see trees. Is that a firm commitment that you will have trees in the parking lot? I mean, what to me it's just when you drive into a parking lot, you have no trees. It's hot and it's also just a kind it can be an eyes source. So, is there a commitment to put trees in the parking lot? Yeah, for sure. I believe it's required by the Yeah. So, that's not part of the It's required as part of our code. So, for example, every 15 parking spaces, they have to have a tree island um separating. Good.

And I think that's what they're showing in the rendering. Um they just didn't specifically lay it out landscaping because it's required per part per part per part per part per part per part per part per part per part per part per part per our code. Okay. Okay. Um but let's see. Yes. Any other Councilman Richardson, I just wanted to make sure that the request that I've made about the architectural similarities to the apartments is in line with what you had discussed with residents in in your neighborhood. It is.

On this plan, it um it shows the walkway and is there some kind of green uh some kind of landscaping on the o on the between the walkway and the road. It's not show you know I know it's just conceptual but I mean ideally yes because as far as good planning principles and creating um narrowing the street slowing traffic and making it more pedestrian centric you'd want to have trees out in the landscape strip. The reason we didn't show it is because we haven't yet had that approved. It's we're within incot rightway where the sidewalk currently is shown. Yeah.

So we have to make sure that we coordinate that before we assume that we can do that. Lori, if you look across, they don't typically allow trees in their If you look across the road, this is a good image. You'll see um you'll see curb, you'll see gutter, you'll see a 12oot sidewalk in the black and white, and then you see the street trees on the property owner side. Mhm. That's what I would think we're expecting. Not not a strip of trees between the curb and the sidewalk, but to match up. Well, I'd like to see something between a road and a sidewalk.

Ideally, we would too. And so, but we didn't, again, we didn't show it because we have to coordinate that before we can commit to that. For example, we had um atrium put in trees between the road and the sidewalk and NC DOT required them to move the trees behind the sidewalk behind the greenway. Well, why can't you move the sidewalk in and then put those trees on the other side rather than I don't know. You don't want a sidewalk next to the road. It's too close to the road

and it's right now there's an eight foot buffer between back of curb and the and the greenway. That's

what we were um asked to provide. So Lauri, you bring up an interesting point and I not not sure that would Max could we have in the development agreement, excuse me, with with the conditional zoning that the the that you would work with the developer to see if that 12-oot sidewalk, which is currently hugging the roundabout, could it meander through the green space uh and wrap the building, allowing trees between it and the road? Does that make sense? Not a requirement, but but a question. It could meander through that large open green space there.

I hate having last second ideas of the night of the approval, but it is worth putting in there an option if it would be Yeah, that's right where the utilities are. I understand. So, that might be Yeah, I think that that's what's driving a lot of that open green space. um because of the utility. We wanted the buildings initially to be sort of hugging the curve, but it's impossible to do. Yeah. Is that something that you would want to We're happy to discuss it and coordinate. There's a lot to coordinate before we can commit to that. I agree.

Both with utilities and right away. So there's we're happy to look at into So you you um talked to DOT about this and the rightway in the sidewalk. We haven't yet. We we would have to as a part of the permitting process. We'd have to submit this to NCDOT for review and approval and encroachment permits, all that fun stuff. Okay. So, you haven't they haven't made any comments on No, we they they don't ever get involved until we get into the actual the um permitting on site.

And then one of my neighbors had had I think he read that outdoor dining was not a consistent use or allowable use, but we've determined that's he must have read that somewhere else. So, Tim, we're good with outdoor dining or outdoor patios if a restaurant were to be there is okay. Yeah, that's permitted. Any other questions on the 25.101? If not, we'll move to the annexation 59. Ma'am, can I put this in one big motion or do them separate?

Well, I think we m do we need to have a public hearing on annexation 59? That's what I was doing. Open a public hearing for annexation 59. any information from staff that we need to know that it hasn't already been addressed. No additional information for the annexation as far as I'm aware. Are there any public comments about this annexation? Hearing none, I'm going to close the public hearing.

May I make a motion to approve conditional zoning 2510.01 1 along with annexation number 59 uh with a statement of consistency that the proposal is consistent and reasonable uh with the comprehensive land use plan. Second questions. Wasn't there supposed to be a an amendment there that from 10 to 12? if that needs to be part of the motion that you would include the 12oot sidewalk commitment in the motion. and the other ones that we agreed to with architecture and the to discuss coordinate the greenway meandering like those incorporated into the motion

and the landscaping amended house council vote all in favor say I I

any naysay no that passes thank you very much you guys so All right, moving on to CZ25.04.01, the 3732 Pleasant Plains Town Center. I'll open the public hearing and hear from staff, but we'll give them a minute. Thanks. Sorry. I just want to make sure I didn't forget him to initial the No problem. You're a busy guy tonight. Thank you all. Thank you.

All right. There it goes.

All right. So, thank you, council. Um, this is conditional zoning CZ250401. Uh this is for Pleasant Plains Town Center 2. There are two Pleasant Plains conditional zonings that you have seen in the last year. This is just the second one. They're totally different projects. Just wanted to kind of make that clear. Um so Mr. Jolly with and with consultant urban design partners submitted a conditional resoning request at 3732 Pleasant Plains and the request is a change from town center zoning to conditional zoning town center to accommodate 60 town homes. We did have a neighborhood meeting back in July that originally also showed shopfront commercial units. with the reduction in intensity of the use uh they are they were allowed to move through the process. Additionally, the community had feedback on traffic. Just keeping this to town homes reduces the traffic. Um and this is the aerial right here. Currently, there's a car upholstery place like a kind kind of a car repair area in the town center area. This is the site plan um with 60 town homes. The developer is going to go into a little bit more detail on the site plan, but it does have only town homes fronting the streetscape on Pleasant Plains Road and no more commercial shopfront units as part of the proposal. Um it's surrounded by town center zoning and MFTt, multifamily transitional reszoning. Multif family transitional is a kind of like a misnomer, but it only allows single family residential. These are uh Arlington down is right next to this and also Wendover Curry Place. The closest zoning category to those town homes that's not conditional zoning is MFTt. Um but the total site is 6.07

acres in total and they are not the TIA traffic impact analysis threshold was not met with 60 town homes. Max, you said MFTt was single family homes. So, at the time in 2018, sing MFTt allowed town homes, but we've reduced we've removed town homes from a permitted use. So, that's a town home development next door, correct? Yeah. Okay. Max, do do you know um if this didn't hit the thousand trip threshold where it falls around?

Yeah, I asked engineering and they said around 150 town homes would trigger that traffic impact analysis number. This is 60. Thank you. Um I've I know you've seen this feature language before uh but it's walkable activity center u which supports a mixeduse community um but also allows recommends town homes, retail, shopfront, office and mixture of uses in our town center area. We do have a town center small area plan for this area. If you look at it parcel by parcel, this parcel specifically shows office on the frontage and town homes in the rear. But overall, there's a lot of town homes requested on this site to support all the uh commercial that the small area plan shows. Without that residential, you can't support the commercial in the town center area. They are also incorporated streetscape per streetscape master plan. Um our current streetscape master plan shows it around like 30 to 38 feet wide. We've looked at this and it does seem like it would be a lot larger than any other uh municipality or area requires. So, we've worked with the developer and they're showing 18 ft. Um, and that's the closest uh plan type would be to our plan type 1B which is currently in our ordin uh greenway master plan. Uh per council direction, we are looking into amending our streetscape master plan to amend those widths for more consistency with surrounding municipalities. Um and that should be to you in hopefully April, if not May, by May. Uh planning board did say this last month and their recommended approval.

Mayor, if I could one quick question. Is the proposal the same as what we approve for Pleasant Plains one or the streetscape? It is consistent with the greenway or excuse me, streetscape. Okay. So, they're the same. Okay. Yeah. Um they're on different sides of the street. So, but they are relatively consistent.

So, um sorry. Um staff does recommend approval of CZ 2450401 to reszone the property to CZTC incorporates town homes that aligns with our town center land use and small area plan designation. It is more consistent with some of the the town center byite commercial zoning because it shows those town homes and it incorporates the streetscape per our streetscape master plan. You have any questions about the zoning information before the developer uh presents? Well, I I'll let the developer come up then. Yeah, let him let them come up first.

Um I think I have this one separate. This right here. Okay.

Are are we supposed to start sending you Christmas cards, Steve?

That'd be great. Thank you. All right. I should probably do the same. Um, okay. Again, Steve Singleton, Urban Design Partners, representing uh the petitioner for this project. Um, you see you guys are fully aware of the project. I just want to kind of point out as well the star just is a talking point for me. Um, this is not technically at the county line, but it is just inside the county line. And so we believe that this project when developed would be a strong uh first impression for folks entering the the town um from Matthews on Pleasant Plains and thereby creating a sense of gateway. So, typically we don't get into geotechnical studies until we're kind of in design permitting, but we decided to pursue one earlier and I wanted to just bring this up because initially when we had the commercial shop front town homes that we initially submitted, we got the geotech back. And I just wanted to point out that we did uncover an old farm pond roughly the size of an acre on site which is outlined in the blue. And so the um average depth of five feet, it's it's a huge uh mitigation cost. And so the the mitigation cost, the reality of the mitigation cost combined with more conversations we've had with lenders and and know we know about the market. The reason that's why we pivoted from commercial shopfront to town homes. We know town homes are in high demand. We know that we know those are low risk whereas we know commercial is also high risk and also harder to get lending. So it makes the economically makes the job um more viable with town homes. So little context on Pleasant Plains.

Um, we know that it's a collector corridor with roughly 14,000 um, traffic counts per day, primarily drive-thru traffic, commuters, and and obviously hitting adjacent neighborhoods and adjacent communities. It's an NCDOT corridor, sorry, with no on street parking, extremely autooriented with very limited pedestrian activity and has no established walkable retail pattern. Again, we find this um current condition of Pleasant Plains to be in direct opposition to the requirements we would need for to sustain any commercial retail. Um town center, no need to go into this. We all know what the town center goal and vision is. Just kind of pointing out it does permit attached houses. Obviously, it does seek the um mixed use, walkable, higher density, pedestrian compact type environments, which is also what we're trying to achieve with this development. So, rendered site plan, it is rotated from true north that you saw originally. So, it's rotated 90 degrees clockwise. So, north would be to the east, our plan east. And so a lot of the comments we got during the public meeting uh resolved around um a couple things. It was um amenities. They were curious if we would have amenities on site. There was some concern over potential residents um hopping the fence or leaving the neighborhood and utilizing adjacent amenities of other of other neighborhoods. So they wanted to know if we would provide an amenity. Um and in the sense of a amenity like a swimming pool or clubhouse, 60 town home units doesn't warrant or justify that. But we we did find a way and and um to remove actually a few town home units and and add an amenity which we believe is a

strong anchor for the site as you enter. It's a great terminating feature um on the internal street which we've also used as an organizing element on the site. We believe this will be a strong pedestrian ccentric um linear public street internal to the site which will also accommodate on street parking. Another concern that neighbors had was quantity of parking. Um and so we believed that by meeting compliance at two per unit. also adding up to 20 up to 24. We'd have to kind of work with the um design, but up to 24 on street parking spaces on the internal public street and also some additional visitor parking down at the amenity. We've now um eclipsed uh parking compliance provided for flex parking and addressed some of those concerns. We also believe and I kind of pointed out earlier that this new development once it's constructed will be fresh, new um in a great kind of gateway feature entering the town. So you take this and combine with the other Pleasant Planes that we keep talking about that we know got approved and I feel like we've got a ton of momentum for achieving what we want, which is the town center. We've and so we believe that this support of this project in conjunction with that other one really u creates a great foundation for precedent setting of Pleasant Plains and creating the streetscape that we all want um and and and helps support the uh vision for Town Center. The other important component too irregardless of commercial retail is activating the edge. And so we believe that careful attention to architecture, front porches, right sizing the buildings uh in scale with um a lot of

attention on the connectivity to the street is the best way to engage the street, activate the edge and and again create that u walkable streetscape, you know, appearance currently is what we want. I say appearance because just one development with a streetscape doesn't create walkability. But the goal is that by creating the precedent and getting adjacent developments online, we start to create the the framework and connectivity. So this site um this has nothing to do with architectural look. This is more about the internal street I was mentioning when we talked about making that pedestrian ccentric front uh front doors activating the edge of that street, rear loaded alleys. So the goal would be uh up to three stories scale internally on the site, but the goal also would be to have those buildings close to the sidewalk. So we're creating community engagement, social interaction, and then the two graphics on the left are just exhibits to kind of help explain the organ organization of that street with what we call bumpouts. So if you're familiar with bumpouts, then no need to explain it, but I'll explain it anyhow. The goal in bumpouts uh as a planning principle is to create um organization on the ends of a street and even internal of the street with 8 foot planted uh medians if you will. What that does is it decreases your crosswalks. It also uh visually if you're looking down a street with bumpouts, it creates the the vision of a narrower street, which we know reduces speed, increases safety, and also helps to create this uh engaging social space that we're uh trying to achieve with it with the design. So, as far as what we think this will look like, you know, this is an image that we shared at a subdivision uh sorry, subcommittee meeting as well as planning board and seem to have a lot of

support for the the character imagery. And so, while this may not be exactly what we're proposing, we do believe the scale of two stories appropriate for Pleasant Plains. It's a good transition as we move into maybe up to three stories internal to the site. Um so again this will be like pleasant plains type look and feel. Um attention to sense of arrival, connectivity to the streetscape, front doors and even porches. So this is the character imagery. And then we did we've started working with an architect to kind of help create something that complements that character image that we just shared but also get something a little more um specific for the site. And so while this still needs to be refined more, this is starting to capture the essence of the architectural character. Two stories, some gabled, some dormers, u residential scale windows, and then again porches um and and sense of rival and front front uh front doors. We also believe this is in alignment with the town vision to activate the edge and create a pedestrian ccentric corridor. Just another 3D view. Um, nothing really much to see, but again showcasing scale kind of look and feel of the buildings relative to the street and and then why we believe again commercial is risky. I mean, we we've talked to folks, we've talked to lenders, we've done our homework. We know that retail is there's high demand for retail parts. Like we know Charlotte has high demand for retail, but it's also very specific types of retail. You need to have clustered retail. You need to have visibility. You need to have um um sorry, pedestrian traffic is kind of the key for the success of of of retail. Um retail also is heavily dependent on anchor tenants. So usually your shopping

centers with a grocery store, some sort of anchor tenant, which we know doesn't exist in the current application on Pleasant Planes. So we would call that more speculative retail is what we're talking about. And speculative retail, while there may be some demand, we also know is also very risky. So for some of these reasons, we're concerned about the lack of pedestrian traffic. We're concerned about lack of parking on the street. We believe on street parking is really key for uh creating social engagement and and and people stopping to shop and especially for shop front type uses. And then I would focus on the one here in the middle. Inactivity amplifies a negative perception. My concern and I say this in all sincerity. I've been here a lot got to know you guys. I care about the vision. I care about achieving the zoning the town center zoning district for Stylings. I'm a neighbor right over the border here, Matthews, and I'm here a lot. And I say this with all sincerity. We're not against commercial retail at all. We're concerned about commercial retail in the current climate and on the current corridor as it exists today. It is a higher risk for my client and it's also a high risk to the town because if we do commercial retail if it sits vacant which it has a high likelihood or possibility of doing it's going to set us backwards instead of taking us forward. We've got momentum right now pleasant plains on the east and again I think approval of this project really creates that precedent and propels us towards that vision that we're searching for with a town center district. I know this is Matthews. I'm not comparing us to Matthews. The only point in showing this, as y'all are aware of this, I'm sure you are, is even in a environment where Matthews has a core, an urban core. They have on street parking, they have they have plenty of parking, and they have all their shops and commercial retail, it's very active. It gets very busy. And yet, we've got

buildings sitting vacant now for two years plus, which is um that's the risk that I would mention. Even in a even in a place like Matthews, the risk is is there. So while we believe residential works again for these reasons, immediate occupancy, we know demand is there for housing. We know that Stallings continues to benefit from the growth in the Charlotte metro area. We know that the suburban migration is a real thing and people are moving to the suburbs. We know that housing demand outpaces housing availability currently. And we believe that doing this helps fill a gap, a needed gap. So instead of doing something that may create occupancy with commercial retail, we're providing a a product that we know meets demand at the same time activating the edge and helping us achieve our vision for the town center district. So, in the end, why this proposal works, and I've already said it, but I'll repeat it. It activates the street now. It helps us achieve the town center zoning district now. It avoids the risk of vacant retail that again would compromise that goal if that if if we do that and it sits idle and vacant. It builds the foundation for future retail. So, it adds density and rooftops now that we need to justify and support commercial retail of the future. and it advances our vision, the town center vision that we keep talking about. So by creating the compact pedestrian environment on this development, getting the streetscape we all really want and creating that consistency from this project to the one the other Pleasant Planes, we're setting a precedent. We're creating momentum and I'd really hate to see that um compromise now. So, I would ask that you guys consider approval. I look forward to entertaining

questions. And I would also add that should you guys decide u maybe tonight's not the best night that for approval that we would at least defer and make uh more opportunities to meet and discuss this because we do feel um very firm that this is the right proposal at the right time um for this for the town. So, thank you. Thank you very much. Before we go to council questions, we're going to have a public comment section if anyone I know that nobody else signed up, but is there anyone here to speak on this? Come forward and name a address. Just ask a few questions.

So, I own a property right there. Your name, please.

I'm sorry. France Swanapool and I live at 609 Galdron Drive in Stallings. So I live in Arlington Downs right there by the entrance where this proposal is is going to go up. Um there's already a lot of traffic there. So, even without the development, would the council um could we put a traffic light in there? Is that something we can work on? Cuz there's a lot of traffic there. And if you're adding 60 units, I live in a a neighborhood with 108 units. If you're adding 60 units on 6 acres, um a traffic light would be nice. Um, I don't know how you're going to fit 60 units on six acres, but that's your problem. Um, I just think it's going to create a lot of I'm glad to hear that there's there's there won't be commercial properties there because that would really really help.

And I know it's easier to put up residential, much easier than to put up uh commercial. So, for me, that's a positive. Um, but the traffic over there, we really need a traffic light. Please consider it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I can address that, too. Anyone else?

Good evening. I'm David Privet. Uh, my home address is in Monroe, but it's 2603 Rolling Hills Drive in Monroe. Uh, I think it's important to tell you guys a little bit about who I am and what I do. um before I tell you why I'm here tonight, but um so I live in Monroe. I have two businesses in Monroe. Uh and the reason I'm here tonight, I recently purchased the property across the street from the proposed development. Uh it's 3701 and 3733 Pleasant Plains Road where the It's Rocky River Materials. It's a landscape yard. It's been a landscape yard there for 35 years. Uh, and I'm more or less here tonight just to kind of go on record to say, hey, I'm not really for or against. We've been operating our business there for three years now, going on four years. Um, I've got a lot of history in the area. I was born and raised in Matthews off of Wedding Weddington Road. uh probably about the the closest thing you'll find to a a native uh person to the area, but you know, was born and raised about two miles from where this store is. Matter of fact, down Pleasant Plains Road, there's a Private Road that goes off to the right near Squirrel Lake Park. that was my family's land back in the my grandmother passed away in the late 80s. But um you know we leased the property prior to uh January 28th of this year and I purchased the property then uh very large invest investment for myself uh and my business. Uh again, the reason I'm here tonight is to kind of go on record and to say I'm not really for this or against it. I I realize that uh

you know there's zoning there for it to maybe be whatever you guys would uh you know decide and approve that that it might be. Um, I wouldn't want to find myself I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to be here and be on record tonight about who I am, what my business does, what our intentions are, and that I find myself back in here in front of you guys in three or four years because of the 60 tenants that moved in across the street or the 60 people that might have moved in across the street, someone has an issue with my business being there. Um, I've heard you guys talk a lot about uh mixed use tonight and you know, since I've bought the property, we've done a lot of improvements. Uh, I'm committed to continue to make improvements to the property. There's there's really been no improvements made to the property in 40 or 50 years. Um, that'll be changing with under my ownership. Again, it is a owner occupied. I bought the property as an investment for my business and we also own and operate that that landscape yard. Uh I understand we've got a uh we've we've got an obligation to the town and to the residents and to the neighbors to be neighborly uh to do our part. I'm not here looking for a for a free pass tonight. But I I guess my my hesitation or my concern is that I I'm not here. I'm not part of this. And and I I didn't realize until tonight I'd missed other meetings. I guess the reason I was notified now is because I'm the property owner and I'm no longer the the tenant. I didn't know there were there had already been prior meetings to tonight. Um, and again, I just my concern would be that, you know, 60 people end up across the street from us and a portion of those folks have a

problem with my business across the street from their new neighborhood. Um, there's been a landscape I want to remind everybody again, don't want to be redundant, but there's been a landscape material yard operated off that property for 35 plus years. I'm born and raised native to the area. Uh live very close to the area. Um and am committed to being a a good business owner, a good property owner. Um look forward to seeing Stallings grow. I I think you know Stylings has a lot of opportunity. Um, I I just I I don't want to miss my opportunity to be here to go on record about my concerns as a property owner across the street from a new subdivision.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor, can I ask a question? Welcome to Stallings. And here's a question, but we don't usually do that. Well, thank you for the opportunity. Understand. Uh, I appreciate you being here. You're you're hoping to give us some information. Um, what are the concerns that a neighbor might have across the street from your business that because I think that's what you're hoping to tell us.

Not so much that. It's just I don't I don't know what concerns someone might have. I mean, you know, it it amazes me every day that uh I hear people say, you know, uh I've done a lot of new home construction. I've been in business for over 30 years. I've been part of new home construction for I I started my business that way. One of the biggest complaints I would hear from the first, say, five or 10 people that moved in the neighborhood is complaining about all the other neighbors that were building their houses in the back of the neighborhood. And it's like, hang on a minute. You're complaining what what about when they built your house, you know,

and then why are you complaining about them building theirs? They're on the second or third or fourth phase, but you're complaining about the construction uh of them building their house, but what about when they built yours? You you weren't here. And what about the inconveniences that you imposed in the construction process of your house being built? People don't consider that. And then so people also don't consider, hey, we're moving in a new development. Uh we've got a landscape material supply yard across the street from us. Um, and then you know the development gets built, there's a HOA formed, and then I'm back in here in front of you guys in 5 years having to defend my right to operate my business. Uh, because there's a HOA that no longer wants me to be part of their community when we were there before that community was ever built. That's my concern. And again, I've made a sizable investment in the community. I'm not just at this point I'm not just leasing that property. I bought that property. So, you know, my my intentions are to continue to own and operate my business from that piece of property. So, those that's my concern is that someone has issue with um you know us owning and operating a business across from the street from their new subdivision.

Thank you very much. And hold that, Stephen. Yeah. Um, I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing. Thank you all and we'll open it back to council questions. I just wanted to say just say that this council has protected other landscape from the same kind of situation. So, we we understand where you're coming from. Thank you. Any other comments, council? Well, questions. Have a a lot of comments. Well, let's do one at a time. We can get everyone to speak. I don't agree.

Oh, I'm sorry. I have a loud voice. Um, you sort of are contradicting yourself. You're saying that um you you can't put commercial in because it's not viable economically, but then you're saying that the other parcels will be putting commercial in. Well, maybe they're going to come and say the same thing that you're saying. It that makes no sense. I mean, I thought I thought it was a, you know, a pretty good plan. Um, it's we can't we can't have a detriment to the town because a developer doesn't want to do what's required in um the town center. I mean, it's the beginning of the town center. It just doesn't seem right that we should just say, "Okay, no commercial. Okay, the next guy, no commercial. We have no town center. I'm not going to walk around there with because there's, you know, 60 um units. I'm going to walk around there when there's a commercial place and you know, like you mentioned um Matthews and you know, people it's a vibrant commute, vibrant area. even during the day. And this isn't going to be vibrant if we if we just let everybody not do what the, you know, whoever wrote the um design guide guidelines for the town center, what they had in mind. Um it's still going to it's just going to be autooriented. It's it's not going to be pedestrian. It's there's going to be no pedestrian because of this project. Um

um the cluster retail that you were talking about that means, you know, that's what we want. We want this to be retail out front, you know, and you can have some condos or town homes. Retail out front and then the next person has retail out front. That's what's going to bring people into our town. Not, you know, we'll have 60 people or 120 people or so that live there, but they're just going to, you know, they're going to go to their jobs. they're just going to get in their cars and go to their jobs and nobody's going to be walking around and that's the point of the town center. Um,

all right. Okay. Any other comments or questions? I comment, mayor. Well, I'm sorry, but Brad was next. Okay. And you? I'm happy to defer, John's. Oh. Um, so a couple thoughts. Uh, Mr. Privet, thank you. We actually discussed sort of that idea. Mr. Priv Privet, right? That's right. Yeah, I'm a native as well. Um, hauled supplies here since I was a kid. So, I'm glad you're the new owner. We did discuss sort of that that tension that might be there between a a landscaping supply company and residences. So, we acknowledge we've talked about that sort of earlier on. No, no great solutions. I'm glad you're here.

I would think maybe it would less be HOA and and and looking out at your yard. I think it's actually a nice facility you have. It's just maybe the daytime backing up of tractors and the beeping. I assume that's what you're talking about as well. There is an element of noise and truck traffic and you know it's part of what you expect.

You bet. Yeah, it's worth worth thinking about. Um I I love my colleague to the left. Uh I disagree with her though and she knows this because we've talked about it before. Um I I think that clustering of a single use on a site is okay in certain instances and this would be one primarily because commercial along the frontage needs to be well I don't want to repeat the developer words but but needs to be vibrant filled and and I look at the vacancy at the large shopping node right at the corner of Potter and Pleasant Plains where that's a big sucking sound for retail for the next decade or for so I feel like uh the developer argument does make some sense on the face of it. So I'm okay with that to to the resident uh who lives next door in Arlington Downs. Thank you for coming. Um I I do I am concerned about traffic here as well. I think the the remedy is is twofold. One is the the intersection improvements we did at Potter Pleasant Plains which hasn't helped yet on that on that eastbound road. But I think what we expect and what we talked about uh here and y'all talked about in your neighborhood meetings is the by the time this is built and complete the connection of McKe Road extension to Monroe would be open and ready to go. That's your traffic control point. A very large is it four lane maybe four lane at least two lane connector from McKe Road through Pleasant Plains to Monroe.

Supposed to be done. Uh, it's cleared now. Probably within the time this is built, I'm guessing. I don't know for sure, but even if it's not, it's been funded, cleared. They're out there building it today. It'll come out to Eddie's place on Monroe Road, and that's going to siphon all the traffic that normally would come there. I think it's a tough spot. So, I agree with you. I think that's a remedy. Um, a question for the developer. 60 town homes, I count 56. Where did four go? Was it the pulling them from the pavilion area? Because right now it's 56 on the plan I see. So where do you is it is it I think what we're doing is is trying to be flexible up to 60 up to 60. Okay.

56 is currently what's on there and then with the design permitting usually we could Okay. Yeah. And I appreciate the fact that at the back of the property, what's the back on the left of the slide? You you removed several to add some open space. um which I thought made it nicer and added an amenity. So yeah, very slow. Yeah. Yeah. So there I think maybe an earlier rendition there were a row of four town homes back there and and um what's that? There were seven back there.

Seven at one point. Yeah. So there's been a reduction of size. So I get it. So those are my comments. I don't know exactly what I'll do. I'm I am a little bit concerned about the uh Mr. Privet's concerns. concern. I think it's a real one. I don't think it's one that we should overlook lightly because those four residences there will be looking out uh dump trucks moving in and out of their property all day long. So, something to think about. John.

Yeah, I have a couple. Um, one, and I guess part of this will be the overall traffic will get relieved some with the McKe road extension, but I kind of like the potential of residents, you know, may or may not complain about the business across the street. We may also hear uh complaints about traffic at the same time when Grace Academy is being, you know, when drop off and and pickup like would there be any was there any thought or plans to uh remediate that? I guess that might be a question for the developer, but it's just something that the town should be aware of that that could be a future complaint that we might hear. Um the other one, this one is for the developer was what is the plan for like what would the trash pickup look like in this community?

Uh TBD, but typically uh it probably well we have the public streets we consider. Like where would people keep their totes or would there be dumpsters on site or we just you have them roll them out and you have either a public or private company comes and picks it up. So whether it's with the town or whether it's a private third party to be determined. Yeah. Just like they're like in garage storage or how you know or they be outside storage for their rollouts. So just seems like there wouldn't be a lot of space for uh for storing those and fitting like cars in the garage and such. You know is that has that just has that been thought through is my question. Not yet. Okay.

It hasn't been a problem in other sorry I'm Josh John develop project. It hasn't been a problem in other developments that we That might be up to the HOA. That's exactly typically HO guidelines are established in place prior to the development. Um and normally the HOA is not going to want to see okay trash bin scattered all over. We have a third party private company picking up our trash. So that's possible.

Okay. And then the last is just a comment. is just when I first saw this uh without the commercial component, I did have concern about that. But then it came to mind and the very picture that you showed is one that I you know a property I drive by probably eight times a week and you know I'm thinking a vacant unused commercial especially something brand new that's you know attractive there's nothing wrong with the building that that becomes a deterrent for developing you know additional commercial with closer into the town center so even though I had concern about the lack of the commercial. I do appreciate that we don't want to do something that was going to prevent the commercial from developing closer in toward the town center. So, I do uh agree with your assessment on that. Mike,

I was eager to see a project um within the town center that did uh initially live up to the uh ideal of having a mix of commercial and residential. But I think my biggest issue with this project is that it takes the stance of saying that what we're what our ideal version of our town center is, which you know when you get a property like this that you probably only get to do it once, is that it takes the pessimistic view to say here's why we can't do something. And I don't like that. And um as councilwoman Wadawit said um you know just because it costs money to in this case there's the remediation of the pond just because it's expensive for someone who wants to develop the land u tough I think is is the way that I look at it is that I if we want to create the vision of the town center that we think we can have um I don't think this meets it. Ram.

So I I'll start I'll lead off with a question. How how much paved road or the internal road? How much linear feet is that? And will it be private or public? The primary the primary spine down the middle would be public. The rest are private alleys. Um as far as the length, I don't sorry. So the I look straight

and who would be responsible for maintaining the private? Well, the HOA would maintain private and then if it were public, it would be maintained by town.

All right. Uh, and then so the I you mentioned it multiple times. The amenity amenity is is that essentially just the pavilion? Um, I think it's TBD. We we do have some language in our conditional notes that it would be uh it' be the pavilion, it' be trails maybe. I mean I don't know what it would be stations perhaps a playground. I think it I think there's some flexibility in there currently.

So, I mean it just I I I hate to always go to myself, but being a parent of little children, having lived in a town home development um that had none none of that other than it had a little walkway. You know, you you do feel the lack of having a playground or anything. And I can I can see that creating issues with I think was mentioned by Mr. Richardson or uh children like running to another development because of their amenities like hopping the fence. So, I do see that as a concern, but I do I I'll just say I I have some concerns with this and I I do echo uh some of the sentiments before. I don't see how this is consistent with our small area plan, our comprehensive land use plan. And um you know I think again I think we have a vision and it seems like we're always going against our vision. So I I think for me I'm just saying I'm putting my foot down and saying you know we we've caved on we had a plan and we've given up on it repeatedly over my four plus years. So I think it's time we stick to our what the plan was. Thank you. Anything, Stephen?

I'm personally okay dropping the commercial. If I look at the span of where if we look at Matthews and we look at how how much space Matthews produces and where its commercial is, a town that's been there for um you know, the better part of 150 years. and we look at stallings and we kind of put a concentric circle around Matthews. This is farther away from that concentric circle of Matthews than any of their commercial development. So, I'm I mean being realistic, this to me doesn't feel like it's within I know we talk about town center, but that would make us bigger than Matthews from a town center perspective, putting commercial down that spot. So, I'm I'm not as concerned about it because I think realistically, um I mean, if you look at Matthews and the work that they've done over the course of the last, you know, 30 years, I mean, for commercial to really develop on that front corridor there, that far away from where I think our town center is, it just feels like it's going to be I mean, that's a hundred years from now. uh probably when we're tearing down these town homes to put something else up. Just to be blunt. Um that's just my thoughts. When I look at when I look at it on the map and look at the size of downtown Matthews and where their commercial ends, I just feel like this is probably I know it's in Town Center, but it just feels like it's too far away from where we really think of our town center. And whereas with the other pleasant plains that's in what I call

the triangle, I do feel that that is core downtown area. And we do know that eventually a lot of that is going to want to sell and transform itself. And we know that some of the the properties there have already changed hands within the last six months. And so that that's my general feel on the commercial is I feel like it's too far away when you compare the size of Matthews and where its commercial sits at versus where our town center is our our actual town center and how far the commercial aspect of can radiate out from there. But that that's about it that I have

again. So, sorry. I I just That's okay. That's okay. No, what I would say is and welcome continuing the conversation. Uh, but I think we're we have some a split here, it sounds like or we're getting close to that. And to Mr. for uh Sterling's point, you know, rather than just if it is potentially a vote for a denial, I would just is this something we should continue and maybe we can address our concerns over the next couple weeks? See if that would I mean

you make that motion. That would that would be my motion is to continue this because as I mentioned I mean I do have cons I do have concerns and I also but I've already expressed them. What would you hope to gain by I mean I don't think they're going to change their mind. Well I what I would say is my vote isn't because this is the lack of commercial. I'm not hinging my vote on that. My my cons. Yep. Please continue.

This my as I said it it it doesn't align with the plans we have currently, the small area plan, comprehensive land use plan. And then I had some concern with just the private alley, public road, the the whatever the amenity is. Um so I don't know if that's something that maybe in the ne we could be addressed off in the next two weeks. That's just my mo that is my motion that we you can say no. I'll second the motion. We have a second. All in favor? I I I Before we second, I'd like to just Could we list the

There is a second. Normally, there's some discussion after the second before the vote. You didn't give us that. Is that okay? They jumped. We jumped. I know we jumped. Just to and maybe maybe we could talk to Max. I I feel like we ought to sort of uh have our staff work with the developer and we can send staff some comments. I've heard I like your thoughts, Graham, about public private roads. The the duality of maintenance could be problematic. I don't know how the bulb outs work and the on street parking. Are we paving that and the maintenance or not? I'm concerned about Mr. Privet's business and the interaction at least with those four town homes there.

Um Steve, you articulated better than I did why I think commercial doesn't work here. Again, I I think this is not in our town center proper, but I know that's a great point. So, those are the kind of things I'd like to have our staff work with him. I don't think two weeks is enough time, though. I'd give it a month. I don't want to see this back unless all those sort of answer is what I'm saying. I think it takes a while. Motion. I I would not say a month because that would put it on the same night as well. They can come back when they're ready, I guess, is the point. Okay. Do we have to put I think that the developer may want to say something. The applicant has a hand up. Sorry.

May I just stand? Absolutely. Have the opportunity to just address a couple of the questions and concerns. I don't know that I'll have this form in front of all council members again

tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. Um, for those of you that I haven't met, I see a lot of familiar faces. I know I've met a lot of you. My name is Josh Jolly. Uh, I am the developer on this project, Mr. Privet. I'm also a native. I just got 20 yards of Pine Bart nuggets delivered to my house from you on all my investment properties. You guys do all my mulch work doing I've been I've been working with you for years. Plan to contend. I've been uh buying fire stacks of firewood off of this actual property for years now. You guys see them over there, the $10 stacks of firewood. So, uh I've been doing that for years now. Um to address a few of the questions, a few of the concerns, there were comments about the economic viability of this project. Um Councilman Cousins, to your point, tough for you, tough for you the developer if you can't make any money on it, right? And that's the approach that we initially took with this even out of the gate, we didn't want commercial on it. Um the problem with that when we got into that geotechnical information and we discovered that farm pond uh don't know how familiar you familiar you guys are with farm pond remediation and site work but having that farm pond and needing to remediate that more than doubles the cost of the site work. So at the beginning it was a profitable project one where we were willing to look at the commercial shop fronts and say you know what there's risks there. We don't believe that the 14,000 cars that travel down Pleasant Plains Road every day is enough to support light commercial and retail. We like to see a minimum of 20,000. Really, we like to see 30,000 cars to support speculative speculative like commercial and retail. And we didn't have that there. But we were willing to take that risk before because the overall project looked good and it pencled. When we discovered that, that one was kind of a gamecher for us. Now adding that expense plus the risk of adding the commercial which which could remain vacant for some time made the project not viable. Made it one that doesn't pencil. Made it one that when we spoke to both lenders, financial lenders as well as institutional investors that

they kind of looked at us a little bit sideways and said, "Guys, we can't take on this type of risk with this type of a project." So that really hindered our ability to move forward with the development of it. Um, so I I I kind of wanted to address that that that economic aspect of it. Um, from a functional standpoint, we really want to be a good neighbor to the town of Stallings. We we want to be a good developer. We want to work with you. That's why we've eliminated units from the back of the of of uh the development there, and we're willing to do a reduction in unit count. That's why on the front streetscape, we've agreed to do two-story units to create more of that walkable environment along Pleasant Plains Road, which seems to be what town council's looking for to be able to create that environment where you're going to have some pedestrian activity where it's going to be an inviting space and not just looking at the sides of town homes. And we thought that a two-story product which provides a wider footprint, twotory product with that wider footprint will provide the wider front porches, more living space out front for the residents that are there. Um the traffic, I don't know that we can address the traffic on on on this one. So, I'll just leave that for what it is. But all that said, I'm happy to address any questions that council has. I'm happy to have one-on-one meetings, one-on-one conversations, work with you guys on the vision, work with you on the planning. We truly do want to be a good partner in this process, um, and help Stallings to achieve the town center goal that they have in mind. Um, and the one thing that I've heard over and over that that I really think is a conversation for the council and hopefully we can be involved in it is within the mixeduse zoning designation of the Tallings of the Stallings Town Center, does every single parcel have to be mixed use? I feel like that's really a question. Or is it the overall feel of the town center that we want to be mixed

use? Um, and that seems to be a lot of what is what's being asked here is, hey, does this whole parcel have to be mixed use or is there potential for it to be residential and allow the commercial to fill in behind it? Um, as a developer, and I think most developers you talk to, we typically believe that you put the residents, you put the houses, you put the customer base first, and then the commercial follows that. Um, very rarely. I don't know if I have seen a successful development where they've just built the commercial somewhere and hoped that they come. That's not typically how that goes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. So, we do have a motion to table and a second. So, we need to resolve that now. Mayor, point of clarification. Was there or was there not a time frame set on that? Not yet. There was not. There was not yet. Brad asked something that I said, "Do you want to make a friendly amendment to that motion?" And um Sure. And do you want it, Mayor? Point of clarification. The motion has been seconded. So if you want to add to it, you would need to spend of that motion. Can I withdraw it? It's already been Let's vote it down and then we can start over. Correct. Okay. All right. How's the council vote on the motion to table?

Nay. Nay. Nay. All right. That's unanimous. All right. Cross that. Now, what's next? Jensen lady. Is it When is the Stevens? The 13th. 13th. So, the following 27th would be 27th. All right. I move that we table this until April 27th meeting or a later date if requested by developer. Not good. They're going to do be will be send that meeting to or I mean if we're voting on it, we could probably just do it that night. Yeah.

Well, I think the the developers team wouldn't be in town that day. No, no. I mean the we could do it to Stevens Village Stevens. No, I'm fine. Yeah, we're just doing a vote. Which which night do you want to table it to? 13. Does it have to be date certain, Melody? We just leave it. Okay. No public hearing is done. So, we're not. All right. Then I withdraw my motion and make a second mo another a third motion to table this for with a date to be determined. Second. Do we have to put a date on it? No, we just decided we did. Okay. All right. How's it that We're back to the original motion. That's right. That's a motion made. Motion seconded. How's the council vote? I

I That's affirmative. Tabled. You were nay. Oh, sorry. Yeah, I'm a nay. I I thought you were I thought I heard it down there. All right. 51. Okay. Tabled. All right. Now, next up, Bailey Mills, phase two. Give Max a second because he's a busy guy. Yeah. Thank you.

Okay. So, this one I created just a memo for Oh, that's not it. That's not That's just supplemental information. It's a good lawyer. Yeah, this is it. But,

all right. So, Bailey Mills phase 2 uh was a conditional zoning CZ 21901. They received approval on March 28th, 2022 um to reszone. This is uh incorrect um address, but it's on Matthews Weddington Road. I think it's just Stevens Mills is always in my head. Um but this is a conditional it was a conditional zoning for 23 town homes that were attached to the original Bailey Mills phase 1 development agreement um that included 92 town homes. Since then, a one-time two-year vested rights extension was it um permitted by staff, which expires on March 28th, 2026. Staff can no longer administratively extend the conditional zoning. So, they submitted a vested rights application so council may decide if they would like to allow another 2-year extension to the vested rights. If council does uh want to permit the vested rights, this would be the last time they could request vested rights unless they get a building permit. Um, additionally, you have findings that you'd have to make an affirmative for that um based on article 7.13-5 and what uh state statute 160D. Um, I know it's a little bit complicated. This is our first fester rights application. But um do you have any specific questions?

I'm okay with it extending it, but it would only be for two years. The vest of rights, it would So if this was approved tonight, their vested rights would expire March 28, 2028. March 28, 2028 would be the expiration date. And just to clarify, the land that this piece is on is completely landlocked by the other developments and everything. So I mean, yes, correct. Um there the only access to this site based on the site plan would be from the Bailey Mills phase one neighborhood. Yeah.

Uh NC DOT does not would not allow another um driveway onto Matthews Indian Trail Road. Okay. Um, and the reason they have not received a building permit yet is due to Union County sewer capacity. Okay. And that's the only reason that this has come back before us. Is that correct? Um, are there any additional information that you would like to provide? That's the interceptor project. We've been tracking it and it's set to finish up in mid June, first of June. So there is a realistic path forward on this. Yeah. Just to be specific to the question, my wording was only yours was primary. Is there another reason?

No. Okay. Thanks. Any other comments, questions? How's the council feel on this one? I'm good. You do have to make findings. We need to make a motion. I move that we um approve the vested rights request by um Max for Bailey Mills phase two and as part of article 7.13-5 the vest rights application the council shall make the following affirmative findings. Um let's get to the wording on that. Yeah. Where? Where is it?

What page is that on? And the the wording we need to use. 69 of 81. Yeah. And I have them up on the screen if you need me to Okay. increase that. They're kind of split. I didn't mean to do that. Okay. Do these need to be read as part of the motion? You just need to find each one in the affirmative. Um do they need a vote on each one or each one on the article 7.3 or just vote? All of them are in a affirmative. say that um a motion to approve the findings as presented as presented. I see. Yes. We taking two votes then or one vote on this one. No. Okay. There's a motion on the floor.

Yep. Motion. Was there a second? I'll second. Do we need as do we need to add that wording? Yes. Lori, can you add it, please? You made the motion, right? Oh, I have to add it now. Okay. Um Okay. Article 7.1. You don't have to read them. I don't have to read it. No. Okay. Just as written by the um planning department. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. All right. All in favor?

I I Any passes? Thank you, Max. Thank you, Bailey Mills. Next up, board and committee reappointments.

Waiting on Aaron. You ready for me? Okay.

Oh, I thought you were, you know, fiddling. I mean, getting the stuff. Mayor and Council, each March, we bring to you the seats on the various committees whose terms expire March 31st. Our terms run from April 1st to March 31st of any given year. In your packet, you have the list of committee members whose terms expire at the end of this month, and you also have the new term of expiration if you choose to reappoint them. The actual applications for these members were in your email with your packet. This is just a list. If you would like to reappoint all of these individuals, you can you can do it in one motion by stating their name. The committee that they go with with all terms just so happens for this particular goound would expire March 31st, 2028. I make a motion to approve the reappoint of Deborah Wagenhauser to the historical committee with the term to expire March 31st, 2028. Uh I say historical committee. Yeah. And then to the community committee, Sophia Cordova, uh Amber Joiner Hill, Mark Leam, and Ernie Roy. all with terms expiring March 31st, 2028. And then to the storm water infrastructure committee, Don Sy with a term expiring March 31st, 2028.

I'll second. Uh, all in favor? I. Any nays? Well, this passes. All right, Ununice. Good luck. Stay for the splash update. Bummer. All right, we are Yeah, thank y'all for being here. I appreciate it.

All right. Well, good afternoon, council. Um, bear with me with this information. I just received a lot of it last week, so I'm truly here just forformational purposes. You guys do not have to vote on anything tonight from my side, so that's a plus. So, I just have a few things that I wanted to come and kind of tell you guys about, especially before budget comes because I kind of got hit with some information from the county that I was kind of prepared for, but was hoping for the best. So, I'm going to kind of walk down this road with you guys and I'm hoping that I can kind of just be on this path with y'all together cuz it's going to get kind of funky, but it we'll keep it fun. So, as y'all know, the splash pad project was approved in last year's budget. We had some money there. it's already allocated for. What we wanted to do was just make the splash pad safer and also a little bit more manageable from the parks department side. With that being said, we wanted to remove the spheres safety, replace it with flush jets that already got approved. However, the other piece of that was this chemical storage. We wanted to convert it to a liquid chlorine system. With that, we have to get up to code with the Union County Health Department. And with that comes a bunch of permits, a bunch of stuff getting sent over for their final approval. Unfortunately, what the fountain division who was awarded the contract submitted was not approved. That was, I would say, the cheapest option and what we were really hoping for. However, a few months ago, I did kind of put it out there that one side of this, if they didn't approve it, would be a building, unfortunately. And with that being said, I get it. We want the public to be safe. So, that's our top priority. But that does come with a price tag on that. So you got to think this is a public space. It's not your backyard pool. We can't put a prefab building out there. So it has to meet this code. I've been dealing with this for a few months. So what that means is the building has to be 7 ft tall. It has

to have lighting. It has to have cross ventilation. It can't just be something that we find at Home Depot and put out there and say, "Woohoo! Let's throw some chemicals in there." Um if we could, we'd save a lot of money and the town, I'm sure, would be happy. But unfortunately, that's not the case. So, with that being said, I kind of did some digging before coming back to you guys cuz I'd hate for y'all to spend some large amounts of money on something that we might not need if there's other options out there. So, that's where I'm at today. I'm kind of getting more information. I want to keep y'all in the loop. I've reached out to the city of Monroe and their contractors who did their splash pad project two years ago with the most recent code. Um, and they hit me with the price tag between a quarter to half a million dollars for their building. Yeah. Woohoo. Audible gas for the record. That really took me by surprise. So, with that being said, I kind of took a step back, reached out to Dena at Waxaw. There's a They just put in kind of an interactive stream. There's some options that we can kind of get some feelers on. However, we're not at that stage tonight to walk down that road. I just want to let you guys know that we're taking care of it. We'll be back with some more information. We'll probably get the firm out here that did the city of Monroe's work to kind of talk through what the future of this splash pad looks like. So, to kind of bring you up to speed to where we are at today, the sphere removal got approved. The county needed some more specs for the flush jets. So, we'll go ahead replace those. We'll keep the chlorine system that we have now, which is not the best as far as staff goes. It's very manual, very staffheavy. However, it will get us through this season and then we're going to have to start working through some ideas on how to push through through the future because it's just not sustainable. So, with that being said, we're still on track to open the splash pad in May as planned, Memorial to Labor Day, same hours. However, that building is going

to be just the question mark and I'm going to look through some options if that building is necessary, what we can do, just kind of what's out there. I don't want us to commit to something if there might be some backdoor options and can get a little funky, but also want to make sure we're up to code with the county and do something that is sustainable for the future of stallings because I know that this splash pad has had a lot of money um kind of tossed at it and I think that's just the nature of the beast a little bit. But I do want to make sure that we're making the most fiscally responsible decision for the town. the splash pad. Well, it came with the park in 2012 as part of the part of grant. So, we've really been running it for we're going on almost our 15th year anniversary. So, woohoo. Um, but as you guys are aware, um, and maybe some are not. The history of the splash pad is it was made to be just like a fountain for the public. Had some lights was not supposed to be chlorinidated and then so we kind of had to do some upfitting along the way. So, we've kind of just reached a point where we just kind of need to take a step back and maybe explore some options for the future of the pad. Um, while also making sure we're not spending a ton of money and being very responsible, but also keeping the community safe. Yes. Is

there a possibility of grant money for uh this kind of retrofit? That is definitely something we can look into. Like I said, I I really am just trying to absorb all the information I can. All right. You got your hands full. Yeah, I appreciate it. Hey, I'm trying. Yes, council member ears. We've got two houses over here that are nicely sized. Could they not be used temporarily as the holding position for these chemicals?

So, unfortunately, the chemicals have to be fed through our pump system. So that would mean we would have to feed chlorine all the way from these homes probably underneath the road to this isn't a I believe where you're going is you're thinking of a room just to store it like this is where we keep it keep it safe. I could see how you got there. Okay. But however this is going to be essentially almost like an attachment building to feed the chemicals to the system. Gotcha. Yeah. My apologies for not explaining that. Yeah. Yeah. But it would have been great. I would have loved to storm over there. No, I mean, yeah, that's when you said storage, I was thinking, hey, we got perfectly buildings that should fit that. Okay.

I wish. Where does $250 to $500,000 fit as a percentage of the parks and wreck budget as a percent of our budget? So, if you're looking at like a a quarter of a million dollars, you're probably looking at maybe a sixth of our budget. If you're looking at half a million, you're you're towing that fourth, depending on what our capital projects are. Um but as far as our general operating budget, we're probably cruising at that million dollar range. So this it would be a substantial um substantial capital building. So So the basis of the disagreement is just over how these chemicals are properly stored.

Correct. And it's not the storage of it that So yes, you're storing them. However, they do not want the chemicals to be in the same building as the pump room. That's where this gets to. And where it gets a little sticky is the North Carolina Administrative Code has a really big umbrella for pools. And now that splash pads are becoming more popular, they've kind of added in this language for aquatic features, play features. And so that's where Union County, I believe, is trying to kind of get with where the standards are for the state and make sure everywhere is safe. It's evolving basically.

Exactly. And I do believe that um Stallings was kind of ahead of its time when the splash pad was built 15 years ago. Um because y'all are probably getting, you know, more information that these pads are popping up everywhere instead of pools. Thank you. Yeah, of course. You're saying um it'll be open in May. How where are the chemicals going? So, currently our feeder is in the pump room. However, any changes has to be up to current code. So, we're almost grandfathered in. Almost.

We we are. However, we can't make any changes. So, our system is a little um archaic and it's very manual. Like if you go over to Indian Trails, they can do stuff from their phones. They have Wi-Fi. They get notified their splash bag can cut off if lightning's detected. for us. Um, someone has to be here 247. So, when the first year it was open, um, I was the only one on staff that had a pool certification. So, it was, um, wonderful, very blessed with the job. Thank you for keeping me here. But, it it was extremely hard.

Yeah, it was extremely hard. So, and we're facing a little bit of that challenge. And we kind of get that push back from the public as well is why are you guys not open late? Can you extend the hours? And it's because, you know, there's someone like me that has to be certified to stay here for the duration of that. It's just a tough place to be. Thank you very much. Of course. Any more questions? How much did the So, what we're grandfathered in, but we're replacing the balls, right? Correct. Did that that didn't We're not doing anything to the chlorination system or the integrity of the pad. It would just be removing the spheres and replacing them with flush jets. No piping is getting changed.

And how much is that part cost? That's $30,000. And we would still move forward with that as approved. Okay. I'm just trying to think through. I know. I I totally get it's a hard um it's tough. I'm just a sponge right now. So any questions that you guys have or come up, please send them my way. Um, if you ever want a tour of the wonderful splash pad, I would love to show you. How about the chlorine room? You are more than welcome. I'll open the doors and you can take a view. Veryospitable of you. Yeah, you're welcome. You know, welcome to the park. Please wear your badge.

So, just out of curiosity, I mean, have you thought about like if we had to do this building kind of? Yes. just your thoughts on how that would how how that would look where where that would go. Yeah, I'm meeting with um Pete and Monroe soon and Dena out in Waxaw. So, I'm going to start poking some big um directors in the county that have done similar projects to kind of pick their brain on how to make this the best it can be. Yeah, there obviously it's right in the middle of the park. So,

well, and it's a staple. I'd hate to lose that. I mean, that thing drives me crazy, but I love it. Please don't get rid of it. It's like a mother-in-law that you just, you know, you love. But, so, please don't let it go. I want to keep it around. But, um, yes. So, I will definitely try to collect all the information I can and come back to you guys. Can we sell advertising space on the building? I'm just maybe the Graham Hall experience. I don't know. Something exciting. Just get something. Yeah. You your bell bondsman idea is coming back. There we go. Motion's on the floor for adjournment. Second. Now there's a second. All in favor? I. uh those usually go quickly that particular motion.