Planning Board Update — December 17, 2024

The Planning Board took up the matter of rezoning some 30+ acres of commercially zoned/planned property along River Road adjacent to Mallory Creek to mostly residential — 127 town homes.

My motion to recommend denial to the Town Council did not pass 3 to 4. The motion to recommend approval to the Town Council was adopted 4 to 3.

Given the numerous stated needs for the Town not to give up more commercial property to residential it is disappointing this may occur. In addition, there are already more than 17,000 residential units already approved and somewhere in the pipeline. The matter now goes to the Town Council in January who have the ultimate authority to make the decision.

On another note, the Planning Board approved my motion to direct the planning staff to draft a text amendment to require LED/dark sky compliant street lighting in our zoning districts. This is something the Planning Board supported when taking up the Flex Zone Code amendment.