Mebane’s planning board is scheduled to consider at its upcoming meeting Monday night a conditional rezoning request to allow the construction of 565 single-family homes on 229.3 acres near the existing Mill Creek subdivision.
The Preserve at Mill Creek is an expansion of the Mill Creek subdivision. Most of the project is in Alamance County, but like the existing subdivision, a 64-acre portion across the back side of the site would be in Orange County.
The Preserve at Mill Creek would be located about 2½ miles from Woodlawn Middle and Eastern High schools.
[Story continues below map of proposed layout of the Preserve at Mill Creek.]
Preliminary plans had been filed with the city for The Preserve at Mill Creek in 2022, albeit by a different developer, Taylor Morrison of the Carolinas. The original proposal filed in 2022 had been envisioned as a mixed-use development – with commercial space included – but that component of the project appears to have been eliminated by the new developer.
The new developer, Lennar Carolinas of Morrisville, is seeking rezoning for four properties around the Mill Creek Golf Course, according to the site plan that is scheduled to be presented to Mebane’s planning board Monday night.
The existing properties that surround the proposed site for The Preserve at Mill Creek are zoned for single-family homes; other nearby properties are vacant or forested, according to a staff analysis.
[Story continues below photo of illustrations of the kinds of single-family homes that Lennar Carolinas hopes to build at its new subdivision, the Preserve at Mill Creek.]
Mebane city staff concluded that, after six rounds of technical reviews, the proposal is consistent with the city’s long-range development goals. A portion of the site would need to be annexed before it could be connected to city utilities.
A traffic study conducted for the developer determined that several new connections would be needed: an exclusive turning lane at the intersection of Saint Andrews Drive extension and North First Street; exclusive turn lanes at the intersection of East Stagecoach Road and North Ninth Street; a single-lane roundabout with single lane approaches and exits at the intersection of North First Street and Arendale Drive; and a traffic light would need to be installed at the intersection of Stagecoach Road and North Fifth Street before a certificate of occupancy would be issued upon the completion of the 50th dwelling unit. Internal streets would be connected to the existing roads in Mill Creek subdivision.
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Amenities for The Preserve at Mill Creek would consist of a multi-use path network; a clubhouse with a pool; 23.59 acres of private open space; and 3.58 acres of public recreation space. Approximately 66 acres would be set aside as “conservation open space.”
The developer is seeking conditional rezoning to allow for the construction of buildings up to 40 feet high and lot sizes ranging between 46 and 57 feet wide, with side setbacks of 7.5 feet and street side setbacks of 13 feet. All of the homes would be single-family, detached units, according to the developer’s presentation.
All homes would have a covered porch with front facades made of materials such as hardie plank, masonry, stone, or board and batten, while siding would be limited to wood, brick, stucco, stone or similar materials.
The developers invited 65 neighboring property owners to two community meetings on August 12 and December 9, 2024 and met virtually (i.e., online) with the Mill Creek Homeowners’ Association on January 7.
Mebane’s planning board is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 13 at city hall.
