The same law firm represented two separate developers during Monday night’s Mebane planning board meeting.
But the outcomes were polar opposites, with the board unanimously recommending one and unanimously against the other.
The contentious project involved a 140-unit apartment complex that is now proposed for a 14.7-acre triangular-shaped lot along N.C. 119 near the former Hawfields Presbyterian Home (now Compass Healthcare and Rehab).
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There were typical complaints about increasing traffic and crowded schools, but the opposition was most intense from existing residents along Summer Walk Drive in the adjacent Summer Haven single-family subdivision, who objected to having the apartment complex’s proposed dog park on a corner lot across the street from their homes.
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The prospect of dogs barking, which many suggested would set off additional barking from their own dogs and others in the existing neighborhood, was a key point of objection.
Gilbert Walker said the dogs barking in the dog park would “set off other dogs” barking, disturbing the “peace and quiet” that he sought in the move to Mebane.
Linda Smith, who lives on Summer Walk Drive, told the planning board she worries about “dogs barking all day long.”
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Among those expressing concerns about the apartment complex, and, in some cases, specifically the location of the proposed dog park:
The accumulation of about a half-dozen residents who mentioned the dog park’s placement across from their homes prompted planning board chairman Judy Taylor to suggest that the developer should consider moving the dog park to the front of the development, along N.C. 119.
Smith also worried about potential crime associated with an apartment complex. “There a difference between owning versus renting,” she said, “between those who dare and those who don’t.”
Glenn Levin echoed that theme, suggesting that renters “are not going to build roots in Mebane.” He warned, “Don’t turn [Mebane] into Durham.”
Ben Saconn said, “Let’s grow smart, not fast.”
Janet Eckelbarger suggested that the apartment complex is “not compatible” with the single-family nature of nearby development, including her own single-family home, which predates the nearby subdivisions.
For his part, Nathan Duggins, the attorney representing Brown Investment Properties, stressed that “Mebane needs all types of housing,” including the rental units being proposed in the Stadler Place apartment complex.
He also said that figures from the school system indicate that the nearby schools are not overcapacity – an overcrowded circumstance several speakers had suggested. Duggins cited the school system’s figures as showing that Garrett Elementary is at 70 percent capacity, Hawfields Middle School at 83 percent, and Southeast Alamance High School at 85 percent.
Duggins also stressed the success the developer had had in obtaining a second entrance into the apartment complex, and thereby improving the traffic flow.
In addition to the Summer Walk Drive entrance, which also leads into a Summer Haven subdivision still under construction, Brown had succeeded in getting the developer of the adjacent acreage, for Hawfields Landing (a proposed development where townhouses and single-family homes are planned), to agree to a connection with Persimmon Drive, which will lead into the Hawfields Landing area.
That road, Persimmon Drive, will have a traffic light at N.C. 119, which will also intersect with Kimrey Road, which runs behind Walmart distribution center and the Hawfields industrial park.
The committee heard a valedictory, of sorts, from departing member Kurt Pearson, who has been a persistent critic while on the planning board that Mebane has allowed too many apartment complexes.
Pearson has repeatedly called for a study to assess the proportion of apartments in Mebane versus other similarly-sized cities. Pearson points to the increasing proportion of apartments in Mebane over the past decade as evidence that the city is growing too fast with rental units, as compared to owner-occupied dwellings.
He repeated that critique Monday night, both during the discussion of the Stadler Place apartments, as well as general comments at the end of the board’s meeting.
Pearson did not seek reappointment for another term on the planning board, and this month’s meeting was his last.
On a motion by Susan Semonite, seconded by Pearson, the five members who were present voted unanimously against recommending the rezoning to the city council. In addition to Semonite and Pearson, those opposed included Taylor, William Chapman, and Gale Pettiford. Absent were Colin Cannell, David Scott, Keith Hoover, and Ed Tulauskas.
Expanded project approved easily
A different Tuggle Duggins attorney, Mike Fox, representing a different developer, had a much easier sale with the planning board over a project at the corner of Mebane Oaks Road and Old Hillsborough Road.
The planning board had previously approved, and the city council had agreed to rezone much of the property in October 2023. At that time the project consisted of five parcels and 27.16 acres. The project had 90 townhouses behind 38,000 square feet of commercial space.
Two additional parcels were a part of this week’s expanded version, which now consisted of 37.68 acres. The townhouse portion had grown to 128 townhouses.
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See story from 2023 approval of the previous project at the same location: https://alamancenews.com/mebane-council-approves-commercial-residential-project-at-mebane-oaks-old-hillsborough-roads/
The commercial portion (now comprised of six lots) would again front along Mebane Oaks Road, but the only entry into each commercial parcel would be from Wilson Drive, which would separate the front portion of the development from the townhouses behind.
Wilson Drive would connect to a new intersection across from the entrance into the Walmart on Mebane Oaks Road and run behind the commercial parcels to connect to Old Hillsborough Road.
Fox showed a slide with some examples of the types of tenants with which the developer, Deep River Partners in Greensboro, has worked in the past that might occupy the commercial section, but he emphasized that the picture did not mean those specific companies were interested in the Mebane site.
As he had two years ago, one of the photos was of a Texas Roadhouse, which is currently located in Burlington.
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Others shown included Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Krispy Kreme Donuts and a Firehouse Subs.
Fox described that the developer had received an “immense amount of interest,” but would not divulge who any of the interested companies might be.
Unlike with the previous project, no residents sought to speak about the rezoning request.
The planning board voted unanimously in favor of Chapman’s motion to approve, which was supported by Pearson, Pettiford, Semonite, and Taylor.
The planning board also recommended unanimous approval for a much smaller project on Miracle Drive in order to subdivide a 1.1-acre lot.
All three rezoning requests are scheduled to be considered by Mebane’s city council at its next meeting, on July 7.
