Mebane’s planning board unanimously approved two rezoning proposals Monday night on the eastern side of the city in western Orange County.
One subdivision plan proposes to build 106 single-family houses on 52.32 acres along Rock Quarry Road. The prices for homes were estimated to be between $265,000 to $397,500, a range defined in Orange County as “workforce housing.”
The proposal, entitled the Nepalese American Cultural Center (NACC) Subdivision, would also include a 6,000-square foot event or cultural center, which could be rented to various groups; a 6,000-square foot worship center, described as a Hindu temple; as well as a pool with a bathhouse; a playground; a grassed play area; a walking trail; gazebo, picnic tables; and benches.
The amenities would be built during the third, of four, phases of construction; the group’s engineer estimated the total build-out period would likely be two to three years.
Many of the future homeowners would be members of the NACC, who have contributed to its finances for buying the property for the subdivision. “You’re sort of building the houses for yourselves,” noted planning board member Colin Cannell.
However, it was noted that the organization may not restrict ownership to members of its group.
The developer, Cary-based Bal Krishna Sharma, is asking for a reduction in side setbacks (from 10 to 7.5 feet) and street side setbacks (from 18 to 15 feet). The developer is also seeking to offer the city $100,443 as a payment-in-lieu of a requirement to provide 3.04 acres of public recreation space.
Lot sizes would range between 7,200 and 9,715 square feet – or about 2.03 lots per acre, according to the proposed site plan. Construction would be completed in four phases. Approximately 26 acres of the total site would be developed, and 26 acres would remain as open space.
The planning board recommended the R-12 conditional rezoning on a unanimous 9-0 vote.
Townhouses: Mebane Village Townes
The second proposal also calls for conditional zoning to allow for the construction of 69 townhomes on 9.96 acres along Supper Club Road on the northeastern side of the city.
The proposed Mebane Village Townes would be built on the back side of the existing Ashbury subdivision along U.S. Highway 70, just outside the city’s downtown business district.
In addition to a 69-unit townhome development, the developer also proposes to build amenities such as a private gathering space, dog park, and 5.11 acres of private open space. Planning board members questioned the location of the dog park and open space which was on one side of the proposed development, relatively far away from most homes.
Chris Schiavone of Gemstone Homes, the developer for the project, said the geography and topography of the site lent itself to putting the amenities in the upper corner of the site.
[Story continues below photo and townhouse layout.]
One neighbor expressed concerns about the dog park backing up to an adjacent subdivision and whether smells and noise (from barking) would be disruptive.
Schiavone emphasized that the dog park would be fenced and that landscape buffers would shield neighbors from any unpleasant side effects from the dog park. He also indicated the dog park would not be lighted, so nighttime use should not become a problem.
The developer, Supper Club Road, LLC of Fuquay-Varina, is offering the city $95,680 as payment-in-lieu of the city’s requirement to provide public recreation space.
Rezoning the site from the existing R-20 designation to R-8 conditional would allow for construction of up to 100 townhomes, based on the developer’s presentation. The R-8 zoning would allow for 10 units per acre for multi-family residences. The proposed density would be about seven units per acre.
Each of the townhomes would have three stories, with three bedrooms and a one-car garage. One bedroom would be on the ground floor, behind the garage, with two on the top floor. Schiavone estimated the townhouses would have 1,400 to 1,600 square feet; all would have one-car garages.
A community information meeting was held on May 20 of this year and drew 21 people, whose concerns centered on potential price points (currently estimated at $300,000 to the mid-$300s); building heights (proposed at 35 feet); runoff and traffic; and how the new construction would affect the existing tenants of a nearby mobile home park.
Schiavone said the target market for the townhouses would be first-time home buyers. The three stories of steps should not be an impediment to the “young families” he said would be the most interested in the townhouse design.
The developer is hoping to begin site work in late 2025 and start construction in early 2026, based on the preliminary timeframe presented to the planning board. Schiavone told the planning board he estimated a two year build-out period.
The planning board recommended the rezoning on a unanimous, 9-0 vote.
Both projects are slated for city council consideration on September 9. The council’s September meeting has been delayed one week due to the Labor Day holiday falling on the council’s traditional first-Monday meeting date.
