Carrboro’s Board of Aldermen voted to rezone the Lloyd Farm property last week, setting the stage for future development of the 35.5-acre site that would include a Harris Teeter, office and retail space and a living community for people 55 years and older.
It’s a decision some board members called the toughest of their careers.
Development of the site has been a bumpy road. The original plan, rejected by the board in December 2016, drew concerns for a lack of density; critics said it fit in more with a suburban model than a downtown location. Nearby residents raised concerns about stormwater in the already flood-prone area and traffic increases.
And some of those issues continued into the revised plan brought forward by developers and approved at last week’s meeting. Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle spoke to the contentiousness of the debate on WCHL’s The Aaron Keck Show last week.
“It was an instance where we heard from lots and lots of people who were for the project and who were against the project, and that doesn’t always happen.”
Developers could have moved forward with building on the land “by-right” whether or not rezoning was passed, forcing Carrboro’s board into a hard situation. In the end, some board members decided that revising the zoning for Lloyd Farm, and allowing the new plan to go forward, allowed the town to have more input into the project.
“It’s still going to be a very significant addition to our tax base. And to pass up that opportunity,” Lavelle said, “I think it was really responsible of us to end up passing it this time.”
The next step in development is a Conditional Use Permit, which requires working with the town’s advisory board to narrow down the specifics of building and land-use. The filled-out plan is expected to come back to the board next year, Lavelle said.
Photo from Google Maps
