County Development Ordinance Changes

I'm curious about the opinion of the 4042/Cleveland residents.

In response to the continuing growth in the 4042/Cleveland Community the Johnston County Commissioners and Planning and Zoning Department have been working on options to slow or banish the the ability to create High Density/PUD (Planned Unit Development) subdivisions.

The primary cause for concern is the inability to create new schools to keep up with the level of growth that the Cleveland Community is receiving.

What're your thoughts?

 

No more HOAs, remove current ones. We have Commissioners to pass laws. Let them do their jobs without more help.
Have no lots more than 1/2 acre.

 

From the school issue alone, I think this is a good idea. I realize there is more to it, however. Slowing down will be tough because who gets approval and why? If they meet certain, elevated requirements, or pay school impact fees can they build? Regardless something has to give. The one going up right behind Cleveland Elementary and Middle is nuts considering the schools are already over capacity. Riverwood got this one right. The school is part of the development.

 

Couldn't disagree more on HOA's. Here's why:

A) Commissioners don't make laws about this sort of thing. They adopt ordinances and they certainly don't police and/or enforce them. The planning department does. They have a staff of about 7 people. That isn't how it gets done.

B) Not all HOA's are the monsters many make them out to be. Many make no architectural suggestions whatsoever. At a bare minimum I think you need the HOA mechanism to help take care of the common areas like subdivision sign, pools, retention ponds, etc. If you don't have this in place, the subdivision starts to look like garbage and property values go down - for everyone. My subdivision has 300 homes in it. No pool, just one sign at the front that rarely gets taken care of. If your HOA dues were a mere $30 a year it would provide a budget of $9000 to have a landscaper under contract to do it all. Anyone who doesn't pay has a lien put on their house. Sounds bad, right? Not really, if that person doesn't pay for 10 years they owe $300 which is peanuts when considering selling your home with a lien to settle on.

I say make HOA's (in a minimum form for basic maintenance) mandatory. Keep your Cary, NC analogies because that's not what I am talking about. My concept is basic maintenance for the sole purpose of preventing this wonderful area from becoming rundown and gross.

 

It is important to note that one of the options is to ask school districts to redraw their lines when considering a new development (at least that's the way I read it). It seems like this is backwards thinking to me. Why should someone in one district have to change schools because another development is coming in across town? The way it is written on the agenda is a bit confusing when you stare at it too long.

 

I'd like to see us incorporate and begin making decisions for ourselves. We contribute a BOAT load of tax revenue to the county and still have little to show for it. A portion of the revenue from the ABC stores is paid to the incorporated towns in the county. As busy as our likker store is, we derive ZERO and the folks at Smithfield, Archer Lodge, Kenly and other incorporated municipalities thank you for your contribution.

 

I assume you meant no lots less than 1/2 acre?? I can't see why you would only want tiny lots.

As for HOAs, I hate them as well. I live in a 100 house neighborhood that has not had an HOA in about 10+ years. We only have a little common area at the entrance with a sign. The neighbors pitch in and keep it looking nice. One even repaints the sign from time to time.

 

We've got an HOA that varies between jack booted requirements and non existence. We have one common area entrance, and NADA else. yet for the 100 bucks a year for the hundreds of homes we have..nothing...

 

Both of these things are what I am referring to. Our neighborhood pitches in too, but only every few years. There has to be funds for this so a collection is taken up which takes time and not everyone donates. A simple HOA mechanism dedicated to that sole purpose is not too much to ask for. It still requires the participation of community minded individuals to run it, so it will still come down to the same people. But at least they have a reliable source of funds and some teeth to collect them. And as for for funds, I am talking about a bare minimum for landscaping. $30 to $100 per year is a small price to pay.

 

I see building more schools is currently winning. Where do people think that money comes from? What about the roads (or lack thereof), time spent in traffic, more buses, etc.? Where do you think they'll find the land for more schools? I would venture a guess that these same people moved out this way because they didn't like what was happening in Wake County. Sprawl happens, I guess.

 

The only constant is change. I do not mind growth. I just wish the county commissioners or who ever just not be willy nilly about where things go. Kind of like not putting a mobile home park next to a high end residential or putting industrial next to schools (just examples). I know this is not what the county commissioners have done but I find when old time land owners go and clear cut their properties for $ I just wish they would not leave the properties looking like eye sores. JMHO

 

I see both sides of this discussion as I have been making my money in the construction business all my life. Growth is not a problem if it is well managed. High Density Planned Urban Developments (PUD's) are a great way to manage growth. As part of the planning process the traffic, schools, fire departments and service business all get thought about prior to construction. All the development happens in a designated area and has less impact on neighboring areas and the enviroment.
On the other hand I personally would like to see more of trend toward what we have now. Nicer developments with large lots and a more rural character. The diffrence in the cleveland school vicinity has been impressive. When I moved out here there were only a hanful of nice houses and a bunch of farm land. A few sbdivisions with small houses and lots went in and it started to look like the trend would be toward all starter homes with small lots. Around 2006 the county established guidlines for subdivision development that includeded traffic analysis, curb and gutter and 2ac. minimum. we got Broadmoor west, Mclemore and a few others with more upscale homes. I know I like seeing my property values go up! How do you think the new food lion would look if the average house value was $100k? Wal mart and a few other stores might not be here either.
There are benifits to both ways of thinking...

 

Again in my opinion I would like to see other grocery chains coming out here other than Food Lion and super Wal-mart. Nothing against either of them, I usually shop at Wal mart. I like that we have the Lowes foods, I just wish we had a few more of them closer to the Cleveland Area. And for Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter 42 east in Flowers Plantation is 15.2 miles (24 minutes) from my house
Harris Teeter on Old Stage road at 401 is 15.3 miles (25 minutes) from my house. Would love to see a few more of both Harris Teeter and Lowes. Maybe see a Krogers, Publics and I hear Wegman is coming to the Raleigh\Cary area. I'd love to try them out

Wade, Something I would like to see is maybe across the street from where the Lowes is going maybe a shopping plaza with a Harris Teeter anchor store. That yellow weed covered house is an eye sore, also with the clear cutting they did behind it makes the area look trashy. IMHO

 

If you want to pay for some more schools, you can raise property taxes slightly. It wouldn't take that much, our taxes in JoCo are pretty cheap right now. I'd be happy paying another $250 a year or so if I knew it meant schools wouldn't be an issue. That would get the county about $12M per year, enough to build about one additional new school every other year, with a capacity of around 1000 students.

 

Another Lowes? Home Improvement or Grocery?

 

Grocery. As far as home improvement stores I would like to see a Home Depot out our way. Maybe in the site across from the Wal-mart

 

I am all for development......... BUT I agree that development needs to be slowed down until they can get our roads widened and more roads!!! There needs to be another way to get on and off the 40.... The 40/42 is a mess at best and exit 319 is getting bad also!!! MY opinion is...... That any development that wants to build, must also pay for new roads around the outside of the site or widening of existing roads, or contribute $$ for new roads ASAP.... ( Kinda such as when Walmart paid for the center turn lane at the 40/42)... PS>>> We don't need a 2 year study to see if we needs roads.. WE KNOW WE NEED ROADS and we should be jumping on the horn NOW!!! Just my Opinion The Whole Cleveland area is terrible from Barber Mill Road down 1010 to the 50 HWY. and from the 50 Hwy down the 42 to Clayton. and from Cornwallis at White Oak all the way down to 1010!!!

 

I think we need larger schools, and something fun to do. I'd love to take that 69acres by 40 overpass on Cleveland School rd and turn it into a family fun park. Just need the $ to do so.

 

Jesse, the county has three options to fund schools. Raise taxes, obtain normal loans or create bonds. The county has not raised the tax base in 15 years and they do not intend to anytime soon. The county has also said that they will not obtain a normal loan (even with the lower interest rates we have now) because it downgrades the County's credit rating. That leaves Bonds. A bond can only be done every two years per NC law. Johnston County has missed their opportunity to do a bond this year which means it will be 2018 before they can do another. This means that there will be no new money for new schools outside of the ones that are already in progress.

 

This has been tried twice to my recollection. Both times, the community opposed it more than they supported it. I agree with you. Higher taxes is better than chaotic, unplanned growth.