And the housing market continues to grow

At least along Matthews/McClemore and Cleveland School Rd area.

http://www.johnstonnc.com/files/planning/Apr17pbagenda.pdf

162 acres for a Planned Development-Housing. That is going to be a traffic nightmare in short order with all the other building going on already in that area.

 

I was checking this one out earlier. My guess is between 250-500 homes. These are the properties as part of the rezoning:

 

Wow. Never thought Rudolph would sell all of that.

 

I don"t think he sold it. Most of it has been in an LLP for years.

 

http://www.marlotwells.com/neighborhood/wellesley

 

He, or the LLP, will have to sell it if they want to put houses on it. Regardless of who or what, its getting sold.

 

Approved by the JC Planning Board last evening.

 

They've got some nerve calling themselves a "planning board" when those subdivisions will be creating more problems than we can deal with.

 

Word. Preach.

The JoCo planning board couldn't plan a picnic.

 

Some of you are not quite certain of the extent of power that the Planning Board has. Legally, the Planning Board can not turn down a request from a developer to build a subdivision. As long as the developer follows the "Unified Developmental Ordinance or UDO" and develops to the County or City guidelines, then the Planning Board can not say no.

That being said, what the PB can do is require certain conditions be met before the approval is given. Things like adding a turn lane, dedicating more open space and things of that nature can be required before approval.

The process for subdivision approval involves more people than just the PB. In the Town of Clayton, for example, there is a meeting with several departments. Planning, Police, Fire, Schools and so on are all represented. If any of those departments raise objections or want something added or taken away, that is noted and the developer has to address those situations. If those departments raise no objections, then the project continues on up the line. You get planning boards, town councils and whatnot and they look over the project and they can raise objections over things and ask for things to be changed, added and so forth and again, the developer would have to address those situations to proceed or he can back out. However, as long as the developer is willing to do whatever is asked by any of the officials, they can not say no to the development.

There was an instance with the Town of Clayton a while back on a very large tract of land in their jurisdiction. It was going to be a large mixed-use community. Because of the density of homes going in there, the Town required 2 new schools to be built in the development (an elementary and a middle). Planners can absolutely ask and require things like that for the project and the developer can do it, or back out.

With the new project that started this thread being approved, if no one from JoCo Schools raised any objections, then the current schools will have to handle the load.

Even if 1000000 residents attend a planning board meeting and protest to the top of their lungs that they do not want this new development, basically they are SOL unless they can show potential damages and things of that nature. That is very hard to do. It's possible it could happen but very hard. The developer could sue the city/county for not allowing the development to be built and probably win since they have followed all the rules and regulations. You rarely see a news story about a development or project somewhere and had all these people show up to protest it, only to have the city/county approve it and some times it seems like a....the heck were they thinking?.... type deal but as long as all the rules and regs are followed, the Boards really can not say no.

It's his land and he can do what he likes with it. Just like you can do what you like with your land. HOA rules, county rules and regulations providing....of course.

 

Well said. From the meeting last night; 40% of this neighborhood will be open space. Also, the units per acre are 1.5 acres based on the new development ordinances. Cleveland Bluffs is 4 units per acre for comparison purposes.

 

Oh, I'll believe that when I see it. That "40 %" percent open space" you're talking about, is probably that low lying, swampy area that they'll turn into a landscaped swale is all, since they can't build on it. And the new Wellesley subdivision on McLemore Road (the one with the gaudy gold entrance sign) advertises that their lots are "extra-large". Last time I checked, an "extra-large" lot would mean that you couldn't necessarily see your neighbor blink twice while washing dishes, but that doesn't seem to be the case there at all. In the very near future the way things are shaping up, Cleveland will be just another jam-packed, high density, sardine-can-of-a-suburb, that will benefit not the rural-loving residents here, but the developers, the builders, and, oh yes, the real estate agents. Nothing new there!

 

When did you move here?

 

Which time? First time was over 45 years ago.

 

I like the website jesse linked to above. It reminds me of the picture on the box of a microwave dinner. You don't exactly get what is shown. It shows a Mcmansion neighborhood until you click on the actual house for sell.

 

Would the PB have the authority or at least oversight to change policies on a wholesale level? If not, I am sure they have a good deal of influence. I realize specific, individual site plans are not necessarily the issue when it comes to the PB, but my gripe is with the planning and development outlook as a whole in Johnston County.

Johnston County is 13th in the state for population as of 2011 and probably higher now. Our property tax rate is $0.13 to $0.24 higher than the next few below us and one above us (Davidson, Iredell, Pitt, & Onslow). Yet they all have a parks and recreation department. They certainly don't have the development pressures we have being so close to Wake, but in their own right they are close to large metro areas. But that is just it...JoCo acts as if there are no development pressures and the impacts will be minimal and take care of themselves.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_North_Carolina
http://www.dornc.com/publications/countyrates.html

 

Just what we need, more McMansion houses and the type of people who run off to a spa whenever they break a fingernail. Why not just rename Cleveland "Cary II"?

 

PB cant necessarily make changes to the developmental code. They can suggest rule changes, document why the changes are needed and all of that. Its the County Commissioners who would vote on any change such as that.

Now, please keep in mind. Towns, cities, counties etc....create a long range planning "scheme" (for lack of a better word at the moment) that would cover the town/city/county for the next 20 years. They put forth their wants/desires/needs and often send that to a consulting company (who specialize in these things) and over a period of time the company and city/town go back and forth until there is a final plan in place. This could take 1 year, could take 3 years but once its all final, then that is submitted to the County Commissioners for approval. Once that gets approved, then the town/city has a long range planning tool to use for the next 10-15-20 years.

In this new plan for the future, there are possible new roads marked out, new areas to be rezoned/annexed (course, those have to be applied for and not forceably done), where the city/town wants commercial areas to go and how things will get steered towards those goals.

Now again, please keep in mind, this is a planning tool. The town/city can have on their plan that from "coordinate to coordinate" will be come high density commercial and thats where the town/city needs that commercial area to be developed. However, if no commercial companies come in or want to build in that area, then the plan really isnt worth squat right? Its like the reason Chik-Fil-A wont come to 40/42. They say, as of 5-6 years ago, there were not enough rooftops in a 3 mile radius of the potential store so they wont build there. The 40/42 has a zoning area of high denisty commerical/industrial and thats all good, but if no one comes, then its really useless. However if someone comes in and wants to build something in that particular zoning and the county feels its a good fit, then the zoning can be changed for the new use.

Everything depends on who comes in and for what reason. You can plan and plan all you like, but the town/city/county are at the mercy of the public, so to speak. Its the "public" that does the building wether its an industry/commercial or residential. Those entities have to come in to the area, and do their "thing" in the area the county/city wants for their long range plan to be of any use. If they come in and want to be in other areas, then changes have to be made.

 

I have to smile every time I hear folks bash Cary..... You may not be a fan, but they must be doing some things right. Cary is consistently ranked among the best places in NC (and US) to live (http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/cary-news/article103183657.html), it has some of the best schools in the district (https://www.usnews.com/education/be...strict-id=101512&state-urlname=north-carolina), etc. I'm not saying Cary is perfect for everyone, but lots of folks like it.

 

Not necessarily "Cary bashing", just stating a fact. Some of us live here because we choose to live in a quiet, rural area without traffic congestion, high-density neighborhoods, and the whole "keeping up with the Joneses" mindset. I happen to think the schools are good here in Joco, as many of our high school grads have gotten into UNC, NCSU and other colleges. It's up to the student what he or she wants to achieve. Then again, I happen to think my car mechanic is the smartest person I've ever met, so I put little stock in what most people believe to be an "educated" person. If you like the competitive Cary lifestyle, that's your choice, but it's not for everyone, and not everyone considers it to be the "end all, be all", or considered the "standard" for what we all should aspire to be. Just saying.