Developers, residents clash over Campbellton rezoning as council asks for more details

A developer-supported plan to rezone land near Campbellton Road that would add hundreds of residential units and preserve parkland prompted hours of public testimony and pointed questions from City Council on Aug. 26.

Attorney Hakeem Hilliard, representing the applicant SECC Land LLC, told the council the proposal would rezone roughly 27–28 acres for multifamily housing and set aside 83 acres to donate as public parkland. Hilliard said the plan calls for about 322 multifamily units, a limited number of townhomes over retail and “is a substantial downzoning from what the current code allows,” designed to preserve buffers and open space.

The proposal includes a concurrent variance request to exceed a 50-foot height limit on two buildings and a comprehensive development plan amendment. Staff presented the rezoning recommendation as approval, the concurrent variance as denial and the CDP amendment as approval; the planning…