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Neighbors oppose 34‑unit East John Street townhomes plan, citing traffic and brownfield concerns; applicant says walkable downtown housing fits land‑use map
Summary
Brookchase Properties proposed 34 townhomes for a 1.36‑acre parcel at 409 East John Street; neighbors raised traffic and safety concerns and flagged a nearby brownfield parcel. The application will proceed to the planning board.
Brookchase Properties presented a rezoning application for Buckley Terrace (409 East John Street), a 1.36‑acre site where the developer proposes 34 townhomes. Staff described the site as “downtown adjacent” under Envision Matthews policy and said the development includes sidewalks on East John and East Charles, 68 garage spaces and on‑street parking.
Bridget Grant, the applicant’s land‑use consultant, told the board the product is for sale and emphasized walkability: “This plan reflects the developments team's commitment to quality development and that partnership,” she said. The applicant provided conceptual elevations and said units would be 16 feet wide with three stories.
Several neighboring residents said they were unaware of the application until recently and raised safety and traffic concerns. Bobby Dishinger, who lives across the street, said he is “not real thrilled with the idea of townhomes and multifamily right there” and told the board the site “already had a traffic issue.” Aubrey Moiamendez Trotter, who lives three houses down, said safety on East John is a daily worry and that she learned of the proposal only when neighbors alerted her.
Commissioners and staff discussed site details including tree preservation (staff noted the plan preserves the required 8% tree canopy), building height (up to 45 feet), and a recent inquiry about whether a property across the street is a brownfield. Town staff confirmed the parcel at 433 East John is listed in DEQ records as a brownfield that has undergone prior investigation tied to solvent releases; staff said remediation and redevelopment are possible but typically require site‑level environmental testing.
The planning‑board process will continue; the public hearing was closed and the item will return to the board on May 12 after planning board review.
Ending: No final rezoning vote was taken. Staff and the applicant will work through planning board review and environmental questions before returning with a recommendation.
