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Board delays vote on proposed 104‑room extended‑stay Residence Inn near I‑485; commissioners press for design and stormwater changes
Summary
The commissioners continued a rezoning request for a 104‑room extended‑stay hotel at 7903 Council Place to March 10, 2025, after staff and board members pressed the applicant for stronger stormwater controls, clearer limits on extended stays, and changes to building elevations visible from I‑485.
The Town of Matthews Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 continued the public hearing for zoning application 2024800, a request to rezone 2.73 acres at 7903 Council Place to allow a 104‑room extended‑stay hotel (Residence Inn by Marriott). The board voted 5–1 to continue the item to March 10, 2025; Commissioner Ken McCool recorded the lone vote in opposition.
Why it matters: The property sits adjacent to I‑485 and a self‑storage site and had been previously proposed for a smaller building. Residents and several commissioners pressed the applicant and staff to tighten stormwater controls, clarify maximum length‑of‑stay rules, and revise exterior materials and roof massing because the north‑facing elevations will be visible from the highway.
Key facts and commitments - Proposal: Rezone from B‑1 CD to B‑3 CD to permit a hotel up to 50 feet and four stories; applicant proposes a 104‑room extended‑stay hotel and later confirmed the brand would be a Residence Inn by Marriott. - Changes since last meeting: The applicant reduced the building footprint from an earlier version, eliminated a proposed pickleball court, increased preserved tree canopy to 12% (with a 3% payment‑in‑lieu), added an interior lobby and extra meeting/fitness space and committed to a pool and grilling area. - Length‑of‑stay: The applicant offered a conditional note capping consecutive occupancy at 30 days for this project to address conflicts in the UDO between standard hotels and extended‑stay definitions. - Stormwater and traffic: Staff said the applicant has revised the stormwater outfall location to avoid discharging to adjacent property; commissioners asked whether measures could exceed minimum town standards and sought a clearer maintenance plan. - Public safety data: Interim Police Chief Penny Dunn provided a hotels–focused crime data summary to the board; she told commissioners, “A call for service covers everything from a criminal act to someone just needing assistance.”
What commissioners asked for: Commissioners recommended the applicant refine the building’s rear elevation (the side visible from I‑485) so it reads more like the front, consider higher stormwater management standards or larger underground capacity, and tighten any ambiguous extended‑stay language to limit potential long‑term occupancy abuses.
Votes and next steps: Commissioner Richard Tufano moved to continue the hearing to March 10, 2025; Commissioner John Urban seconded. The motion passed 5–1 (McCool opposed). The applicant said the team would work with staff to refine elevations and stormwater details and return with updated plans.
Speakers in this item included planning staff Rob, applicant representatives John Carmichael and Hemel Badiani (Sage Equity), architect Donald Edward, interim Chief Penny Dunn and commissioners; the continuation preserves public comment opportunities at the March hearing.
