Matthews public hearing on 74-unit John Street townhome plan draws months-long continuance after neighbors raise buffer, traffic and design concerns

A rezoning request for 74 townhomes at 1720–1724 East John Street prompted detailed review by staff, sustained public comment from the adjacent Brightmoor neighborhood and substantive questions from commissioners before the board agreed to continue the hearing to March 10.

Town planning staff said the site is about 9.4 acres and would change from R12 to RVS (residential varied styles). The developer, RK Investments, proposes 74 rear‑loaded townhome units (about 7.9 units per acre), a publicly accessible ten‑foot multiuse path along East John Street, amenity spaces and a tree‑save area around an existing pond at the frontage.

The planning presentation and applicant’s designers and attorneys described design changes from earlier sketches — notably a reduced density from a prior 10.2 units per acre concept, reoriented buildings so porches and walkways face internal gathering spaces, a voluntary 25‑foot rear buffer and a six‑foot privacy fence adjacent to Brightmoor, and a commitment to plant larger‑caliper trees in the buffer. RK…