Kernersville aldermen deny Brookford Village rezoning after residents raise flooding, traffic concerns

The Kernersville Board of Aldermen on Sept. 24 unanimously denied a proposed amendment to the town's land-use plan (zoning docket KDP76) and a related conditional rezoning (zoning docket K791A1) for a proposed 181-unit development east of Brookford Road and south of Interstate 40.

The proposal, presented by Keystone Group representatives, sought to change a portion of the town's extraterritorial jurisdiction from low-density residential (RS-20) to medium-density residential (RM-5) and to approve a conditional use site plan for townhouses and twin homes. Community development staff said the site plan had been revised to move development out of the mapped floodplain and to reduce the unit count to 181 from 184. Catherine Garner, the town's community development staff member, told the board the proposal fits the RM-5 definition (0'7 units per acre) and that the submitted plan uses a high-density stormwater option and provides buffer yards to adjacent properties.

Neighbors and area residents told aldermen they opposed rezoning because the site and surrounding tributaries flood repeatedly, and because Brookford Road is narrow and sees crashes. Resident Eric Compton showed photos and video the board heard had been taken during recent storms and said portions of the area have flooded several times in recent years. Rick Hall, another nearby…