Lewisville council approves voluntary annexation and rezoning of 5394 Williams Road despite neighborhood objections

Lewisville — The Town of Lewisville unanimously approved the voluntary annexation of 5394 Williams Road and a concurrent rezoning that assigns the parcel to Lewisville Agricultural and Yadkin River Conservation districts, clearing the way for the property’s expansion and municipal permitting.

Council vote and motion: Council adopted ordinance 2025‑022 to extend the town corporate limits to include 5394 Williams Road; the measure passed unanimously after a public hearing. The council then considered the required rezoning for the annexed parcel and approved the request by motion, adopting staff’s consistency and reasonableness statement.

What the annexation and rezoning do: The annexed parcel (tax parcel ID 5885449745) will move from Forsyth County jurisdiction into the town’s limits and receive Lewisville zoning that staff and the planning board described as generally similar to the county’s existing agricultural and Yadkin River conservation districts. Planning staff said about the back third of the 5394 parcel lies within the Yadkin River Conservation zone and that the YR district limits residential density to roughly one dwelling per three acres; agricultural frontage uses on the property are expected to remain agricultural in character under town rules.

Supporters’ pitch

The petitioners and supporters said annexation would let the property owners align with town regulations and be more active participants in the community. Joshua Shore, who identified himself as an owner/operator of West Bend Bar and Venue (the business that occupies the site), said the owners operate a full‑time restaurant and host family‑oriented events. “We just would love to provide a space not only to provide food and live music, but a place for the community together, make memories together,” Shore said during the hearing.

Opposition and concerns

Scores of residents who live along Williams and Shallowford roads urged council to deny the petition. Neighbors emphasized winding roads, limited sight lines and a history of speeding on those rural two‑lane roads; many said they fear alcohol‑related crashes and late‑night noise. Linda Bierman, a longtime resident of Hidden Lake Trail, told council: “What we fear with this annexation and rezoning is the potential for yet another venue serving hard liquor, inviting people from outside the area…after they’ve perhaps been drinking in the dark.” Others cited repeated incidents of loud music, long food waits at events and a lack of bathroom capacity for large crowds.

Public‑safety context and town response

Forsyth County deputy/community policing sergeant P.J. Stringer supplied a two‑year summary for a one‑mile radius around the Williams Road address: roughly 10–15 motor vehicle crashes (including property damage and a small number involving injury), a handful of hit‑and‑run incidents and a few traffic stops. He told council that more intensive impaired‑driving enforcement would come from State Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) if overservice or liquor‑related problems were documented; the sheriff’s office would continue to respond to crashes and complaints.

Town attorney Elliot Fuss confirmed the council has broad discretion to grant voluntary, noncontiguous annexations if the application meets statutory requirements. The clerk had certified that the petition met the sufficiency rules, and the planning board had voted unanimously on July 9, 2025 to recommend approval of the rezoning.

Council rationale

Council members said they were weighing two competing concerns: neighbors’ safety and quality‑of‑life worries, and the town’s long‑term interest in applying local standards to property that could otherwise be developed under county rules. Several council members flagged the county’s inconsistent approach to rural zoning and said losing the opportunity to apply Louisville’s rules could create greater development risk in future years. One council member summarized: if property is going to be developed, the town preferred to bring it inside municipal jurisdiction so Louisville’s standards would apply.

Mitigation and enforcement

Town staff and the petitioner discussed operational mitigation: the venue’s owners said they hire parking attendants and will use portable restroom units for large events, and that staff and managers hold ServSafe/Responsible‑service training. The town noted that annexation places the property under town ordinances (noise, sign and special‑event permitting) and that ALE and law enforcement remain available for overservice or impaired‑driving enforcement.

Key clarifying details

- Parcel: tax ID 5885449745, street address 5394 Williams Road. - Distance to prior contiguous town limit: staff GIS measurement showed ~2.5 miles (the property is within the 3‑mile statutory limit for satellite annexation). - Zoning after annexation: Lewisville Agricultural and Lewisville Yadkin River Conservation (YR), which generally limits residential lots in the YR district to about one dwelling per three acres.

Outcome and next steps

The council approved the annexation ordinance (2025‑022) and the rezoning request (motion adopted based on staff’s consistency statement). The property is now inside the town limits; future changes, building permits, or special events will be subject to town permitting procedures. Council and staff said they will monitor noise, traffic and any enforcement referrals to ALE and Forsyth County authorities if problems arise.

Council vote: annexation and rezoning passed unanimously.