Woodfin planning board unanimously recommends rezoning of Goodman Road lot to R-10

WOODFIN, N.C. — The Town of Woodfin Planning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Aug. 12 to recommend rezoning a 0.47-acre parcel on Goodman Road from Mountain Village to Residential District R-10.

Town Manager Shannon Tuck, filling in for the planning director, told the board the application is a general (straight) rezoning request with no development plan attached. "The request that's before you this evening is what we call a general rezoning, and more specifically, it's the rezoning of a just under 1 half acre property located on Goodman Road, and the rezoning request is to change the zoning designation from Mountain Village to Residential District R 10," Tuck said.

The recommendation matters because staff said the requested R-10 designation is consistent with the town's comprehensive plan and the adopted Future Land Use Map, which both show the area as "Residential 1," a designation intended for modest single-family and small-scale multifamily housing. Tuck said Mountain Village and R-10 carry approximately the same density — about eight units per acre — but differ in form and regulatory flexibility. She described Mountain Village as a planned-community classification better suited to larger parcels, while R-10 is the more traditional single-family subdivision zoning.

Applicant representative Hugh Meenan said the family intends to build a single house. "The type of home that we wanna have built on the property is not approved for Mountain Village than it is for R 10," Meenan said, adding that the parcel "really wouldn't support any more than that anyway. It's just one house."

Tuck and staff identified practical constraints on development: the parcel is accessed from a private portion of Goodman Road, and a power-line or service easement runs along the western edge of the lot, which reduces the buildable area. Staff noted that because the application is a straight rezoning, it does not limit what could be built in the future under the R-10 rules, and no site plan was before the board.

At the hearing the board received no public comments. With a motion on the table, the board conducted a roll-call vote. The planning board recorded unanimous approval: Hanson — approved; Valentine — approved; Deroney — approved; Hopkins — approved; Vihon — approved; Michael Hayes — approved. The written motion stated that the rezoning is "reasonable, is in the public interest, is consistent with the town of Woodfin comprehensive plan, and meets the development needs of the community" and that staff recommended approval.

The planning board's recommendation is advisory. Tuck said the board's order will be prepared and signed, and the item will be forwarded to the town council for final consideration in October. The board also announced a training session for members on Aug. 27.

Votes at a glance: Rezoning — 0.47 acres on Goodman Road (Mountain Village to R-10) — Planning Board of Adjustment recommendation: approved unanimously (6-0). The recommendation will be considered by the Woodfin Town Council at a future meeting.