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Commissioners approve White Street mixed‑use rezoning 3–2 after developer agrees to bury power line
Summary
A conditional rezoning for a mixed‑use project on North White Street passed 3–2 after the developer agreed to bury an overhead power line and accept a reduced one‑time payment for safety improvements; commissioners raised concerns about traffic and study data.
The Board of Commissioners approved a conditional district rezoning for 3.93 acres on North White Street (case RZ 2404) by a 3–2 vote after staff reported two updated conditions and the developer agreed to bury an overhead power line along the property frontage.
Planning staffer Tim Richards told commissioners the applicant had provided an updated conditions letter with two changes from an earlier draft. Condition 9 now requires the developer to bury the existing overhead power line on the North White Street frontage in accordance with the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) before a certificate of occupancy is issued; Richards cited UDO section 6.3 as the relevant requirement. Condition 12 reduced a previously proposed $20,000 one‑time payment for transportation safety measures at Royal Mill Avenue and North White Street to $5,000; staff told commissioners that, based on an engineering estimate, a high‑visibility crosswalk could likely be installed for under $1,000.
Tamara Wakeman, representing the applicant, said the owner had approved the updated conditions and that the team had tried to address feedback from planning staff and commissioners. She said the project is intended to attract "community friendly" ground-floor businesses — restaurants, coffee shops and service businesses — with residences above and that the plan allows 8% affordable housing.
Public commenters raised concerns about the site. Margaret Watkins said the developer and town were getting a valuable site and questioned whether the reduced safety payment and the absence of other intersection improvements provided sufficient public benefit. Wynn Baum, representing a nearby church developing property across the street, spoke in favor of the project and said his congregation supported it.
Commissioners debated traffic impacts and the age of the traffic study for the proposal; one commissioner said the proximity of two entrances near Flaherty Road was a concern and noted the traffic study appeared outdated. Another commissioner praised the developer for agreeing to bury the power lines and for including the affordable housing component.
When the board voted, the motion to approve passed 3–2; Commissioners Cross and Slowinski were recorded as voting no. The rezoning approval includes the stated conditions: burial of the existing overhead power line per UDO requirements, the $5,000 one‑time payment for transportation safety measures to be implemented by the town, and the conditional district provisions as presented.
Wake EMC provided a cost estimate to the developer of approximately $91,000 to bury the utility lines, which the applicant cited when negotiating the conditions. Planning staff and the developer said the reduced payment amount reflects a balancing of project impacts, utility relocation costs and the town’s ability to deliver intersection improvements.
The board’s decision allows the developer to proceed under the approved conditional district standards; follow‑on permitting, engineering review and any additional traffic mitigation will be handled through the town’s standard plan‑review process.
