Garner planning commission recommends rezoning 8.32 acres on U.S. 401 to commercial mixed-use

The Garner Planning Commission on Feb. 10 voted 6-1 to recommend that Town Council approve a conditional rezoning of about 8.32 acres at 7509 Fayetteville Road (U.S. 401) from R-4 conditional residential to Commercial Mixed Use (CMX-C317 conditional).

The commission's recommendation follows staff's finding of a 'strong level of consistency' with the town's adopted growth framework and land-use plan, and it sends the request to council for a final decision.

The rezoning case, filed as CZ240003 and continued from the planning commission's Jan. 13 meeting, would cover two parcels on the eastbound side of U.S. 401. The applicant's filing initially listed a broad set of permitted commercial uses; the team reduced that list from about 33 uses to 32 and removed 'convenience store with fuel sales' as a permitted use. Neil Ghosh, an attorney with Morningstar Law Group representing the applicant, said, "We have removed convenience store with fuel sales as a permitted use." Ghosh and developer representatives said they left self-storage among the possible uses.

Developer Danny Copeland of RST Development told the commission the team has marketed the parcels for more than a year and has seen limited interest to date. Copeland described local development activity he said will drive future demand: the under-construction Taren at 401 apartments (about 251 units), the…