Kernersville aldermen approve annexation, development plan and rezoning for 15-acre Brookford site over staff objection

KERNERSVILLE — The Town of Kernersville Board of Aldermen on [date not specified in the transcript] approved a voluntary annexation (contingent on related approvals), a change to the Kernersville development plan (KDP 72) and a rezoning (zoning docket K823) that will allow a mixed-use project on a roughly 15-acre parcel at Kernersville Medical Parkway and Brookford Road. The three votes on the annexation, the development plan and the rezoning passed by 3-1.

The approvals will permit two commercial buildings in front of a four‑story residential building on the site and a range of commercial and residential uses under a General Business Conditional (GBC) zoning requested by the applicant. Town planning staff recommended denying the land‑use change and rezoning, saying the proposal conflicts with the town’s I‑40/NC‑66 Interchange Northeast Quadrant small area plan and the Unified Development Ordinance; the Planning Board recommended conditional approval subject to the applicant’s site plan and conditions.

Why it matters: The parcel is currently shown on the town’s land‑use maps as Business Center — a designation the small area plan intended for office, corporate park or industrial uses because of interstate visibility and access. Approving the change to Commercial and the conditional GBC zoning allows multifamily housing and limited commercial uses in a corridor town staff and the small‑area plan had intended for nonresidential employment uses. The town previously used roughly $5,521,405 from its sewer tax differential fund to build Kernersville Medical Parkway and a sewer extension that enabled development of this parcel; staff told the board the proposed product is less likely to generate the same type of ad valorem revenue the town expected under the original plan.

Staff presentation and recommendation

Catherine Garner, Kernersville community development director, told the board the KDP amendment would change the site designation from Business Center to Commercial and that the site lies inside the I‑40/NC‑66 Interchange Northeast Quadrant small area plan. Garner said the small area plan “was intended for corporate park and industrial type land uses because of the visibility and access from the interstate.” She summarized staff analysis that the proposed mixed‑use development is not within the original intent for the area and said, “Staff’s recommendation was denial of the resolution to change the designation of the properties … from business center to commercial.”

Garner noted technical site details included in the staff report: the proposal sits within the West Fork of the Deep River watershed; the proposed grading for a stormwater pond would result in 35.5% of the floodplain being graded/filled; the overall built‑upon area is shown at about 45.6%; and the town previously used roughly $5.5 million from a sewer tax differential fund to construct the Medical Parkway/sewer extension that benefits this parcel. She told the board the town entered an agreement intended to recoup that investment through ad valorem taxation of benefited properties.

What the applicant proposed

Amanda Williams, representing BSC Holdings (applicant/agent), described the proposal as a three‑building development with two commercial buildings facing Kernersville Medical Parkway and a four‑story residential building behind them. Williams said the residential building is proposed at 60 feet and that the applicant’s materials describe the site as “a type of development that Kernersville has never seen” and a product aimed at medical employees, retirees and others wanting proximity to medical services. “We pride ourselves on building first class communities,” Williams said, describing prior local projects the company owns and operates.

Barry Siegel, who identified himself with the applicant team and ownership interests, told the board the project would provide an alternative to older garden‑style apartments and argued it would stimulate complementary development on the parkway. He also presented fiscal estimates: “This project will add approximately $40,000,000 to Kernersville’s tax base,” and, using current millage, said that could generate roughly $250,000 a year in town tax revenue (he attributed the estimate to current mills and Forsyth County valuation practice).

Public input and neighborhood comments

Speakers at the public hearing who identified themselves in favor included project representatives and several long‑time area residents. Robert (last name not specified in the transcript) and Dave Faup, both residents with property near the parcel, spoke in favor; Faup said he owns nearby property and that he would like to see development along the parkway. No proponents registered to speak on the annexation specifically; no opponents spoke during the hearings recorded in the transcript.

Board action and motions

The board first opened a public hearing on the annexation (agenda item 1A). Mayor Pro Tem Thompson moved to approve the annexation contingent on approval of the development plan and rezoning; Alderman Gorham seconded. The motion carried 3‑1.

On the Kernersville development plan (KDP 72) the board received a motion from Alderman Apple to approve the plan contingent upon approval of the rezoning; Mayor Pro Tem Thompson seconded. That motion passed 3‑1.

On the rezoning (zoning docket K823) the board voted to approve the conditional General Business rezoning and the conditions recommended in the Planning Board report; the motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Thompson with a second by Alderman Apple and passed 3‑1. The approval included the site plan and the conditions presented at Planning Board; staff’s original recommendation to deny remained part of the record.

What the approvals do and next steps

The approvals clear the way for the applicant to pursue required civil construction plans and other permitting. Barry Siegel told the board the applicant anticipates the permitting and approval steps will take about a year before building can start. The approvals do not change the town’s written policies; they change the official zoning and the land‑use designation for the specific parcels involved.

Details from the record

- Parcel area: described in the staff presentation as “just over 15 acres.” - Buildings proposed: two commercial buildings fronting Kernersville Medical Parkway and a four‑story residential building behind them (residential building shown at a proposed height of 60 feet). - Parking: applicant proposed 470 parking spaces across the three buildings. - Recreation area: applicant’s site plan shows a required common recreation area including a 36,000‑square‑foot pool area; a dog park parcel just under 3,000 square feet was also shown as an on‑site amenity. - Environmental/site notes: proposed pond grading would affect roughly 35.5% of mapped floodplain on the site; built‑upon area displayed as about 45.6% in staff materials.

Closing detail

With the three related votes passing 3‑1, the town’s land‑use map and zoning for the parcels will be updated consistent with the adopted motions. Staff retained a formal record of its analysis and recommended denial, and the Planning Board’s conditional approval and the applicant’s site plan and declarations are now part of the approval package. The applicant said it expects roughly a year of permitting and approvals before construction would begin.

Votes at a glance

- Annexation (agenda item 1A) — Motion to approve annexation contingent on approval of development plan and rezoning. Moved: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; second: Alderman Gorham. Outcome: approved, 3‑1 (names of individual yes/no voters not specified in the transcript). - Kernersville Development Plan (KDP 72) — Motion to approve the development plan contingent on rezoning approval. Moved: Alderman Apple; second: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson. Outcome: approved, 3‑1 (tally from meeting record). - Rezoning (zoning docket K823) — Motion to approve rezoning from RS‑20 to General Business Conditional (GBC) with Planning Board conditions and submitted site plan. Mover: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; second: Alderman Apple. Outcome: approved, 3‑1.

Ending

The board’s decision alters the future permitted uses for the immediate Medical Parkway corridor and shifts the parcel’s official designation away from the small‑area‑plan’s envisioned office/industrial uses toward a mixed residential/commercial outcome on property the town helped make buildable via the Medical Parkway sewer extension. The record contains staff analysis opposing the change and Planning Board minutes showing conditional approval; implementation steps including civil construction plans and permitting are next for the applicant.