Planning board recommends approval of Blackwelder preliminary plat with stop‑sign condition

The Town of Harrisburg Planning & Zoning Board on April 21 recommended approval of the Blackwelder Subdivision preliminary plat and asked town council to consider a safety condition adding a fourth stop sign at the Providence Manor intersection.

Matthew Goldman, the town’s senior planner, told the board the by‑right plat proposes 66 single‑family lots on about 55.6 acres — a density of roughly 1.17 dwelling units per acre — and complies with the Unified Development Ordinance. Goldman said the plan includes roadway work to straighten the Blackwelder–Lakeland intersection, enhanced perimeter buffers and a 10‑foot multi‑use path. He said staff’s recommendation is that the board forward the preliminary plat to council with standard conditions requiring all federal, state and local permits, installation or security of public improvements and a development agreement outlining infrastructure commitments.

Residents who live adjacent to the proposed site said the new connection could worsen local congestion, create hazards at existing bus stops and interfere with emergency access on Roberta Road and Providence Manor. "We are a community of 150 homes and we only have one entrance and exit," Rhonda Williams said, describing long waits for emergency vehicles during a January 2025 incident. Several residents asked the board to require stronger buffers, evergreen plantings and clearer commitments about whether a berm or fence would be built.

Mike Wilson, the applicant’s representative, described the property as a century‑old family farm and said the developer reduced the lot count and increased lot sizes after discussion with staff. Wilson said the plan includes a 25‑foot buffer and that the firm will work with staff to refine whether a berm or fence will be used.

Board members pressed staff and the developer about whether NCDOT could add a traffic signal on Roberta Road; staff said the department had reviewed the corridor and indicated a new signal was not feasible at that location because of proximity to existing intersections and signal spacing rules. Staff and the applicant said the new internal connection is intended to give motorists an alternate route and reduce queuing on Roberta at peak times.

After discussion, a board member moved to recommend the Blackwelder preliminary plat (H2025‑12) be forwarded to town council with the additional condition that a fourth stop sign (conversion of the existing three‑way to a four‑way) be added at the intersection of Providence Manor and the adjacent connector (Cammermill Drive/Cammermill Court as labeled in the plan) to improve local safety. The motion passed by voice vote and the case was scheduled for town council on June 8 at 6 p.m.

What happens next: the town council will hold the public hearing and make the final decision on the preliminary plat and the development agreement; construction‑level plans and any required permits would follow only if council approves the project.