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Commission conditionally recommends Parkway Corners master plan after staff asks for more detail
Summary
The commission recommended conditional approval of the Parkway Corners initial master plan for the Buckwalter PUD with three conditions: updated will‑serve letters, a narrative addressing Section 5.88 (including internal site‑planning standards), and demonstration of the PUD’s 10% open space requirement (wetlands excluded). The motion passed unanimously.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend conditional approval of the Parkway Corners initial master plan, a 114.55‑acre proposal within the Buckwalter planned unit development that includes commercial mixed‑use and medical/commercial acreage and identifies a Novant medical site.
Town staff told commissioners three review criteria need additional information: consistency with the Buckwalter PUD concept plan (in particular a future realignment of Bluffton Parkway noted in the PUD), sufficient detail to assess compatibility of land uses and circulation, and updated analysis or will‑serve letters confirming the site can be served by public utilities and transportation. Staff recommended three conditions if the commission were to forward a recommendation to council.
Nathan Long, representing the applicant’s consultant team, said the applicant supports planning for the future realignment but asked the commission not to let the lack of a current right‑of‑way or funding stall the master plan. He said the applicant will provide updated will‑serve letters and a narrative to address detailed site‑planning standards. "We would like to move forward a 100%," Long said.
After discussion about the appropriate level of specificity at the initial master‑plan stage — including debate about whether lot sizes, setbacks and internal standards should be spelled out now or deferred until development plans — commissioners moved to recommend conditional approval. The conditions adopted by the commission require the applicant to provide updated will‑serve letters, an updated narrative that addresses Section 5.88 (including proposed internal site‑planning standards such as typical lot sizes, widths, setbacks and buffers), and confirmation that the initial master plan complies with the PUD’s 10% open‑space requirement exclusive of wetlands.
The recommendation will go to Town Council for first and second readings per the annexation/master‑plan schedule; staff and the applicant will coordinate the narrative updates and will‑serve documentation prior to council consideration.
