Kernersville aldermen approve land-use amendment and rezoning for 336-unit Hillpoint apartment project amid planning-board objections

Kernersville aldermen voted to amend the town's development plan and rezone a 21.02-acre parcel north of Kernersville Medical Parkway at Brookford Road to allow a multifamily development of about 336 units proposed by Hillpoint.

The council approved an alternate, PIN‑specific motion to amend the Kernersville development plan from Business Center to High‑Density Residential (KDP 82) on a 4‑1 vote and then adopted the rezoning (case K833). The rezoning moves the property from RS20 (single‑family residential, 20,000 sq ft lots) to RM18C (multifamily conditional), clearing the way for the applicant's site plan.

Why it mattered: Town staff and the planning board both recommended denial, saying the requested change departs from the I‑40/NC‑66 northeast quadrant small‑area plan that envisioned office, research and corporate park uses for the corridor. Ms. Garner, town planning staff, told aldermen the amendment and rezoning would make it harder for adjacent parcels to fulfill the business‑center objective and that the request "does not further the land use plan goal of developing to accommodate a wide variety of employment uses such as office, research, and corporate park".

What the applicant said: Pamela Thompson, Hillpoint's director of external affairs, said the project would produce approximately 336 high‑quality workforce housing units near major medical employers. "We are requesting a reszone from RS20 to RM18C for 336 high‑quality workforce housing units," Thompson said, adding the proposal meets UDO and overlay requirements and includes amenities and open space. Marcus Weedau, a Hillpoint representative, framed the development as serving essential workers and the "missing middle" between subsidized housing and luxury products.

Traffic, access and safety: Staff flagged traffic and access as concerns. The town's review cited a TIA that produced trip-generation estimates; when compared to the applicant's figures staff described an additional 236 daily trips attributable to the proposal and expressed concern about line‑of‑sight limitations at the Brookford Road and Kernersville Medical Parkway intersection. Resident Anne Johnson urged the council to require the developer to pay for any necessary improvements and raised worries about emergency access for more than 300 future residents.

Fire and code compliance: The town noted the proposed driveway slope off Kernersville Medical Parkway measures about 7.8%, just under the state fire‑code maximum of 8%. Council required that, if rezoning is approved, the developer must provide a sealed, signed as‑built exhibit and a certification prior to issuance of the first certificate of occupancy to confirm the access driveway meets the fire‑code standard so emergency response equipment can reach the site.

Planning context and votes: Ms. Garner reported the May Planning Board hearing was a close vote and that staff recommended denial. Despite that recommendation, the Board of Aldermen adopted the land‑use plan amendment (alternate, PIN‑based language) and approved the rezoning; the land‑use amendment passed 4‑1, and the rezoning vote was recorded by the clerk (tally not specified in the transcript). The rezoning approval is subject to the conditions and plan elements presented to the council.

What happens next: The applicant will proceed to development‑plan review and permitting, including the required engineering certifications and any conditions the council placed on the rezoning. The town will require the driveway certification before issuing certificates of occupancy.

Sources: Public hearing presentations and council discussion during the Board of Aldermen meeting; planning staff report and applicant comments.