Weddington planning board recommends tougher submission standards for development applications

The Weddington planning board on Monday voted unanimously to recommend that the town council adopt a package of changes to Appendix 2B of the town’s Unified Development Ordinance that would raise upfront application requirements for new development and require a full tree inventory at the time of planning-board review.

The recommendation follows months of subcommittee work and a public workshop. Greg (town planner) told the board the rewrite replaces the old three-column matrix with a schematic-plan–focused matrix intended to clarify the level of detail applicants must submit early in the process. "This does increase the requirements for providing an application to the town of Weddington," Greg said. Vice Chairman Rusty told members the planning board’s jurisdiction properly begins at the schematic level: "The zoning and planning board jurisdiction starts at the schematic level. We're the first hurdle in the process of permitting a project."

Why it matters: The change shifts more technical work and documentation earlier in the review process — schematic plans rather than loose "sketch plans" — with the goal of giving board members and residents clearer, more consistent information about lot layout, tree impacts, stormwater, utility easements and septic or sewer footprints before projects advance. The amendment would require a complete tree inventory to be available at planning-board review and adds clarity about what the board will expect on site plans and existing conditions.

Board discussion focused on where the town can and should ask for details it does not directly regulate, especially septic-system and soil information. Resident Chad Emai, speaking during public comments, urged the board to keep Union County Environmental Health review and to require perc testing, arguing that "the only way to truly validate the location of the septic fields and size is to have them perk tested." Board members debated whether requiring detailed soil/permit documentation up front would be an undue cost for applicants or whether schematic-level submissions should at least show proposed septic field locations so the board can assess tree and setback impacts.

The board also agreed to preserve existing open-space percentages for now: members confirmed that the current 10% minimum open space standard would remain unchanged as the D917 series is further refined. For a separate pending amendment (text amendment 2025-4, changes to Section D917), the board broadly recommended the restructuring but voted to table a specific subsection related to conventional non-residential requirements to allow further analysis.

Members discussed process mechanics as well: staff confirmed completeness checks would still be performed and that the planning board — not staff alone — must state on the record when it deems an application complete. The planner reminded members that some technical approvals (for example, septic system certification or NCDEQ reviews) are granted by other agencies and that those agencies’ processes are often the controlling authority for soil or septic suitability.

Greg said the amendments will move to town council in July; he thanked volunteers and staff for their role drafting the changes. The board closed with general comments of appreciation and a unanimous motion to adjourn.

What happens next: The planning board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the town council for public hearing and final action. If adopted by council, applicants should expect to provide more detailed schematic-level information — including a tree inventory — earlier in the entitlement process.