Council approves Beckingham stormwater amendment after debate on ponds, tree loss and downstream impact

WEDDINGTON — After extensive technical review and public comment, the Weddington Town Council on June 9 approved an amendment to the Beckingham conditional‑zoning approval that lets the developer pursue a North Carolina low‑impact stormwater strategy instead of building engineered detention ponds — provided several conditions are met, including a maintenance agreement for a downstream culvert.

Tom Waters of Provident Land told the council the parcel contains substantial floodplain and mature tree cover and that a conventional high‑density stormwater approach would require extensive mass grading and swales that would remove hundreds of trees. "This low density option allows us to save over 300 large trees on the site—70 of which are heritage trees," Waters said, noting the project team will use level spreaders, grass swales, double silt fence during construction and a 5,000‑gallon rainwater harvesting tank at each home for irrigation.

Planning staff and town consultant Bob Wilson said they reviewed the developer's downstream impact analysis and hydrologic modeling. Wilson described his review as initially skeptical but said the analysis showed the subdivision comprises a small fraction of the overall watershed and the predicted 100‑year flood‑stage increase at the most affected culvert was modest; he recommended a targeted downstream easement and maintenance agreement. "When I looked at the culvert downstream, it was completely blocked," Wilson said; he supported the condition that the developer obtain a maintenance and drainage easement and a legal maintenance agreement with the affected property owner.

Nearby property owners spoke both for and against the amendment. Ivan Merritt, whose property sits adjacent to the development, urged the council to hold the developer to the original plan if the alternative risked raising downstream flood elevations; other neighbors said they preferred avoiding heavily engineered ponds and mass grading.

The planning board recommended unanimous approval of the amendment contingent on notification of impacted property owners and an agreement to maintain the downstream 30‑inch culvert at Hidden Haven Trail; council included that language in its motion and approved the amendment unanimously.

The amendment includes several required measures: an on‑site jurisdictional wetlands delineation, stormwater management to the town engineer's standards, no lots within the existing pond, rainwater harvesting for irrigation, and deed‑restricted impervious cover caps and HOA maintenance obligations to ensure long‑term compliance.