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Planning board approves a set of UDO text amendments, tables a workshop on conservation rules
Summary
The board voted to recommend several Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text amendments for council consideration, approved changes to conditional rezoning references, private-road/gatehouse language and a neighborhood-green requirement (D917B passed 2-1), and tabled further discussion on D917E until an April workshop for final policy alignment with council.
The Weddington Town Planning Board on Feb. 23 reviewed and acted on a bundle of proposed amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance intended to clarify conditional rezoning references and design requirements.
Greg, planning staff, explained the package of text amendments prepared for council consideration and said the goal is to batch changes so applicants are not subject to shifting text while their applications are pending. The board approved an amendment (2026-1/D607C) updating a defunct code cross-reference to point to D917B and to reference a new Table 8D exhibit that visually defines open-space priorities.
The board also voted to revise D917A so that gate and private-road design elements would be submitted as part of Exhibit 2B at conditional-zoning application time (removing "to the greatest extent feasible" language) rather than as a later follow-up item.
A separate amendment, D917B, would make a neighborhood green mandatory for conservation residential developments (with minimum area guidance); the board debated whether such greens should be credited against open-space requirements and whether the green must be located in primary conservation land. After discussion the motion to recommend D917B to council passed on a 2-1 vote.
A minor typographic edit to D917E (removing a duplicate "basement" reference) was approved as presented.
Workshop and next steps
Board members said they want clearer policy direction from the town council on whether steep slopes, floodplains and hydric soils should ever appear on buildable lots or be treated as primary open space. Because the board expects a new member to be sworn in in March, members agreed to schedule a work session in April to run scenarios and finalize draft text once council policy is clarified.
