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Weddington council delays rezoning for proposed subdivision, asks developer for yield calculation and green-space plan
Summary
The Weddington Town Council voted to table a conditional rezoning application for a proposed subdivision after members said staff and the packet lacked a definitive calculation of net buildable acreage and that questions remained about tree preservation and a neighborhood green; the council asked the developer to return within about 30 days with a yield calculation and clarified tree/green expectations.
Weddington — The Town Council on an unspecified meeting date delayed action on a conditional zoning application for a proposed subdivision after members said they did not have the information needed to confirm how much of the parcel is legally buildable under the town's Unified Development Ordinance.
Council members repeatedly told the applicant and staff they needed a clear, numerical yield calculation identifying total acreage, acreage in the floodplain and acreage in slopes over 25 degrees. Without that calculation, members said, they could not confirm whether the site supports the applicant's proposed 12 lots or should be reduced to 11 or fewer.
"All I want is some information," one council member said during a lengthy exchange. Council members also said packet maps focused on large heritage trees and omitted sizable non-heritage trees (greater than 8 inches in diameter) that council members want to see represented so they can assess tree-protection measures.
Why it matters: The yield calculation affects whether the UDO's net-acreage rules and conservation requirements (including neighborhood green area) permit the number of lots the developer says are economically necessary. Council members said they were particularly concerned that drip-line and setback rules can make it effectively impossible to preserve certain heritage trees if building pads, utilities or roadways encroach on root protection zones.
What the applicant said: The applicant's representative said the project has substantial costs tied to tree preservation and stormwater — including a retention pond and measures to protect root systems — and that the project financials are strained if the lot count drops below 12. The applicant asked the council to weigh the amount of work already completed to save trees and urged members to consider whether sending the application back would simply re-open the same questions.
What the council decided: A motion to table the application for roughly 30 days — until the next council meeting — carried. Council members instructed staff and the applicant to provide a straight calculation of total acreage and acreage excluded from development because of floodplain, steep slopes and other UDO exclusions; they also asked for clearer mapping of non-heritage trees and a specific plan for the proposed neighborhood green. The motion carried with the vote recorded in the meeting transcript as three in favor and one opposed.
Next steps: The council asked staff to return with the yield calculation and clearer maps and asked the developer to respond to the tree- and green-space concerns. The application will return to the council for further consideration at the scheduled follow-up meeting.
