Council approves rezoning for Gateway Crossing with traffic-study, access and utility conditions

The Blue Ridge City Council voted to approve a rezoning request that will allow construction of a commercial development called the Gateway Crossing, subject to multiple conditions including a traffic study focused on the proposed Ada Street entrance.

The rezoning approval followed a second public hearing and testimony from the applicant and the development authority. A representative for the development authority told the council the effort is intended to bolster the county’s economy and said the authority would fund a traffic study related to the Ada Street entrance. Will Cob of Wilco Development said he is buying about 35 acres from the Pitman family and a small corner from Mr. McNell and described plans for two commercial outlets and a roadway connecting to Ada Street. “So what we’re here for tonight is I’m buying 35 acres from the Pitman family,” Cob said.

Council discussion focused on access, traffic impacts and infrastructure. Council members asked whether the Ada Street connector would be a through road and about design standards; Cob and his team said the access would be a two-lane curved road with gutters and guardrail and that they have obtained GDOT permits for two entrances. The council and staff made clear they expect formal engineering and permitting before development proceeds.

City attorney Chuck Connory summarized the conditions that will accompany the rezoning: the developer must submit a utility plan (water and wastewater) adequate for city review; any necessary upgrades and extensions of utilities will be paid for by the applicant and must be permitted, inspected and accepted by the city; all water and sewer impact fees must be paid prior to issuance of building permits; the developer must submit a traffic study showing proposed ingress and egress points, impacts and mitigation recommendations (the study must address planned expansion of State Route 5 and intersections with local roads including Ada Street); the Ada Street access road shall be restricted to the Gateway Crossing project and any future connections will require city council approval; the developer must obtain all required state and city permits for any points of ingress or egress; and the developer must construct a sidewalk along the access road meeting city standards and comply with landscaping requirements. “The motion would be to approve the rezoning subject to the following conditions,” Connory said while reading the staff conditions.

The staff report and the planning and zoning commission both recommended approval with conditions; the council voted ‘all in favor’ and the motion passed. The council also narrowed the allowable uses in the C2 district for the subject parcels to a subset of community commercial uses listed in the conditions, including retail, restaurants, offices and assembly-type uses.

Next steps required by the council include the submission and city acceptance of the traffic study and utility plans and issuance of any required permits. The developer said the project is expected to move through design and permitting with a construction timeline that could extend into 2027 before opening.