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Residents tell commissioners they are "tired of development," raise runoff and developer conduct concerns
Summary
Two residents urged the Davie County Board of Commissioners to push back on growth and to investigate alleged misconduct by a developer; one resident said she has contacted the EPA and a water lawyer about runoff and other impacts while others urged the board to set development standards that municipalities will follow.
Multiple residents used the public-comment period at the March 2 Davie County commission meeting to press elected officials on local development and related impacts.
Kevin Boker told commissioners he wanted the board to lead on growth and development policy and said a parcel at Sanford Avenue and Valley Road that previously had a single dwelling now has three, an example he said of local change he wants the board to address. He urged the commissioners to set the tone so municipalities will follow county expectations on development.
Jennifer Boger said she had discovered what she described as "crooked" behavior by a developer and said there were rumors that people "in cahoots" with that developer were pushing projects forward. She said residents are "tired of development" and concerned about rising taxes and infrastructure burdens. Boger said she has contacted the Environmental Protection Agency and a water attorney to explore options related to runoff and other impacts; she told the board that some neighbors are selling and moving because they cannot tolerate construction impacts.
Boger asked the board to "stand up and help us" and said landowners have rights but that homeowners facing runoff and other side effects lack effective remedies without legal help. Commissioners acknowledged the comments; several later referenced the difficulty of balancing property rights with quality-of-life concerns during commissioner comments.
The board did not take immediate action on the concerns during the meeting; commissioners discussed the broader need to craft policies that protect rural character while respecting property rights and noted that recent state-level changes have made ordinance amendments more difficult.
