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Spencer board approves annexation and rezoning for 607 Hawkenstown Road amid growth debate
Summary
The Board of Aldermen unanimously approved annexation and rezoning of 607 Hawkenstown Road to allow a 30-lot subdivision; planner Steve Blunt said the project aligns with the town's land-use plan and NCDOT traffic thresholds, while aldermen asked about buffers, lot sizes and property values.
The Spencer Board of Aldermen on July 14 unanimously approved annexation and rezoning for parcel 324052 at 607 Hawkenstown Road, opening the way for a proposed 30-lot single-family subdivision. Town planner Steve Blunt told the board the project's average lot size on the preliminary plan is about 0.184 acres and that the developer has agreed to sidewalks, a playground, paved roads, curb-and-gutter, stormwater controls and additional buffering beyond ordinance requirements.
Blunt said the change from county agriculture to municipal RMST zoning is consistent with the town's comprehensive land-use plan. He also reported NCDOT traffic metrics showing Hawkenstown Road's average daily traffic is well below the statutory threshold that would trigger a formal traffic-impact study or require turn-lane improvements; his estimate for the new subdivision and nearby townhomes is roughly 1,700 new daily movements, short of the 3,000 movement threshold he cited.
Board members sought details on property-value impacts and buffering. "Home values are based on comparable homes," Blunt said, adding that reappraisals are performed by the county and that nearby smaller-lot developments are common in the area. Alderwoman Sledge asked whether the plan included a buffer adjacent to existing houses; Blunt confirmed preliminary plans show a 10-foot Type C buffer and said staff will seek additional buffering in the site-plan review.
The board moved, seconded and approved separate ordinances for annexation (Ordinance 26-07) and rezoning (Ordinance 26-08) and adopted a statement of consistency finding the actions reasonable under North Carolina General Statutes 160D-605. All motions passed unanimously.
Next steps include formal site-plan review, additional engineering checks and the developer's final plan submission; Blunt said the site-plan stage will include required structural and stormwater compliance and implementation of the agreed buffering.
The board's action follows months of neighborhood meetings and public hearings; several residents raised concerns about growth and traffic during prior hearings, and the planner said the town has adjusted plans and added slides and buffering in response to those concerns.
The council action tonight authorizes annexation and rezoning only; construction, final lot sales and homebuilding remain subject to subsequent approvals and permits.
