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Developer presents mixed-use PD for Lovers Lane; neighbors press for limits on noise, trucks and lighting
Summary
A developer asked to rezone about 39.2 acres at Lovers Lane and University Drive to allow retail (Rooms To Go), office/warehouse and a new 'cottage logistics' use. Neighbors raised concerns about noise, truck access, lighting and wetlands; the commission tabled the rezoning to Aug. 4 for additional HOA coordination and technical follow-up.
Town staff summarized a plan to rezone roughly 39.2 acres on the northeast corner of Lovers Lane and University Drive from PD-27 to a new planned development with three tracks: a retail/restaurant track with Rooms To Go identified as a potential anchor, an office/warehouse track and a small-bay "cottage logistics" track for artisan and maker spaces.
Taylor Mitcham, the applicant's representative, emphasized the project would include open space, a 10-foot hike-and-bike trail along a new Richland Boulevard right-of-way, preserved tree lines and a buffer between residential properties and the new buildings. "We're not touching that pond," Mitcham said when describing how the on-site jurisdictional wetlands and stream would be incorporated into the open-space plan. Mitcham also described smaller, shallow buildings for Tracks 2 and 3 intended for tenants that combine showroom/office and light storage rather than large distribution uses.
Residents from Willow Ridge, Saddle Creek and La Cima pressed the applicant and staff on noise and operating hours for roll-up garage doors, the visual and light impacts of 40–50-foot building heights, drainage into neighborhood ponds and whether the project would force truck traffic onto Richland and Lovers. David Saint Romaine, who lives directly behind the proposed Track 3 area, said he was roughly "55, 60 feet" from the proposed roll-up doors and worried about night-time operations and noise.
Staff and the applicant committed to additional studies and to work with the HOA on access, drainage and screening. Traffic consultant Michael Carlo (Kimley-Horn) said truck trip generation modeled for smaller tenants estimated very limited truck trips per peak hour for typical cottage-logistics users—"about six trips in a peak hour" for certain truck movements—while noting a formal traffic impact analysis may be required later. After extended public comment and commissioner questions, the commission voted 7-0 to table the case and continue the public hearing at the August 4 meeting so the applicant can meet with the HOA and produce requested technical follow-up.
Why it matters: The rezoning would introduce new commercial and industrial-adjacent uses directly south of existing neighborhoods; the outcome will determine building heights, permitted uses and operational conditions including lighting, hours and screening.
