BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Planning Commission voted 3-2 Monday night for a recommendation of denial for the annexation of 315.75 residentially zoned acres. That vote also included a recommendation of denial for the high-density (R-5) rezoning of that property as well as for a 61.26-acre property that is already in the town. The two properties (totaling 377 acres) lie between and border Fulmer and Mount Valley roads. Without accounting for infrastructure and open space, Blythewood’s R-5 zoning allows 8.71 homes per acre or about 3,000 homes total on 377 acres.
Town hall staff provided the planning commission a motion to read calling for a vote to recommend approval of the annexation and rezonings “with conditions” on the entire 377 acres that include:
- limiting the number of homes to 725
- minimum lot widths of 50 to 53 feet
- minimum side setbacks of homes from property lines set at 6 feet
- requirement for two-car garages
- minimum 1,400 square feet of heated floor space (not including garage) for single-level homes
- minimum of 1,800 square feet of heated floor space (not including garage) for two-story homes
Councilman Rich McKenrick, who is spearheading approval of the development, told The Voice that the town will require the developer to provide specified walking trails, a dog park, a community pool, trees and sidewalks along the streets, and other amenities. A roundabout is proposed where a realigned Mt. Valley Rd. will meet Valley Estates Dr. and Abney Hills subdivision.
The applicant for both properties is South Fork Ventures LLC, represented by Brandon Pridemore of R. Joe Harris & Associates.
The requested R-5 zoning allows for single-family detached units, duplexes, multifamily units, and manufactured homes.
During the meeting, Commissioner Marcus Taylor said he thought that R-5 zoning had been eliminated from the town’s zoning designations.
Town Manager Doug Polen shook his head “no” without further explanation.
But in June 2017, council adopted a zoning ordinance downsizing selected parcels in the R-5, R-8, and R-12 districts that allowed minimum lot sizes of 5,000, 8,000, and 12,000 square feet, respectively, to the D-1 zoning districts. While the vote to downsize those parcels became effective, following legal advice, council at that time continued to leave R-5 zoning on the town’s books.
“The goal in downsizing to D-1 zoning in 2017 was an effort to slow high-density growth in the town and to eliminate large developments of small-lot residential subdivisions within the town limits,” said then-Mayor Mike Ross. “We wanted to stop approving zoning districts less than 20,000 square feet.”
Monday night was the second time Pridemore has requested R-5 zoning on the 61.26 acres. He requested it earlier this year, on May 4, saying he would build only 97 homes on small lots, leaving 50% of the acreage as green space if he is allowed by the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals to incorporate cluster housing in the project. However, he would not be able to apply for the cluster housing until after the property is rezoned by council.
Council denied the May 4 rezoning request in a 4-1 vote.
During the Monday night planning commission meeting, several residents addressed the issue during public comment. The property owner spoke for the rezoning and six people from the community spoke against the rezoning.
Doug Ross, an Abney Hills resident, questioned how the development would benefit people already living in Blythewood. Driving to the meeting, he said, he encountered traffic backed up to I-77 and waited through three traffic-light cycles to turn onto Highway 21.
“I don’t see how adding a thousand cars and a thousand students to our schools and putting an additional demand on the infrastructure is going to help us in any way,” Ross said.
Mark Johnston, who lives on Mount Valley Road across from a property being developed by Mungo Homes, urged commissioners to limit the number of homes in new subdivisions, citing additional traffic.
“Whatever y’all can do to limit the number of homes,” Johnston said, asking commissioners to use whatever means were available to them.
Ben Pacheco, a Willow Lake resident who said he has lived in Blythewood for nearly 23 years, focused on the loss of wildlife habitat and the environmental effects of development.
“Blythewood is a beautiful place, very well-balanced before the excessive land development that seems to be proliferating at this time,” Pacheco said. He asked whether environmental impact studies were being conducted and how residents could monitor them to ensure they “specifically address the needs of the people and residents of Blythewood.”
Cindy Merritt questioned whether emergency services could handle hundreds of additional homes. Merritt, who said she has a chronic illness, described waiting an hour and 20 minutes for EMS to reach her home on Blythewood Road.
“You’re putting a chokehold on a lot of us seniors,” she said. “If I need EMS, I’d like for them to be able to get to me.”
Merritt also described seeing fire trucks struggle to turn into nearby Holly Bluff Estates. “It just makes no sense to me how this could even be talked about before we talk about infrastructure for our emergency services and our first responders,” she said.
Bobbie Young, of Fulmer Road, urged commissioners to slow the process, allow newer members of the commission time for training and consider eliminating zoning classifications residents oppose.
“I think what we need to do is slow this all down,” Young said. She also expressed concern about the loss of natural areas. “I feel terrible that so much more of our environment is just going away.”
Young suggested removing R-5 zoning from the town’s ordinances altogether. “So when the developer comes and says, ‘I want R-5,’ we can be like, ‘Sorry, we don’t have it,’” she said.
Randy Corn, who lives near the intersection of Fulmer and Mount Valley roads, said he has been a Blythewood resident for 49 years and offered a mixed assessment. He praised the developers for answering his questions and supported features of the plan for the tract already inside town.
“I think that’s a great plan,” Corn said. “They’re leaving green space, they’re preserving a pond, they’re looking after the wetlands.”
But Corn warned that the developments would funnel traffic onto Fulmer Road.
“That road is terrible now,” he said. “I have to really be careful coming out of my driveway.”
Corn asked whether commissioners had reviewed changes to the plans and stipulations the developers had offered to attach to the R-5 request. He urged them to consider the combined effect of development in the area.
“I just want you guys to think about that and look at all that’s going on there,” he said.
First reading (vote) of the annexation and R-5 rezoning requests will be heard by Town Council at 6 p.m. Oct. 26, at Doko Manor. A public hearing and second (final) reading will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 23 at Doko Manor.