Town Council Business Meeting

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

For the Village at Harris Lake subdivision near Harris Lake and the historic Holleman Crossroads, neighboring property owners Fran Hudson, Jeremy Hudson, TJ Parker, William Mitchell and Alan Jones testified against the 279-unit project, citing tree clearing, traffic, right-of-way access for utilities and compatibility with the rural area. Roger Pasteur, who had donated land to the adjacent Collins Grove Baptist Church, objected to the developer's $7,500 offer for a strip of the church's property and asked about access for cars turning into the church. Mayor Pro Tem Berry proposed findings that the project's density would adversely affect adjacent properties and conflicted with the comprehensive plan's call to preserve natural area there; the council adopted those findings and denied the subdivision unanimously.

The council approved a 120-bed long-term care and short-term rehabilitation facility on Ralph Stephens Road after the applicant agreed to install sidewalk along the property frontage, though members questioned whether a recommended turn lane and other traffic improvements had been adequately addressed. It then approved an economic development agreement with Genentech for a biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility at the Camp Helix site, with a target of 420 jobs at an average wage of $119,833 and $700 million in capital investment, backed by an incentive grant capped at $13.74 million over eight years. The council also approved annexing 124.69 acres at 5900 Duncan Cook Road for the Hazel Ridge subdivision.

For the Utley Creek Water Reclamation Facility's first phase, the council awarded a $14.16 million construction contract to O'Connor Co. of NC for a laboratory and operations building, approved reimbursement of $6.19 million in prior design and engineering costs from bond proceeds, and adopted a bond order for $21.346 million in revenue bond anticipation notes to bridge financing until a long-term revenue bond closes in 2026. During public comment, Steven Menke, who lives behind the Norris Crossing subdivision, said its approved pedestrian path would block his only driveway access; Ryan Griffiths, president of the Sunset Ridge homeowners association, said biweekly yard waste collection isn't keeping up with leaf volume in his neighborhood. Staff said they are working with the developer on the access issue and would look at options for more targeted yard waste service. The council closed the meeting with a closed session on an economic development matter and a real estate purchase.

How the votes went

The council approved its agenda and full consent agenda unanimously, including the June and July minutes, an NC CLASS investment resolution, an annexation-petition resolution for the Village at Harris Lake parcel, a $163,150 architecture and engineering change order for the Operations Campus, a wastewater chemical sole-source contract, a water tank maintenance contract, and authority to sign two fire engine purchase contracts. In the quasi-judicial hearings, the council voted unanimously to deny the Village at Harris Lake Major Subdivision, and unanimously to approve the Ralph Stephens Road development plan and its utility allocation. It unanimously approved the Genentech economic development agreement and staff authorization, and unanimously approved the Hazel Ridge annexation ordinance. On the Utley Creek project, the council voted unanimously to award the construction contract, authorize bond reimbursement, and adopt the bond order for the revenue bond anticipation notes. It also voted unanimously to leave closed session and to adjourn.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

8 members of the public spoke.

1. Roger Pasteur, who had donated land to the adjacent Collins Grove Baptist Church, said the developer's $7,500 offer for a strip of the church's land was too low and asked about vehicle access into the church under the approved plan.
2. Fran Hudson, of 5524 Rex Road, said the town violated her rights during the earlier rezoning and asked to enter documents into the hearing record.
3. Jeremy Hudson, of 5524 Rex Road, said he had been denied records he requested about the development and that the added traffic would violate his rights.
4. TJ Parker, of 3525 Bartley Holleman Road, said no tree study had been done and hundreds of mature pines in the buffer would be clear cut.
5. William Mitchell, of 3309 Avent Ferry Road, said the project violated eight sections of the town's development ordinance and that his house, 75 feet from the site, would lose land to the developer.
6. Alan Jones, of 3128 Avent Ferry Road, said extending water and sewer service would cross his farmland and asked that it be done with documented right-of-way.
7. Steven Menke, who lives behind the Norris Crossing subdivision on Avent Ferry Road, said its approved pedestrian path would block his only driveway access.
8. Ryan Griffiths, president of the Sunset Ridge homeowners association, said biweekly yard waste collection isn't keeping up with leaf volume in his neighborhood.

Six residents gave sworn testimony against the Village at Harris Lake subdivision during its quasi-judicial hearing, citing tree loss, traffic, right-of-way access and a low offer for church land. During the evening's general public comment period, a resident behind the Norris Crossing subdivision raised a driveway-access conflict with an approved pedestrian path, and the Sunset Ridge HOA president raised concerns about yard waste and leaf collection. The town also received a written comment about grass cutting at Womble Park from Karol Blicharz.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.