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Graham City Council and Planning
05/09/23
Welcome to Ultraground. We show you zoning news in a way that no one else does.
City Council 05/09/23
28-Lot SFR Annexation | Approved
86-Lot SFR | Tabled
Citywide
FY 2023-24 Budget: New residential and commercial construction fees
Planning Board & Board of Adjustment 05/16/23
67-Acre Industrial Rezoning | Denied
5.5-Acre Truck Storage | Approved
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City Council 05/09/23
Meadowview Glen
South Graham | 14.72 Acres | 28 Lots | Approved
Some 24 to 48 months ago, this property went through an alteration in its zoning classification and got subdivided – both processes receiving the necessary approvals. So, the zoning issues are completely sorted out. Currently, the goal is to seek annexation for connecting utilities.
This property was already an R12 development when Windsor Homes acquired it, so there was no need for further rezoning. There were questions for the team though:
“When you say it's R-12, it should be a 12,000 square foot lot. I guess that would be one question that I would have for the developer is that have you already drawn out your plans and what's the smallest lot size that you have?
Windsor ensured during the site plan approval process that every lot in the neighborhood was at least 12,000 square feet. Additionally, they agreed to offer all the open space outside of the lot boundaries to the city of Graham for future use.
Developer: Windsor Homes, David Michaels LinkedIn, Preslyn Johnson
Rogers Spring Phase 4
South Graham | 53.9 Acres | 86 Units | Tabled
The council tabled two items related to the Roger Springs Homes rezoning. This was recommended for denial by the Planning Board.
Developer: Shugart Homes, Brian Shugart, Email: [email protected]
FY 2023-24 Budget Proposal
Citywide
The fiscal year 2023-2024 budget proposal took center stage at the meeting, revealing a remarkable surge in property values. Doubts were cast on these figures' credibility, with some speculating that the revaluation process might not be foolproof. The discussion turned to the property revaluation's effect on tax rates.
Fee amendments were proposed, including an escalating reinspection fee for site development - $250 for the first, $500 for the second, and $750 for the third.
A technology fee of 3%, proposed by the inspections department, was another point of discussion. This fee would be levied on debit or credit purchases for new residential and commercial constructions, sparing remodels.
Sanitation, water, and sewer rate hikes were also included in the proposed budget, making headlines in the General fund.
The meeting wasn't without concern over the reevaluation of property values and the possible community impact. The council consented to delve deeper into this at a later date.
Lastly, the city attorney's salary was scrutinized, with a proposed 12% increase to offset the missed cost of living adjustments over the past four years.
Planning Board 05/16/23
Scott Mayo
Southeast Graham | 67 Acres | Denied
A proposal surfaced to reclassify a 67-acre parcel from unzoned to I-1 light industrial, all in the hopes of transforming it into a future industrial hub. The plot is nestled in the employment district, and the land-use blueprint envisages this area accommodating a diverse workforce and a blend of spaces - office, industrial, commercial, institutional, and even residential.
The June City Council meeting will deliberate on an annexation associated with the request.
Buddy Seymour of Windsor Development Group voiced his support for this proposal, although they're without a concrete plan yet. Their objective is to get the property ready, its utility services all set, before committing to a specific plan. They have brainstormed numerous possibilities, the grandest being a building spanning roughly 790,000 square feet.
Greg Massey, who owns a neighboring property, called for a 75-foot buffer with a type A planting yard and a noise-cancelling 20-foot berm, to shield from the sounds of tractor trailers plying in and out of the area. He also recommended a ban on extra parking for empty or spare trailers.
Debates swirled around setbacks, street yard breadth, and building requisites, but berms were absent from the ordinance. Despite Mr. Massey's public commentary, the ordinance was bereft of clauses addressing his concerns. Both a motion to greenlight the request and another to reject it, urging the applicant to revisit with a conditional rezoning application, resulted in a deadlock at three votes each. Mr. Simel questioned the mechanics of preparing another rezoning request, but the absence of information regarding the property's intended use made the task challenging.
The attorney for the property owner requested support for their request, but some board members expressed concerns about rezoning before knowing what the property would be used for. The board ultimately voted to deny the request.
Developer: Windsor Development Group, Buddy(William) Seymour LinkedIn
E Interstate Service Road
Southeast Graham | 5.547 Acres | Approved
A vacant plot of land sparked a conversation about a special use permit for transforming it into a trucking or freight terminal – a place for storage, repair, washing, and resting. The board made it clear that we were not stepping into a quasi-judicial hearing, despite initial conversations suggesting such a setting. The decision was made to follow the advertised path instead.
A quasi-judicial hearing, akin to a court hearing, abides by state law. This board's decision must be based on substantial evidence and ordinance standards, unlike other land use decisions such as rezoning. If speaking as a witness, focus on facts and standards, not personal views. The meeting is public, but participation is restricted.
They also tackled the worries put forth by the technical review committee, particularly those related to driveway design and safe truck departure. The board mulled over these findings, facts, and conclusions, ultimately voting in favor of recommending the special use permit application to the city council.
The applicant laid out a traffic study and satisfied the six fact-findings necessary for the permit. They showed the proposed project met zoning regulations and wouldn't compromise public health or safety. They planned for perimeter landscaping, security fencing, and screening. Their proposal was found to be in tune with the neighborhood and not expected to harm the value of neighboring properties. Adequate plans for vehicle movement, parking, loading, service entrances, screening, utilities, signs, lighting, and open space were presented. The proposed security fence would stand six feet tall, enhanced by vegetation and a windscreen material.
The meeting also touched on the security fence's ability to deter vandals and graffiti artists. The speaker mentioned a similar location in Atlanta with a chain-link fence securing the area.
Security, vandalism, and fencing issues came under scrutiny. Eventually, a motion to greenlight the rezoning, subject to specific conditions – on-site security with a guardhouse, opaque fencing, and electric deterrent fencing (if the city approved) – was passed by a 3-2 vote.
Developer: Cone Commercial Real Estate, Cameron Tyler Email:[email protected] LinkedIn
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