After nearly two hours of explanations and answered questions, the crowd still had plenty of queries for developer George DeLoache.
DeLoache, president of Raleigh-based Church Street Co., wants to build 80 town home apartments on a 25-acre wooded lot off Overlook Road, a winding, steep two-lane run that runs between Long Shoals and Hendersonville Roads. He and his civil engineer, Mark Brooks, and traffic engineer Colin Kinton, met with concerned neighbors the night of Feb. 4 at the Skyland Volunteer Fire Department, trying to offer some assurances over traffic and safety concerns.
DeLoache started by telling residents he's been looking at the site for the past six or seven years and only had a chance to buy and develop it recently after two previous proposals — both considerably larger — were dropped after intense pressure from neighbors. He assured the crowd that he's a "pretty conservative" developer who plans to build higher end units that will rent for upwards of $2,000 a month, and that he plans to protect as many trees as possible.
"We're trying to bring the buildings as close to the road as possible," DeLoache said, referring to a looping road that will run through the development. "When we bring the buildings up to the road, it has a minimum impact on the site, and it's more economical for us. It’s the right way to develop this site."
Traffic, speeding concerns
Nearby residents raised a lot of concerns, though, mostly about traffic, removal of trees and the speed of vehicles on Overlook Road. The developer noted that they've moved the proposed entrance about 500 feet north of Delchester Road, closer to Hendersonville Road, and that should help with traffic. He also assured residents that residents of the new development will appreciate wooded environs, and it costs money to remove trees.
Still, DeLoache acknowledged that some residents remain skeptical.
"I’m sure there are some folks who would prefer it not be developed at all," DeLoache said. "I don’t think there’s very likely, considering the property has been for sale for six, seven years."
John Stevenson, who lives near the proposed development, said after the meeting he appreciated all the information.
"I have two feelings: I have a feeling of inevitability, that it's going to go through," Stevenson said. "And I'm deeply concerned about traffic."
The proposal will come before the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment at its Feb. 12 meeting. If approved, it would have to receive subdivision approval from the Buncombe County Planning Board.
Construction would take place in 2020 and 2021 and take 14-18 months, DeLoache said. The proposal has a density of 3.08 units per acre, well below the allowed threshold.
Buildings will be two or three stories, with units ranging from 1,400-1,600 square feet of heated space with an unheated garage.
More: Plan for 80 Overlook Road town homes draws criticism over traffic, more from neighbors
Kinton, an engineer with Traffic Planning and Design, Inc., the Asheville firm that conducted the traffic study, told the crowd of about 60 people that town home developments generate fewer daily trips than single-family homes.
The study was conducted in October on a school day, with observations during peak morning and afternoon travel times, Kinton said. T.C. Roberson High School, Valley Spring Middle School, Estes Elementary and Koontz Intermediate are all located nearby, and generate a substantial number of vehicle trips.
Kinton said the town homes' residents would generate 39 trips during the morning peak time, and 48 during afternoon peak times.
At the intersection of Overlook and Hendersonville Roads, it would add 26 trips in the morning and 31 in the afternoon, less than a 1% increase. On the southern side of Overlook at its intersection with Pinchot and Springside, it would add 13 trips in the morning and 16 in the afternoon, the engineer said.
While those impacts are low, neighbors pointed out that Overlook is a busy cut-through and carries about 8,000 vehicles a day, by a N.C. DOT count.
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Linda Sains, a 25-year resident of Overlook Drive, said her concern is not so much the number of vehicles but the speed. Few drivers adhere to the 35mph speed limit, and many hit 50 mph or more, she said.
With more people pulling out of the proposed town home development, they could be in harm's way.
"There's going to be major accidents there," Sains said after the meeting. "Our issue for everyone involved is safety, because we've seen the accidents. We've seen the horror of it."
DeLoache said they will look into residents' concerns about speed, but he also noted that speeding vehicles are beyond their control. Overlook is a state road and a "collector road," meaning it carries more traffic than neighborhood streets, Kinton said, and that means traffic calming measures such as speed humps are unlikely.
Brooks said a previous assertion that they would put a traffic light in on Overlook near the development's entrance was incorrect, a mistake he made in assessing the traffic study in haste.
Neighbors also asked about what will be visible from Overlook Road, and Brooks said, "Mostly trees." Buffers are planned, and the development will not have street lights.
Any 'clear cutting?'
One resident asked how much property would be "clear cut."
While DeLoache said that's not what they plan to do, he did acknowledged that trees would be removed for the planned roadway and the 40 duplex building sites. In all, that will total about 12 acres to be cleared, out of the 21.5 acres they plan to buy from property owners East West Capital.
Asked about environmental and wildlife impacts to the site, DeLoache stressed that they're trying to "do something low-scale, low-key," but he was up front about impacting the land.
"We are cutting down some trees," DeLoache said. "We’re going to impact the site — we just think it’s relatively minor impact given what could go there."
The proposal is on the same 25-acre wooded site, at 109 Overlook Road, where another developer in 2017 proposed plans for 230 apartments and 30 town homes, causing major neighborhood opposition. Later that year the developer dropped that plan and announced plans for a 98-home subdivision, but neighbors remained opposed and the developer ultimately dropped the project.
Consensus is development is coming
Carter Webb, president of the Oak Forest Neighborhood Association, a subdivision of 209 homes just south of the site, introduced DeLoache. Webb said the developer has been transparent and listened to him and other homeowners' groups and their concerns.
After the meeting, Webb said he and the neighborhood association are not necessarily in favor of the town home proposal, but they are realistic.
"I feel like the consensus is we all feel like it’s going to be developed,” Webb said. “We’ve been asked if we’re ‘for the development.’ We’re not really for the development. We’d rather see it stay the way it is, but that’s not going to happen.”
Amanda Rose, who lives off Overlook Road, said after the meeting that she would like to see the site remain as woods.
"I still have a lot of concerns about the wildlife, and that there's no consideration for them," Rose said, adding that she too has concerns about traffic and speeders. "I just want that area to be green and beautiful. I'm not very happy about it."
2020-02-05 10:00:00Z
https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2020/02/05/overlook-road-apartments-developer-meets-concerned-residents/4658377002/
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