As Cary considers more housing options, proposed townhouse project sparks controversy

A new development proposal in Cary that would build up to 255 townhouses has sparked controversy after residents say the project would cause more harm than good.

More than 20 residents living on Old Apex Road attended the Cary Town Council meeting Thursday night in opposition to the rezoning of the property, which would allow developers to build three-story townhouses.

If the council approves it, residents say the new project would destroy a natural forest and pond east of the property and offers no affordable housing options in an area that has seen skyrocketing home prices.

Singh Development LLC, a family-owned company based in Michigan, and the property’s owner are requesting to rezone about 21 acres for multi-family townhouses with a maximum of 255 units, a 6,250-square-foot community gathering area and accessory uses like electric vehicle charging stations.

The site is near the subdivisions of Triangle Forest, a single-family home neighborhood, several multi-family homes and commercial properties south of West Chatham Street.

“We know and appreciate that our town is growing and fast, and we look forward to what that growth can do for our town and its residents,” said Katie Hall a resident of Triangle Forest. “However, Singh’s proposed rezoning case ... does not fit most of our town’s community plan.”

Cary’s Community Plan, adopted in January 2017, maps out strategic actions and policies for land use, development, transportation, the environment, housing and the economy for the town up to 2040. The 10-chapter plan covers the entire area of Cary, about 53,000 acres of land.

No decision was made Thursday night. The proposal will now go to the planning and zoning board within the next month before it will come back to council for more discussion.

Development concerns

In January, a virtual neighborhood meeting was held for residents living off the one-lane Old Apex Road. About 110 property owners attended the meeting. They all shared concerns about stormwater management and flooding, tree preservation and buffer requirements.

Currently, the proposed plan offers a 50-foot buffer along the western property line.

Other concerns and questions included parking, the project’s density and height, wildlife preservation, crime rates, safety and traffic, and renter versus owner-occupied townhome units.

Cary’s Planning and Development Services also received 19 emails and 311 calls from concerned citizens and met in person with neighbors from Triangle Forest, according to Erin Puckett, the senior planner for Cary.

Cary resident Patrick Downey spoke at Thursday’s meeting and said the town’s infrastructure isn’t keeping up with development.

“I continue to see townhome community after townhome community and I continue to see apartment complex after apartment complex but what I don’t see is expansion of roads, more stoplights and an attempt to get ahead of growth,” Downey said. “All traffic will dump onto Old Apex Road. In my opinion only, I don’t feel like this is the most prudent location to add a potential 510 additional vehicles.”

Downey told council members they should “hit the pause button” on the development proposal.

“Cary is quickly outgrowing its roads,” he said.

Melanie Walker, another Cary resident, called the proposal a “terrible plan.”

“This land is a valuable wildlife habitat,” she said. “The impacts to traffic will be huge in this area. There is no public transportation here.”

Jonathan Bassi, the senior vice president of Trademark Properties, addressed the Town Council in support of Singh Development. Trademark Properties represents the seller of the property off Old Apex Road, Keith Ramsey.

“Singh was chosen from a large pool of developers from all over the nation because of their commitment to quality and the community,” he said. “I strongly encourage Council and neighbors to not drive this developer away.”

Singh Development opened a Cary office in 2010 and built luxury apartment homes in the Preston neighborhood called Griffin Weston, according to Avi Grewal, a spokesperson for the group. The one-bedroom apartments for the complex start at $2,150.

A right to develop

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht told the public that the land owner has a right to develop, despite residents’ concerns. He said the council does not have much authority to change that right.

“We try to create ordinances to protect our citizens,” he said. “We can say ‘no’ and developers are required to wait one year to come back unless they get an exemption. During that time, pressure to be more dense will increase. It’s in everybody’s best interest to work for the best outcome now.”

But, Weinbrecht added, he is not convinced the project works in its current form.

“The Community Plan does call for diverse housing options. I agree with the citizens, this transition is really abrupt,” he said. “I would like to see something very much less in intensity to be proposed. I don’t think I can support anything that intense next to large single-family (homes).”

Council members Ya Liu, Don Frantz, Lori Bush, Ed Yerha, and Jack Smith seemed to agree with the mayor and all expressed concerns about the developers not working with neighbors.

Approval of more apartments

After the lengthy discussion of Old Apex Road rezoning, the council gave the green light to a different developer to build about 55 townhomes on about 12 acres of land off N.C. 55 and Morrisville Parkway near Carpenter Elementary School.

The Terraces at West Cary was first proposed last August but was met with opposition from the council and some neighbors. Since then, the developer, Gala Investments LLC, reduced the number of units from 60 to 55 and added a commitment to prohibit vinyl siding and architectural restrictions on the homes.

The homes will each have a private rooftop area of a minimum of 250 square feet with garages for the use of electrical vehicle charging.

The Town Council unanimously approved the proposal.

“I’m glad (the developers) were able to work with the applicant and the applicant responded to our neighbor’s concerns,” said Liu. “We got a better product.”

Park renaming

Council members honored Yerha for his service with the town by voting unanimously to rename White Oak Park after him. The park at 1216 Jenks Carpenter Road will now be Ed Yerha Park.

Yerha, who serves in one of Cary’s at-large seats, lost his run for re-election in the May primary to Carissa Johnson, who just won the seat in the runoff election on July 26.

Yerha began his service to the town in 1995 and has served on 14 town board and commissions. He was elected the At-Large representative first in 2012.

“Mr. Yerha has spent decades involved with the town,” Weinbrecht said. “I think naming White Oak Park after you is the least we can do.”

Yerha said he was both honored and humbled.