Story originally published in The Sylva Herald, March 27 edition.
The planning board of the Village of Forest Hills met Tuesday, March 25, to discuss zoning ordinances, land use codes and development processes concerning the construction proposal presented by Brown Haven Homes to build new homes in the donut hole, a former golf course essentially in the middle of the village.
The meeting was originally meant to be a public hearing regarding Brown Haven Homes’ plan for a new section of the community, but the agenda was changed when the company failed to submit a revised plan for the planning board and county to review before it was presented to the public.
The meeting centered around a presentation by Michael Poston, Jackson County Planning director, explaining the processes for development of subdivisions and zoning rules of Forest Hills Village. For a single-family home, the requirement is 1/2 acre standard lot with width of 100 feet, and 25-foot setbacks on each side of homes, requiring a 50-foot gap of space between houses. This is if the developer provides water and sewer lines. With the Donut Hole’s property consisting of 73 acres, it is not clear whether a subdivision of over a proposed 180 homes would be achievable.
Poston explained that there are two different levels for subdivision development: one with 99 or fewer lots will not require roads by the NCDOT regulations; but the ones with more than 100 lots will require wider roads per DOT requirements.
Poston looking at the map of the proposal said that he had not seen the detail proposal yet but from looking at it, it was most likely not meeting the present zoning rules.
“I think that these are not gonna be half a lot, so I would just assume that this plan would not be one that could be offered to the planning department for a by-right use with the way the villages ordinances are currently,” Poston explained after the meeting.
John Allen, CEO of Brown Haven Homes, who was present at the meeting with three additional representatives of the company, said they are more than likely going to amend the current proposal after hearing what was discussed at the meeting. Allen said the information presented at the meeting was good, in that he now has a better understanding of what the rules for the subdivision are.
“I’m glad to be seeing the community engaged with the process,” Vice Mayor Daniel Shields said after the meeting.
He is still hopeful that amended project passes. The increased tax revenue will allow the village to do more for the community and maybe develop a park, but it also provides a cheaper option for the village residents to get connected to TWSA water and sewer, he said.
“To my understanding, the next time the planning board meets, which will be a month from today, that will be a public hearing for the planning board to review the new plan by Brown Haven Homes,” Shields said.
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