BY DONNA SWICEGOOD
Statesville City Council members shot down a proposed 160-home development on Arey Road by a 5-3 vote Monday night.
Council members David Jones, Kim Wasson, and Doris Allison voted for the first reading of a rezoning request for the property. However, they were outnumbered by council members C.O. Johnson, Joe Hudson, Lisa Pearson, Amy Lawton and Steve Johnson, all of whom cast votes against the request.
The development drew opposition from several neighbors concerned about response times for emergency services, the increased burden on the schools that would serve the neighborhood and traffic issues.
Donna Lamberth told council members about an incident in October when emergency services were summoned for her mother, who was having medical issues. According to Lamberth, it took 22 minutes for the ambulance to reach her mother because of traffic in Troutman. While the delay was not due to this specific development, she said, rapid growth does affect the community.
Tara Jones, a resident of the neighborhood as well as a bus driver and teacher assistant at Celeste Henkel Elementary, said the new development would increase the student population of her school, which is “pretty much at capacity.” The increase in students mean more students in each classroom, which would affect the education of each pupil.
As a bus driver, she said, Arey Road presents issues as it is a narrow road. “I am worried about the safety and increased traffic,” she said.
Jones said development is going to occur but there needs to be a balance of growth and the ability to provide services.
Rebecca Edelbrock, who spoke against the development at the November council meeting, told the council that she and her husband purchased a home in a county-zoned medium density area. This rezoning would result in a higher density area. “Our area is not the place for it,” she said, adding that they chose their home for the quality of life afforded in a lower-density area for a reason. “Trying to take that away from us is not appreciated,” she said.
Statesville Fire Chief Glenn Kurfees addressed the issue of fire response times. He said the development is outside the city’s ideal response time of four minutes. Prior to relocating Station 1 from Meeting Street to South Statesville, he said, the response time to the area exceeded nine minutes. Since the relocation that response time is about five to seven minutes, he said.
The Troutman Fire Department is also an automatic dispatch to that area, the chief added. Between the two departments, response time is around five minutes.
Kurfees told the council that as that area continues to grow the city would need to consider adding another fire station. A joint venture with Troutman to house both departments out of one station would be a possibility, he added.
Councilman Hudson cited concerns with the response times and the need for discussion with Troutman.
“I am not comfortable at this stage voting for developments of this size,” he said.
In making a motion to approve the first reading, David Jones said council members take development considerations seriously but must make decisions on what is best for the city as a whole.
“We collectively have to make a plan as to what is best for the whole city,” he said.
Following the vote, Mayor Costi Kutteh told those who were attending for the Arey Road project that the rezoning was denied. As most of the audience got up to leave the meeting, several applauded.
OTHER BUSINESS
Council did pass first readings of two annexation ordinances — one for the Whispering Pines subdivision on Williams Road near Ivy Lane and the second for a combination townhouse paired housing development called Barkley Springs at the southern end of Morland Drive.