By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
CARRBORO – In a move that could lead to the rezoning of property previously proposed for a Family Dollar site, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted unanimously on Tuesday to set a public hearing regarding the rezoning of land at the intersection of Jones Ferry Road and Alabama Avenue.
The proposed changes would rezone 100, 101 and 105 Alabama Ave. from neighborhood business to residential.
Board member Dan Coleman proposed the changes.
“I think it was abundantly clear from all the discussion we heard … around the Family Dollar proposal that the B3 [neighborhood business] zone is not appropriate for those properties,†he said, adding that the rezoning wouldn’t preclude future applicants from proposing commercial projects there, but that they would have to request a rezoning before the board of aldermen in order to do so.
The Carrboro Board of Adjustment last week voted 5-2 to deny a variance needed for a Family Dollar store proposed for the intersection. However, the developer recently appealed to the town to debate the existence of an ephemeral stream on the property – the reason that a variance to the town’s land-use ordinance was needed. Should the town determine that the ephemeral stream does not exist, or that the developer could make changes to the property such that it would not exist, a variance would no longer be needed, but the property would still need a special-use permit approved by the board of adjustment.
However, if the property is rezoned to residential, a commercial developer would have to seek a rezoning from the board of aldermen in order to develop such a project.
Raleigh-based Stronach Properties had proposed building an 8,100-square-foot, single-story Family
Dollar with 26 parking spaces on a one-acre parcel. Alabama Avenue residents and other community members came out strongly against the project, saying the development would bring increased traffic, noise pollution and unsafe conditions to the neighborhood while decreasing values of surrounding properties.
The developer has since withdrawn the application, but the board of aldermen said the issues surrounding the project point to a larger issue regarding which projects are reviewed by the board of aldermen and which are not. In the Family Dollar case, the project required a special-use permit, which would not require board of aldermen approval unless a site was within certain watershed or downtown districts, unlike conditional-use permits, which are subject to aldermen approval.
Board members said they would like to explore ways for projects with strong public interest – like the Family Dollar – to come before the board of aldermen.
Town Attorney Mike Brough reminded the board that the board of adjustment has the same standards as the board of aldermen, though they might have a different perspective, and that presumably the same decision would come out of either board on permit matters.
“I would try to discourage the perception … that somehow this board has the ability, because it is an elected board, to just turn a project down because a neighborhood is not in favor of it,†he said.
Board member Michelle Johnson said a key difference between the board of aldermen and the board of adjustment is that the aldermen serve as policymakers.
“It’s not that we would vote on it any differently than they did; I think that they did a great job,†she said.
Board member Jacquie Gist said she would like to have quantitative guidelines, like the size of a project, that determine how projects are reviewed.
The board set a public hearing regarding the rezoning for Sept. 25, and staff will report back to them on possible changes regarding permit review.