News

Citing traffic, planning board tables call on 102-unit townhome proposal

Henderson County Planning Board members discuss a proposed townhome development near U.S. 25 and Interstate 26.

By Amy McCraw, Published: May 22, 2026

At the developer’s request, the Henderson County Planning Board voted unanimously Thursday night to table its decision on whether to recommend commissioners greenlight a proposed townhome development off U.S. 25 near its intersection with Interstate 26.

The vote came after planning board members and several neighbors who own homes near the proposed development off North Curton Place and U.S. 25 expressed concerns during the board’s meeting that increased traffic coming from the development would make an already hazardous intersection worse.
“The whole area is tough in there,” board member Jim Miller said, noting that several months ago he witnessed a fatal accident involving a motorcycle near the intersection. “I’m hesitant.”
Board member Trey Ford said he too had concerns about the traffic in the area.
He said he wanted to see a traffic impact analysis from North Carolina’s Department of Transportation on the intersection before he would consider voting in favor of the project.
After hearing similar comments from other board members, Bill Alexander, the applicants’ attorney, requested that the board table the issue until a traffic impact analysis could be done.
North Cureton Place TH LLC and Greenville, S.C.-based developer Brett Basnight have asked the county to change land currently zoned Regional Commercial to a conditional zoning district that would allow the 102-unit townhome development on a 12 ½-acre tract of land. The property is owned by Jeff Egolf, the retired car dealer and father of Henderson County Commissioner Jay Egolf.
At eight units per acre, the project would be built at half the 16-unit-per-acre density allowed under the current commercial zoning, Alexander pointed out.
About 30 people attended Thursday’s planning board meeting. Several who spoke during the public comment time said they were concerned about traffic and stormwater runoff issues the development could cause.
Ray Croyle, who has lived for 42 years in the neighborhood, said hazardous condition of the intersection is always a concern and making a left turn onto U.S. 25 is often impossible.
“I know what it already takes just during rush hour,” he said. “We need someone to look at 25 itself.”
Troy Alverson, who lives nearby and owns AAA Septic Tank Service on North Cureton Place, said he has lived in neighborhood since 1964.
Most of the time, vehicles can not turn left onto U.S. 25 and must turn right before turning left at a safer intersection on the highway, he said.
Cars coming from I-26 at a high rate of speed also make the intersection difficult.
“It’s really hard to get out,” Alverson said. “How many people are going to get hurt trying to come out of this road?”
County planning staff found the application consistent with Henderson County’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan, which calls for diverse housing options, particularly workforce housing near employment centers.
The new proposal comes a year after the senior Egolf and a different developer, the Sand Companies, filed a rezoning request to allow a mix of 69 dwellings, including single-family homes and duplex units, on 8.6 acres at North Cureton Place.
Jay Egolf said in an interview Tuesday that he planned to recuse himself from the rezoning case when it comes before the Board of Commissioners. He defended the proposed development, however, as consistent with his votes in the past in favor of residential development near highways with the capacity to handle the increased traffic.
It was unclear Thursday when the planning board make again take up the proposal.