News

Landowner withdraws plans for senior living development

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 5, 2018

LAUREL PARK — A developer has withdrawn plans for a 130-unit senior living development on Brevard Road between the Hendersonville and Laurel Park corporate boundaries, saying that a Planning Board meeting made clear that the town “requires additional time to fully embrace the positive attributions of the project.”
Developer Curry Investments had sought voluntary annexation into the town of Laurel Park and zoning of Medical, Institutional, Cultural for the Sunshine Retirement Living development on 7.8 acres on Brevard Road across from Glasgow Lane. The Laurel Park Planning Board voted  4-1 on Aug. 14 to table the zoning request after eight neighboring
property owners opposed the project. Residents said the apartments would generate unwanted traffic and would be incompatible with surrounding developments of single-family homes.
In a letter dated Aug. 22, Thomas Bahrman, an attorney for property owner Chris Curry, addressed concerns Planning Board members and resident have raised. The retirement living project “makes good planning sense” and is in the right location, he said. “Although the immediate neighbors may be in denial, the larger community acknowledges the inevitable — this section of Highway 64 between Hendersonville and Laurel Park is changing.” Senior housing “is generally considered a great transitional use between commercial property and residential.” It would generate lighter traffic than other high-density residential, would increase the town’s tax base and would be “physically attractive and well maintained” gateway at a new roundabout.he, he said.
“I think most of the Planning Board members and much of the community recognize and agree with these points,” Bahrman said. The Planning Board seemed ready to OK the zoning until the “last-minute outbursts of a vocal minority changed the immediate mood.”
“Good planning requires political courage,” he said in closing. The
developer remains willing to move the project forward, he said, if
the town signaled that it’s committed to approving the zoning and annexation.