There has been a long and involved war going on in Summerfield over plans by farmer and developer David Couch to create a 973-acre residential and mixed-use development – The Villages of Summerfield Farms – in the town of about 11,000 people in northern Guilford County.
On Monday, Sept. 18 – in an attempt to stave off a de-annexation of Couch’s property from the town by the NC General Assembly – the Summerfield Town Council held an emergency meeting. After a nearly two-hour closed session, the councilmembers came out and voted unanimously to give Couch what he’s been asking for from the town for a long time.
Since a vocal faction of Summerfield residents are concerned about more development in the area, there has been a lot of opposition over the past two years to Couch’s proposal.
A rezoning request of the 973 acres was denied in April 2023.
However, at the Sept. 18 meeting, the Town Council voted to support zoning and other changes that will now allow the project to move forward.
About 20 spectators attended the hastily called meeting held in the main room of the Summerfield Community Center. Unlike some prior meetings involving Couch’s proposed development, there were no boos or angry shouts from opponents as the Town Council conducted its business.
Summerfield Mayor Tim Sessoms did most of the talking as the board moved swiftly from one item to another – each vote pledging to give Couch what he’s been asking for, including a special “Open Space Mixed-Use Villages” zoning designation – or OSM-V – and the removal of some scenic corridor restrictions that conflicted with the planned development.
The Town Council pledged to make other zoning moves needed to advance the project as well.
One resolution reads, “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Town Council on behalf of the Town of Summerfield, North Carolina, pledges a reconsideration of the OSM-V District text amendment and a new consideration of the rezoning of necessary land as presented during the last text amendment case and furthermore pledges support of approval of both steps needed to bring The Villages project to completion as designed.”
The development will need water too, so the Town Council is now all for that as well: “WHEREAS, negotiations have been underway to bring The Villages project to fruition and it is known that public water and sewer will be necessary to serve the project; and, WHEREAS, the water and sewer will need to be provided from a neighboring jurisdiction … NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Town Council on behalf of the Town of Summerfield, North Carolina, pledges advocacy for and facilitation of the efforts for the developer to bring said services to The Villages area.”
The Town Council made the moves in an effort to keep the 973 acres from being de-annexed from Summerfield – something a frustrated Couch had requested of state lawmakers. The vote to de-annex the land is scheduled to move forward this week.
The Summerfield Town Council has scheduled a Thursday, Sept. 28 public hearing and meeting, where the council intends to approve all the needed changes to allow the development provided that those changes are “substantively as presented to the citizens and Council leading up to April 2023, the last public discussion of the project.”
Glad to see BIG government get out of the way of private citizens. Tired of town councils telling ordinary people what they can and can’t do with THEIR property.
Awesome- your next door neighbor is moving out and using the land for a garbage dump. Eleven thousand people and the town council said no and tried to help you but only the one new garbage dump owner matters. Enjoy.
Couch knew what the rules were when he bought the land. He was free to develop many other types of housing that would have made him plenty of money. He is already mega-wealthy but just needed to stomp on some more “little people” to prove he could. And some very pathetic people admire this.
This, exactly. SO disappointed in the Summerfield Town Council for not upholding the will of the people in this matter. This is going to ruin our area.
Totally disgusting
Tax base blackmail by the state….
This sucks, but I don’t blame the town council. Berger made it clear that the de-annexation was going to happen and there was nothing they could do about it. Having the development however it may change the town will be better than having a donut shaped town and all the problems arising from that. Unfortunately dirty politics won, but Berger and Couch have made too many enemies at this point. Pride comes before the fall.
I would say the intransigence of the town council in dealing with Couch was pure dirty politics. Couch would offer changes but the council didn’t really negotiate. Plans denied. Wait a year and come back. Ridiculous. And the council finally got what was coming to them. You don’t play ball, then you get rolled by the big boys. I never laughed so hard watching the council scurry to hold a special session to support Couch, when faced with the real prospect of de-annexation. My advice to Couch would be: go through with de-annexation. The Summerfield council hasn’t changed their minds. They will continue the small-minded, NIMBY policies and you will regret having to deal with them.
Well, Summerfield was a nice town.
Not a real town. Just an area incorporated to keep out Greensboro, apartments, affordable housing. I wouldn’t mind downsizing to a nice, townhome or smaller home community. But, Summerfield doesn’t want that, or me. Hard to have any sympathy for the NIMBY mindset. It has been fun to watch though!
And what’s interesting about this saga is despite its contempt for towns like Summerfield, quiet suburbs of people who do not like big-city life and just want to be left alone, even Triad City Beat is speaking out against the process by which this happened.
“On Monday, Sept. 18 – in an attempt to stave off a de-annexation of Couch’s property from the town by the NC General Assembly – the Summerfield Town Council held an emergency meeting. After a nearly two-hour closed session, the councilmembers came out and voted unanimously to give Couch what he’s been asking for from the town for a long time”
Now Couch and Berger can help get the Gambling Casinos into Rockingham County and what ever comes next .
Summerfield , North Carolina a place like no other will never be the same …
To the Summerfield Town Council in 2 hours you unanimously gave Summerfield to Couch and Berger .
I have lived in Summerfield for 68 years and know “You Can Only Give It Away Once”.
Note happy about this. That is why the entire area has changed and become conjested.
This is truly shameful. A private resident of Guilford County receives blatant, in-your-face support, and backing from a NC General Assembly person, Phil Berger, for the purpose of defying a smalltown government and its people. David Couch is frankly a loathsome person. If the Summerfield City Council had not acquiesced to Couch’s demands, there is no guarantee that Greensboro would have annexed his land. Summerfield gave in to David Couch. What happens now with the de-annexation vote? One can only hope that Couch and his wife never reap any reward from their endeavors. The trees on his 1,000 acres provide a lot of oxygen for people to breathe. David Couch, you are a selfish, odious person.
Phil Berger is a prat who should not be in public office. Hopefully, he will not be there much longer. The name Berger will live in infamy.
Now the Good Folks of Summerfield want to work with the land owner. How dare them tell him how he can use his land. Now that the Owner and the State was going to work with the City of Greensboro, they got scared and folded like lawn chairs in a Hurricane. Scared of losing property taxes most likely.
Any guess on what happened?
There goes another beautiful town to be destroyed by big money. It was nice while it lasted! Kinda like a small scale Yellowstone!
Maybe Summerfields NIMBY pearl clutches will invest their time into putting water and sewer services and a fire department into place.
Why is there a constant refrain that landowners can do whatever they wish with their land? There are laws and ordinances restricting land use. They are called zoning, environmental (federal and state), and eminent domain to name a few. There are few private individuals in NC who own 1,000 acres of land. No one restricts Couch from selling his land, dividing his land, or farming his land. Apartment buildings are not attractive. There is nothing that can be done to them to make them attractive. They are used for piling in as many people as possible. Apartments require a lot of impermeable spaces causing problems for the environment. There is no room for green spaces. Apartment renters are dependent on vehicles for travel requiring more infrastructure. However, apartments are nice for the owners because they generate a constant cash flow. Apartments have their place but not in the small town of Summerfield. They will be transforming Summerfield into just another congested, road-dependent area brought to you by a greedy landowner and a powerful politician who favors campaign contributors.
And there you have it. In a nutshell the arrogance of the NIMBY, CAVES (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) in Summerfield. Not everyone can afford a single family home. Many have to live in an apartment, at least sometime during their lives. But not in Summerfield. Gee, a thousand acres of land an no room for even just a few apartment units? You want to keep that 1,000 acres undeveloped so you can enjoy the scenery while you drive to or from home? I get it. So would I. The fair thing would be for all of you to ante up and buy some or all of Couch’s property. You can keep it as a nature preserve in perpetuity if you like. But you use small town zoning mentality to effectively prevent development. Oh, except for the one plus acre lots with well and septic. Development and zoning requested that if denied, you have to wait a YEAR to amend and apply. Couch should pursue the de-annexation and move on. Summerfield will just continue to do what they do.
Summerfield is already “road-dependent”. I don’t their is any public transportation. And it doesn’t appear to be very bicycle-friendly. Face it: you got big houses on big parcels of land, limiting potential residents to the monied class. Many people have to live in an apartment at some point in their lives. I’ve had to, several times when moving for a job. Summerfield is not a real town. It is just a rural area incorporated to keep out expanding GSO and people who can’t afford to live there. Couch isn’t wanting to do “whatever he wants”. He revised plans and tried to negotiate. Frankly, Summerfield could use some of what Couch is offering. But leadership is too timid, small-minded, fearful and short-sighted to take advantage of the possibilities.
Go ahead and try to justify Couch’s position. If Summerfield incorporated to keep Greensboro out, good move. Who would want Greensboro’s elected council members running a town? Yes, there are people who want what Summerfield has to offer. No apology here. Who would want the changing demographics in Greensboro deciding issues? Who would want college students deciding bond issues, bonds to be paid back by taxpayers? Apartments bring congestion and need for additional services. I, too, have lived in apartments from garden apartments to a walk-up in an
apartment building built in early 1900s. I have also lived in a house trailer, rental house and rented townhouse. My experiences do not change my right to my opinion. Call my opinion timid, small-minded, fearful and short-sided. I don’t care. Just because you apparently enjoy congested living, does not invalidate my opinion. You and Couch should get over yourselves.
I vote republican but Berger needs to go. Suspicious
Berger has to go. Another political headcase who really doesn’t care about his constituents. Everything goes to the highest bidder.