Farmer and developer David Couch didn’t like the way he was being treated by those in the Town of Summerfield who determine zoning designations, so Couch took his property and went home.
Well, technically, he didn’t take the land home – instead, with some help from his friends in Raleigh, he got the property moved out of the small town and into unincorporated Guilford County.
For years, Couch has been trying to build a residential and mixed-use development on nearly 1,000 acres of property he owned in Summerfield. However, after a drawn-out battle that had largely to do with density and whether or not apartments would be allowed as part of the development, Couch convinced state legislators to grant him the removal of the land from the town.
The NC General Assembly approved the requested de-annexation, which became effective June 30 of this year; however, there’s still a lot of paperwork and zoning deliberations to be done on the county’s side before Couch can put his development of businesses there.
For the last half of 2024, the land has been in something of a holding pattern as Couch and Guilford County planning staff have engaged in discussions regarding the nature of the project.
Now Guilford County is ready to move ahead with a public hearing and potential rezoning of some of the land at the commissioners’ Thursday, Dec. 19 meeting.
Any interested citizen will be given a chance to speak at this hearing.
Specifically, the county is holding a public hearing for the following: “A Legislative Hearing For Conditional Zoning Case #24-08-PLBD-00093: A Map Amendment to assign original zoning of CZ-GENERAL BUSINESS (GB) For Tax Parcels #149659, 217566, 149658, 150130, 149642, 149643, and 149688 located in the Northeast Quadrant of I-73 and Old Oak Road; and, amend Guilford County Northwest Area Plan to add and designate land use of Moderate Commercial to the aforementioned tax parcels de-annexed from the Town of Summerfield Per Session Law 2024-20 HB 909.”
In other words, this is an action initiated by Guilford County government to establish an original zoning for the land due to the de-annexation from the Town of Summerfield under the new North Carolina statute that became effective at the end of June.
This is just one section of the overall land in question that was removed from the town by the state legislators. It consists of roughly 83 acres in the northeast quadrant of I-73 and Oak Ridge Road, which is also known as Highway 150.
County planning staff is asking the Board of Commissioners to assign original zoning for the parcels.
The commissioners may or may not approve the zoning request after a public hearing.
The following conditions were offered by the property owner:
“Use Conditions: All uses permitted in the General Business district except (1) Multifamily Dwelling (including Condominium), (2) Homeless Shelter, (3) Psychiatric Hospital (Hospital), (4) Bus Terminal, (5) Cemetery and Mausoleum, (6) Country Club with Golf Course, (7) Massage Parlor (Personal Service), (8) Construction or Demolition Debris Landfill, Minor, (9) Land Clearing & Inert Debris Landfill, Minor, (10) Fraternity or Sorority (University or College Related), (11) Taxi Terminal, (12) Truck and Utility Trailer Rental and Leasing, Light, (13) Electronic Gaming Establishment & Internet Sweepstakes (Other Indoor Uses Not Listed)”
There were some additional conditions added at a Guilford County Planning Board meeting that took place on October 23.
Those include…
- No outdoor theaters
- No microbreweries “immediately adjacent to residential properties on the east side of Deboe Road and the south side of Oak Ridge Road (NC Highway 150).”
- Operating hours for an event center to be limited to between 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
In addition to those restrictions, there were some development conditions placed on the use of the land as part of the request to the commissioners. For instance, all side yard buffers adjacent to residential properties will have to be comprised of “evergreen plantings that thrive in native soils” and must “be installed and continuously maintained by the property owner.”
Where adjacent to residential properties, the minimum width of the buffer yard must be increased from 40 to 45 feet and the minimum average width from 50 to 55 feet.
Also, “Street yards shall have two understory trees per 100 feet, and the minimum average width shall be increased from 8 feet to 10 feet, subject to any exception required by NCDOT during the NCDOT driveway permitting process, and shall be installed and continuously maintained by the owner.”
Some other proposed restrictions include having no junk motor vehicles on the property, no adult or live entertainment business, no ice manufacturing, and no adult book store. However, those uses were already prohibited by Guilford County’s General Business District designation and therefore weren’t accepted as conditions by the Planning Board.
The Board of Commissioners isn’t limited to the Planning Board’s proposed zoning of these parcels and the nine commissioners can consider and enact major changes to the proposed zoning.
The properties aren’t currently subject to any of Guilford County’s area plans since they were in the Town of Summerfield when the county drew up those plans. If the current request is approved as is, a land use plan amendment to the Northwest Area Plan will be needed in order to extend the Moderate Commercial land use classifications to the affected parcels.
Information on this and other rezoning requests can be obtained by calling the Guilford County Planning and Development Department at 336-641-3334 or by visiting the department at 400 W. Market St. in Greensboro.
Lol, kickbacks out the wazoo from Raleigh to Greensboro.
Money always wins, doesn’t it.
It is a great day for the rights of property owners. Summerfield never negotiated in good faith. Their zoning rule was: Submit a plan. “If we say “No”, wait one year and try again.” Ridiculous. Only after Couch mentioned de-annexation did they try a little bit. But, too late. They are getting what they deserve. And, hopefully, there will be some new options for housing of various types, shops, restaurants that will, ironically, make Summerfield a better place to live.
Right Ken, just like Greensboro. It used to be a great place to live, look at it now. Over priced housing, crime, horrible traffic, inept city council and lots of really rude people ( mostly carpetbaggers) and don’t forget the cockroaches that go neighborhood to neighborhood destroying it then moving on to the next one
I disagree with your assessment that David Couch’s property rights were violated. What was violated was equal access to petition government. David Couch working with Phil Berger, Skip Alston, other politicians, and other players too many to mention demonstrated how sleazy and unfair the business of political influence really is. Do you believe, ken, that if an ordinary landowner without political connections wanted to develop 15 acres of land could successfully petition for the land be de-annexed from Summerfield? David Couch, Phil Berger and Skip Alston are bullies. The de-annexation of Couch’s land had nothing to do with property rights. One of the “persuasive points” used in the argument to de-annex was affordable housing. Take a look at David Couch’s and his wife, Stephanie Quayle’s website and evaluate for yourself whether the de-annexation was about property rights and affordable housing: https://villagesofsummerfieldfarms.com. It was always about political access and money.
A bit of compromise from Summerfield would have made a big difference in the tax coffers. Somewhere between Pigs and Pig heads, there was a compromise to be had. They blew it. “Pigs get fat, pig heads get nothing.”
Your explanation of events is so naive. As long as David Couch’s land remained in Summerfield, regardless of concessions by Summerfield, Couch could never have developed his land the way he desired. There were two impediments to remaining in Summerfield: Water and Sewer. Couch wanted de-annexation all along. Now all those politicians, Phil Berger, Skip Alston and others gave Couch what he wanted, a way out of Summerfield. Alston will never rise above his political station, and he knows it. So, he is content with his small pond politics. It gives him access to taxpayer money to use for things like the Taj Mahal of community centers, and his Woolworth Museum. However, Berger has higher political aspirations. His political career advancements need to conclude, beginning with the Republican Party.
no ice manufacturing ? penguin prevention ? create more AG land – remove YOUR structures & get a plow !
When is the meeting?
I want to attend.
Thursday, Dec. 19 5:30 pm
A big chunk o’ love.
The Roads and Schools can’t handle all the Peaple and Traffic that would come with David’s Plan , is he going to build New Schools and Roads , I don’t think so , He Goes into Small Towns , Buys all the Land he can , Developes the land and moves on to the next Small Town , He Doesn’t care what happens after That !!!
HOA boards are trash. The people who sit on these boards are trash. They are thieves. They have devised a plan to steal your properties if you don’t walk in lock step with their rules. 100% facism! They tell you what they want your property to look like. Sick, wicked and evil.