Now that it appears crystal clear that developer David Couch is going to seek the de-annexation of Town of Summerfield property to build his residential and mixed-use development, leaders of the town are gearing up for a fight that will take place in the North Carolina General Assembly – the body that will decide whether or not Couch is allowed to remove about 1,000 acres from the town and build his development the way he sees fit.
On Tuesday, March 19, the town clerk of Summerfield sent out a notice that the Town Council would hold a special meeting in order to strategize and put into practice efforts that will help convince state legislators to vote against de-annexation.
The special called meeting will take place on Friday, March 22 at 4 p.m. at the Summerfield Town Hall.
The official stated purpose of the meeting is to discuss “an outside attorney contract (Jim Hoffman), a resolution opposing legislative de-annexation of properties in Summerfield, and a texting PR campaign for de-annexation.”
The town has already taken steps, such as hiring a lobbyist, to make its case to the General Assembly.
Summerfield recently received some moral support from the nearby town of Stokesdale, where the Town Council voted unanimously to back Summerfield in its fight against de-annexation. One concern Stokesdale’s leaders have is that, if it can happen to Summerfield, it can happen to their town as well.
Stokesdale adopted the resolution after NC Sen. Phil Berger visited Stokesdale’s leaders and informed them that he intended to back a bill that included the de-annexation of Couch’s Summerfield property in the General Assembly’s legislative short session in Spring of 2024.
Hindsight is 20/20
Just let the man build on his property. It’s HIS property. If you don’t like it buy it. More money thrown away and no new revenue coming in. They blew it. They know it. It won’t just be this property. Others will follow. If the Town doesn’t want growth, then it’s on them.
Growth in and of itself is not a good thing. Only developers and real estate opportunists think like this.
We live in a country where people have the right to make decisions to do whatever they want to do with the property they own. These people who are trying to stop this man from using his land to make life better for wonderful people who will move into Summerfield and give to the community does not have stable brains to understand the value of his efforts to make life better all the persons of the community. They are self serving persons who need to lean to give of themselves and to appreciate life and understand the valve of life itself. This man has rights just as we all have rights. Stop trying to keep him from giving to the community in a very good and wonderful way. Give him the go ahead to make life better for ALL persons in Summerfield NC and ENJOY the new life together for ALL persons in your community.
You are wrong about the right to do whatever with your own property. What do you think zoning laws do? They restrict land use. Talk about self-serving. Do you really believe that Couch’s desire to develop the land is altruistic? It is all about money, money, money. This is true of all developers, and it is true of Couch. Martin, are you in real estate and see an opportunity to make a buck too?
I am not in real estate. I am an organist. Life is always changing and we cannot stop time. New persons will take over the earth real soon. And the earth will need new homes to become the earths knew landscape. I do not know the situation that Summerfield is working with but it is likely that persons do not want change and I do understand that feeling but change will happen. A thousand acers are a lot of land that will make a big difference in the lives of the people that will matter is a good way. The project will give Summerfield a wonderful level that will matter for the future. The persons living there deserves this opportunity to experience this change in life.
The town refused to work with the builder after he tried to satisfy the Summerfield representatives several times. The town should have been more cooperative.
Phil Berger is too big for his breeches. The NC legislators should not defer to Phil Berger on the matter of de-annexation of Couch’s property. De-annexation is the goal of ONE individual, not the residents of Summerfield. Phil Berger is asking legislators to agree with an entirely political move by Berger to satisfy the desire of ONE resident of Summerfield. Berger is seeking to benefit a political contributor, David Couch, by de-annexing almost 1,000 acres in the middle of the town of Summerfield to satisfy Couch’s lust to circumvent the zoning laws in a town that was established by the NC General Assembly in 1996, two years before Couch began buying property in Summerfield. It is very difficult to comprehend how the House and Senate members could vote for de-annexation that benefits ONE individual while being opposed by the town. As far as Phil Berger, repeat term limits, term limits, term limits.
Commenters need to learn what actually happened in Summerfield. Summerfield PASSED THE EXACT ZONING COUCH WANTED!!! The zoning was WRITTEN BY COUCH. He can build but he won’t and the Town can’t force him. Do people really think there are no rules at all in Greensboro and other towns? They are called ordinances and exist everywhere. So, no, not even Couch is rich enough to avoid rules. Except if you have the money to donate to Phil Berger.
Is David Couch writing this stuff? His workers? This isn’t the wild west and shockingly there are laws. David Couch bought the land like everybody else knowing the regs. Summerfield bowed down and quadrupled housing and gave the David Couch specialty, thousands of apartments. What a whiner. He can build right now and double the population of that town. Wake up. He’s not the poor famer builder. He’s a bully who is buying his way out of following the law.