Some residents in Summerfield offered last-minute advice for the Guilford County Board of Commissioners right before the county was set to adopt a new fiscal 2021-2022 budget.
Members of a group called “Stand Up For Summerfield” sent an email to all of the county commissioners – and even some former ones – just before the Board of Commissioners planned to vote to approve a budget on Thursday, June 17.
Some residents in Summerfield, who are worried about too much aggressive development in their town, made their feelings known in a clear and forceful manner.
“As you know, we are an ever-growing group of citizens and families throughout Guilford County organized as Stand Up For Summerfield,” the email stated. “Our ideas are often aligned with many other citizen groups and teacher organizations. We understand you will be voting on a budget tonight. We implore you to represent citizens, not developers, in your budget.”
In short, the group wanted the commissioners to use taxpayer money for the county’s pressing needs rather than for projects that might help development proceed in Summerfield.
“Many teachers and school employees have joined our cause,” the letter read. “1700 citizens signed a petition against using any government/taxpayer resources to extend water and sewer to help developers or in particular, David Couch.”
Couch, who owns a lot of land in Summerfield, has spoken several times on a high-profile residential development he plans to build in the area. The possibility has been raised that Guilford County and the City of Greensboro could play a role in bringing water to that development.
The group states that, instead, they want their taxpayer money – including COVID-19 relief funds Guilford County received under the American Rescue Plan – to be spent on other things.
“What we do NOT support is a public water and/or sewer system in Summerfield or anywhere in Guilford County where it does not exist. In fact, VERY FEW OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS EXCEPT POLITICIANS AND DEVELOPERS want public water and sewer in the County. And certainly, if you help one developer, David Couch, make his land more profitable by using any of your budget ( or any COVID Relief funds) the outcry from families and educators will be overwhelming.”
I agree with this group. I would rather have the money go towards a need (schools for instance) than pay to put money in an investor’s pocket. If Guilford County uses the COVID relief money to pay for water for Couch, will Couch pay it back?
Only the people who live in his developments will pay for the water, not other Summerfield residents. and no Summerfield taxes will support this effort. This group is famous for their mistruths. Facts do not matter to them.
So are you affirmatively saying that the Covid relief funds will not go towards this project? Because I have not seen anyone deny that.
This is completely wrong. And SUFS is right. What is a dishonest statement is to say it costs citizens nothing. That is simply naive.
The magical water fairy does not bring water and sewer lines to this property. Neither does the developer. It is the citizens of Guilford County or Greensboro that pay up front millions and millions to construct water and sewer lines AND maintain pumping stations and all other infrastructure in perpetuity.
Mr. Couch makes it sound like this benefits all and costs no one a dime. But think about it. Construction isn’t free. Someone pays UP FRONT. If the citizens who buy in his development pay increased rates to pay for water, how long will it take for Greensboro or Guilford County to get paid back…if ever? First, the lines need built…paid for by TAXPAYERS! Then, slowly over decades and decades, taxpayers MIGHT get paid back.
What if this development fails? Mr. Couch already stated he is in this for the short haul. He will build a few parts, then sells.
So Guilford County should front the TENS OF MILLIONS in water and sewer lines, is that free? Is that not tying up money that could be used elsewhere? Is that not using COVID relief funds for a developer, not citizens!
And Greensboro should give up a limited resource and face droughts and water restrictions to literally help one developer?
It is not SUFS who spreads mistruths. SUFS has simply told it like it is, which upsets those in favor of development in Summerfield. They want to lead citizens down a primrose path, while taking money from COVID Relief funds, a loan or a bond to build the infrastructure.
It is unfortunate that Summerfield leaders, the developer and certain groups will not lay out this plan clearly and call it what it is: a grand scheme to get taxpayers to pay for water and sewer lines UP FRONT to help a developer profit.
Once again a small group of individuals in Summerfield attempt to cloud the issues with untruths and citing imaginary problems and pretend they speak for the larger population. I hope the commission sees thru their BS. They say they speak for many, yet they have shown they speak for only their self centered interest. The petition they tout was based on a question that was bias in their direction and signed by many I talked with just to get them out of their face. Water is a problem as demonstrated all over the county from the Forest Oaks are to the Northwest. Responsible leaders made that very clear in the county chairman in his Guilford One meeting with the Mayors. The responsible leadership put it at the top of their wish list. This group of individuals for the most part have been disruptive and have filed lawsuits and Public records request costing the town fo Summerfield thousands and have yet to win a case or show any wrong doing by anyone other than themselves.. I hate the Rhino continues to give them a voice, I guess the old axiom, if it bleeds it leads. I suggest anyone who listens to this group may want to check out anything they say and verify for yourself. ?You will be amazed at how much you will find they distort. Check for yourself. Example, the water they say Couch is suggesting has always been at the cost to the developer and anyone who wants to tie onto it. It has never been a taxpayer issue in Summerfield, Greensboro or the county. the leadership made it very clear that would not be considered. BJ Barnes, Mayor, Summerfield
BJ is right. Led by the former mayor and a few of her anti-everything cronies, this group does not represent Summerfield. Only those who live in the Couch communities will pay for water, not the other Summerfield taxpayers. The former mayor lives in one of the big developments there and now what to stop all further projects by building a wall around Summerfield. This group is pitiful.
Maybe these folks are actually right & their mayor & council doesn’t listen to them? Your tantrum above makes that fairly evident. Maybe Couch has greased the palms of the local body politic & good ol’ boy network for decades and feels entitled? Glad to see these people stand up to the status quo!
Very unprofessional to use the acronym BS in a written response Mr. Mayor. However not surprised by your written language based on your false promises to the public.
Mayor Barnes: You are incorrect. Couch’s own website says Greensboro will fund millions in upfront water and sewer construction through a bond. Or, as Rhino Times reported, the lines will be paid by COVID Relief money which is taxpayer funded. Couch doesn’t pay.
COVID Relief funds, per the Rescue Act, can only be used for water infrastructure for “access to clean drinking water.” Who in Summerfield has tainted water? Developers win. Citizens lose.
Summerfield’s leaders just raised density from 73 residences per 100 acres to 500 residences per 100 acres — against campaign promises of low density. You push water/sewer when you campaigned for no water and sewer. Water anywhere in Town allows overdevelopment and overcrowding.
Will you now forget your pledge of no Planned Development and approve Couch’s Text Amendment for 1000 acres of virtually unrestricted PD?
Citizens are tired of your failed campaign promises and slick backtracking. You deflect valid arguments by name-calling us “Gail minions” or “ fear-mongerers.” You intimidate citizens at meetings and in posts like this, claiming we are self-centered for wanting a small town life in contrast to your pro-development agenda.
If you think everyone wants water/ sewer ANYWHERE in Town, then prove we are wrong. Show you listen to citizens, not developers. PUT IT ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT!
Stop the whining and be a leader. I guess they shouldn’t have a voice you disagree with?
This group that calls themselves “Standup for Summerfield” does nothing of the sort. They do not represent the majority of residents in any way. Rather, they represent their own interests and do it through fear tactics, intimidation, harassing mailings, etc. If you look at the type of developments attributed to Mr. Couch, they are always well planned and people friendly. I would encourage anyone to visit Summerfield Farms any day of the week to get a first hand look at how Mr. Couch has added class to the Summerfield community. Summerfield has a major problem in that it currently has no entry level housing that it can offer to firemen, teachers, young professionals, etc. Mr Couch’s development will solve this problem and will offer so much more in the way of people friendly amenities, walkability, preservation of rural vistas, etc. In addition, Mr. Couch has been transparent every step of the way and has offered to talk to anyone at any time about his proposed development. Also, this so called “standup for Summerfield Group” is not being honest when they say that the water issue would be a cost to the taxpayers of Summerfield. That is simply not the truth. Water will be a cost of the development project and will be paid for by Mr. Couch. That being said, if anyone wants to hook up to water that can be provided, they can do that at their cost. If they do not want water, there is no cost. Finally, this group continues to say they represent the majority of Summerfield. The majority of people in this town understand that Mr. Couch, who also lives in Summerfield and thus has a vested interest in the well being of the community, is trying very hard to bring a product type to this town that does not currently exist. It is unfortunate that this group continues to convey that they represent the majority of Summerfield residents when they clearly do not.
Mr. Barnes is wrong on his statements in many ways. The money being allocated is from the Covid stimulus money which is tax payer money, so the developer will not be paying for the water main construction. This would definitely disproportionly benefit the influential few. If you would listen to all Summerfield residents you would find out that the rural feeling of Summerfield is the most important reason that they want to live in Summerfield. Mr. Barnes does not like the Rhino Times because they do no cater to his agenda. So he wants to shut it down like they would in China. Mr. Barnes made many promises during his campaign and now is following a completely different agenda. Too bad there is not a procedure to recall him.