The Thursday, Oct. 5 meeting of the Summerfield Town Council isn’t labeled as an “Emergency” meeting, but in a way it is.
The purpose of the meeting is for the Town Council to make enough concessions fast enough to entice farmer and developer David Couch to drop his effort to de-annex his property from the town and instead pursue the development of his land while it remains in Summerfield.
It’s anyone’s guess whether the moves anticipated by the Town Council will be too little too late – and whether they will be enough to convince Couch to drop the effort he is undertaking at the state level to remove the land from the town.
Over the last two years, there’s been a lot of controversy in Summerfield over Couch’s plans to create a 973-acre residential and mixed-use development called The Villages of Summerfield. Couch felt so stifled by resistance earlier this year that he requested that state lawmakers de-annex the property and move it to unincorporated Guilford County, where Couch would presumably have an easier time of it.
That happened after the Town Council rejected a rezoning request by Couch in April.
On Monday, Sept. 18 – as state lawmakers were about to decide the issue – in an attempt to stave off that de-annexation the Summerfield Town Council held what was in fact an emergency meeting. After a nearly two-hour closed session, councilmembers voted unanimously to give Couch what he’s been asking for from the town for a long time.
Since all the technical zoning and regulatory aspects of the changes couldn’t be made at that emergency meeting, the Town Council scheduled this meeting for October 5 – a meeting with an agenda full of almost everything Couch had previously requested.
The meeting is a rare special two-in-one affair of both the Town Council and the Summerfield Planning Board in order to get things approved as quickly as possible.
The proposed changes include, among other things, a special “Open Space Mixed-Use Villages” zoning designation and the removal of scenic corridor restrictions that conflicted with the planned development.
Still, it’s not clear if this will be enough to keep Couch from attempting to de-annex the property. Couch may not trust the Town Council to remain compliant in the future. Also, even if he does, an upcoming election could drastically alter the nature of the current Summerfield Town Council.
The October 5 meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Summerfield Christian Life Center at 2300 Scalesville Road.
The thing is, the town of Summerfield does not have nor can it provide the services that are needed. Only the City of Greensboro is capable of providing the needed services.
They are just being racist, they know apartments house a lot of black people. There is a huge need for low income housing in Guilford county
and this area would be perfect. How would the Slummerfield snobs like that?
Attn developers : low income housing is badly needed in Guilford county. There are so many people on waiting lists for a nice apartment. This is unacceptable, let’s build some very income restricted housing in Summerfield , think about it. Thank uou
Very good for anyone who wants to develop 360 acres or more– disaster for the other homeowners. Basically the text amendment allows a developer to do whatever he wants. Anyone with 360 acres can do the same thing. Developer does have to submit a plan, but no guidelines, no density, and nothing about acceptable or not acceptable. Developer will work with Scott Whitaker “admin” in the UDO, and developer and Whitaker will make all the decisions. Town council, representing The Town of Summerfield will “support” water and sewer for the developer, and NO protections, NONE for existing wells and water.
You are right
Develop this property into low income housing
Everyone needs a place to live
The people in slummerfield just dont want any transit people in their community. It has nothing to do with keeping it quiet, we all know who they are trying to keep out. Who would want to live there anyway? Personally I think developers should put low income housing on the vacant average.