As a wise man once said, it ain’t over till it’s over; and, while Summerfield farmer and developer David Couch may have won the battle to de-annex nearly 1,000 acres from the Town of Summerfield in order to build a large residential and mixed-use development on the property, in no way is the battle over.
It’s true that Couch managed to get his land out from under the jurisdiction of a town notorious for its stringent development rules; however, the land is, as of Monday, July 1, now officially an “unzoned” part of unincorporated Guilford County. In order to build his large community in the way he sees fit, he will still have to get permission – it’s just that now he will have to get it from Guilford County and the Guilford County Planning Department, which has a vetting process of their own regarding what they will and will not allow.
Given the strong emotions in the case and the way this de-annexation was jammed through the NC General Assembly, it’s a safe bet that any zoning allowing dense population on the land will eventually be appealed to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and perhaps then to the court system.
So, Couch may not be out of the woods yet.
According to Guilford County Planning Director Leslie Bell, given that the state approved the de-annexation from Summerfield, now Guilford County has 60 days to determine how the land should be zoned, which will go a long way toward deciding what types of projects may be built on the property.
Bell said the county will look at issues such as water and sewer, other infrastructure issues, compatibility with surrounding areas, fire protection and other considerations typically examined when property is zoned or rezoned.
Bell said that county planners will talk with the developer and see what kind of timeline he has under consideration, what density is desired, and the ability of a project to meet infrastructure needs.
“It’s not done in a vacuum,” Bell said of the Planning Department’s decision-making process, which involves give and take with developers.
Bell said that input from the public is taken into consideration as well.
“The public hearing is a factor,” Bell said.
The densest residential zoning that Guilford County allows is 5,000 square foot lot sizes, which equates to 8.7 units per acre.
Both the Guilford County Planning Board and the Guilford County Board of Commissioners have sometimes been swayed over the years when the large meeting room on the second floor of the Old Guilford County Court House in Downtown Greensboro is packed to the rafters with angry county residents opposing a project.
Others think Couch could run into some physical problems when it comes to building his dream community. One longtime Summerfield resident familiar with the land said that he believes Couch might find a lot more granite than he anticipates and that could lead to some real construction problems.
Thanks for updating us on this. Not giving up hope!
Summerfield would be a great place for low income housing, there is a lot of vacant land all through Summerfield and there are people who need a place to live. Attention developers, your rent will be guaranteed by the government and you are guaranteed to return on your money. So what’s the holdup?
At three k a month lil
Transportation? Local employment opportunities?
Why, would anyone want to ruin Summerfield with a bunch of low rent Apts. We’ve already got drugs and crime around the area why invite more trouble to make one man rich?
They are just jealous of Summerfield’s lifestyle
my section 8 neighbor renters WERE a nightmare until my neighborHOOD gentrified . . . now i have > concrete, asphalt, vehicles & strangers who disappear into boxes where hidden things occur & < GREENsboro. progress? regress? transgress?
“It ain’t over ’till it’s over.”
Eventually, if he wants city water and sewer, he will have to ask to be annexed into the city of Greensboro. At least that was what I was told when I asked to connect to the city sewer. I expect they would be happy to grant whatever zoning he requests. There is no downside for them just additional tax money.
if he fails to get city w/s then his development will be limited by how much well-water is available & how well the land perks for septic fields – all regulated by guilford co. health dept.
It ain’t over in the courts either. If Summerfield leaders had any guts they would sue the General Assembly. This reeks of the legislature over reaching and misusing the Constitution. So far Mayor Sessoms and large landowner Doggett have done nothing but kiss Couch’s feet. Maybe the rest of them in Summerfield will do something to finally stand up the Berger and Couch.
“During the 2021/2022 legislative session, there were only 20 de-annexations across the state, with two of them in Guilford County.” This is not a one-off, it happens all the time and guess what David Couch is not involved in any others. The truth is either The Town Of Summerfield received poor advice about what could happen with such a large parcel, or they ignored the advice they received
This isn’t like all those other deannexation. Not even close. There has never in the history of NC been a deannexation this large or in the center of a town. The others are tiny and on town borders, so no town has really fought deannexation in the courts. If Summerfield doesn’t at least try to fight in court, it’s free rein for developers to take large percentages of a town out of the center if they can “pay off” a legislator. All to avoid ordinances everyone else has to follow.
Just because it has been done by the legislature doesn’t mean the Courts wouldn’t overturn it. Just hasn’t been tested yet.
When the majority of the NC General Assembly votes to enrich ONE person at the expense of a small town, action should be taken against the GA. The Local Act by the GA which allowed for this de-annexation over the objection of the town should be overturned by the courts. A government cannot pass an act that benefits ONE individual. Shame on the GA members who allowed Phil Berger to enrich ONE person by removing a tax source from Summerfield and separating the town geographically from itself. How many of you who are reading this believe that Phil Berger would come to your aid to enrich your coffers? Whatever argument Berger may have put forth to entice the GA members to vote for the de-annexation pales in comparison to the act of favoritism to enrich ONE person, especially at the expense of a small town. If NC had a re-call provision, this would be the perfect time to use it.
Well said
Enrich ONE person? Really? What about all the people who would like to live in Couch’s mixed use development? There is no reason not to have some different types of housing, including some apartments. You’ve got a new urban loop nearby. Plus, the aging people who would like to move into a townhome? But, unfortunately, the good people of Summerfield do not want any people who don’t want to live in houses on huge lots. Rather than negotiate while you had a chance, you elected a hard line majority, led by Hamilton. Well, as the saying goes: you get the leadership you deserve!
Ken maybe just maybe the good people of Summerfield don’t want to live next to a bunch of government assisted (section 8) apartments. If that were the case they would move to Greensboro. Why can’t that community be left in peace. It’s a beautiful country farm area. I don’t live there by the way just don’t understand why another 1000 acres of forest and wildlife habitat has to be destroyed. This type of destruction is what’s driving global warming. Live Summerfield alone.
Please, ken. You sound like a mouthpiece for Phil Berger and his cohorts in the General Assembly. Houses and apartments? Really? Nothing can be argued in support of the Summerfield de-annexation that trumps the act of favoritism by the GA. This act is no different from eminent domain except that the land being taken by the GA through de-annexation goes to ONE private individual. The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution allows for eminent domain IF the person owning the property is compensated. Summerfield got nothing. Eminent Domain is executed by the GA through a Local Act, just as the de-annexation was. Summerfield did not own the land but had a lawful interest in keeping the town together. The GA acted contrary to the interest of the Town of Summerfield, a town chartered by the GA, to enrich ONE individual. This act by the GA should be repealed through the courts.
Skip Alston is already kissing up to coach so the development is done deal, wait until the prices come out for the rental units at 2300 a month and higher to the three k mark, yeah that’s affordable housing lol !!!?
When is this public hearing, Ms Bell?!?
Get over it. Just get over losing. Of course this article will just encourage Greensboro to annex the property. They will approve anything. You did it to yourselves.
You don’t get it. Couch wanted de-annexation all along. If Summerfield had given Couch everything he wanted, without water and sewer, which Greensboro had denied providing in the past, he could not have developed his land the way he wanted. While Phil Berger may have been the ogre of the de-annexation show, it was the hidden players who worked behind the scenes to help make the de-annexation happen. Politicians are so sleazy and corrupt. There was collusion to reach de-annexation. Why do you think Couch donated $6,400 to Skip Alston. No matter how one may feel about de-annexation, what happened to Summerfield should be of concern to everyone. If Summerfield takes legal action, I personally will donate to the cause. I hate sleazy, back-room deals. The state legislature should not be able to enrich ONE individual at the expense of anyone, especially a small town. I am sure one of the persuasive arguments used was housing. Regardless of the arguments, it is corrupt for elected politicians to enrich ONE individual at the expense of others, regardless of the argument to enrich that ONE individual. The bad players in this de-annexation are many, including lawyers. Attack Phil Berger if you will. But he is merely the face of the de-annexation. NC legislators gave the middle finger salute to a small town and removed part of its tax base to enrich ONE individual. Shame, shame. To Summerfield, take legal action to stop what should be an unlawful act. Don’t hesitate to act. If the case makes its way to the NC Supreme Court, you have a chance of a win. All North Carolinians are losers in this case. Request a preliminary injunction to overturn Raleigh’s vote based on the loss of property tax money and the act by Raleigh to enrich ONE person at the expense of a small town.
If you remember, Skip was not enamored with Summerfield’s zoning that essentially mandated one house per big lot. He even initiated an investigation for racial discrimination. Very doubtful when all the white Summerfield residents living in the big houses on huge lots show up to the Guilford County hearing will get any sympathy. Couldn’t you guys see how this was going to turn out? Instead of letting cooler minds negotiate with Couch in good faith and make some concessions, bought into Hamilton’s “big talk”. We see how that worked out. This train wreck has been fun to watch!
Ken why shouldn’t they get sympathy. They bought their home and the big lot it was zoned for. You don’t like the zoning. Go live somewhere else. Stop trying to destroy the country side. Go lick Couch’s boots maybe he will throw you a bone
This is the land de-annexed by Raleigh at the expense of the Town of Summerfield. TOWN OF SUMMERFIELD DEANNEXATION
SECTION 10.(a) The following described property, identified by Guilford County
Tax Parcel Property Identification Numbers, is removed from the corporate limits of the Town
of Summerfield: 149612, 218953, 146198, 146128, 146205, 146160, 219823, 228628, 146200,
146052, 146207, 146127, 146119, 146149, 146126, 146327, 146325, 146324, 146321, 145496,
145413, 145583, 145568, 150103, 149659, 217566, 149658, 150130, 149642, 149643, 149688,
146919, 146880, 149645, 149651, 149653, 149662, 146952, 146311, 146129, and 146323.
Summerfield was not the only municipality affected by de-annexation. However, on close examination, it is the only one that enriched ONE individual. This is a valid argument for Summerfield going forward. The NC House and Senate enriched David Couch, a developer, by orchestrating a plan for him to develop land by de-annexing the land at the expense of the Town of Summerfield. The NC House and Senate knew or should have known the impact upon Summerfield and that de-annexation was the roadmap to: Removing property taxes from Summerfield and setting the stage for ONE individual to become richer by developing his land unfettered. Couch rewarded Skip Alston with a $6,400 donation in 2022, which I believe is the only Democrat he has ever donated to.
Couch needed support from Alston for de-annexation, therefore the donation was made before the public talk of de-annexation started. There is a clear picture of the NC House and Senate rewarding ONE individual at the expense of a small town that opposed the de-annexation and had worked with Couch on zoning. There is also the question of a conflict of interest on behalf of those in Raleigh who will benefit from de-annexation, aside from campaign donations. Politics is so sleazy. And who the heck is Pare, the listed sponsor of the bill that included de-annexation of Summerfield? Every sponsor should have been listed. Give cover to no one.
Remove Skip Alston – “Quid Pro Quo” – When will Guilford County wake up?
this forum helps people ‘vent’ whether it’s factual or not ? thnx ! what public service is provided by summerfields’ public servants to the ~1000 acres ?