Neighbors protest proposed affordable apartments

CHARLOTTE – More than 100 people crowded into a church office building to question officials about the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing Partnership’s plan to rezone a 7-acre parcel from a child care facility to an apartment complex for low-income housing, a proposal that drew heated opposition from many of the residents of the nearby Willowmere, Nottingham Estates and Weddington Ridge subdivisions that were in attendance.   

The series of meetings held Tuesday by the housing partnership were meant to assuage residents’ concerns over the development of the three-story, 70-unit apartment complex on a 7.23-acre plot on Weddington Road, between Simfield Church Road and Portstewart Lane near the Union County line.  But many in the audience had already decided they do not want Weddington Road Apartments in their backyard.

“Isn’t there another area in Charlotte that would welcome you? We don’t want this,” blurted out one woman in the audience, a remark received by a round of applause.  “We’re here to discuss how to stop this,” said another man. “Why here?” asked another person.

Julie Porter, president of the partnership, responded that 3.8 percent of the population in the area is qualified for housing assistance. The site appealed to the partnership because of its proximity to amenities such as supermarkets and restaurants. The apartments would be rented to three-member households making less than $35,000 per year and households of two earning less than $31,000.

“These residents have the exact same values as everyone else,” added Porter.

At the meetings, which were held all day beginning at 1 p.m., residents voiced their worries over a number of issues about the proposed development ranging from the density of apartments, adequate parking, traffic congestion, storm water drainage and crime.

During the presentation, Randy Goddard, a traffic engineer with Design Resource Group, shared some of the solutions the group petitioning for rezoning had developed regarding traffic congestion on Weddington Road, including findings on traffic impact and turn lanes into the proposed development.

Goddard conceded that there is a lot of traffic on the busy road already, but said that the addition of 70 families would have a negligible impact on congestion, an assessment that drew skepticism from the residents at the meeting.

Neighbors also questioned the project’s architect on the size of the fence and width and height of trees separating the proposed community from the subdivisions, and whether adequate parking had been planned.

From the meeting, it was clear the vast majority of attendees opposed the rezoning effort. Jeff Brown, an attorney with Moore & Van Allen facilitating the meeting on behalf of the petitioners, warned the group that the property will not remained unzoned forever and that the partnership was taking great care in developing the proposed multifamily complex.

The next public meeting on the rezoning issue will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16 at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. The zoning committee of the city’s planning commission will consider the proposal at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6 and the city council is scheduled to issue a decision on Jan. 21.