Richard Bernier has put together this video preview of the new Northridge Commons shopping development, utlizing plans the developer has available on the Northridge Commons website.

You can also view this and other Weaverville videos on his Weaverville News Channel on You Tube. 

There is an email circulating around town which brought news of the proposed Reems Creek Residential Community development to my attention:

Residents in the Pleasant Grove Road, Blevins Road, and Parker Cove Road area were surprised last Monday to learn about a 280-unit condo development, ready for approval by the Weaverville Board of Adjustment.  Their concern stems not only from the size of the proposed development but to the lack of public comment or input. The Board of Adjustment meeting was continued (because of a lack of quorum) and is re-scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 19 at the Town Hall.  At that time, the developer will present the proposed development plan and the Board of Adjustment is scheduled to vote on it.   It is likely this development will affect Reems Creek Road residents as well, since it provides the possibility of an additional 500+ cars on that road.  Other residents along Reems Creek will be affected by the building of water lines and sewer lines to connect the development to existing pipes.

Details about this project, as provided to me by affected residents, are listed below.  This did not come from the developer, with whom I have not had contact.  There is also no information about Reems Creek Residential Community nor Elk Mountain Partners available online.  I encourage concerned or curious residents to attend the December 19 meeting to hear from the developer directly about the project and/or to voice their concerns.

Name of Project: Reems Creek Residential Community
Developer: Elk Mountain Partners, LLC
12 Stoney Ridge Road
Asheville, NC 28804
Contact: Jim Egnew (828) 253-0191
 
Site Location: Southside of Reems Creek Road between Pleasant Grove Road and Parker Cove Road. This is the property formerly owned by Jim & Blanche Robertson.
 
PIN: 9752.03-33-7457.000
 
Access: Developer plans to build a new private bridge across Reems Creek intersecting with Pug Run.
 
Total Site Area: 66.8 Acres
Site Zoning: R3
Proposed Density: 4 units per acre (max.allowed=8)
Total units: 280
Total Car Spaces: 560 (underground)
 
Makeup of Homes: 4 3-story Lodge Condos (18 units per)
16 3-story stacked duplexes (6 units per)
15 2-story quadplexs (4 units per)
26 1/1.5-story duplexes (2 units per)
 
Average Price: $500,000

I’ve had a few inquiries lately about what’s happening with Northridge Commons.  The latest issue of the Weaverville Tribune has a front page article talking about that very thing, so if you’re curious about the details be sure to pick up a copy.  The basics are this:

• Spring 2009 is the scheduled opening date.
• Both Wal-Mart and Lowe’s are still coming.
• Construction has slowed because they have to wait for Progress Energy to move power lines.

View of the upcoming Northridge Commons development, taken from Hamburg Mountain. 

If you’re wondering what’s going on with the land clearing next to Ingles on Weaver Boulevard, their store manager tells me they are expanding the store, adding a car wash and possibly an in-store Starbucks.  The Starbucks addition is not yet set in stone though, so I’ll have to keep you posted on that one.

Often called the Wal-Mart development, the Northridge Commons Shopping Center is scheduled for completion in Spring of 2009, according to a billboard on 19-23/I-26 and the developers’ website.  Thus far, Super Wal-Mart and Lowe’s are the only tenants listed for the development.  For more information and to keep track of new tenants, here’s the property sheet for the center:  http://www.carolina-group.com/propertyDetails.cfm?id=10.  I did contact the developers last week to ask if the tenant list was going to be kept current on the website, but I have not yet received any reply.

Lowe’s recently released a press release about their new Weaverville location: http://lowes.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=1550

One last thing.  There’s a rumour going around that Lowe’s is actually owned by Wal-Mart.  I’ve found nothing whatsoever, online or off, to substantiate this.  If someone has inside information I’ll be glad to pass it along, but it looks like the only thing these two companies have in common is their company colors.

The Citizen-Times reported yesterday that the Buncombe County Planning Board voted 6-3 Monday to deny plans submitted for the Phoenix Cove development off Reems Creek Road.  Developers were asking for reduction in road width from 16 feet to 13 feet, but after a two-hour debate the board rejected the plans.  http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770918073

Just came across a PDF download about the residential development Creekside Village, which will be going in behind Lake Louise. This new development is courtesy of the Greer, SC company Moon McManus.

I had missed the initial story about this development, which was apparently back in June (before I even started this website). It calls for 295 two- and three-bedroom homes running in the $130-200 range. Ground breaking should happen within the year.

Here’s the direct link to the Creekside Village brochure: http://www.moonmcmanus.com/pdfs/Weaverville_Development_Download.pdf

Note:
Someone asked me recently why I don’t offer more opinions about the things I post here, seeing as it’s a blog and that’s what they’re known for. The reason is I want to make this site a place where everyone in Weaverville can come and find information and events in and about Weaverville, not for people to come to read what I think about that information. Just because I may not support a particular issue or like a certain restaurant doesn’t mean others feel the same way. Maybe, as the site grows, the comments section will be the place for preferences and opinions, including my own, but for now, consider this opinion-free.

The agenda for Monday’s (August 20) town council meeting has been published on the Town website.  To view, go to their calendar page and click on the Musical Notes next to the Town Council meeting listing.  Among the agenda items are a discussion of conditional use zoning districts, a report from the Planning and Zoning Board regarding the McPhail Property rezoning request, and a discussion of the resolution to merge the Weaverville ABC Store into the City of Asheville ABC System.

Just received this notice from Weaverville First:

If you are not aware yet - The Weaverville Partners have re-applied for a rezoning of the McPhail property on Weaver Blvd., as well as the adjacent property that belongs to Lasher. They have asked that it be rezoned to C2, if I am correct. The town sent it to the Planning and Zoning Board to review. Their task is to assess how it fits into the new Land Use Plan. My understanding is that information will be shared on Monday at Town Hall. Please attend this meeting if you can.

Weaverville Planning and Zoning Meeting
Mon, Aug 13, 2007: 5:30pm - 6:30pm

This will apparently be the first of 5 meetings. If you can make it on Monday, this is a good place to begin to understand the process — so that later, during the Public Hearing, you can share your views. Also, a good time to have a showing of concerned residents.

If you don’t know about the history of Weaverville Partners and the McPhail property, here’s a summary as I understand it:

The McPhail property is the tract of land on Weaver Boulevard located between Ingles and Main Street. Weaverville Partners originally wanted to put commercial businesses there in the form of two banks, a CVS, Auto Zone and Sonic Drive-Thru facing Weaver Blvd., with some smaller shops and residences behind them. After the Town Council declined to take action on their original rezoning request, the developer switched to a plan to building apartments on the property. The Zoning Board of Adjustment rejected that request and Weaverville Partners sued to have the decision overturned. They won, the Town of Weaverville appealed, but in the meantime the Town Council voted to allow Weaverville Partners to being a possible rezoning process.

Some additional reading on the subject, if you’re so inclined:
Town Council Minutes, Feb. 2005 Meeting
Town Council Minutes, April 2005 Meeting
Town Council Minutes, June 2005 Meeting
In Spite of Appeal, Weaverville Grants Developer a Review, Asheville Daily Planet article, July 17, 2007