A rezoning application for a day care on Post Road stirred heated discussion among Forsyth County commissioners, who ultimately approved the measure 3-2 on Thursday.
The 2-acre site is on the east side of Post Road at Dressage Crossing, near Vickery Creek Elementary and Middle schools.
Seeking support from colleagues, Commissioner Jim Harrell argued, among other points, that the “proposed use will have detrimental and adverse effects on adjacent and nearby properties and property values.”
“This piece of property is a stone’s throw away from Vickery. This is a safety hazard,” said Harrell, whose only support came from Chairman Charles Laughinghouse.
Harrell added sarcastically, “If you want to put a day care in that vicinity, that’s a great place to put it.”
The proposed day care would be 10,000 square feet with 30 parking spaces.
Commissioner David Richard made the motion to rezone the land from residential to neighborhood shopping designation.
“I think the safety issue has been created by the two schools in that area,” Richard said. “This is a stone being dropped in a lake as far as its impact compared to what’s already there.”
Harrell countered that it was “spot zoning” that would “adversely impact that area.”
“You need to understand, there’s plenty of commercial opportunities along Post Road,” he said.
Commissioner Linda Ledbetter weighed in on the issue.
“I’d be against it if it were just a regular commercial development, but a day care?”
Harrell just shook his head. “It’s a bad, bad spot.”
Planning board members also had trouble coming to a consensus on the issue when it came before them Sept. 23, a meeting that drew several residents.
The planning board’s motion to recommend approval to the county commission passed 3-2 after an earlier proposal that it be denied failed by a 2-3 vote.
The 2-acre site is on the east side of Post Road at Dressage Crossing, near Vickery Creek Elementary and Middle schools.
Seeking support from colleagues, Commissioner Jim Harrell argued, among other points, that the “proposed use will have detrimental and adverse effects on adjacent and nearby properties and property values.”
“This piece of property is a stone’s throw away from Vickery. This is a safety hazard,” said Harrell, whose only support came from Chairman Charles Laughinghouse.
Harrell added sarcastically, “If you want to put a day care in that vicinity, that’s a great place to put it.”
The proposed day care would be 10,000 square feet with 30 parking spaces.
Commissioner David Richard made the motion to rezone the land from residential to neighborhood shopping designation.
“I think the safety issue has been created by the two schools in that area,” Richard said. “This is a stone being dropped in a lake as far as its impact compared to what’s already there.”
Harrell countered that it was “spot zoning” that would “adversely impact that area.”
“You need to understand, there’s plenty of commercial opportunities along Post Road,” he said.
Commissioner Linda Ledbetter weighed in on the issue.
“I’d be against it if it were just a regular commercial development, but a day care?”
Harrell just shook his head. “It’s a bad, bad spot.”
Planning board members also had trouble coming to a consensus on the issue when it came before them Sept. 23, a meeting that drew several residents.
The planning board’s motion to recommend approval to the county commission passed 3-2 after an earlier proposal that it be denied failed by a 2-3 vote.