No plans have been submitted regarding a much talked about development at the corner of West First Street and Cook Street in Blue Ridge, but that did not stop discussion over possible concerns at the city council meeting Tuesday, September 21.
Without plans from the developer, a decision regarding the final approval of the 200 West First Street development could not be made.
“They did not turn any plans in,” Mayor Donna Whitener said. “There’s all kinds of rumors there’s plans out there, there’s grant stuff, none of that we know nothing about.”
Whitener added that neither the developers nor owners have applied for water or sewer nor have they submitted building plans.
Planning, Zoning, and Project Manager Jeff Stewart confirmed that no plans or applications have been submitted to the city for a project at that address despite the property being advertised for a proposed condominium complex, and units being pre-sold.
In a March 3, 2020, Planning Commission meeting, then-owner Robbman Scott Kiker presented the board with his intentions and requested a rezoning of the property from C-2 (General Commercial) to CBD (Central Business District).
Although some plans were discussed, including preserving green space, affordable condominiums and retail shops, nothing was set in concrete, and the commission recommended the council approve the change with the stipulation that final plans be brought before the council for final council approval.
When the council met to hear the plan for themselves on March 10, they agreed to approve the rezoning and requested that the property owner submit a set of architectural plans and a final set of plans to the city.
Since that meeting, the building height of the CBD has been reduced from 60 feet to 35 feet with an additional six-foot buffer
for necessary mechanicals, and the ownership of the West First Street property has changed as well.
The change in building height creates confusion over what council members and many citizens say is to be built.
Councilman Nathan Fitts said he had heard someone say the property was grandfathered in, relating to building height.
“They are grandfathered in,” Jacqueline Kiker-Brown said from the audience. “I know for a fact.”
However, in the June 15 special called meeting when the building height reduction was originally voted on, the motion was stated to adopt the lower building height with existing buildings over the new maximum being grandfathered in. If they were to be destroyed, they could be rebuilt to a taller height.
It was noted during that meeting that there were no pending applications or permits, so no exceptions to the new height were made for future buildings.
That decision was then vetoed by Whitener until the July 13 meeting when Councilwoman Rhonda Haight made a motion to override the veto, and the council agreed unanimously.
When Haight asked Whitener at the September 21 meeting if the property was grandfathered in, Whitener said she didn’t know.
“So you never wrote a letter that said that?” Fitts asked Whitener, and the mayor responded no.
Kiker-Brown said there is something in writing, but did not say who it is from.