We, the residents of Millbrook Estates, along with other surrounding communities near Quail Ridge Road, affected by the proposed rezoning case Z-14-12, have joined together in opposition to the referenced rezoning case. The property in question is located off of Cypress Lane, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27609 (currently owned by the Raleigh Racquet Club, described herein as Cypress Lane) and intersects with Quail Ridge Road and Beechwood Drive. The property backs up to Partridge Lane and Covey Court.

The proposed development in the rezoning case is to be located at the end of Cypress Lane, which is a dead-end street and a minor residential access road. As such, under the City of Raleigh's zoning ordinance, Cypress Lane is limited to 40 dwelling units and cannot be longer than 800 Linear Feet. Additionally, we note that the proposed redevelopment would have only one ingress/egress. Thus, we believe that the proposed rezoning case does not meet the City’s goal of connectivity; will increase congestion in the streets; lessen the adequate light and air; overcrowd the land; impede transportation, water, sewerage; and is not suitable with the character of the neighborhood, or conservation of the land.

We do hereby protest against any change of the Land Development Code, which would rezone the referenced property to any classification other than it’s current designation of R-4, which is the most appropriate designation for our neighborhood. We believe if the property is rezoned from R-4 to R-6, Millbrook Estates and the surrounding communities off of Quail Ridge Road will be negatively impacted, especially with regard to traffic, in conjunction with the existing traffic impacts of Friendship Baptist Church and School, high-density apartments on Quail Ridge Road, and Millbrook High School on Spring Forest Road. We believe that the proposed rezoning will exacerbate the existing traffic impacts on Cypress Lane, Beechwood Drive, Ivy Lane, and Quail Ridge Road.

We would also note the potential of stormwater impacts to the existing surrounding communities. Despite the developer's assertion that the stormwater will be mitigated, the proposed development is located uphill of the surrounding communities. Millbrook Estates and the surrounding communities already experience occasional flooding and some homeowners are on private drinking wells. More townhomes means less yardspace, which could lead to more stormwater runoff, which leads to flooding. We believe that the proposed rezoning could exacerbate the stormwater problems on Partridge Lane, Covey Court, Cypress Lane, and Beechwood Drive.

Lastly, the proposed rezoning would result in an increased residential density of townhomes, which we believe is more than the current roads and land can support. Despite the developer’s assertion that the number of homes under the proposed R-6 density would be equal to the current density of R-4, we believe that, given the severe site constraints of the referenced property (power lines, steep slopes, floodplains, geological issues, etc.), the developer would be unable to achieve the maximum density of 64 dwelling units unless specifically granted the proposed rezoning of R-6 or greater by the City of Raleigh.

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to DENY the petition to rezone Cypress Lane from R-4 to R-6 (Z-14-12).