*Note: Change.org will ask for a donation after signing this petition; you DO NOT have to donate. 

✍️ The Petition

By signing this, I affirm that I support the Polivka family's property being added to the Weddington Town Overlay.

The Ask: 

🗣️ We respectfully ask the Weddington Town Council to:

✅ Amend the downtown overlay map to include the Polivka property — a mixed use (MX) zoned parcel of land that already has a commercial building housing local businesses (Serene Dental Spa, Polivka Intl., Rollpark, etc.) — to correct a mapping oversight that occurred when the downtown overlay was originally created.

🧭 Honor land use designations, zoning and ordinances. 

🏛️📜⚖️ Do due diligence by referencing the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), the comprehensive land use plan of 2024 and zoning ordinances. Also, consult with the Planning Board (the advisory body) before making Conditional Zoning decisions that affect families and affect the property rights of tax paying citizens.

🧠 Why We Should Amend The Overlay: 

🛠️ Fixing a Mapping Oversight: The Polivka property was already zoned Mixed Use (MX) with a commercial building on it before the Town Overlay existed—the Polivka property should have been included in the map when the commercial overlay was created.

✅ Already Commercial: 
The property is home to the thriving Serene Dental Spa and long-standing Weddington based family business Polivka International and is home to Polivka's additional startup businesses: Rollpark and TieDisposal.

📜 The Town Overlay Applies To:
According to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), “the downtown overlay shall apply to those parcels designated as future business in the Town of Weddington Land Use Plan and zoning map.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on the UDO, the Polivka family property should be included in the Town Overlay because the Polivka family property is designated as "Business."

See the land use maps from the comprehensive plan of 2024 below.

🗺️ Existing Land Use Map (ELUM):
Polivka is designated “commercial” on the current land use map, the same as the majority of properties in the Town Overlay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polivka is the red parcel of land just across the street from the other red parcels within the Town Overlay. They share the same land use designation and are both in the Town Center.

🔮 Future Land Use Map (FLUM):
Polivka is designated “business” on the town’s future land use map (FLUM), the same as the majority of properties in the Town Overlay. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polivka property is the red parcel of land just across the street from the other red parcels within the Town Overlay. They share the same land use designation and are both in the Town Center.

📊 Do the math - Polivka's property is part of the .4% designated as "Business" in the future land use map (FLUM)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Polivka family's property is part of the .4% that is designated "Business" in the future land use map (FLUM) found within the Town of Weddington's comprehensive plan of 2024.

Again, the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) says: 

“The downtown overlay shall apply to those parcels designated as future business in the Town of Weddington Land Use Plan and zoning map.”

🏛️ In the Town Center:
The Polivka family property is right across the street from the Weddington Corners shopping center. 

In the 2024 Land Use Plan, residents voted that all Commercial and Mixed Use development should be restricted to the existing Town Center as defined by the current land use map. 

Polivka is in the Town Center AND is the only Mixed Use (MX) property in the town of Weddington. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: The Comprehensive Land Use Plan of 2024

🏥 Polivka's use is consistent with the character of the neighborhood:
The Polivka family's current office building has use similar to many of the existing downtown overlay businesses (i.e. medical and professional services) just across the street. 

🏢  The most beautiful "commercial" building(s) in town - the current office building and the additional future office buildings are on brand with Weddington. The Planning Board and Town Council collaborated with the Polivka family to shape the design of the current office building from 2012-2013.

The additional two office buildings proposed, which were approved by the planning board in November of 2024, are consistent with the original office building aesthetic and are on brand with the town of Weddington.

🧭 Follow Your Inner Compass - Do What's Fair and Just
We’re asking the Town Council of Weddington to do what’s right. 

We're asking the Town Council to respect the rights of tax paying citizens who are property owners. 

We are asking the Town Council to do your due diligence and respect the rights of a property owning citizen living within a Democratic Constitutional Republic where the opinions of a group of people (be it a small mob or a large mob) should not trample upon the rights of an individual citizen who owns property and pays taxes in the town of Weddington. 

A Call To Fellow Citizens: 

📋 ✍️ SIGN the petition to encourage the Town Council correct a town mapping oversight and support a family-owned local business in Weddington.

📣 **SHARE with your neighbors who care about fairness, consistency,  responsible development and creating a better Weddington.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) =>

Question:
Will this substantially increase traffic on Providence Road? Will this bring significant vehicular congestion to Weddington?

Answer:
No and No.

A professional Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) was completed in 2024 as part of the Planning Board application review process; the analysis determined that the proposed development of the two new office buildings would generate only 53 AM peak hour trips and 63 PM peak hour trips. The report concluded:

“Even though the proposed office / medical office development will slightly increase the amount of vehicular traffic on the adjacent roadways / corridors, the existing / future and no build intersection operations are not expected to be materially impacted.” — Traffic Impact Analysis, Design Resource Group, Feb 2024

At the January 13, 2025 Town Council Meeting, Town Planner Greg Gordos stated:

“A traffic study was completed and didn’t require upgrades to Providence Road. The business and medical offices draw less traffic than subdivisions and other retail commercial developments.”

The bottom line:
The traffic impact is modest and well within town standards. No intersection improvements were required.

Question: 
Will this open up the door for expanding commercial development in Weddington? Will this lead to commercial "sprawl?" and be a "slippery slope" 🐫?

Answer:
No. 

Some people have suggested that adding Polivka to the commercial overlay could “open the door” to unwanted commercial sprawl. This fear-mongering rhetoric does not hold up under scrutiny.

1.) There is no increase in commercial. Polivka is already zoned mixed use (MX), and is designated "Business"in the future land use map (FLUM) in Weddington's comprehensive plan of 2024.

Polivka and the properties just across the street in the Downtown Overlay make up .4% of the property in Weddington which is designated "Business." 

An increase in "commercial" would mean other properties being re-zoned to Mixed Use (MX) or Commercial (B1 or B2), and then being designated as "Business" in the future land use map (FLUM). 

This .4% number of "Business" in the future land use map (FLUM) does not increase when Polivka builds two more office buildings on their land and it does not increase when Polivka is added to the downtown overlay. This number stays the same.

Again, the number STAYS THE SAME. The Polivka property is already "commercial." There is no "sprawl" or "spread of commercial."

2.) The Polivka property is landlocked.

The Polivka property is bordered by:

• The Weddington United Methodist Church
  
  
• Hunter Farm

Hunter Farm is protected from development

Hunter Farm is a legally protected nature preserve under the Catawba Lands Conservancy.
https://catawbalands.org/where-we-conserve/property-list/

As such, Hunter Farm is held under deed restrictions that prevent any future development—verified with the Union County Register of Deeds.
https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-r-z/register-of-deeds  

Question: 
What's the timeline of the Polivka family property in Weddington? 

Answer: 
📅 Timeline of the Polivka family property: 

2007 — The property consisted of an abandoned home and overgrown lot - residents considered it an eyesore. Basil Polivka bought the property with the intention of cleaning it up and investing in the Town Center of Weddington.

2008-2011 — The Polivka family met with residents, town council, planning board, etc. expressing interest to clean up the abandoned and overgrown lot and to invest in a better Weddington.

2012 — The Polivka family property was zoned Mixed Use (MX).

2013 — The Polivka family cleaned up the lot and built a commercial office building for their businesses and for tenants (medical and office tenants).

2023 — The Polivka family applied to build two additional office buildings. 

Purpose of these two additional office buildings is two fold: 

1.) Provide a home for Polivka Intl. employees (the business is growing) and employees of their other growing business lines: Rollpark and TieDisposal.

2.) Provide office space for medical providers and professional service providers to serve residents of Weddington. 

2024 — In November, the Planning Board and town staff approved the Polivka family's application to build two additional office buildings and recommended that the Town Council approve the application to build. 

In total, this was a 16 month approval process spanning from 2023 - 2024. 

2025 — In January, the Town Council ignored the Planning Board's recommendation and voted to deny the Polivka family's application.

The primary reason for the denial: 
The Polivka property is not part of the Town Overlay.

However...

It was stated in prior Planning Board meetings that the Town Overlay has no bearing on whether Polivka should be allowed to build.

Despite the fact that the Town Overlay should have no bearing on the Polivka family being able to build, the Council used this as the primary reason to deny the Polivka family's application. 

*Note:
The Polivka family is going to re-apply in January of 2026, regardless of this Downtown Overlay which was created after the Polivka property was zoned and built, but let's work together to fix this mapping oversight in the meantime.