Weddington Resident and Neighbor,
Update - We need your attendance to change the date of the "Deal Lake" Public Hearing!
SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE-AMENDED
Mayor Jim Bell has called for a Special Meeting to be held Monday, April 7, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at Weddington Town Hall for the purpose of the following:
- Discussion and Consideration of Venue for April 14, 2025 Regular Town Council Meeting
- Discussion and Consideration of Rescinding Motion made on 3/27/2025 to hold a meeting, public hearing, and vote on Toll Brothers Conditional Zoning Application on April 14, 2025.
- Discussion and Consideration of postponing discussion and consideration of Toll Brothers Conditional Zoning Application to later date
Public comments will not be allowed at the Special Meeting.
Please visit our petition page for the latest updates https://www.change.org/NoDealWeddington
Toll Brothers' proposed "Deal Lake" Public Hearing has been scheduled for April 14 at 7:00 PM, Weddington Town Hall. We have been informed that Mayor Pro Tem Tom Smith will not be in attendance due to a scheduling conflict, known to the council months in advance.
We’ve been told the residential project is expected to pass 2-1 or 3-0, as the Mayor only votes in the event of a tie. Many residents are concerned this is shaping up to be a "rigged vote."
Since discovering this, we have been actively advocating for the hearing date to be moved so that all town council members can be present. However, on two separate occasions, town council members Jeff Perryman, Brannon Howie, and Darcey Ladner have voted to keep the Toll Brothers public hearing scheduled for April 14 at Weddington Town Hall, despite the outpouring of hundreds of emails from Weddington citizens requesting they change the date and the venue to Weddington High School.
WE NEED YOU TO SHOW UP!
A Special Meeting has now been scheduled for April 7, 2025, at 6:30 PM at Weddington Town Hall to discuss the possibility of changing the venue and public hearing date.
Toll Brothers "Deal Lake" public hearing is expected to draw a large turnout of Weddington residents. It is crucial that all town council members are present for both the public hearing and the subsequent discussion and consideration.
Please email the town council if you haven't already and state the following:
- You are opposed to Toll Brothers Deal Lake and state reasons why.
- Move the venue to Weddington High School for all nights of the public hearing and discussion/consideration.
- Cancel the April 14 public hearing and reschedule to May 12, or to a date when all town council can attend all nights of the public hearing and discussion/consideration.
Town council emails:
jperryman@townofweddington.com
bhowie@townofweddington.com
jbell@townofweddington.com
tsmith@townofweddington.com
dladner@townofweddington.com
Please cc Town staff: kdewey@townofweddington.com
Toll Brothers is the developer of several Weddington neighborhoods, including Bromley, Enclave at Baxley, and the recently approved Luna (approved in December 2023). All of these neighborhoods are experiencing significant issues that are being overlooked and ignored.
Bromley has faced ongoing stormwater issues, with uncontrolled runoff and silt flowing into the community lake. The lake had to be dredged in 2019 and is expected to require dredging again soon at a cost of $80K.
Enclave at Baxley has reported major infrastructure and quality issues to Toll Brothers despite many residents being ignored, finally reaching out to the town of Weddington for guidance.
Luna, Toll Brothers recently and brazenly clear cut all trees on Luna's land, disobeying Weddington’s tree ordinance. To date Toll Brothers has not been fined or penalized for their actions by the Town of Weddington!
It’s important to note that Toll Brothers submitted their proposal for "Deal Lake" in November 2023 and have had over 16 months to prepare, yet their application remains incomplete, missing many items, failing to meet the requirements of Weddington’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) requiring a complete application.
Aero Plantation and many Weddington residents are opposing Toll Brothers' proposed “Deal Lake”, 62 homes on one acre lots located on Hwy 84/ Weddington Road, one half mile from Weddington Schools. The original plan started out with a private community wastewater treatment plant for 93 homes for a residential conservation development.
The private community wastewater treatment plant was proposed within 200 feet of our neighborhood lake and an active bald eagle's nest, nested in a tall pine tree on the edge of Aero's lake. After strong opposition pertaining to the wastewater treatment, Toll Brothers has since modified their plans three more times, yet their plans remain incomplete! It appears the farmland has problematic soils and does not perc overall for the number of bedrooms Toll Brothers proposes to build.
This project could jeopardize our community's public health, safety, and well-being, as well as our quality of life and property values. It could also set a dangerous precedent for incomplete applications, potentially leading to poorly managed developments and future neighborhoods marked by inadequate oversight and long-term issues.
According to Town Planner Gregory Gordos, he has the authority to deem an application complete, even when it is not. Despite multiple missing items in these applications, Gordos has been forwarding them to the Planning Board for review. However, Appendix 2B of our UDO requires that all applications be complete before they can be presented to the Planning Board.
These Are Just Some of the Many Concerns We Have (With Some But Not All Conditions)
- Increased Traffic Congestion and Strain on Local Resources - The proposed site is just half a mile from Weddington Schools, exacerbating traffic congestion and contributing to gridlock. With Weddington Schools already at or near full capacity, this development could force redistricting in the near future.
- Incomplete and Non-Compliant Application - The application for this project is incomplete, missing several required items and fails to comply with the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
- Unviable Septic and Stormwater Plans - The proposed septic and stormwater plans are not viable, and individual lots have not been perc-tested, as required by our UDO.
- Protection of Streams and Wildlife Habitat - The project threatens the streams along Mundys Run, which flow into Aero Plantation’s lakes. Additionally, the area is a critical wildlife habitat. We ask that Toll Brothers put in writing they and the future homeowners associations of "Deal Lake" forgo any riparian rights to Aero Plantation's lakes.
- Environmental and Wildlife Concerns - This project puts at risk federally protected bald eagle nests and tri-colored bats, a species soon to be added to the endangered species list. We advocate for the permanent conservation of the 660-foot buffer zone around the bald eagle nest, which should be managed by a reputable conservation organization like the Catawba Lands Conservancy. We oppose placing this area under a homeowners association conservation easement, as it would not provide the same level of long-term protection and oversight.
- Preservation Of The Tree Canopy - Request a tree survey to identify trees essential for wildlife habitats. We also call for the protection of the tree canopy vital to the health and safety of these habitats and that the tree canopy extend beyond the federally protected 660' of the bald eagles nest, to ensure all nests, rookeries and trees are protected that these birds regularly perch in.
- Protection of Wildlife Sanctuary - The area within Aero Plantation is a vital wildlife sanctuary, home to diverse species such as a blue heron rookery, osprey, red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, great horned owls, and barn owls, among many others. Its preservation is crucial to maintaining the region’s ecological balance and biodiversity.
- Preservation of Open Space and Viewsheds - The development threatens the open space, impacting the viewsheds along main thoroughfares and corridors. This will disrupt the natural beauty of the area and the community’s character.
- Protection of the Night Sky - To protect the community from air, noise, and light pollution, we request the exclusion of street lighting and street lamps. Aero Plantation is a recognized area for stargazing and planet viewing, and preserving this natural resource is essential to maintaining the clarity of the night sky.
- Project Incompatibility with Local Zoning - The proposed development is not compatible in scale, intensity, or character with the existing R80 zoning in Aero Plantation and is out of harmony with the overall area.
- Lack of Full Environmental Study A comprehensive environmental study has yet to be conducted, leaving significant gaps in understanding the full impact of the proposed project.
- Ignored Requests for Discussion - Some town council members have ignored our requests to meet and discuss our concerns about the "Deal Lake" project, leaving important community issues unaddressed.
Weddington Residents – Your Presence Matters!
It’s crucial that you attend this special meeting April 7 to show the Weddington Town Council that our community expects fairness and transparency!
Toll Brothers is taking a TOLL on Weddington! This needs to stop! We don't want to become Toll Brothers Town with copy and paste all white neighborhoods, which is planned for "Luna" and "Deal Lake".
Conditional zoning gives a Town Council the legislative power to consider the information and to approve or deny the application based on reason. The council's decision/vote is highly protected by the state.
It is very rare that a developer will sue a town for rejecting their application. If they do sue, it's extremely rare the supreme court will find in favor of the developer.
Your attendance at the special meeting this Monday will send a powerful message!
We will keep you updated if the public hearing date changes!
Thank you all for your support for the past 16 months!
Best regards,
Chad and Melissa Emerine