CHINA GROVE — The China Grove Town Council approved a two-year vested rights extension for developers behind a 171-lot single-family residential subdivision near Miller Road and Hwy. 152.

The proposed development, which sits on 92.6 acres, was originally approved in 2022, and required the applicant at that time, Pulte Group, to secure a valid building permit within a two-year period from the date of approval.

However, the applicant did not move forward with the project and decided to sell.

In January, China Grove received a request from Meritage Homes of the Carolinas for a one-year extension.

“Meritage Homes is the new applicant and developer for this project,” Planning and Development Director Teresa Barringer said. “They had been granted a one-year extension … which is authorized in the UDO (Unified Development Ordinance).”

This extension resulted in a new expiration date of August 2025.

However, a representative of Meritage Homes, Owen Reid, submitted a letter on May 13, requesting an additional two-year vested rights extension, noting they were under contract to purchase but did not feel they would be able to obtain permits by the deadline of Aug. 3, 2025.

“(This request was made) due to the timeline and the civil review and just making sure where they are going to be getting their civil review complete and the construction to be ready for platting,” Barringer said. “To be sure they were comfortable with where they were, they requested to go ahead and ask for the additional two-year extension.”

The new extension will bring the deadline to August 2027. Since the clock does not reset just because of new ownership, the extension will take the development’s vested rights out to a total of five years, which is the maximum allowed in China Grove.

“There will be no more requests beyond this one,” Barringer said.

Council member Don Bringle asked Barringer on Tuesday if that meant they had until 2027 to break ground or for the project to be completed.

“It means a final plat has to be recorded,” Barringer said. “There are several ways that can be done. It can either be all the infrastructure, everything has been completed, roads, grading and then they get a plat signed. The other option is they bond out any of the required infrastructure to satisfy the town and then they get a final plat signed for recordation when at least the initial first surface course of asphalt and curbing is all thrown in and stormwater in. It has to be sufficient for fire and emergency vehicles to access the site.

“Basically, at least those steps, all the grading, streets, stormwater, sanitation ponds, the bulk of work completed and ready for vehicular access in a safe manner before I sign the plat.”

Notifications of the requested two-year extension were mailed to adjoining property owners on July 24, 2024 as well as the public hearing sign being posted on the property.

Mayor Pro Tem Waynes Starnes motioned to approve the extension, which was seconded by Arthur Heggins. It passed unanimously.