By Jessica Coates

jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Salisbury Planning Board voted Tuesday to rezone about 29 acres so a new subdivision can be built.

Planning and Development Manager Preston Mitchell said it will be the first subdivision to be built in Salisbury “in quite some time.”

“It’s been since before the recession that we have a large-scale subdivision like this,” Mitchell said. “So this is an exciting opportunity.”

The subdivision would be Phase 2 of Drummond Village, which is just off Stokes Ferry Road near Earnhardt Road.

Phase 1 of the subdivision was built about 2006, and plans for three more phases were submitted about the same time.

But Mitchell said the plans for Phases 2, 3 and 4 “never saw the light of day.”

“And so here we are in 2018 and they are back to business,” Mitchell said.

The new proposal for Phase 2 of Drummond Village, submitted by developer True Homes, is for 150 lots.

The lots would range in size from 36 to 60 feet wide. Homes would range in size from 1,200 to 3,600 square feet.

During the courtesy hearing held before the board voted, Rodney Queen said he thinks construction of the subdivision would be “great.”

“I think it’s an absolute great layout, a great opportunity for Salisbury. We’re finally going to get a new development going in after all these years,” said Queen, a former Planning Board member.

Mark Hill, president of the Drummond Village Homeowners Association, said many residents of Phase 1 were unaware that the Phase 2 rezoning was being voted on until days before the Planning Board meeting.

“And we heard there were meetings about this going back to February, if not before, so we’re a little disturbed that we were never made aware of this,” Hill said.

Hill said he thinks bylaws dictate that any changes to the subdivision must be approved by 67 percent of Drummond Village members.

But Mitchell said Hill was citing covenants and restrictions in a homeowners association agreement.

“Those are all standard and fully legal documents that he was referencing. Those are just not documents that we as the city of Salisbury enforce,” Mitchell said. “Not by choice, but we legally can’t touch it with a hundred-foot pole.”

Mitchell said the city had reached out to the homeowners whose property touches Phase 2 land and had put two signs in the Phase 1 jurisdiction.

When she spoke during the courtesy hearing, True Homes’ Donna Cook said the company would be “happy” to meet with the homeowners association to discuss the plans.

The board also discussed garage design requirements, alleyways and street access points before voting unanimously to recommend that the Salisbury City Council rezone the 29 acres from urban residential to general residential with a conditional overlay.

The board’s recommendation will be presented to council June 5.

Contact reporter Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.