By Natalie Anderson
natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — City staff on Wednesday presented city council members with statistics about residential developments over the previous two years and outlined current projects underway.

City council members met virtually Wednesday to begin its two-day goal-setting retreat. They will meet again virtually today at 4 p.m.

Salisbury Development Services Manager Teresa Barringer and Community Planning Director Hannah Jacobson said a total of 1,193 housing units are within the development “pipeline,” with 88% of those within the city limits. Jacobson said that reflects a 7% increase in citywide housing units since 2018. Of those, 957 are market-rate and 236 are affordable housing units. Additionally, there are 392 prospective units in a pre-application phase.

The “cost of construction” of single-family developments, which is the estimated investment value, has risen significantly since 2018. Then, the cost was $13.13 million, which grew to $12.45 million in 2019 and $22.02 million in 2020.

Barringer said despite the challenging year the figures show “single-family construction has skyrocketed.”

The investment value among commercial developments has varied. In 2018, the value amounted to $15.91 million before growing to $40.74 million in 2019 and regressing to $29.49 million in 2020. Barringer said the decline in 2020 can be attributed to the pandemic.

“This tells a story that demand is here and supply is having to catch up,” Jacobson said.

Barringer and Jacobson also outlined a few ongoing development projects. One includes Shay Crossing on Earnhardt Road, which expects to bring 382 homes to the market once completed. With the first three phases underway, developers anticipate selling more than a hundred single-family homes in October before beginning the fourth phase of construction.

Development of Ashton Manor has been dormant since approval in 2002, but preparation is underway to begin building under a new developer. That development would create 111 single-family townhomes off Sunset Drive.

Construction is underway for Greystone Village on Amberlight Circle, which is a project that was dormant since approval in 2008. Revisions for more than a hundred townhomes were approved in 2018.

Construction plans are currently under review for the Rowan Woodland development, which proposes 240 market-rate apartments.

Additionally, 236 units of affordable housing are currently under construction — a 14.6% increase since 2018. A master plan has been approved for a 72-unit apartment complex off Statesville Boulevard called Brightleaf Terrace. No permits have yet been issued, but it would target low-income individuals once completed.

Other low-income apartment developments include 80 units at Britton Village of Statesville Boulevard, where construction is active, and Westbrook Trace off Lash Drive, which will create 84 units.

Jacobson said 1,631 units, or 11% of all housing units, are currently income-restricted, or considered affordable housing.

City staff began the pre-application process in May for a development of 250 single-family homes being proposed off Mooresville Road. The homes would be a mix of townhomes and age-targeted homes. The property, however, falls within an extra territorial jurisdiction and will require annexation before approval. There has not yet been an official submittal for this proposal.

Contact reporter Natalie Anderson at 704-797-4246.