Rapid growth stirs mixed feelings in eastern Wake County: 'It's just too much'
KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The adage, 'If you build it, they will come', still rings true in eastern Wake County.
In northeast Raleigh and neighboring Knightdale, the boom is, well, booming. Multiple housing projects are being built on Forestville Road and Old Milburnie Road.
At Buffaloe Road and Forestville Road, off Interstate 540, a Publix is being built with a sign in front that reads: "Coming soon."
"It's too much," said Ellen Binder, "it's just too much."
Binder moved to Knightdale from New York about 11 years ago to get away from the city.
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She said she feels like the city followed her to eastern Wake County. "I think they're already here," she said. "Most of 'em."
Meanwhile, the addition of soon-to-come homes also means anchor stores and shopping centers will be full of consumers.
Nashville resident Amy Barnes said that's why she keeps coming back.
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"It is good for me. Because I can scoot right down 64 and get right here," said Barnes. "My daughter goes to (NC) State and Raleigh's full. And I guess there's a need for these outside areas to come in and build."
On the other hand, residents such as transplant Betty Guion, who moved 20 years ago, miss the quietness of what Knightdale and eastern Wake County used to have.
"Now, if I could just pick my house up and move it somewhere else, I would," Guion said. "I'm just not a fan of a lot of people."
The influx of people en route to the area also brings concern to where school-aged children will attend classes.
Nearby Beaverdam Elementary School and Neuse River Middle School are well within the area where these developments are being built.
In response to the growth, a representative for the Wake County Public School System told ABC11, "The Office of Student Assignment is aware of these residential developments and made adjustments to the base attendance area for Beaverdam Elementary a few years ago in anticipation of this growth.
"Long Range Planning meets with all municipalities and Wake County annually to discuss residential growth. In this area, they have met with the City of Raleigh and the Town of Knightdale to capture the 7-20 year known residential developments as part of the 2024-25 Membership Forecast. At this time, it is projected that there will be sufficient capacity at the base assigned schools for this area to accommodate the projected growth from these developments."
