Residents speak out about proposed Chatham Park project
PITTSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- A final hearing was held Tuesday before a vote on a controversial development that could add 55,000 residents to the town of Pittsboro.
People have been going back and forth for the last year on the Chatham Park plan.
There's been a ton of interest in what happens, and a lot at stake. Some call the commissioners' decision to grant zoning to a master plan for Chatham Park Tuesday night their only real leverage in keeping the entire process moving forward.
Before that though, the public weighed in with comments.
On the way inside the courthouse, there were signs of support to just approve Chatham Park's master plan as is, and there seemed to be a lot of people at the meeting who felt that way.
More than 70 home owners, business owners and others who have a stake in the process signed up to share their opinion.
Chatham Park is a proposal for the state's largest mixed-use planned development.
It would add 22,000 homes and plenty of businesses to go along with them on top of roughly 7,000 acres of land that's owned by an affiliate of the Preston Development Company.
It would take the population from about 4,000 to 60,000 residents, and turn the area into something on par with Research Triangle Park.
Some say they believe it's a great opportunity to bring job to this area. However, others are concerned the master plan doesn't go far enough to protect the natural environment.
"If the land is not here, we don't have this community," said Chatham Park opponent Mary Phyllis Horn. "Some people say the community is its people. Well its people here are connected to the land. There is more to a community than just houses, and roads and business and jobs."
"It affords us an opportunity to grow Pittsboro in a planned way instead of through haphazard residential sprawl," said Chatham Park supporter Doug Emmons. "It enables to extend our tax base and expand our economy."
Others are concerned about the lack of currently planning for affordable housing.
A group called "Pittsboro Matters" has laid out eight conditions commissioners need to consider before they rezone. Several of them
include considering the social-economic impact along with environmental impacts.
A vote on the project is expected at the next commissioners' meeting.
