‘Developer Promised Green Space’
BLYTHEWOOD (Aug. 4, 2016) – “We were lied to when we purchased our property. We were told that the green space would always be there,” said Cobblestone Park resident Lenora Zedosky during the public comment section of Monday evening’s Planning Commission meeting.
About 30 of Zedosky’s neighbors, most of whom live on Summer Sweet Court in the Primrose area of Cobblestone Park, packed the meeting with six of them addressing the Commission.
At issue is the residents’ recent discovery that Cobblestone Park developer D.R. Horton is planning to build six new roads in the Primrose section of the subdivision. An aerial map of the area shows that three of those roads, and 74 homes to be built along them, will cut into dense woods between Summer Sweet Court and I-77, which borders the east side of the Primrose neighborhood.
The Town’s Planning Consultant Michael Criss explained at the beginning of the meeting that the roads were approved by Town Council in April 2015 when it revised the zoning map of Cobblestone Park, reducing the overall density of dwelling units in the Planned Development (PD) community from 1,666 units to 1,155 over the life of the project.
“In so doing, 143 lots and the six streets were added to the overall Primrose section,” Criss said.
That was about the time – or just before – many of the current residents moved into the Primrose neighborhood.
“When we purchased our home in May 2015, we were specifically told by D.R. Horton sales reps that no development was going to take place in the wooded area around us. Some of us paid lot premiums of up to $17,500 to purchase lots adjacent to these beautiful woods,” Zedosky said. “Now we believe that we were deliberately misled by D.R. Horton.”
Zedosky told Commissioners that removal of the woods to carve out three of the roads and the accompanying homes will threaten their rural-like environment that is now buffered from the noise of I-77 by the dense woods.
Tammy Orr, who also lives on Summer Sweet Court, said she fears the disturbance of the land to build the roads and homes will increase the already poor drainage in the area that she said has left her front yard perpetually sitting in ankle-deep water.
“This has affected our quality of life. We can’t sit outside on the patio without being eaten up by mosquitoes,” Orr said.
Zedosky said she did not know the roads were going to be developed until she saw heavy equipment moving around her property on May 26. By June 24, she said, survey stakes were being planted in yards.
“The surveyors told us the new roads would be built around us this fall,” Zedosky told Commissioners.
To remedy the situation, Zedosky is asking the Town government to rescind the zoning approval it granted in April 2015.
“If you cannot do that, then issue a cease and desist order to stop all tree cutting and construction until we explore other options,” she said. “We also want a commitment from D.R. Horton to provide a detailed walk through with representatives of the neighborhood and Town government to explain exactly what they are planning to do, what trees will be left and how much of the green space will remain.”
Criss told the group that no major earth moving or construction should have been taking place.
“It can’t begin until the developer brings the preliminary plat before the Planning Commission for approval. We know they are coming, but we don’t know when. That,” Criss said, “is up to the developer.”
