Elected leaders express reservations about apartment complex

The future of a potential 48-unit, income-based apartment complex in Valdese is anything but certain.

At Valdese’s pre-agenda meeting on Monday, March 31, several council members voiced concerns about the project and the limited information they had received. A public hearing for the complex is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, April 7. See The Paper’s March 29 edition for more information on the hearing.

WPCOG Senior Planner Ashley Young told council members that the property must be rezoned in order for the apartments to be built at Griffin Avenue NW.

Applicant Mark Morgan told the Planning and Zoning Commission that the estimated income limit for renters at the proposed complex would be between $38,000 and $40,000.

Morgan is also the developer of Tron’s Place, which will be built on Praley Street, 60 one- and two-bedroom units for those ages 55 and older.

Councilman Glenn Harvey asked what sets the income limits and if the development would pay full property taxes.

The income limit is up to the applicant and is typically based on the project’s financing or the developer’s general business model. The town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) does not regulate income restrictions, Young said. The developer would pay full property taxes.

Harvey continued to ask whether Tron’s Place or Pine Crossing, both low-income developments, pay property taxes. Young said she was unsure.

“My concern is, among other things, that we’re taking property off the tax rolls and using it for low-income housing,” Harvey said. “I think we need a lot more information.”

Harvey said that he would like more information regarding property taxes, acreage, units, and revenue to Valdese on the following low-income developments:

• Falls Road Terrace on Lydia Avenue NW, owned by the Western Piedmont Council of Governments and formerly by the Valdese Housing Authority
• Multi-family housing on Rora Avenue SW.
• Pine Crossing Apartments on Pineburr Avenue SW.
• Tron’s Place on Praley Street

“If Valdese is not already the low-income housing capital of western North Carolina, we’ve got to be a contender,” Harvey said. “This is adding more low-income housing. I heard the developer say that Valdese can’t support market-rate housing, and that this project made sense. That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“The more low-income housing we have in Valdese, the less likely Valdese will ever break out of low-income housing.”

Councilwoman Heather Ward and Harvey raised concerns that the council did not know about this project until the weekend before the Monday pre-agenda meeting.

“We do need to get as much information as we can because we have residents already up in arms,” Ward said, “and they are not happy that none of the council knew about any of this, whether it’s the UDO or the other, that we were not informed. Or they feel that we did know when we did not and that bothers me as a council person that I’m having to explain that I had no idea. I was in the dark.”

MARKET-RATE HOUSING

The 14.91-acre site that was once considered for the new public safety facility has received an offer. Real estate investment company, East McDowell Street Properties, LLC, made an $134,490 offer on the parcel for market-rate housing.

Interim Town Manager Bo Weichel told the council that the company intends to build townhomes/condos.

The town must first adopt a resolution to begin the bidding process for the property, which would be advertised for 10 days. The town can consider selling the property if no bids are received.

If the council decides to sell the property, the owner would have to get a special use permit for the property.

Harvey said that this sale would fit what residents are asking for.

“We keep hearing people say Valdese needs more of (market-rate). You can’t find homes for sale in Valdese for $200,000 to $300,000,” Harvey said.

The council will meet to discuss these items and more at 6 p.m. Monday, April 7, at Town Hall.