News

Subdivisions proposed on Orchard Trace par-3 course, Tracy Grove Road

By Bill Moss, Published: February 15, 2025

The Orchard Trace Golf Club would become a 52-home subdivison and a former apple orchard in the Tracy Grove community would be developed for 45 lots if the Henderson County Planning Board OKs master plans.

The board will take up both development proposals during its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the county office building, 100 N. King St.

Developer Sage Communities LLC and the landscape architect-civil engineering firm Wade Trim Inc., both of Asheville, and landowners Charles and Debra Lamb last month submitted a master plan for the Orchard Trace subdivision, which would have entrances at 3389 Sugarloaf Road and on Pace Road. Plans show 52 lots on 32.4 acres with 27 percent of the land set aside as open space. The homes would be served by Hendersonville city water and private community septic systems, the applicants said.

Plans also showed lot sizes of 4,000 to 5,200 square feet, an overall density of 1½ units/acre and 3,818 feet of 20-foot wide private roads.

In Tracy Grove, landowners Christopher A. Smith and Michael O’Leary and civil engineer David Odom  are seeking the authorization to build 45 single-family homes on 25 acres bounded by Tracy Grove and Duncan roads. The application shows 3,863 feet of private roadway and access points both on Duncan Road — near Tracy Grove Road and west of Mount Carmel Baptist Church. The subdivision would be served by city water and septic tanks and would set aside 26 percent of the land as open space. The land, now cleared, was farmed by father-and-son apple growers Cecil and Allan Henderson before Smith and O’Leary bought the property in March 2023. Allan Henderson died in May 2022 at age 69.

The county's Technical Review Committee is scheduled to review both master plans on Tuesday.

The Orchard Trace and Tracy Grove Road subdivision proposals come as single-family residential development continues to accelerate in the county.

Last week the Hendersonville City Council delayed a decision on a rezoning to allow a 59-home subdivision that would expand the Half Moon Heights development toward Old Sunset Hill Road. Forestar USA Real Estate Group Inc. and landowners Gregory Albea Julianne Albea, Joseph Taylor and Laura Taylor are seeking a rezoning from Henderson County's Residential Two Rural to the city's Planned Residential Development to build the homes on 21 acres. The City Council is expected to take up the application again when outstanding issues are resolved.