News

Planners endorse 33-home subdivision across from Haywood Knolls

By Bill Moss, Published: February 22, 2019

A new subdivision of 33 homes could go up on Haywood Road just west of West Henderson High School if the Henderson County Board of Commissioners OKs a rezoning application.

 The Henderson County Planning Board on Thursday recommended that commissioners grant the rezoning for the subdivision across from Haywood Knolls. Spano & Associates Haywood filed the request to rezone the 18½-acre Haywood Park property from R-2 to R-1 Conditional District, which allows the county to impose conditions when it grants a rezoning.

The development would have a density of 1.8 units per acre with 1.2 acres of open space, Scott Burwell, a civil engineer for Spano, told the Planning Board. The NCDOT recommended a right-turn-in, right-turn-out driveway on Haywood Road. A site plan shows lots ranging in size from a third of an acre to almost 1 acre. Homes would be in the 1,500- to 1,800-square-foot range, Burwell said.

Phil Rasmussen, who owns the only home in the subdivision, said plans changed after the original developer sold the land to Spano.

"We were looking forward to having neighbors close but not too close," he said. "We have concern about the density and that the number of homes planned may not be consistent with surrounding development."

Rasmussen sought assurances that the developer would shield his home with some kind of buffer.

“We’re more than happy to accommodate (with) trees, shrubs, whatever may be necessary to satisfy the property owner," Burwell said.

The Planning Board recommended county commissioners approve the rezoning with the condition that the developer commit to buffer Rasmussen's house.

“At the moment it sounds OK but down the road I’m not sure," Rasmussen said after the board vote. "My main concern is the density.”