News

Council OKs 10-condo project downtown

The Hendersonville City Council last week authorized a 10-unit condo development on First Avenue West.

By ANDREW DUNDAS, Special to the Lightning, Published: August 7, 2020

The Hendersonville City Council on Thursday approved a rezoning request for the West Avenue Villas, a 10-unit condo development proposed by Riddle Development LLC. The council added conditions for the rezoning based on concerns from neighboring homeowners.

The council asked the developer to preserve all trees 12 inches or more in diameter in an 11-foot buffer along the east side of the property, a half-acre lot on First Avenue West west of South Washington Street. Additionally, the developer will ensure the building resembles the rendering provided, with white siding and black shutters. The Planning Board reviewed the site plan on July 13, also recommending the following conditions;
• The developer use the outdoor lighting basic guidelines from the International Dark Sky Association.
• The driveway widths be 12 feet and not 15 feet.
• The driveways be one-way in and one-way out with the entrance being on the west side, adding the 11-foot buffer on the eastern side and won’t change the buffer on the west side.
Siblings Helen Waldrop Youngblood and Robert Waldrop spoke to council with concerns for their historic family property next to the property to be developed.
“Our history goes very deep at this house,” Waldrop said. They sought several conditions, including that the construction be consistent in style with the neighborhood and an increased buffer size on the east end of the property. “We would like to continue to push for that 15-foot buffer,” Waldrop said.
“The one thing I cannot do is increase that buffer above 11 feet,” developer Andrew Riddle responded, adding that the condition would kill the project.
Council members thanked Riddle for accommodating the objections of surrounding residents. Helen Youngblood said he worked “reasonably well” with the community.
Riddle said he was excited about the project. “The culmination of neighbors’ input has made this a better project,” he said.