Weldon town board tables apartment complex issue

Lance Martin And Amy Lotven/Herald Staff Writers

WELDON - Weldon Town Commissioners Monday night decided not to act on a special use permit that would allow the construction of a 56-unit retirement apartment complex.

The facility would be located on 6.49 acres of land off Country Club Road at Hampton Farms near Chockoyotte Country Club.

Town board members tabled the issue after listening to concerns from residents during a question-and-answer session about the proposed Heritage Villas in Weldon for people 55 years and older who are on a limited income. No one spoke for or against the project during a public hearing on the matter held after the session.

According to a document provided by developer NRP Properties of Raleigh, the proposed development will consist of eight single-story cottage-style buildings and a community building. It will also include a walking trail, irrigated lawns and a picnic area.

The complex will also include 18 one-bedroom and 38 two-bedroom units, as well as a community building that will contain a large TV area, meeting space and reading room. The developer states each unit will be equipped with “modern, efficient amenities” such as a range, dishwasher, garbage disposal and refrigerator.

The permit does not state the rental prices. Town Commissioner Julia Meacham said she understood the units would rent for approximately $325 for a one-bedroom and $525 for a two-bedroom unit.

It is also her understanding that in order to reside in a unit, a senior must have a yearly income of somewhere between $15,000 and $24,000 a year.

The complex, she noted, will be phase one of a three-phase, $15 million project. It is expected to cost $5 million and generate approximately $37,000 in ad valorem taxes for the city.

Commissioner Andy Whitby made a motion to approve the permit and Michael Hargrave made a second to the motion.

Meacham and Commissioner Dock Brown, however, asked for more time to look into some of the concerns expressed by members of the audience, most of whom live near the proposed facility.

“Before we voted, I wanted to make sure I knew where the exit and entrance roads would be,” Brown said. His actions do not mean the project will be rejected, he added, but only that there are some unanswered questions.

Brown had no reservations regarding the fact the new complex will be geared toward limited income seniors, but said if the city is going to allow this kind of unit close to the country club, it “should be a state of the art building.”

Whitby and Hargrave agreed to rescind their motion and second so more research could be done on the proposed facility, including road concerns and future expansion plans.