A few months ago, right after they successfully stymied plans to expand the Pepper Pointe subdivision, members of the Wendell Community Coalition saw a need to offer positive feedback to the town. Correctly, they didn't want to be seen as a group of grumpy people opposed to change.
They came out in support of the town's proposed Unified Development Ordinance, a document that draws all the town's development rules into one place. Chairman Neal Conoley urged commissioners to adopt the plan, and they did.
But I'm guessing they got a bit of a surprise Monday night when the first meeting was held to draw up the rules needed to enforce the UDO.
Turns out, the UDO encourages more dense development, especially closer to the center of town. Smaller lot sizes are encouraged as are multi-family developments like apartments and townhomes. Those are all ideas that don't sit too well with the Wendell Community Coalition.
The committee designated to create the rules includes a number of planning board members and two commissioners, but it also includes several members of the general public, including Dan Edwards who is one of the leaders of the Wendell Community Coalition.
Wendell Planning Director Teresa Piner has warned the members of the committee that the process will take a while — 18 to 24 months. That means there will be plenty of time to devise a set of rules that may or may not ultimately look like the guiding principles of the UDO.
As dry as land use planning can be, this is as close to high stakes drama as it gets.
If you'd like a front row seat, the group meets the first Monday night of each month beginning in October at the Community Center. Pack a picnic supper and come enjoy the fireworks!
