Residents protest Cool Springs development
By Jasmine Gallup jgallup@sanfordherald.com

An ongoing debate about residential development in Sanford drew state Rep. John Sauls to a city council meeting Tuesday, to argue against the construction of a new neighborhood near his home.

Sauls, who lives in Sanford’s Westlake Downs neighborhood, was among dozens of other residents concerned about the impact the development, Glen at Cool Springs, would have on traffic, property values and the character of the area.

If approved, the neighborhood would consist of 131 new houses west of Cool Springs Road between Southern Road and Wellington Drive, according to plans. Unlike the nearby neighborhoods Westlake Downs and Brownstone Village, the Glen at Cool Springs would have smaller lots with less green space.

Sauls said his primary concern about the development was the impact it would have on traffic through Cambridge Drive, which would become an entrance to the neighborhood. Sauls said he would support the development if that point was addressed.

“I can live with it, but I do not support the disruption of Cambridge Drive,” he said.

Other residents expressed stronger concerns, saying they were against the project in its entirety. Although many people claimed to support new development and growth in the city, they approached the podium one by one to implore city council members to vote against the Glen at Cool Springs.

“It is going to create much-increased traffic which will impact kids playing in the neighborhood, people walking, riding their bikes,” said Marilyn Novosel, who has lived on Cambridge Drive for 28 years.

“I know to a lot of people, Cambridge Drive is just a stub road, a dot on the map. To us, it’s where we live. To our neighbors in Westlake Downs, it’s part of our home and our neighborhood.”

The argument against new development is one that has been repeated time and again. In the past two years, the city council has heard dozens of requests from developers to annex and rezone land for new neighborhoods. Interest increased when the city landed large commercial projects like the Pfizer expansion and Bharat Forge’s new plant.

Efforts to create new neighborhoods to keep up with expected population growth, however, have been met with widespread opposition from current residents.

On Tuesday, longtime Sanford resident Tom Wilder said that one of the things he loves most about Sanford is that it is a city where people can buy a home, with land, at a good price.

“We’re proud of that fact,” Wilder said. “Here in Sanford, we have land and we love the land. But high density is coming and it is a trend. Ask your friends in Apex and Cary about it. A lot of them have moved here to get away from it and we don’t want to reproduce some of the mistakes that they’ve made.”

In an effort to address the concerns of residents, developer Daniel Koeller requested the city approve zoning that goes beyond the minimum legal requirements. Each lot would be a minimum of 75 feet wide and have a 30-foot setback in the front, Koeller said. He added that he is willing to work with the city to install curbs and gutters in the neighborhood and create a buffer of trees around the site.

Koeller’s did little to appease 70 residents who signed a petition requesting the city council deny his annexation and rezoning requests.

Addressing the city council, Sanford resident Phil Checketts said, “You can tell us it’s good for the city, it’s what other cities are doing and we should follow. We are not sheep.

“We know what we want. We know why we bought here, we know why we moved here and we know why we live here. Tonight, myself and everyone else here is gonna urge you do the right thing, represent us, and vote no on the annexation.”

Contrary to Checketts’ wishes, the city council approved Koeller’s request for annexation, the first step toward development, with only councilman Chas Post voting against. The rezoning request will be voted on in February.

Cumberland County Now Offering Appointment Requests to Eligible Vaccination Recipients

The Cumberland County Department of Public Health now offers residents who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1a and Phase 1b, Group 1 (ages 75 years and older), the option of requesting appointment slots for drive-thru clinics offered at the Crown Complex on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Health Department will hold a special Saturday clinic on Jan. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The appointment request form is posted on the County’s COVID-19 Vaccine page at co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19vaccine.

The form requests basic information about the individual seeking an appointment. If the person is eligible under the current vaccination phase, the Health Department will call the person to confirm eligibility and schedule an appointment slot to receive a vaccine. Individuals can expect to receive a call from the Health Department staff between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays to schedule an appointment slot. The department will attempt to call each individual two times.

If you are not eligible for the current phase, you will not be able to schedule an appointment and should wait until your phase opens to try to receive the vaccine.

Due to high call volumes, individuals will not be able to schedule an appointment by calling into the Health Department. If you need assistance filling out the appointment request form, call (910) 678-7657 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The call takers will only assist in filling out the request form. They are not the appointment schedulers.

Appointment slots each day will be from 9-11 a.m. and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. After 1 p.m. each day, the clinics will provide vaccines on a first-come, first served basis. Traffic lanes will be set up in the Crown parking lot for the designated groups.

The appointment block system will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The clinic scheduled for Friday, Jan. 15, will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals should expect long lines on Friday and come prepared to wait. Bring food, water and any medications that may be scheduled.

January 11, 2021 | Volume 1, Issue 79 | FayettevilleNC.gov

Murchison Road Corridor Project wins $450,000 Federal Grant
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a $450,000 grant to The City of Fayetteville and Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority. The money will be used to create a revitalization plan for a section of the Murchison Road Corridor. Specifically, Murchison Road between Rowan Street and Pamalee Drive/Country Club Drive. The HUD Choice Neighborhood program awarded revitalization grants to 11 cities, including Fayetteville.

The grant will be used to develop a community-led plan to transform the area into a ‘Choice Neighborhood’. The plan will include blueprints to preserve and create new affordable and mixed-income housing. Project managers will also identify new opportunities for economic vitality. City leaders estimate it will take 2 years to complete the revitalization plan.

$150,000 of the grant can be used for an “early action project” at the site of the Murchison Townhouses at Rosemary Street. The early action project will be free internet and a little library on the property. The City’s Economic and Community Development Department will continue to collect feedback from residents on their preferences.

“We want to satisfy current residents of Murchison Road and welcome new business and educational opportunities in the area. Thank you to City staff members and the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority staff for completing this winning grant application. We also appreciate help from North Carolina’s elected officials. Together, we can create a Murchison Road that is cleaner, safer, and more appealing for those who live there, and for those who want to invest here,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said.

Winning the grant award is a step toward executing a large scale transformation of the Murchison Road Corridor. The City and Housing Authority will apply for a $30 million federal grant in the future.