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Roanoke subdivision plan approved in first vote

The first round of votes were won, Wednesday, Aug. 12, during the Roanoke Plan Commission meeting, bringing the approval of a nearly 100-acre subdivision to be constructed west of Roanoke one step closer. The subdivision would be located between East 900 North, East 850 North and North 300 East. Image provided.
The first round of votes were won, Wednesday, Aug. 12, during the Roanoke Plan Commission meeting, bringing the approval of a nearly 100-acre subdivision to be constructed west of Roanoke one step closer. The subdivision would be located between East 900 North, East 850 North and North 300 East. Image provided. Image provided.

The first votes have been won in favor of a proposed new subdivision in Roanoke.

Cardinal Creek Development LLC is a subsidiary of Granite Ridge Builders, who are planning the erection of a 95.5-acre subdivision consisting of 168 lots.

The acreage is located west of Roanoke between East 900 North, East 850 North and North 300 East.

The Town of Roanoke Plan Commission, on Wednesday night, Aug. 12, after a public hearing, unanimously gave favorable recommendation for rezoning three parcels of land that would be the building site for the subdivision.

The parcels are owned by Merlin D. Kirchner and Pulver Realty, LLC and would be reclassified from agricultural to medium density residential.

Additionally, the commission also passed conditional primary plat approval for Cardinal Creek subdivision. The request will move for secondary approval in the Subdivision Plat Committee.

Primary plat approval refers to the plat and plans upon which the approval of a proposed subdivision is based.

The conditional approval of the committee detailed that Granite Ridge must provide a letter of guarantee from the Town of Roanoke that states the existing sewer capacity will be adequate to support the subdivision.

“I don’t know if all these lots can be serviced by what they have there now,” said Jay Poe, Huntington County surveyor.

“That’s going be a tough one for me … the water and sewage stuff is something that’s unique to this one, that typically we have that letter from the town, and we don’t have it here, and that one is a hang up for me.”

Pat Hess, lawyer and representative for Cardinal Creek, indicated that if approved, the subdivision would be built in phases, over the course of up to 10 years. He suggested that findings show that the first few phases could be fully supported by the existing sewer lines in Roanoke.

Roanoke Town Superintendent Philip Hibbert attended the meeting, and he said he could not officially speak for the town, but he did add that, “first phase, second phase – not too concerned. With all that being said, we will leave it at that.”

“Does everyone here feel 100 percent certain that Roanoke has the sewer and water capacity for every one of these lots,” asked Poe.

“If they said, ‘Okay, we want to go ahead and build them all next year,’ because we are saying as a plan commission, ‘yes they do.’

“I don’t know that that is the case right now.”

Poe also expressed concern over the claim made by Cardinal Creek that each plat had storm water holding.

“Where is there one glass full of water being contained?” he asked, in reference to the parcel currently owned by Merlin D. Kirchner, that would be part of the proposed subdivision, “There is no storm water tract by itself.”

The commission voted in favor of the primary plat approval with an 8-1 vote, with Poe voting against.

The Subdivision Plat Committee will consider the primary plat approval not less than 30 days from Wednesday, Aug. 12.

The plan commission heard from many residents of Roanoke during the public hearing, which was held before the vote. All but one member of the public spoke in opposition of the construction of the subdivision.