Community at a Crossroads: The Heated Debate Over Glenn Drew’s Proposed Development on Friendly Avenue

Did you get an Invitation?

The community is seething with indignation over the recent display of audacity by Glenn Drew’s attorney Bo Rodenbough from Brooks Pierce. His property along Friendly Avenue, flagged for rezoning as a PUD (Planned Urban Development), is now accompanied by a slick, full-color brochure masquerading as a testament to his so-called responsible building ethos, purporting to align with the neighborhood’s best interests. But let’s not be deceived by the glossy sheen and professional polish – it’s a smokescreen of propaganda. We’re well aware of the stark reality: Glenn Drew is driven by profit, with plans that threaten to irreversibly alter the cherished fabric of our community. He cannot pull the wool over our eyes.

Serious doubts have been cast on Glenn Drew, a figure whose character and business practices have come under scrutiny, as he operates under the guise of CZS Development Company, of which he is the sole member. He is trying to convince us that his townhome complex will be a valuable addition to the community, a development that he claims will be welcomed by all. His legal counsel, Bo Rodenbough from Brooks Pierce – one of the state’s most formidable law firms – has invested a significant amount of money dispatching glossy brochures to residents in an effort to garner support for a project that, in truth, threatens to unravel the fabric of our cherished single-family neighborhood. This neighborhood is a sanctuary characterized by spacious lots and venerable trees, and the proposed development stands to compromise the very essence of our community.

Mark your Calendar and Be There with your Questions

The upcoming Community presentation on Monday, November 13th demands our heightened vigilance and interrogation of the developer, his legal counsel, and their associates. We’ve compiled a list of critical questions, and I have no doubt that you, as a committed member of our community, will come armed with inquiries of your own. And in a brazen display of disregard, Glenn Drew has declared he won’t be attending the meeting, denying us the opportunity to confront him directly. Yes, that’s right – he’s dodging the very people whose lives his monstrous townhome duplex project threatens to disrupt.

The Committee, which speaks on behalf of you and the collective voice of thousands of neighbors, has been informed by Glenn Drew’s legal counsel that his presence at the meeting would merely divert attention from the substantive issues at hand. This claim couldn’t be more misguided. Our wish is to directly engage with Glenn Drew and question his motives for disrupting a neighborhood steeped in charm and family values—a neighborhood where generations have committed their hard-earned resources to foster a community spirit conceived over 70 years ago. His proposed development stands in stark contrast to the historical legacy of our community, and we are deeply concerned about its potential impact on the fabric of our shared living space.

It’s an absolute scandal that he’s avoiding facing the community he’s poised to desecrate. If we let him tarnish our neighborhood with this eyesore, we’re setting a dangerous precedent, signaling to future developers that ‘spot zoning’ and the dismantling of our cherished family environment are open for business. This cannot and will not stand.

Our Community Concerns

• The current density for the existing neighborhoods is 3 units per acre or minimum lot sizes of 0.33 per acre.
• The proposed density is equivalent to 5 units per acre or a minimum lot size of 0.20 per acre.
• This is the ONLY non-R-3 residential zoning within a one-half-mile radius on Friendly Ave. The exception is the Village at Windsor Park
• The development would be an outlier in the middle of a large area of R-3 zoning.
• This does not comply with gentle density.
• PUD is historically limited to fringe areas around high-density retail.
• Potential to open the door to other development and greater density down W. Friendly Ave.
• The development is inconsistent with the history of the neighborhood; single-family detached, large lots, large setbacks.
• Neighborhood characteristics contribute to the aesthetics of the city.
• The stormwater control is too close to the thoroughfare. Could be easily relocated to another point on the property.
• Front and side setbacks are too close to the street and existing homes.
• Neighbors have repeatedly asked the developer to add more space and trees to create privacy and maintain the aesthetic of the tree canopy on W Friendly Ave.

Stay Informed of Upcoming Action Items that can impact the outcome of this Re-Zoning Request

If a message regarding Glenn Drew’s Re-Zoning attempt has landed in your inbox or surfaced in your text messages, it’s a sign of the community’s growing concern. It’s imperative that this information doesn’t stop with you. Talk to your neighbors, spread the word, and strongly encourage them to become a part of our email distribution list. This will not only keep them informed with the latest updates but also mobilize a unified Call to Action. Together, we can put a halt to this unwelcome Re-Zoning initiative. Share this message, stay informed, and stand united for the neighborhood we all cherish. Share this LINK with your neighbors to join this email distribution http://eepurl.com/iwdhIU via our MailChimp email application.

Our Community at a Crossroads: The Heated Debate Over Glenn Drew’s Proposed Development on Friendly Avenue can not be won on just word of mouth.

New Signs are being Distributed with the date of the Greensboro Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting

Demolition has already begun

We can not stop a property owner from demolishing homes on his property, but we can stop him from rezoning it and creating an unwanted townhome duplex the Density is much higher than the neighborhood would like to see. We do not want Glenn Drew to set a new precedent for future development and we know that this development is inconsistent with the current neighborhood.