Rezoning Proposal for West Friendly Avenue Shelved as Developer Rethinks Strategy

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Good news for those who cherish the character of West Friendly Avenue: the Greensboro developer has retracted his rezoning request for three parcels. This request, if granted, would have transformed our community with 13 two-story duplex buildings named Hutchinson Court. We must remain vigilant against such rezoning efforts that threaten our neighborhood’s charm.

Local residents are steadfastly committed to safeguarding the enduring historical essence and aesthetics of their neighborhood, raising the following concerns:

  1. The planned closeness of the buildings to the street is alarming. Drew’s initial design proposed 35-foot setbacks, positioning the Hutchinson Court structures noticeably nearer to the street compared to neighboring residences. Typically, homes on W. Friendly Avenue maintain a setback of at least 100 feet.
  2. The packed nature of Hutchinson Court is concerning. Drew initially suggested 26 multifamily dwellings, but later reduced this number by four in a revised proposal to the community.
  3. Discrepancies in the proposed design and existing neighborhood aesthetics. Local residents with architectural knowledge highlight the materials in Drew’s initial design, like brick facade and vinyl siding, as inconsistent with the prevailing “ceramic context” of the community, characterized by its midcentury and classic home styles.

Concern over setting a precedent. John Drinkard, a seasoned architect with over 30 years of experience in Greensboro and a Friendly Avenue resident, warns that the Hutchinson Court project could potentially pave the way for subsequent shifts in zoning regulations and development. Smith and fellow neighbors label the rezoning endeavor as a classic case of spot zoning — an approach that involves rezoning particular plots within a broader zoned region, contrary to existing constraints.

Read the Entire Article published by the Greensboro News & Record written by Connor McNeely at https://greensboro.com/news/local/developer-withdraws-rezoning-request-along-west-friendly-avenue-heads-back-to-drawing-board/article_b96a7c3e-3b7d-11ee-a33f-cf8e832c906f.html