3S  VILLAGE OF WESLEY CHAPEL COUNCILAND PLANNING BOARD JOINT SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES 6490 Weddington Road, Wesley Chapel, NC 28104 Monday, July 24, 2023 at 7 p.m.  Council  Members Present: Mayor Fuller, Mayor Pro Tem Boyce, Council Members Bailey, Bledsoe and Members Present: Sandra Burke, Adam Peter, William Reule, Jr., Richard Stephens, ASM Karen  Como  Planning Board  Izzo, and Alt. Sherry Killion, and Alt. Jonathan Alef Planning Board Chair Michael Kenary  Absent: Staff:  Kathy Queen, Finance Officer/Clerk; Vagn Hansen, Interim Planning and Zoning Coordinator; Amy Mumpower, Administrative Assistant  Note: The ASM designation is for an alternate seated as a Board Member for the meeting. The Alt. designation is for an alternate who is present at the meeting but not acting in the place of an  absent board member or vacant. seat. JOINT MEETING MINUTES  1. Pledge, Invocation and Determination of Quorum meeting at 7:01 pm. A quorum was present for both.  Council and Planning Board members convened to hold a joint special meeting. Board Member Peter called the Planning Board meeting to order at 7:00 pm and Mayor Fuller opened the Council MOTION and: second were made. respectively by Planning Board Members Reule and Peter to lead the meeting in the absence of Chair Kenary. Mr Stephens seconded it and the motion passed  unanimously.  Mayor Fuller led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Mr. Peter led the invocation.  2.Approval of June 26, 2023 Planning Board Minutes 3.Conservation Subdivision Ordinance Discussion  Prior Planning Board Meeting Minutes will be reviewed for approval at the next meeting.  Mayor Fuller informed the Planning Board the purpose of the joint meeting was for Council to hear more about Planning Board's recommendation and thoughts behind the proposed changes to the Conservation Subdivision Ordinance (Village Ordinance $156.143). She asked Planner Hansen to provide an overview. Planner Hansen stated that over the past few months, the  PBI Minutes-7/26/23  Page 1    Planning Board has reviewed approximately twenty of the Vllage'sordinances to determine how best to preserve the land in its natural state and submitted their recommendations to Council. Council reviewed the recommendations and returned items to the Planning Board for further consideration. The Planning Board supported Council's recommendations. One of the recommendations by Council pertained to the minimum lot size requirement. The current minimum lot size for conservation subdivisions is 30,000 square feet. Council Members were interested in including a provision allowing developers a reduction in lot size of one (1) square foot for every two (2) square feet of space conserved not to exceed a minimum of 24,000 square Council Member Bledsoe stated that she supported reducing lot sizes to 24,000 square feet because of the difficulty in getting developers to conserve instead of clear-cut land. This will provide an option fori them to build more houses on smaller lots in exchange for preserving land. She said she lives in a neighborhood with smaller lots and conservation space and while conservation was not thei intention when the development was built the propertyis!: laido outr nicely Council Member Bailey and Como both asked about setbacks for the smaller lots. Planner Hansen stated they will remain the same as for R-40. Council Member Como highlighted the importance of keeping setbacks as they are and noted how they had to allow smaller setbacks when high- density housing was approved. Council Member Bailey remarked that smaller lots also mean not enough driveway space to park vehicles, lawn mowers, etc., sO maintaining setbacks is especially Mayor Fuller said that she and Council Member Bledsoe have been researching neighboring conservation subdivisions. She felt some were laid out better than others, but she can definitely Council Member Bledsoe asked if space for growing crops would be allowable as conservation area, and Planner Hansen affirmed; however, he stated it is unlikely developers would want to do Council Member Bailey commented that Urban Forester Keith O'Herrin gave a presentation to the Planning Board last month. He discussed various methods of conservation, such as rain gardens, that require a certain number of trees to remain on the lots. He also discussed ideas that would help reestablish trees and former pasture lands. Council Member Baily felt they are Council Member Como asked if floodplains are considered as part of the conservation space. Planner Hansen stated that the proposed changes willl limit the amount of land within a floodplain  feet.  with lots of trees and does not feel "crammed in."  important.  tell a difference when lots are under 20,000 square feet.  sO.  worth researching even for non-conservation lands in the village.  that can be used for conservation purposes.  PB Minutes-7/2/23  Page 2    Ms. Killian questioned whether Tier C of 5156.143E(1)(a) of the Village's ordinances apply to R- 40lots. Tier Cstates thats steep slopes and rock formations are the lowest priority for conservation land options. In response to Ms. Killian, Planner Hansen replied there is not: a lot of land in the Mayor Fuller asked the Planning Board ift they had any questions for Council. Mr. Reule responded that a decision likely needs to be made to avoid the Village being potentially exposed to something they may not like ini the future, and stated the Planning Board gave their best effort. Council Members Bledsoe and Como commented that it is not an easy process as there are a lot Council Member Como asked if the Board was divided on any particular topic to ensure Council hears both sides and opinions. Board Member Peter stated that the Board has talked in depth Council Member Como also asked how "flag lots" would be affected. He described flag lots as lots shaped like a flag with the pole being the access point to the property. Planner Hansen responded they would not be affected. He did comment that flag lots would be a separate but Mayor Fuller stated al Public Hearing is scheduled for August 14, 2023 at7p pm in the Village Town Hall located at 6490 Weddington Road, Wesley Chapel, for the Conservation Subdivision Ordinance. She thanked the Planning Board and Planner Hansen and told them both she  Village to which this would apply.  of different angles to consider.  about lot width, size and: setbacks in order to find the right balance.  upcoming discussion for the Planning Board  appreciates their hard work and effort.  9.Adjourn  Motions, first ands second, were made respectively by Planning Board Members Stephens and Izzo Motions, first and second, were made respectively by Council Members Como and Boyce to  to adjourn the Planning Board meeting at 7:51 pm and passed unanimously. adjoyrn the Council meeting at 7:51 pm and passedunonimous)y.  Chardishllr Iolon  WESLEY OFFICIAL SEAL North Carolina porated"  Michael Kenary Chair, PlanningBoard  Attest Kathy  Village Clerk  Rs  PBI Minutes-7/26/23  Page 3