The Franklin Planning Board met Monday to review conditional zoning requests for two new proposed apartment complexes on Siler Road. The units would be designated as affordable housing for residents that meet income requirements.
Franklin Falls would be a 60-unit multi-family complex with four buildings – three three-story residential buildings (1, 2 and 3 bedrooms) and the fourth would be a community center with a management office, computer center, event room and laundry facility for residents to use. The complex would be located on the east side of Indigo apartments. The property is currently owned by James Vanderwoude, but Solstice Partners has an option on 7.2 acres to develop the complex, according to Tammy Stern, who attended the Feb. 19 meeting.
Stern said Solstice is based in Cary and has been developing communities such as this across North Carolina for more than 30 years and the design is one they have used in other areas.
The other complex, The Lofts, would be 54 units for seniors (age 55+) located on 10.63 acres west of Indigo apartments. The community would include one three-story building with one- and two-bedroom apartments with elevator access and common area community rooms for residents to use including an outdoor gazebo, fitness center, laundry, computer room and an on-site management office. All entrances to the apartments would be from an interior hallway and each would have a patio or balcony.
The property is owned by David Stiles of Warne, who is originally from Franklin. Stephen Drake of Broad Craft Construction & Development in Mills River is the developer. Drake did not attend Monday’s meeting in-person but called in. Drake said all units will be handicap adaptable and some units will be designed with accessible workspaces (such as lower counter heights), roll-in showers, grab bars in the bathrooms and audio/visual impaired accommodations.
The conditional zoning permits are the first requested since the Town Council adopted conditional zoning in December. Conditional zoning is an alternative to traditional zoning or special use permits and requires that both the town and the developer agree to the conditions presented. Once approved those conditions are then recorded in the Clerk of Court office and become part of the property’s record. The conditional zoning permitting process also requires a community meeting so neighboring property owners can learn about the plan and the developers can get input from the community.
Town Planner Justin Setser said both projects would require traditional zoning because they include more than 20 units. He said the neighborhood meeting for Franklin Falls was held on Feb. 13 and one property owner attended. Setser said that person was curious about the project and no comments were submitted. The community meeting for The Lofts was held on Feb. 8 but no other property owners attended.
Planning Board member Debbie Tallent questioned if the plans had enough parking spaces. The plan for Franklin Falls includes 108 parking spaces, and The Lofts calls for 71 parking spaces.
“One or two parking spaces isn’t going to do it,” Tallent said. “Old people like to have company. I’m old and I like to have company.”
Planning Board Chair Janet Greene said seniors living in affordable housing have usually downsized and would not have two cars.
In his staff report, Setser said the parking spaces meet the minimum parking requirements.
In reviewing the requests, the Planning Board members agreed affordable housing is needed and recommended forwarding the request to the Franklin Town Council. Greene said this type of apartment living was what the town had anticipated for Siler Road.
As part of the conditional zoning, Setser said the town will ask that the properties be annexed into the town if the tax credits are awarded and that the developers install sidewalks along Siler Road. Both developers would also work with N.C. Department of Transportation to build turn lanes to provide safe ingress/egress to the properties. Water and sewer are available at both properties; Setser said a pump lift station would be required at The Lofts to get the sewer up to the gravity line on Siler Road.
Setser said the request for a public hearing will be on the council’s March 4 agenda and the public hearing will likely be held at the April 1 Town Council meeting.
Setser said both developers have applied for the same tax credit program available through the state for developing affordable housing. He said chances are only one project would be awarded this year, but the one not awarded could apply next year. Setser said both developers have indicated if they are not approved for the credits, they will not build as they cannot afford to build apartments priced for market-rate rent.
Stern said they have submitted their preliminary application for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit administered by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. “It is very competitive,” she said. According to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit webpage, “Competition for housing credits is intense, with only one of four proposals receiving credits annually.”
Stern said they should know around the first of September if they have been approved for the tax credits. If approved, they would plan to start construction in summer 2025. She said the apartments are not subsidized housing but there are income restrictions and applicants must fall within a certain income bracket.
Planning Board member Peter Mosco asked about getting word out about the new housing in the local community. Stern said as soon as they get the certificate of occupancy, they would start community outreach. “We want as many people as possible to move in,” she said. “We know that there is a lot of demand, so it would be great to get people lined up.”
The next Franklin Planning Board meeting will be at 4 p.m. Monday, March 18 in the board room on the lower level of Town Hall.