UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Many things attracted Bill Deter to the town of Weddington decades ago.
What You Need to Know
Weddington Green is a proposed 81-acre, mixed used development that, if approved, would be located near Providence and Weddington roads
Many residents say they are against this development because it goes against town ordinances
Public input was held March 14, but council members extended input until April 11
“Weddington is a place where you can ease your burdens of life and enhance your joy of living,” Deter said.
He even became mayor, leading the town from 2013 to 2017.
“I started going every month to town council meetings and the planning board meetings,” Deter said. “I’d come home, I’d tell my wife … and she said, 'either stop going to the meetings, stop talking to me about it, or do something about it,' so I came home a week later, and I said, 'honey, I spent $5. I’m running for mayor.'”
While he enjoyed his time, now he’s a private citizen and still active.
He recently learned about a big proposed project impacting Weddington that brought up some concerns.
“My first thought is this isn’t going to go anywhere,” Deter said. “It’s creating a new town center. It’s creating high density housing, and those are not approved in our town ordinances.”
Weddington Green is what a large piece of property off Providence and Weddington roads could turn into.
Weddington Green is a proposed 81-acre, mixed-used development that would transform into new homes, retail, restaurants and a park, something Deter and many other residents are opposed to.
“There’s just a lot that just hasn’t come out yet especially for something this big,” Deter said. “I mean this changes the fabric of the town that’s been developed over 40 years.”
Deter says high-density housing and expanding the town’s commercial center goes against the plan residents have discussed and designed since the town’s formation.
But Tom Waters believes his development is something that’s needed for this area.
“It doesn’t want to be high-density commercial anything, it wants to be something passive like we’re offering here,” he said. “The next guy in after us, if we’re unsuccessful, who knows what they might bring.”
Waters says his plan for Weddington Green would follow the things residents have said they wanted in previous plans, like restaurants and trails, and he would be providing the town a new park.
“This is something they can come to and bring their families, their grandchildren,” he said. “That’s my vision. That’s what I’m hoping they see.”
Waters says, if approved, his company would pay for the park for the first three years until homes are built up, and then the community would pay one-third of the cost to maintain the park in perpetuity.
Waters says he knows many residents have questions and encourages them to reach out to him so they can learn more about this project.
More than 500 residents showed up to discuss this project on March 14 at the town council meeting.
A decision has not been made about this development, but both men hope the council will listen and ultimately make a decision that’s best for the town and those who live there.
Council has extended public input to its next meeting on April 11.
Those who have questions about the development can email Waters.