Commissioner Laurie Venzon listens as Planning Director Kris Krider explains a map of the Summer's Walk project. (David Boraks photo)

The Town Board on Tuesday again delayed a vote on a revised master plan for the Summer’s Walk subdivision, which is off N.C. 73 east of town. The approval is needed to clear the way for Mecklenburg County to buy and preserve a 90-acre wetlands area.

After a lengthy discussion, town officials said the town and developer Forest City Partners still have not resolved a disagreement on how much the developer should have to contribute toward town services under the town’s adequate public facilities ordinance.

Among other things, the board Tuesday did not have a revised plan and notes to consider. Scott Kilby and Frederick Matrulli of Forest City said they expect to send a revised plan and notes to the town by Friday.

Forest City has questioned the town’s adequate public facilities ordinance and has a pending appeal of the town’s assessment of the original plan. The dollar amount of the APFO assessment would actually fall with the revised plan, which reduces the number of homes in the development by 220.

Mayor John Woods and several board members told representatives of Forest City that the APFO issue is critical.

Board member Margo Williams said the town has never allowed variances or exceptions to the APFO, and is unwilling to break precedent at Summer’s Walk. “It’s not that the APFO has been applied arbitrarily,” she said. “It’s withstood the test of time.”

Later she added: “It’s not negotiable.”

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Sept. 9, 2008, “Town delays vote on Summers Walk plan changes”