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N&R picks up on Cornwallis-Elm development developments.

The resistance group is pleased but not about to relax. "Bet the neighborhoods won't trust Cornwallis Elm LLC until they've much more than words to consider." The disposition of the Commencement House could be a sticking point.

From an email from the Protect Elm-Cornwallis Neighborhoods group:

Cornwallis Elm LLC will withdraw their plan to rezone Elm/Cornwallis to build medical offices.  Instead, they say will propose "high end townhomes."

That's great news and an immediate testament to the power of neighborhoods and neighbors.

Here are the specifics:

• Yesterday, Henry Isaacson called Don Vaughan and asked if the neighborhood would consent to a continuance so the developers could propose a townhome plan.  The new plan would require removal or destruction of the Commencment House.

• After consultations with steering group representatives, I told Don we would consent to a second continuance and would consider their new plan when it was presented. 

• On Monday, Isaacson will ask the Zoning Commission for a 30 day continuance and Don will agree on our behalf while stressing that the neighborhoods will consider the new residential plan after it is presented.

We've won round one but this battle isn't over.

Learn more about Protest Petitions before the upcoming City Council meeting.

Previously: Comments from the featured speaker.

Protect Elm-Cornwallis Neighborhoods is a site covering the eponymous zoning battle and related issues.

Is the widening of Elm St. from MoCoHo to Cone Blvd a done deal with the passage of the recent transportation bond, with all land taken from the east side of Elm? Are developers buying properties on Wrenn St, behind Brown-Gardiner, in hopes of future rezoning?

John Hammer was very interested in the last attempt to widen Elm. Will the Rhino cover this story? Will the N&R dig in and do some reporting on it?

Elm-Cornwallis rezoning continued til next month's meeting. Developers wanted a two-month delay, will meet with various opposition groups, who would be wise to present a united front to the extent possible.

Elm-Cornwallis zoning battle leads the local section of the daily paper.

A compromise is suggested by the developers' lawyer. A resident of Kimberly Drive told me this week that the integrity of the neighborhood is at risk and he doesn't want to see any non-residential development of the property.

The article did not mention that one of the firms involved is run by a City Councilman. I hear some powerful folks are lining up with the opposition.

Briggs has an update on the Elm-Cornwallis situation: "Monday's Zoning Commission meeting will be held at 2:00pm as scheduled, but the developers may ask for a continuance. The Zoning Commission may or may not grant the request, and it is possible that the rezoning request could proceed as planned even if there is nobody representing neighborhood interests. Those who wish to have a voice in this project must attend the meeting and be prepared to state their case. The Planning staff contacts for the Zoning Commission are Rawls Howard and Fred Boateng and they can be reached at (336) 373-2144."

Continuances and system-working are SOP for developers. Neighborhood groups that use the net effectively are better positioned to deal with those tactics.

UPDATE: Alert reader my mom writes: "We have been advised that the developers cannot ask for postponement prior to the scheduled meeting. The zoning office strongly suggests that neighbors be present at the scheduled time and place (2 pm Mon., Dec. 8, Melvin Municipal Bldg.) -- the change may or may not be granted, the proponents may or may not act."

I'm told that 100-150 people turned out for last night's meeting on the proposed rezoning at North Elm and Cornwallis. An attendee (not my mom, who wrote a good comment here) says, "My impression is that the only ones who were in favor of this were the developers and their cronies."

More: "I was stunned by the size of the proposed development -- they plan to erect two buildings, each of which is two stories and almost as big as the existing bank building on the corner. (Each building will be approximately 20,000 square feet.) If you stand at the Elm Street entrance to Fountain Manor and look across Elm Street slightly to your left, you would see the end of one of these buildings, as well as the entrance to the top level of a two story parking structure."

Another neighborhood meeting is planned for this evening at the Fountain Manor clubhouse.

Previously, previously.