Sweetgrass Residential Partners Struggles With Charlotte, NC, Self-Storage Proposal

Real estate developer Sweetgrass Residential Partners LLC intends to build a 90,000-square-foot self-storage facility in conjunction with 240 apartments in Charlotte, N.C., but city staff and residents don’t favor the project. Sweetwater has submitted multiple changes to its original plan since filing for a rezoning change last year. The self-storage component is a recent addition for the proposed mixed-use development on a 30-acre site at the corner of S. Tryon Street and Youngblood Road, according to the source.

Sweetgrass originally proposed 280 apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space. Since receiving municipal and community feedback, the company has made changes to property use, building orientation and the amount of buffer between roadways and nearby houses, said Collin Brown, a land-use attorney representing the developer.

During a zoning meeting last week, planning coordinator Kent Main indicated city staff still don’t recommend the proposal due to the density of the residential component in relation to existing single-family homes. Officials also don’t believe self-storage use is consistent with the Steele Creek area plan and dislike the positioning of the facility in relation to neighboring residences, the source reported.

Self-storage was added because residents objected to the commercial space in the original plan, Brown argued, noting there’s support from the community for boat/RV storage. It would also alleviate concerns about increased traffic under a different commercial use, he said during the meeting.

There’s also confusion over whether a road connecting the development to Birnamwood Lane would be necessary. Sweetwater added it to the plan because it believed it was a city requirement, Main said. The planning department will re-evaluate to see if it’s required, according to Laura Harmon, assistant planning director. Residents living on Birnamwood oppose the road.

The city council could vote on the rezoning amendment as early as September, the source reported.

Sweetgrass has offices in Charleston, S.C., and Charlotte.

Source:
Charlotte Business Journal, After Multiple Changes, Proposed Project in South Charlotte Continues to Draw Ire