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Stanly County’s Board of Commissioners passed a rezoning request last month which could bring a new housing development near Long Lake, more commonly known as City Lake.

BRD Land & Investment made the request to rezone two plots of land totaling 100.67 acres on City Lake Drive from the R20 and RA districts to an R10 Long Lake Neighborhood Conditional District. The land is owned by Gene Starnes and Pat Bramlett.

The development can proceed but must meet 36 requirements dealing with issues from landscaping and road construction to requirements for house fronts, trees, garages and common areas like playgrounds. Minimum house sizes for the development will be 1,400 square feet with a 60-foot minimum lot width.

Water and sewer service will come from the county, with the developer building a new sewage pumping station. House values in the area are expected to be between $250,000 and $350,000. The land is in a growth area, according to the 2010 Stanly County Land Use Plan.

During the public hearing on the request, Matthew Kirchner of Eagle Engineering said the pump station will be “turned over to the county,” adding the developer “will pay for all of the infrastructure for the project.”

Commissioner Bill Lawhon asked if the company had any other projects in Stanly. Kirchner said the company had a mixed-use apartment property, but also that some in Cleveland and Union counties were more similar to the cluster development proposed at the City Lake locations.

Chairman Tommy Jordan asked if the new pump station would be “bigger and better than the one we have now,” which Kirchner said it would be “up to today’s standards.” County Manager Andy Lucas said the station would “meet the needs of the subdivision and current needs and will accommodate for growth.”

Kirchner said the company analyzed a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) study and “will meet all DOT standards and TIA requirements.”

Jordan asked about securing a way the city of Albemarle would not annex the properties, which are on the edge of the city limits. Kirchner said the reasons for annexation usually come from providing services like water and sewer, which the county has already agreed to provide for the locations. The DOT would also maintain the roads.

Chris Bramlett, former Albemarle City Council member and husband of Pat Bramlett, spoke at the hearing in favor of the rezoning.

“Stanly County is positioned extremely well right now, but it’s also very precarious. Stanly is between the haves and the have-nots,” Bramlett said, noting counties west of Stanly are prospering but those to the east “are losing population like crazy.”

“I want to go with the haves and not the have-nots.”

Former Stanly County Commissioner Joseph Burleson, who is a land developer but not associated with the Long Lake project, also spoke to support the rezoning request.

Commissioner Lane Furr moved to approve the request, seconded by Peter Asciutto. Before being approved unanimously,  Commissioner Scott Efird asked about people from the northern property being able to access the amenities at the southern location without walking on City Lake Drive. The motion was amended to include 30-foot setbacks and connectivity between the two, the latter being based on DOT approval.