Forest Hills sets public hearing on moratorium for building permits

By Rose Hooper

The hearing will be held at the University Inn at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14.

At the end of last year, when the village held meetings on the proposed ETJ, members learned of two large developments proposed there.

James Hooper told council members he is planning a 13-acre development called Cox Center to be located at the intersection of N.C. 107 and North Country Club Drive. The development is proposed to include a hotel and conference center, a pavilion with retail/commercial and office space, an apartment/condominium complex with 60 units, restaurant with outdoor seating, a park with pond and a grocery store.

Although planning for this development had already taken place on paper, no permits were secured before the ETJ was enacted.

Some permits were secured, however, for a 144-unit apartment complex called Catamount Hollow to be built on 20 acres between North and South Country Club drives. The $8 million investment is planned by developer James Epley of Charlotte.

Village board members contended it would be difficult to implement long-range planning "when we don't know about developments until the ground is ready to be broken."

While board members say they realize development is inevitable, they also realize, as village resident John Adams said, that "only with ETJ will we have a say about how it happens."

Both Hooper and Epley, who requested ­ but were not granted ­ that their property be excluded from ETJ, said that they would continue with their "already-in-the-works" projects.

"We're heavily vested in our projects; we have no choice but to go ahead," said Epley, who said the village government would be held liable for any devaluation of his property.

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