The Greensboro City Council held its first reading as part of the annexation process of property proposed to be the home of workforce housing during its Feb. 5 meeting.
According to a story that appeared in the Feb. 2 issue of the Lake Oconee News written by correspondent Mark Engel, “Paladin Inc. owns the Cottages at Baynes Creek, a new senior community on Oconee Avenue. It also owns 52 acres of unused property adjacent to the community.”
If Greensboro City Council approves its request to annex the land zoned Commercial Planned Unit Development (CPUD), Paladin plans to donate the property to Baynes Creek Development Inc. for the construction of workforce affordable houses, Engel wrote.
“We feel that the desperate lack of affordable workforce housing in our community undermines the stability of our entire community,” Jan Broughton, a member of the Baynes Creek Development Board told the Lake Oconee News. “This innovative community will provide an increasingly rare opportunity for essential workers who are aspiring homebuyers to purchase a home at an entry-level price in an environment where there is no inventory.”
The development aims at providing homes for teachers, nurses, first responders, and local workers so they can own a home where they are employed.
Engel reported that only about 13 percent of people who work in Greensboro live there, according to the 2019 Census figures/
“We feel that the desperate lack of affordable workforce housing in our community undermines the stability of our entire community,” Jan Broughton told the Lake Oconee News. “This innovative community will provide an increasingly rare opportunity for essential workers who are aspiring homebuyers to purchase a home at an entry price in an environment where there is no inventory.”
Broughton said the Baynes Creek developers are still pursuing funding options and will begin construction once those are finalized.
The proposal includes building 70 houses from 1,200 to 2,000-plus square feet and priced from $175,000 to the high $200,000s.
Baynes Creek needs annexation into the city to access Greensboro’s water and sewer system. County zoning laws require larger lot sizes for septic systems, which results in higher home costs.
The Greensboro City Council may hand down a final decision on the Baynes Creek proposal at its Feb. 19 regular meeting.
At the most recent meeting, council members asked a few questions about which council members had met representatives of the development have met with and if any home design changes have been made since the plan was first proposed.
Broughton said no design changes have been made.
In other business, David Chronic of the Greensboro Fire Department updated the council on fire and rescue activities during 2023.
Chronic said the GFD responded to 107 calls, including 67 fires. Twenty- three of those fires were residential with 11 vehicle fires, nine commercial fires, and five brush fires.
Greensboro first responders also responded to 40 automobile accidents with six requiring extrication.
Chronic said the department has two new members but also had one member retire.
The city council also approved an alcohol license for the new Longhorn Steakhouse which is scheduled to open on Feb. 19. Emily Huggins, representing the company, said the business has hired 77 new employees to go along with 11 who transferred from other locations to help the restaurant get off to a good start. Huggins said the company received more than 600 job applications.
Mayor Corey Williams brought members of the Greensboro Youth Council to the front of Festival Hall and suggested they decide or possibly hold an election to name a mayor, city manager, and city clerk.
The Youth Council includes Rodricus Monford Jr., Jaxson Gavin Lawrence, Jamarion Hill, London Wright, Tiraji Heath, Jailyn McKellar, Mia Kay Mauriello and Christopher Lowe.