Gastonia leaders to vote on plat for 395-home subdivision
By Michael Barrett, Gazette staff
Posted May 7, 2019 at 1:39 PM, Updated at 11:44 AM
A major residential development years in the making in southeast Gastonia is expected to clear a key hurdle this week.
Plans for developing the 315-acre tract known as the Presley property, which straddles the rural intersection of Union Road and Union-New Hope Road, have existed in one form or another for more than 15 years. It’s the same real estate that was previously owned in part by former Sen. David Hoyle of Dallas, and was being groomed for growth when transportation leaders were designing the Garden Parkway toll road to wind through southern Gaston County.
After the land was voluntarily annexed into the city limits in 2007, the Great Recession and the demise of the toll road put everything on hold. But extensive efforts to see the project through will continue Thursday when the Gastonia Planning Commission reviews and votes on a preliminary subdivision plat for
the property.
The plat from Phoenix, Arizona-based Suncrest Real Estate and Land shows the proposed layout of nearly 400 single-family homes on 243 acres, in what would only be Phase 1 of the overall plan. It would be situated north of Union Road and Union-New Hope Road, and between Wilson Farm Road and Petunia Court from east to west.
“It’s definitely a big subdivision,” said Gastonia Assistant City Engineer Tucker Johnson.
‘Nolan Farm’ name likely
Ultimately, the zoning on all 315 acres will allow for as many as 760 new homes, though it’s uncertain whether the landowners will carry through with that. Previous incarnations of the development called for a mix of both residential and commercial growth, but a vision for the acreage south of Union Road hasn’t been announced.
“We haven’t seen any plans on that,” Johnson said.
Officials with Suncrest Real Estate and Land could not be reached for comment.
The community has officially been referred to only as the Presley Development in official documents, though there’s a strong indication it could ultimately be named Nolan Farm, said Keith Lineberger, a civil engineer who serves as Gastonia’s subdivision administrator. That’s listed as the name of the primary boulevard that will run through the subdivision.
The anticipated price range of the homes in Phase 1 hasn’t been disclosed, but the community will have a clubhouse with a pool, athletic courts, sidewalks, stamped asphalt crosswalks, a walking trail, a pocket park, and a variety of preserved green space.
Names for 17 new streets to be constructed within Nolan Farm have already been selected, and included designations such as Rock Dove Court, Tea Garden Drive and Yardley Street.
Utility extension coming
The major hitch to developing the land in that far corner of Gaston County has always been the lack of essential utilities there. But the developer plans to rectify that by paying millions of dollars for the installation of water and sewer lines to the Presley site.
The city did its part in recent years by making upgrades at the Beaty Road sewer pump station that were needed to accommodate hundreds of new water and sewer customers at Presley. Beyond that, Gastonia plans to invest $35 to $40 million to expand its water and sewer system and upgrade sewer capacity to handle anticipated future growth around and beyond the Presley site.
If required plans are approved, the Presley developers could begin construction on the water and sewer lines running to their site this summer, Lineberger said.
“As far as when houses will start going up, I’m sure they would love to start by the end of the year,” he said. “But they’ve got to get those utilities going, get the site graded and get roads put in.”
You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or on Twitter @GazetteMike.
