Those who oppose more development in Summerfield often state that the Summerfield Town Council is “in the pocket of the developers.”
However, on Tuesday, April 12, the Summerfield Town Council, on a 4-to-1 vote, shot down a proposed text amendment to the town’s ordinances that would have allowed local farmer and developer David Couch to proceed with a large residential development that has seen a great deal of opposition from town residents ever since it was officially announced in 2020.
Town Councilmembers John O’Day, Reece Walker, Lynne DeVaney and Janelle Robinson voted against approving the text amendment – to the delight of most of those in attendance that night – while only one town councilmember, John Doggett, voted in favor of Couch’s request.
In Summerfield, the mayor only votes when there’s a tie, and, of course, there wasn’t one this time around. But, while Mayor Tim Sessoms didn’t vote, he did offer an explanation to the crowd at the meeting.
“It really comes down to listening to the voice of our citizens – that’s what we are tasked to do,” Sessoms said.
At the April 12 meeting, the vast majority of the many speakers were against adopting the text amendment, which would have meant another step toward Couch being able to implement his vision.
Sessoms went on to add that, if the vast majority of people in town had sought the alternative outcome, the vote would likely have been different.
Sessoms thanked the citizens for the many “unbelievably detailed” emails they had sent in on the subject.
Many of the town’s residents are particularly opposed to allowing apartments in Summerfield – something that Couch would very much like to include in his development.
For the past five years, as more development has taken place in the town of about 11,000 people, there has been a virtual civil war in Summerfield over the questions of housing density, zoning ordinances and whether the currently well-water based town should build its own water system supplied by either a large water tank or by city water from an outside source such as the City of Greensboro.
property rights. property change rights. increased population density > friction between people which > gov’t regulation which > taxes which threaten property ownership which . . . how bout mo betta > density housing IN GREENSBORO because that would help preserve summerfields bucolic, < density ethos ? summerfield could be the kind of place where citizens ride their horses to n from work n school ? let the urban fight traffic. your lifestyle has turned u into commuters, so, EAT SOME TRAILER PARKS – PEOPLE OF THE CANS !
i don’t think summerfield has its fair share of JUNKYARDS in proportion with # of MV JUNK it has generated over its lifetime. how does it dispose of its trash at present ? people in love with their MV’s should all have PUMPJACKS ON THEIR PROPERTY to fuel their machines. i played on them as child . would play on a solar panel. maybe. i have donated my aging body to science . . . fiction.
Good. I’m sure this is only a delay but we will enjoy it as long as we can. We all know the town council is bought and paid for by David Couch. We move to Summerfield to get away from problems of Greensboro. Why is David Couch so determined to destroy such a magical place
The leaders in Summerfield are short sighted. They will regret this decision. The Town is young still and needs to be more inclusive in so many ways. The residents at the meeting were probably the rudest people I’ve ever seen and met. They only want 500k homes and rich white citizens.
What’s wrong with that. May the “woke” go live somewhere else.
They were so rude and disrespectful
Hell I’m rude and disrespectful what’s wrong with that
Perhaps the owner can ask Greensboro to annex his property
How ’bout the city annexes the city of Summerfield? Thataway, the nofeasance is compleat.
what should summerfield prepare for? self sufficient (water sewer power police) gated communities. until they r forced to STAY INSIDE by crumbling exostructure, unculture, crime, toxic enviro pollutants & class warfare. travel in & out by armored vehicles. if u have > density housing for your elderly u AOK ? growth growth growth of whut ? kudzu ? people need housing here. people sans housing should be able to just MOVE RIGHT IN where ever they want ? sans $$ ? my largest monthly expenditure – housing.
Summerfield – Over Rated, Over Priced and Under Developed.
Summerfield – Over Rated, Over Priced and Under Developed.
The only people who want Summerfield to turn into Greensboro Jr, is the fire chief, the owned votes on council and people who don’t belong in Summerfield at all. Keep the city’s problems in the city. You want Greensboro go fn live in Greensboro. Gtfoos. Go woke go broke, go urban turn to sh$$ hole.