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On Tuesday night, Jamestown Town Council turned down a request to rezone 7-plus acres at 300-399 Lee St. after hearing nearly a dozen residents' concerns.

Kenny Caldabaugh of First Choice of the Carolinas, High Point, requested to rezone two lots from single family residential to conditional zoning single family cluster development. This means homes can be built close to one another, leaving at least 40 percent of the property as permanent open space.

Caldabaugh had planned to build 40 town homes at the terminus of Lee Street.

The Henry Modlin Heirs own the property. Doris Porter, realtor for the family, said the Modlins have listed the property for several years. “Due to the steep terrain in the back, it was slower selling,” she said.

Caldabaugh said he plans to develop the property, whether or not the rezoning was approved. He’s allowed, under the current zoning, to build single family homes.

He said there would not be a large increase in traffic if the town homes were built.

Although there would be a homeowners’ association, Caldabaugh said he’d have to rent the units out if he can’t sell them.

Neighbors said they didn’t want public housing in their neighborhood, although they noted that Caldabaugh may have to rent out single family homes if those don’t sell either.

Caldabaugh said it’s not fair to the Modlin family if they can’t sell the property to someone who’s willing to develop it. “It’s unfair for anyone to think the land should sit there for years without developing,” he said.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth.seagraves@news-record.com