Cary council continues decision on Alston Commons rezoning after split over car-wash element and affordable-housing terms

The Cary Town Council declined to approve a rezoning request for a roughly 22.74‑acre site at NC 55 Highway and Petty Farm Road on March 12, opting instead to continue the case so the applicant can address council concerns.

Planning staff described the proposal (22‑REZ‑20, Alston Commons / Austin Yard PDP) as a mixed‑use development divided into five pods with a maximum of 625 residential units, 50,000–200,000 square feet of office, 15,000–25,000 square feet of general commercial uses, and a car‑wash pod (Pod 1) capped at 30,000 square feet. The PDP includes commitments to at least 5 percent of units as affordable at 80 percent of area median income (AMI) for 30 years, a minimum number of smaller units, and at least 75 percent structured parking in certain pods. The applicant added a phasing commitment that would prevent issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the car wash until vertical construction had started elsewhere on the site.

Planning Board had recommended the request as consistent with the Imagine Cary Community Plan by an 8–1 vote. At council, members balanced competing priorities: some described the rezoning as a “reasonable compromise” that secured structured parking, sidewalks, trails and modest affordable‑housing commitments; others said a single‑story, auto‑oriented car wash conflicted with the destination‑center vision and worried the 5 percent at 80 percent AMI did not deliver meaningful affordable housing for firefighters, teachers and other middle‑income workers.

One councilmember said they could not support the project in its current form because of traffic and locational compatibility concerns; another said the package, including the phasing condition, overcame earlier objections and merited approval. A motion to adopt a statement of consistency and to approve the rezoning failed 4–3. The applicant asked to continue the case rather than be denied; council subsequently voted 6–1 to continue (table) the rezoning with direction that staff serve as a liaison for further updates.

Ending: The applicant agreed to return with revisions; Erin Puckett (staff) will be the liaison for updated materials and the council asked that any revised proposal allow residents time to review and comment before it returns for a vote.