A group of residents in the New Irving Park neighborhood has filed a lawsuit against the city of Greensboro to overturn a zoning decision that paved the way for a townhome project.
The city council voted 6-2 in April for a rezoning that allows developer BJ Johnson to build eight luxury townhomes in the largely single-family community. The decision faced opposition from a dozen residents at that meeting who cited concerns of safety and environmental impacts, among other things.
Neighbors filed a lawsuit in June alleging the change amounted to illegal spot-zoning. The term refers to a small, individually owned tract that's rezoned differently from its surrounding area.
In this case, the tract is less than one acre. It was rezoned from Residential-Single-Family-3 to Conditional District-Residential-Multi-Family-12. Under the previous zoning, only two single-family homes would've been allowed.
A city spokesperson issued a statement saying the city is aware of the lawsuit and believes the council's decision "addresses housing needs and fits within the existing context of the neighborhood."
New Irving Park residents are asking the courts to reverse the decision. They're also requesting that the city be prohibited from processing any permits for development at the location.