The Town of Cameron’s planning board discussed a $25 million auto park and condominium and garage subdivision on 137 acres in the extraterritorial jurisdiction off Page Store Road and Highway 24-27 at the July 9 meeting.
Charles Gregg, representing property owner Edward Taliaferro “Tolliver” Parks, led the discussion. It was his third visit with the planning board, and he shared handouts for the members and the citizens. He stated that the automobile collectors wanted privacy and a low profile at Cameron Motor Condos.
Cameron is writing its Land Use Plan and has a construction moratorium in effect until the end of the year.
Carthage Town Planner Katherine Liles, who assists Cameron, said the developers could begin preliminary research for when the moratorium is lifted.
The proposal will remain in the discussion phase until the end of the moratorium.
“It’s not right to tell people they can’t do something,” Liles said about people having a right to submit a proposal and that Cameron must consider proposals within proper zoning. She stressed negotiating.
“It looks like chicken houses,” Planning Board Member Joey Frutchey said about the sleek, red condominium and garage structures styled to replicate barns.
Gregg said they would negotiate on structure styles.
The subdivision project proposal, Cameron Motor Condos, began as a 40-condo and garage proposal that would provide an estimated $20 million in tax revenue benefits for the Town of Cameron.
“She [Town Clerk] will have to rerun the numbers,” Frutchey said about the generated tax revenue since the project proposal has doubled in size.
The original plan was for 40 condos, but they now see they need 60 to 80 to offset expenses for the project. The completion of the first phase of 40 condos is expected to take 24 months. The road course alone is estimated to cost $750,000. There would be no timed events or racing.
“What assurances can be given?” Frutchey asked about keeping down noise disturbances.
Gregg said that noise meters to measure decibels exceeding the noise level of U.S. Highway 1 will flash, alert a mobile app, and a fine payable to the town will be registered.
After the meeting, citizens said they did not believe millionaires would be concerned about paying insignificant fines.
The condos include personal garages to protect automobiles, some worth $5 million. Condos will sell as shell units for $300,000 to $500,000, and owners can customize them to their liking.
“People will not live in the condos as a permanent residence,” Gregg said about the collectors using the condos as a vacation-type destination to share their love of rare automobiles on the winding, touring course.
Gregg said they wanted to work with the town to include community events, such as allowing citizens to bring their dirt bikes and go-karts to enjoy the course, fishing at the lake, and the outdoors.
Plans include honoring the land’s farming history with native plants and grasses and no clear cutting. Security and maintenance staff will oversee the property, and there will be no nighttime lights to annoy neighbors.
Gregg invited the board members and neighbors to a private auto park demonstration to allow them to experience the noise level and the passive attitude of the proposal’s clients.
“It’s important to be good neighbors,” Gregg said.
Feature photo: Peacock Partnership shares Cameron Motor Condos’ proposal for an auto park with condominiums and garages on July 9, 2024, at the Cameron Planning Board meeting. Peacock Partnership is a full-design team of architects serving the healthcare industry.
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~Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel journalist Stephanie M. Sellers. Stephanie is also an English instructor at Central Carolina Community College. She is the author of young adult fiction, including When the Yellow Slugs Sing and Sky’s River Stone, and a suspense, GUTTERSNIPE: Shakespearean English Stage Play with Translation.
