Nov. 16. By Dave Vieser. The community meeting at 5 pm Wednesday Nov. 18 on Jake Palillo’s mixed-use project with 252 apartments will be virtual via Zoom. In the past, these meetings have been held in person, usually at Town Hall, but town officials say times are different.

“With the current atmosphere, and recent updated COVID-19 related orders limiting the size of indoor gatherings, the Town will continue to allow developers to conduct community meetings on a virtual format,” said Planning Director Aaron Tucker.

TUCKER

The project under review is an application from Palillo Holdings LLC to build 252 multi-family units and roughly 5,000 square feet of retail/commercial on the west side of West Catawba between Harbor View Drive and Junker Drive.

It would occupy about 12.2 acres of mostly vacant land adjacent to the Wherena Marina. White House Gardens is located on the property.

In addition to the 252 units, Palillo plans about 5,000 square feet of commercial space, including a restaurant.

The residential units would be contained in three separate multi-story structures set back from West Catawba and built so that they surround and open up into an interior courtyard in the middle of the complex. Two retail/commercial buildings would be closer to and face onto West Catawba.

Town Commissioner Jim Duke had previously expressed concerns about having the community meeting in a virtual format. Tucker acknowledged Duke’s concerns. “The Land Development Code does allow the Town to require an additional community meeting if the Town deems the first community engagement is insufficient,” Tucker said.