The TriW News sent a questionnaire to the Village of Wesley Chapel’s mayoral candidates recently. We asked each candidate five of our most pressing questions that we could identify that would give our readers and the citizens of Wesley Chapel a better understanding of their individual positions on the issues.

We sent the same five questions to each candidate. Each response was submitted by the candidate back to the writer who did not edit or change their response. We simply performed a copy and paste function and lined up the sentences correctly.

We used a business inventory accounting method by listing and displaying the responses from the candidates to our readers in the order received by each candidate using the “first in, first out” (FIFO) methodology.

By taking this approach and giving each candidate the same amount of time to respond, we believe we have been transparent, and will leave it up to each individual citizen to cast their vote at the ballot box to decide who they feel will be the best candidate to represent the town as the next Mayor of Wesley Chapel.

Response from candidate Brad Horvath (referenced below as BH)

1. Do you think our town economy is healthy, successful, and offers the right amount of shopper options? If not fully satisfied, what would you do to improve it?

BH: Overall, I do think our town economy is successful and there is a fair set of shopper options.  We have a centralized shopping area and the majority of residents would like it to remain that way.  There are undeveloped parcels within the approved shopping area and we continue to work with the developer to accelerate their timeline and complete the build-out, while exploring options with them since eh economy has changed substantially since their initial approval was given.

1. Some residents in our community say we have traffic flow problems today. How would you mitigate those concerns or improve the current situation?

BH: I absolutely agree that we have traffic flow problems in our community.  There are limited options to address that.  The majority of roads in North Carolina are owned and managed by NCDOT.  While it is possible for a municipality to take over some or all of road construction and maintenance, it is a VERY costly undertaking even though the State will provide some funding via a source known as Powell Bill Funds.  The issue there, is that we would have to increase out local tax rate from $0.0167 to $0.05.  So the next option is to work with NCDOT and the local Regional Transportation Organization, CRTPO, on which we participate, and get our roads and intersection work prioritized, We have taken the additional step, for the intersection of Potter and Wesley Chapel Road, as a town, to contribute funds toward mitigating the traffic at that intersection. There are several other intersection improvements identified and prioritized, but with NCDOT having budget issues, many project have been delayed.  We will continue to work to ensure they stay on the revised schedule.

1. If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

BH: That any re-zonings from residential to Commercial or Office/ Institutional be done as part of a Conditional Zoning process that enables us to have a conversation with the applicant and ensure proposed uses are in conformity with what the town desires.

1. How do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process in our community?

BH: We have and continue to have Committees and Boards for which residents should join and participate.  In addition, there are always, by our ordinances, public hearings at both the Planning Board and Council level on certain types of projects.  Lastly, Residents can always come down and provide comments during our regularly scheduled meetings (second Monday of every month at 7 pm) at the beginning of the meeting during Public Comments.

1. In your opinion, how do we best manage growth and still keep a small town atmosphere that we moved here for?

BH: Continue to push back on requests for denser zoning when they come up, whether at the County level in properties just outside our borders (which I continue to do).  That is always a challenge because it is often the property owners that formed this town and pushed for the zoning to be less dense, as it currently is, but then want the rules changed when a developer approaches them and offers to by their property, but only if they can convince the elected officials to grant them denser zoning.

Response from candidate Jan Smith (referenced below as JS)

1. Do you think our town economy is healthy, successful, and offers the right amount of shopper options? If not fully satisfied, what would you do to improve it?

JS: The economy of the Village of Wesley Chapel is healthy and successful.  We have the lowest tax rate (0.0165) of all of our surrounding municipalities (Weddington, Mineral Springs, Indian Trail, Stallings).  The Village has kept this low tax rate and yet is debt free. Wesley Chapel Village Commons, our downtown area, offers a balance of retail shopping, services, and restaurants to our residents as well as friends from our surrounding municipalities.  The one essential improvement is to continue the build out in the area adjoining the town hall.

1. Some residents in our community say we have traffic flow problems today. How would you mitigate those concerns or improve the current situation?

JS: Everyone in Wesley Chapel knows the commuter traffic is horrendous! As our area has grown, traffic has increased proportionally.  We have outgrown our farm to market country roads. NC DOT builds and maintains our roadways; the Village works with NC DOT to make suggestions and make contributions to the existing plans.  My top priorities are the 3 intersections that directly impact Wesley Chapel Elementary: Chamwood & Potter, 84 & Potter and Potter & Wesley Chapel Rd.   Public safety is the primary focus of government.  We must insure safety on all our roadways, but especially the roads that service our schools. Close adherence to the land use plan will help control growth and prevent high-density developments that contribute to increased traffic congestion.

1. If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

JS: The first change to make to our current zoning code is the number of times a developer can apply for rezoning on the same tract of land.  This loophole allowed a local developer to manipulate when the rezoning vote would be taken, based on which council members were present to vote.  In other words, the developer pulled the rezoning request and resubmitted when the votes were in favor of the rezoning. This all happened within a 4 month period in the spring of 2019. Therefore, the property, 13.5 acres, across from Wesley Chapel Elementary School, has been rezoned office/institutional.  Each rezoning request requires the planner, the planning board, and the council to take time to go through proper procedures. How many times does the developer have to be told NO until the requests cease? When I am mayor this will be clearly defined and in our revised Land Use Plan and consistently enforced.

1. How do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process in our community?

JS: Volunteers are the most valuable resource our Village processes.  The more involved citizens are the more, the more their voices are heard.  I will encourage residents to participate in our currents committees: parks and rec, youth council, communication.  I would work to reinstate our public safety committee. I believe the citizens will volunteer if they understand the task, are given the needed resources with which to work and are encouraged as they progress.  Most importantly, once the work is completed, it should be valued and publicly praised. Volunteers will work harder when they know their work is appreciated and is accomplishing specific goals. We have seen the negative effect on moral when committee work is disregarded.  After several denials of rezoning request on the property at 84 & Potter Road, by the Planning Board and our professional town planner, two of our council members and the current mayor, ignored the recommendations and voted to rezone the property to office/institutional. This will not happen under my watch as mayor!  This is one of the main reasons I am asking citizens to VOTE JAN SMITH 4 WESLEY CHAPEL MAYOR.

1. In your opinion, how do we best manage growth and still keep a small town atmosphere that we moved here for?

JS: Our Village was founded to maintain a rural, small town atmosphere.  This will continue by adhering to our Land Use Plan, that avoids high density zoning.  To control the growth we all know is coming, Wesley Chapel must control the growth narrative by establishing and maintaining strong zoning in our Land Use Plan.  As mayor, I will lead the new council to set policy that put residents’ needs over developers’ profits. Once a new united council is in place, developers will know the limits of their requests, and the feeding frenzy for land will decrease.  The agricultural and green spaces will be preserved. We will keep the downtown in its current location at 84 & Waxhaw Indian Trail road to accommodate our commercial needs. Collaboration with our surrounding communities to limit high density zoning on our borders is also essential.  Putting residents over developers will promote responsible growth so Wesley Chapel stays that great place to live, work and raise a family!