The Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved rezoning on Oct. 7 for 61.11 acres off N.C. 54 for the development of 43 single-family homes by developer Forestar. The board approved the rezoning in a 5-2 vote, leaving residents concerned about water security, increased traffic and the preservation of rural character.

The project, titled the Rigsbee Community, aims to transform the rural residential property near White Cross Road into a "conservation cluster" by 2029. At a previous Orange County Planning Board Meeting, a representative from Forestar said this means homes will be grouped on smaller lots away from environmentally sensitive areas, leaving approximately 41 percent of the property as open space.

Despite not being designated as affordable housing, commissioners and Forestar see the project adding needed homes to the growing county. Balancing housing needs with concerns about protecting rural character and environment was central in the rezoning debates.

"Nobody wants change, but change is coming," Board Chair Jamezetta Bedford said.

In an attempt to preserve the area's existing character, Forestar aims to design the homes, community gathering space, communal well and mail kiosk in a complementary style to the existing white-paneled farmhouse on the parcel, owned by Carolyn Rigsbee.

Other features of the project include a septic tank for each home, private trails, a dog park, grilling stations and a bird sanctuary.

Debate over the rezoning largely stems from disagreement over whether it is consistent with the Orange County Comprehensive Plan. The plan sets development objectives through 2030 to guide land use policy decisions that maximize growth and residents' quality of life.

County staff and the Board found that the project meets many of the plan's goals, such as sustainable population growth and rural resource preservation. However, some community members said the rezoning poses risks to the rural residents.

"A key consideration would be whether the project has benefits to the existing surrounding community," Laura Streitfeld, executive director of Preserve Rural Orange, said. "And, so we're concerned it does not appear that this project would be in the public interest."

Residents raised concerns at Forestar's neighborhood information meeting in April 2025 about the effect the Rigsbee Community's well may have on the long-term availability of water for existing residents, who currently depend on private wells.

A groundwater study by Spangler Environmental found no evidence that the community well would deplete existing wells. Despite concerns surrounding the study's timing, conducted just over a week after Tropical Storm Chantal, which was later downgraded to a depression, Spangler Environmental Vice President Ward Marotti told commissioners the increased groundwater did not impact the results.

Residents also worry the dense community could increase traffic flow in an already congested area. Forestar plans to add a right and left turn lane to the property's entrance, if approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, to address the concerns.

Community members are also worried about potential environmental harm given the property's proximity to Collins Creek, a Haw River tributary.

Forestar's affiliations with national lawsuits amplified residents' concerns. Cases include a 2025 class action lawsuit alleging deceptive home-selling and mortgage practices by D.R. Horton, Forestar's majority stakeholder, and a 2024 case in Maryland alleging unpermitted sediment discharges into waterways.

Forestar did not respond to The Daily Tar Heel's request for comment at the time of publication.

Despite county staff determining the Rigsbee Community would have no significant environmental impacts, residents like Keith Houck worry that construction and the septic systems could fragment habitats, accelerate the spread of invasive plants and contribute to worsening local waterways.

"I love the Haw River, but it has so many problems," Houck said. "And I would just love to think that at some point, while I'm still on the planet, I could see the Haw looking like a healthy, robust river again, but these kinds of moves definitely are in the wrong direction."

Orange County approves rural rezoning but community voices conservation concerns