From WSJ Staff Reports
A public hearing on a proposed subdivision and a site master plan for a planned charter school —Wake Preparatory Academy (K-12) — will be Thursday, Sept. 3.
A peaceful protest is expected prior to the hearing by opponents of the project.
The meeting will be jointly called by the Wake Forest Planning Board and the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd Floor of Town Hall.
Womble Bond Dickinson has applied for a major subdivision and site master plan approval of Wake Preparatory Academy on about 35 acres off Harris Road.
The Planning Board will consider the request at its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3, and may make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Commissioners, at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m., will consider the petition and the recommendation of the Planning Board.
Town Hall will be open to the public for the hearing.
Those attending will be required to social distance and sign in for contact tracing purposes. In the event the Board Chambers are at capacity due to social distancing, an overflow room will be available to listen to the meeting. Since this is a quasi-judicial hearing, there will not be a Zoom component of the meeting. Any comments have to be made in person during the Sept. 3 meeting.
A quasi-judicial hearing is evidence-based, reliant on information presented during the hearing only. Specific rules and procedures must be followed.
The project has received public opposition, including a signed petition of more than 100 residents as of Sept. 2.
Primary concern of opponents is the addition of traffic at the intersection of Harris Road/Purnell Road/US 1 and Joyner Park.
The concept of charter schools is also opposed. Opponents say the school would take away public dollars from the local, public school system.
