From correspondent Tammy Grubb

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen unanimously approved rezoning and a conditional use permit Tuesday night for the eco-friendly Veridia subdivision proposed for two parcels at 810 Old Fayetteville Road.

Mayor Mark Chilton, who worked with developer Sustainable Properties LLC on the project, abstained from the discussion and subsequent vote.

Veridia will replace 37 mobile homes and one house in the Pine Grove Mobile Home Park with two- and three-bedroom homes. The plan saves another house at the front of the property for a community clubhouse. About 31 percent of the 4.66 acres will be open space.

Architect Giles Blunden’s initial drawings show single-family, millhouse-style homes. A 100-kilowatt solar array will generate roughly 135,000 kilowatt hours each year for sell to local utilities. The proceeds – possibly $13,000 to $24,000 annually, will be used to maintain the system and reduce homeowner’s association dues.

The project also includes a rainwater capture system that will support the community garden and help flush toilets. The developers plan to meet national LEED green-building standards for residential insulation, recycled construction materials and solar thermal hot water heaters, among other features.

Stormwater runoff will be directed to underground sand filters and a detention system. All utility lines will be buried, and OWASA will provide water and sewer services, replacing an existing septic system that has reached the end of its life, the developers said.

Development partners Trip Overholt and David Bell agreed to 28 conditions Tuesday, including housing size limits, making sure the locally built playground meets safety and disability standards and letting homebuyers seek financing from their own bank or credit union. In addition, the permit requires many of the project’s green building features to be in place before the developers receive an occupancy permit for the 26th house.

Look for more on this story in this Sunday's Chapel Hil News.