SUMMERFIELD, N.C. — June 30th, 2024 marks the turn over of nearly 1,000 acres of land from the Town of Summerfield to Guilford County.
This comes after a years-long battle and recent green light from state lawmakers.
Nearly 1,000 acres of land in Summerfield is proposed to become a development called: The Villages of Summerfield Farms. It's expected to house dozens of families and create a space for people to shop. In a statement the land owner David Couch said he wants to create affordable housing for blue and white collar workers.
A change town council member John Doggett said has tied the hands of the town.
"I think it's a sad day for Summerfield that we couldn't negotiate with David Couch, and that the general assembly had to get involved and de-annex the land," Doggett shared, "What I can say is Summerfield Town Council, we are going to move forward from this and get beyond this."
He told WFMY News that change is inevitable but the way you go about it is key.
For some residents, the idea of new neighbors comes with concerns. James Knight said he's been a part of the historical district for over 50 years. He told us he is concerned about additional traffic in the area.
"My thought process if it's de-annexed down you've got Greensboro coming right up through the middle of Summerfield," he said.
A few houses down Anna Heroy said she's standing on principal and transparency for Summerfield.
"I've seen the drawings and the plans, I know anything he does will be done well. But I don't like the way he went about it," she said.
The de-annexation of the land means it now belongs to Guilford County. Couch will have to submit a proposal to the county before he can move forward with any construction.