Realtor sees activist as trouble

A Tar Heel Realtor magazine editorial cites Chatham's Starkweather as a one of the 'troubling issues ahead for this industry.'

The leader of the N.C. Association of Realtors says a Chatham County slow-growth activist could be a problem for the real estate industry.

In the current issue of Tar Heel Realtor magazine, Executive Vice President Tim Kent includes Jeffrey Starkweather among the "troubling issues ahead for this industry."

"In Chatham County, an anti-growth coalition spearheaded an effort to defeat three county commission candidates in the May primary," he wrote. "The leader of the coalition, Jeffrey Starkweather, has been named executive director of the N.C. Smart Growth Alliance. Starkweather wants to take his 'slow-growth' campaign statewide."

Among other industry threats, Kent cited strict building and architectural standards adopted by Knightdale and an increase of urban members in the General Assembly.

"Generally, rural legislators are more aware of private property rights and less inclined to give their support to impact fees or transfer fees," Kent wrote.

In a phone interview, Kent said his 38,000-member association is concerned about Starkweather's group because it wants to limit development.

"Fewer houses available on the market drives up costs," he said.

And, he added, "The North Carolina Association of Realtors is dedicated to ... the promotion of the American dream of homeownership."

Starkweather said Kent mischaracterized the Chatham Coalition, which comprises several citizens groups that promote slower, planned growth.

"I don't see anything we are promoting that fits his definition of anti-growth," Starkweather said.

Jessica Bryan, a real estate broker and association member who lives in Chatham County, said she read Kent's editorial and sent him a note correcting him on the intent of Starkweather's group.

"Tim's article said [Starkweather] was anti-growth, and he's not," she said. "I know Jeffrey Starkweather personally, and he and I are aligned about smart growth."

Starkweather, a lawyer who attends every county commissioners meeting, led the grass-roots movement to defeat three candidates in the May Democratic primary. Two, including commissioners Chairman Bunkey Morgan, were incumbents. All three were backed by Triangle developers and Realtors.

The board majority, led by Morgan, has approved about 6,700 new homes in recent years, according to a county planning department tally.

Another 3,700 homes have been approved by Pittsboro, making the northeast corner of the county one of the fastest-growing regions in the Triangle.

All three winners of the primary -- only one of whom faces a Republican in November -- support the county's land-use plan, which says where growth should occur and how fast.

Starkweather said in his new position with the statewide alliance, he will promote concentrating development around towns and cities over suburban sprawl.

"Smart growth encourages high-density development within existing communities," he said. "It actually increases [real estate values] because you are putting more homes closer to the source of infrastructure."

But in the editorial, Kent cites a study by the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation, which he said warns that "cities that have established aggressive growth-management plans ... have artificially created housing shortages which in turn drive up prices."

The association and its political action committee are "poised to protect housing affordability," Kent wrote. "We have committed more than $750,000 ... to combat onerous real estate issues on the state and local levels."

An association task force is studying ways to make the group "even more formidable in the political process," he added.

"We recognize additional firepower may be necessary."