Created: 7/11/2007 5:57:22 PM 
Greensboro, NC -- Economic leaders do not want any more new houses and apartments near the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Greensboro's zoning commission approved a request to re-zone a piece of land from industrial to residential. Leaders from the airport and the Greensboro Partnership are fighting it.
They took city leaders on a bus tour Wednesday to show growth at the airport. One of the stops included the 18-acre lot in question at the corner of Caindale Drive and North Regional Road. The developer, Roy Carroll, wants to build 300 apartments to give aviation workforce a place to live.
Opponents say the remaining 700 acres of space around the airport should be zoned industrial, and that houses and apartments make companies look elsewhere.
"That is opposite of what we usually receive," said Greensboro City Council member Sandy Carmany.
"We usually have someone wanting to change residential to industrial or commercial. And, there's usually a lot of opposition to that. So, it will be interesting to see how this case is viewed."
Leaders say either way the vote goes, this land could set a precedent for future projects.
NAI Piedmont Triad is the realty company selling the property. Broker Robert Perkins says the land has been for sale for 20 years and the airport has passed on it.
The City Council will hear both sides Tuesday night.
WFMY News 2
