We paid our price to be here and it is unfair to the almost 2,000 seniors in Hidden Valley for this to happen to and we’re not taking it,
said Marjorie Parker, President of the Hidden Valley Community Association, according to WBTV. Parker and fellow neighborhood residents have filed a lawsuit against developer Four Corners to block a newly constructed triplex on West Sugar Creek Road in north Charlotte, arguing the project violates decades-old deed restrictions limiting the historic Black community to single-family homes.
Hidden Valley Residents Sue Four Corners Over Triplex Construction
The legal battle centers on a single residential lot in Hidden Valley where developer Four Corners built three townhouses, which neighborhood leaders state directly violates restrictive covenants requiring only one single-family home per lot. According to court documents reported by WBTV, residents first contested the construction in October 2025, submitted a petition in May, and had legal counsel send a written notice of compliance in June. Construction continued despite these objections, and a WBTV crew observed a family exiting one of the completed homes on a Saturday while the remaining two units appeared vacant and ready for move-in.
Clashing Arguments on Zoning Rules and Community Impact
Residents are pushing back against potential property value drops, increased traffic congestion, and a loss of community privacy. We were not told that this was going to happen, and we didn’t have any input from anyone,
Parker stated to WBTV.
Meanwhile, the developer defends the project’s legality. R. Lee Robertson, Jr., an attorney representing Four Corners, stated that the townhouses comply with all local ordinances and state laws, received prior approval from appropriate administrative agencies, and do not breach any valid deed restrictions, as reported by WBTV. Representatives for Four Corners also noted that the company attempted multiple discussions with unresponsive neighbors and intends to defend what it termed meritless allegations.
Charlotte Updates Rules to Encourage Missing-Middle Housing
The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of Charlotte’s Unified Development Ordinance, enacted in June 2023, which permits duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes across many parts of the city to encourage missing-middle housing without requiring rezoning petitions. City data shows that 8,537 duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes have been submitted or approved under the updated rule.
The Hidden Valley challenge follows similar neighborhood pushback elsewhere in Charlotte, including a 2024 lawsuit by South Charlotte residents in Lansdowne attempting to block a triplex using deed restrictions. Hidden Valley spans roughly 4,000 to 4,600 homes established originally in 1960, and has experienced heightened development pressure due to its proximity to the city’s light rail line.
Plaintiffs Seek to Block Construction and Claim Damages
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are asking a judge to prohibit Four Corners from constructing, completing, maintaining, leasing, selling, or permitting any improvements on the lot that violate neighborhood restrictions, alongside a mandate to alter or remove non-compliant structures. Latoya Caesar-Crawford, a communications representative for the McAdoo Law Firm representing the neighbors, told WBTV that the petition also seeks money damages tied to potential losses in property value. Parker expressed hope that the case will establish a precedent, telling WBTV, If the judge doesn’t order this one torn down, which it probably won’t, we have deed restrictions if someone else comes we want to have the complaint filed.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hidden Valley Lawsuit
What specific legal document are Hidden Valley residents using to stop the development?
Residents are relying on decades-old deed restrictions, or restrictive covenants, tied to the community that limit residential construction on the property to single-family homes.
How many homes are involved in the disputed Four Corners property?
The developer built a triplex consisting of three townhouses on a single lot where residents argue only one home is permitted.
What legal remedies are the neighborhood plaintiffs seeking from the court?
Plaintiffs represented by the McAdoo Law Firm are asking a judge to halt leasing, selling, or construction on the lot, force structural alterations or removal to bring the property into compliance, and award money damages for potential losses in property values.