N.C. lawmaker strips land from village on behalf of developer

A Union County lawmaker who successfully pushed to “de-annex” property from the Village of Marvin on behalf of a developer has sparked concerns that the practice could spread, according to published reports.

The N.C. General Assembly in June passed legislation which removed about 7 acres from within the municipal limits of Marvin and placed it in the zoning jurisdiction of unincorporated Union County.

Sen. Tommy Tucker, R-Waxhaw, told The Mecklenburg Times that he introduced a bill seeking the change after a developer complained that Marvin’s zoning codes were too strict.

Since the change went into effect, the county’s planning staff has supported a rezoning that would allow for higher-density development than what the village allowed.

“I was very upset,” Marvin Mayor Joe Pollino told WSOC-TV.

Developer Stephen Puckett and other builders have contributed to Tucker’s political campaign in recent years. Tucker told the television station that he did not act inappropriately and stepped in to promote development that would attract sales tax dollars.

Other Union County mayors called the move an overreach by the state.

Marvin is an upscale Charlotte suburb of about 5,500 people.

This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 12:08 PM with the headline "N.C. lawmaker strips land from village on behalf of developer."