Texas developer’s major Lake Norman-area mixed-use community approved by board
The Huntersville Board of Commissioners approved a Texas developer’s major Lake Norman-area mixed-use community Tuesday night that will include at least 250 apartments and townhomes and 11,500 square feet of commercial space.
The board voted 5-to-1 in favor of High Street District Development Inc.’s 11.87-acre development on Old Statesville Road near Mount Holly-Huntersville Road. High Street is a subsidiary of Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co.
The board’s vote followed changes the developer made to the project after the Huntersville Planning Board’s unanimous recommendation last month to deny the developer’s rezoning request.
The Planning Board recommended the developer add more townhomes to its housing mix and more commercial space, which the developer did in a resubmitted plan March 10, Huntersville planner Jesse James told the commissioners Tuesday night.
The Planning Board is a government-appointed advisory panel that makes recommendations on rezonings to the Town Board.
Changes to the plan
Town planning staff opposed the original plan and supports the new one, James said.
The developer’s new plan calls for converting one of its buildings to all townhomes, as planning staff recommended, and upped its commercial space in two street-front buildings from 8,000 square feet to about 11,500 square feet, James said.
Commissioners said they liked the changes.
“You guys have really proven that you want to be a partner with the town of Huntersville,” commissioner Edwin Quarles said before the board’s vote. “This project was an immense amount of work from our planning staff, our Planning Board, the Town Board, our residents ... To see where we are today from when we first met with you almost a year ago, you really proved you want to be a part of Huntersville.”
Commissioner Scott Coronet said the development “will be a great asset to the community.”
Commissioner Nick Walsh, who made the motion in favor of the rezoning, said the project “is going to be a great addition to our downtown. It creates opportunities for folks to live, work and thrive here in Huntersville.”
The community will include seven buildings — a clubhouse and three- and four-story apartment, townhomes and mixed-use buildings, according to the developer’s site plan.
The developer’s rezoning request calls for removing a greenhouse and accessory buildings for the development, called Old Statesville Road Mixed-Use, town documents show.
Speaking for the developers at last month’s Planning Board meeting, Bridget Grant said the nearest building to homes would be 115 yards away. Grant is a Charlotte-based land use development consultant with law firm Moore & Van Allen.
The developer is offering more open space than originally proposed and has included attainable housing, or homes affordable to teachers and firefighters, she said.
“We believe we’re bringing forward a high-quality, mixed-use development,” she said.