Tim Anderton

Contrary to the recommendation of the budget committee, Mooresville Town Commissioners have agreed to fund the CATS 83X line for at least one more year.

The 83X line runs several times a day between South Iredell/Mooresville and the CATS terminal in Charlotte. However, it relies on subsidies from the Town of Mooresville to meet operating costs. Mooresville's existing contract to help subsidize the line is set to expire, and initial reviews of the Town budget led the Commission's budget committee to recommend not renewing the subsidy agreement.

Despite the budget committee's initial reports implying low ridership, word about possible cancellation of the line spurred massive rider response, prompting shows of support at town meetings and a website for supporters of the line.

While CATS officials had asked for and expected another 3 year commitment, Commissioners were only willing to pledge one year at this time. The $85,265 subsidy will come from the Town's general fund and the transportation task force project.

A nearly 200 acre lake-front development is underway in Troutman in response to what the developers feel is a high demand for more reasonably priced waterfront lots.

River Rock is located near Walnut Tree Rd and Lookout Shoals Dam Rd. The 160-home development has lot sizes starting at one acre and has a layout plan that focuses on a rural feel. Waterfront lots start at $179,000. Roadwork has already begun and construction should start within six months.

This development follows on the heels of the establishment of the River Oaks development, a master planned residential community with both golf-focused and waterfront-focused areas, also on the northern end of the lake.

Of course, as people move into the west Iredell and eastern Catawba county areas, retail and office spaces are sure to follow, so expect commercial real estate growth in the area soon.

A group of concerned citizens has started a grass-roots campaign to draw attention to the CATS 83X express bus line which runs several times a day between Mooresville and Charlotte.

The Town of Mooresville recently raised questions during their annual budget review about the possibility of no longer subsidizing the route, given the nearly $96,000 price tag.

In response, some area citizens have banded together through a website to hopefully convince the Town Commissioners to continue their subsidy of what they say is a popular service.

A nearly 200 acre lake-front development is underway in Troutman in response to what the developers feel is a high demand for more reasonably priced waterfront lots.

River Rock is located near Walnut Tree Rd and Lookout Shoals Dam Rd. The 160-home development has lot sizes starting at one acre and has a layout plan that focuses on a rural feel. Waterfront lots start at $179,000. Roadwork has already begun and construction should start within six months.

This development follows on the heels of the establishment of the River Oaks development, a master planned residential community with both golf-focused and waterfront-focused areas, also on the northern end of the lake.

Of course, as people move into the west Iredell and eastern Catawba county areas, retail and office spaces are sure to follow, so expect commercial real estate growth in the area soon.

The massive Village at Lake Norman development planned for Cornelius received the necessary rezoning for the proposed location south of Westmoreland Rd between I-77 and US 21, but major hurdles still remain for the project.

In a 3-2 vote Wednesday night (April 23rd), Town of Cornelius commissioners approved the rezoning for the land, but many other approvals will be needed along the way to completion. Complex financing plans for the project will need to be accepted by Mecklenburg County, and the Town of Cornelius has reserved the right to rescind the rezoning if all the financing issues are not to the Town's liking. Major road construction is proposed and needed by the developers, especially the addition of an interchange with Westmoreland Rd on I-77 and the addition of at least one more lane on I-77 through the area. This means that various state and federal entities will also need to grant approvals of one form or another.

Developer Cornelius-Bromont has made a number of assurances to the Town, including the promise of high-end retail tenants, straightening and extension of Bailey Rd (to an extent, this point was already in the developer's master plan), a new public safety facility, a return of $1.3 million for the Town's service costs, and acceptance of various intermediate deadlines for various aspects of financial approval and construction phases.