Tim Anderton

For the second straight day, Cornelius commissioners delayed voting on the rezoning of land that would allow the go ahead for the proposed Village at Lake Norman development.

Commissioners originally extended the Monday meeting in order to discuss the situation further. Commissioner Jim Bensman was unable to attend Tuesday's meeting in person but did participate via phone. The decision was made to delay the final vote until today, Wednesday the 23rd, in order for Bensman to be there in person for the vote.

Commissioners are trying to decide if the massive 104 acre development will positively impact the town and its future. Developers Cornelius-Bromont have proposed numerous road improvements as part of the development, but have stated that the Commissioners accepting the establishment of an interchange with I-77 at Westmoreland Rd is a necessary aspect of their project. In addition to the rezoning issue, Cornelius commissioners and Mecklenburg County officials would have to approve the financing plans of the developers, which include various tax fundings and credits.

The vote to rezone the property is now scheduled for today at 5 PM at Cornelius Town Hall.

Developers for the mixed-use Village at Lake Norman project proposed for 102 acres in Cornelius are anxious for the Town to approve their rezoning, but the scope of the project has some feeling that more time to decide is warranted.

The need for expeditious approval for the rezoning is tied into the road improvements. Developers need the rezoning approval before placing the related road projects on the long-range plan of the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization. Some of the funding for the project hinges on being included in this plan. The plan for the Village at Lake Norman includes the widening of I-77, US 21, and an extension of nearby Bailey Rd.

Also at issue is the proposed interchange with I-77 at Westmoreland Rd. Developers will not (and feel they cannot) go ahead with the project without that interchange, and Cornelius Town Board members have to approve that project as well.

Some residents, as reported recently in the Charlotte Observer , feel that it isn't possible for the Board members to make a decent decision, given all the information they have received in the short time allotted to decide. While some Board members have stated that they feel they will be able to weigh all aspects of the project and its impact properly, it is clear that they are at least temporarily overwhelmed.

Public hearings remain for the rezoning request- April 18 at 5 PM and April 21 at 7 PM. Both hearings will be held at Cornelius Town Hall, located at 21445 Catawba Ave. A decision is expected at the April 21st meeting.

With election time drawing nearer, numerous civic and political groups are hosting forums where voters can meet candidates and ask questions before making their final voting decisions.

The Iredell Republican Men’s Club Board of Commissioners forum is at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April12 at Mulligans Restaurant at Fox Den Golf Club (175 Clubhouse Dr in Statesville). The next Republican forum will be at 7 p.m. April 21 in the Board of Commissioners’ room in the county office building at 200 S. Center St in Statesville.

The Iredell Democratic Party is hosting a candidates forum from 7-8 p.m. on April 21 at the War Memorial Building (220 N Maple St in Mooresville). Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives 10th District (Steve Ivester and Daniel Johnson) will be there to discuss national problems.

The Statesville Record & Landmark, Mooresville Tribune, WSIC 1400 AM, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce and the Education Association are sponsoring 2 forums at Mac Gray Auditorium at Statesville High School (474 N Center St in Statesville):

• April 22, 6:30 PM, featuring candidates for Iredell County Commission.
• April 23, 6:30 PM, featuring candidates for Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education, Iredell/Alexander counties District Attorney and Republican candidates for the N.C. House 95th District seat.

NC DOT officials and project contractor Skanska are each pointing at the other in regards to who is to blame for the lengthy delays in the completion of I-485.

Skanksa says that DOT failed to acquire significant portions of the land needed for the construction. While DOT admits that they were not exactly timely in regards to full site preparation, they counter that the issues faced should not have been nearly as severe as Skanska has claimed. A recent Charlotte Observer article reports that the contractor has claimed delays totaling 311 days because of DOT's failure in acquiring land and relocating major utilities. DOT admits to responsibility to less than half of that delay.

Virginia Beach-based Skanska has also taken issue with the timeliness of notification of changes which are needed to accommodate additional development in the area (notably, a Target store at Harris Blvd and a car dealership at Old Statesville Rd). The firm has requested more than $8.5 million in compensation for the delays which DOT has refused. It's worthy of note that the company's contract allows DOT to levy a $10,000 per day fine against the contractor for each day the project is late.

The current stretch of I-485 (from NC Hwy 16 to an interchange with Hwy 115 a nd I-77) is tentatively scheduled to open in November or December, but Skanska feels that, weather permitting, the opening could be as early as September. The final segment of the I-485 loop, east of I-77 to I-85, isn't scheduled to begin until 2015.

The combined Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius and Mooresville “Transportation Task Force” feels that an organization, funded by the member towns, needs to be set up to receive funding and direct it towards solving traffic problems in the north Mecklenburg and south Iredell county areas, and that such an organization needs to be led by someone who would not just oversee day-to-day operations, but take on a leadership role to effectively advance the needs of the area.

While the notion of the organization was first broached at the Task Force meeting last month, recent discussion has focused on the potential leadership of the organization, as well as its funding sources. Some task force members want to start small, hiring only an administrative support employee now and waiting for an executive director position to be filled in the future, after funding sources have been ironed out and approved. Such funding could come from a variety of sources, including property taxes, permit fees, automobile registration fees or a portion of the proposed Mecklenburg County ¼ % sales tax.

It's unclear or undecided at this time just how much of the lobbying and leadership role would be taken on by a potential executive director and how much would remain in the hands of the members of the Task Force, which includes the mayors of the 4 member towns.

The Task Force has gone as far as listing recommendations to further the improvement of transportation challenges in the area, including seeking funding for the CATS North Corridor Commuter Rail, development of a collective 'road-priority' system and intra-town reviews of major development projects.

The establishment of the transportation organization will be discussed one more time, this coming Wednesday, April 9, at the regular meeting of the Task Force before begin sent back to the member towns for approval, which would occur in early summer. Pending this approval, the transportation organization could be formed as early as this fall.