By Cooper Metts – Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal
A contentious mixed-use development in Huntersville recently won approval after a tie-breaking vote by the town's mayor.
The Huntersville Board of Commissioners approved WLA Enterprises Inc.'s rezoning request for the Knox Crossing development by a 4-3 vote at its May 19 meeting.
The approval rezones 44 acres on the northeast corner of Sam Furr Road and Old Statesville Road to Transit Oriented Development Residential Conditional District (TOD-R-CD) and Highway Commercial Conditional District (HC-CD). The property was previously zoned Corporate Business Conditional District (CB-CD).
Knox Crossing will have up to 87,000 square feet of commercial space and up to 413 residential units, town documents show. WLA Enterprises will keep 5% of the units affordable for 15 years. The commercial center will be anchored by a grocery store, according to a previous CBJ story.
Amenities at the development will include a walking trail, pocket parks, gardens and a dog park.
WLA Enterprises made changes to its previous site plan before the town's board meeting.
It replaced two apartment buildings with additional townhomes, lowering the development’s residential units from 486 to 413. There will be 115 townhomes and 298 apartments. It also increased the commercial space from 82,000 square feet to 87,000 square feet and removed the planned gas station.
The town’s planning staff raised some concerns about the project prior to a planning commission meeting on Feb. 24. That included wanting clarity around the development’s phasing as well as recommending improvements to architecture, road infrastructure and green space at the project.
WLA Enterprises said it will build at least 7,000 square feet of commercial space within two years of issuing a certificate of occupancy at its first multifamily building there or within a year at the final multifamily building. It also added an urban park along the greenway.
Still, the changes weren’t enough to sway the votes of some commissioners.
“I’ve had some concerns about this proposal since its inception,” commissioner Nick Walsh said. “We’ve been largely trying to refine the developer’s vision for the site rather than pursuing the vision that we as a board believe belongs there. Quite simply, we can do better.”
Commissioners Heather Smallwood and Jennifer Hunt also opposed the rezoning request. Edwin Quarles, LaToya Rivers and Scott Coronet voted to approve the petition, leaving Mayor Christy Clark to cast the tie-breaking vote.
“This plan couldn’t have come at a better time,” Quarles said. “We are a board that preaches affordable housing. This is a great opportunity ... (and) it’s in a perfect location along the commuter rail area.”
Clark cited the project’s affordable-housing commitment as what swayed her to vote in favor of the rezoning request.
WLA Enterprises estimated it would take two years to complete Knox Crossing after rezoning approval, according to previous CBJ reporting. The firm did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
This article was originally posted in the Charlotte Business Journal