Rendering of Lightbridge Academy

Sept. 12. By Dave Vieser. Plans to build a pre-school facility at the intersection of West Catawba and Edinburgh Square Drive come before the Cornelius Planning Board on Monday Oct. 14. The members will consider making a recommendation for or against the project, known as the Lightbridge Academy.

The project will require rezoning from Village Center to Conditional.

Residents prepare to speak at the Town Board meeting on Lightbridge Academy

Background

The Planning Board is required to issue a non-binding recommendation to the Town Board which will schedule a public hearing before making a final decision on the project.

At a previous town board meeting held on July 15, residents voiced objections to the proposal.

This is a request by First Hartford Realty Co. to construct a 13,400-square-foot, one-story building at the intersection of West Catawba and Edinburgh Square Drive, for an early childcare center and preschool facility. The proposal calls for the inclusion of 42 parking spaces.

Lightbridge site plan

Community concerns

At a community meeting held on June 26, the major source of concern was the traffic that could be generated by this school. In response, attorneys for the applicant noted that the current zoning for that site would permit more parking spaces than the preschool proposal.

That did not mollify the dozens of nearby residents who stated that their concerns were more focused on the many cars picking up or dropping off the children.

The Planning Board meeting will take place in Town Hall on Catawba Avenue and will also be live streamed on the town website www.cornelius.org and the town Facebook site.