Cornelius Business Park property outlined in red
March 5. By Dave Vieser. Two former Cornelius town officials—former Mayor Jeff Tarte and Commissioner Denis Bilodeau—have staked out markedly different positions on the business center proposed for Bailey Road east of Hwy. 115.
In a letter to the Town Board Tarte said the project should be approved—and is critical of those who oppose it.
“When evaluating a project, elected officials should consider the interests of the entire community, rather than be influenced inordinately by a very small group of individuals with a NIMBY attitude, who influence their neighbors’ opinions without presenting all the facts,” Tarte wrote.
Tarte
Tarte was, but is no longer, a paid consultant on the $40 million project.
Bilodeau
Bilodeau has reservations about the project location. “Let’s be up-front with Greenberg Gibbons and stop draining time and resource for this misplaced development. Residents have offered up several reasonable land use alternative options. Let’s make student/resident safety a top priority and help a frustrated landowner move forward with retirement plans,” he wrote in his open letter.
Over 60 residents, most from Bailey Glen, attended a town board meeting on Monday March 3. Many expressed their unhappiness with the proposal. The town will be conducting full public hearings before both the Planning Board and Town Board at future dates and times to be announced.
The problem with the Town having approved in the past rather dense residential development in outlying areas is that the Town then creates a natural base of opposition to business development. Business development is what fuels local jobs and allows workers to avoid long commutes to make a living. Business development also is a positive to the local tax base whereas most housing worth less than $500k is a drain. I am also always amazed that the most vocal opponents are people who moved here like three years ago.
Posted by Cliff Homesley | March 5, 2025, 9:28 am