Nov. 8. By Dave Vieser. There’s plenty of construction in Cornelius, most of it residential. Using data provided by the town, Cornelius Today estimates that, conservatively, more than 3,000 people will be relocating to Cornelius in the next decade as more than 2,000 new living units open.

Build-out as per the Land Use Plan adopted by the town last year forecasts the future population at 39,000. Build-out will be revisited in five to seven years, according to Rox Burhans, Cornelius planning director.

The US Census says the Cornelius population was 33,139 as of July 2023.

The good news is that these newcomers to our town will arrive in a staggered fashion. The approved projects will open at different times as buildout occurs.

Population growth vs. buildout

Population increase and buildout are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not precisely the same. For example, in Cornelius, we were able to place a hard number on the number of units contained in each specific approved residential project by accessing information on the town website. The number of people who might live in each of these units is an estimated average. On the other hand, buildout is the state of maximum development town-wide as permitted by a land use plan or master plan.

The challenge, however, whether using population or buildout, is making sure local services and schools are prepared for such a large influx of new residents. Here’s where things can get tricky.

Infrastructure

Can the town’s infrastructure handle that many new residents? And how did all these projects get approved before infrastructure improvements? Burhans frequently reminds planning board and town commissioners that North Carolina is a builder-friendly state. Unlike some other states, local government officials are not allowed to require infrastructure improvements (water, sewer, road, etc) be built before rezoning is approved for large apartment and multi family developments.

It’s different in other states, echoes developer Jake Palillo.

Quotable

“They have everything backwards here in North Carolina. First a project is built, then the infrastructure is improved. It should be the other way around, with improvements built first,” Palillo said at a recent Newsmakers Breakfast.

Palillo

Any change in the process would require change in state law. Local officials have no control over that, other than the power of persuasion. Thus, residents will continue to see projects such as the Junker Property apartments built before lanes are added to West Catawba.

On the water/sewer side of the infrastructure issue, it’s more encouraging. Cornelius uses Charlotte Water and its supply appears plentiful. One water capacity issue that could have delayed projects on the east side of Cornelius was avoided last year when Charlotte Water and Cabarrus County reached a water supply agreement.

The four projects that faced possible delays were Greenway Gartens, Caroline, Mayes Meadows and new phases of Bailey Forest. Some 800 new homes could have been impacted.

Schools

Equally as important is the status of local schools, particularly their ability to handle additional students. This has been a sensitive subject in North Mecklenburg during several decades of growth. Initially middle and high schools were not equipped to handle the influx of students, but the addition of Hough High and Bailey Middle School provided some relief. However, with new students arriving in future years, and schools filled to capacity, more temporary classrooms are a sure bet. On the brighter side, plans are already underway for a new Cornelius Elementary School, which should relieve some potential crowding in the K-5 grades.

Here are the primary projects creating a potential population boom.

• Alexander Farms: 213 units. Mostly senior/active adult age restricted units.

• Junker Property: 193 multi family units, no age restrictions.

• Caroline: 290 units, with180 active adult age restricted units and 110 units with no age restrictions.

• Greenway Gartens: 448 units, no age restrictions.

• Mayes Meadow: 160 detached private homes, no age restrictions.

• Mills Market: 238 multi-family residential units, no age restrictions.

• Sefton Park: 344 multi family units, no age restrictions.

• Magnolia Villas: 65 multi family patio homes, no age restrictions.

• The Venue: 70 apartments, no age restrictions.