Alexander Farm property at Westmoreland and Catawba
Sept. 18. By Dave Vieser. Monday evening Sept. 21 will be the last opportunity for residents to speak out for or against the $110 million mixed-use development planned for the 55-acre Alexander Farm in Cornelius.
The Town Board Public Hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 pm, and those wishing to comment will have two options according to Planning Director Aaron Tucker.
How to comment
—Citizens may physically come to Town Hall and sign up to speak during the public comment period. They must wait in the hallway while socially distancing to watch and listen to the meeting on the television screen, and provide public comment in the assembly room when called upon. Only people who wish to comment will be allowed in Town Hall.
—Residents can also email comments to the town. A public hearing will b open for 24 hours after the case is heard Sept. 21.
Before the meeting or during that 24 hour time period, comments may be sent to townofcornelius@cornelius.org.
Live-streaming
The meeting will be live-streamed at www.cornelius.org.
The Town Board will not render a decision on Monday, but may do so at the next meeting on Oct. 5.
Tweaks to the plan
There have been many changes to the project since it was first proposed, including some significant transportation elements. Alexander Farm is the last remaining farm in the western section of town.
Widening Westmoreland Road to four lanes from West Catawba Avenue to Eagle Ridge Drive is a major road improvement recently agreed to by developer WIN Development of Belleaire Beach, Florida.
WIN will also make improvements to the entrance and exit of the Westmoreland Athletic Complex, and numerous turning lanes in the area.
WIN also reduced the number of detached single-family homes from 84 to 76, and eliminated age limits for buyers. Plans for a fire station, initially requested by the town, were also removed at the behest of the town in April.
A convenience store and gas station have also been eliminated.
High-end homes
Included besides the 76 single-family homes which are expected to carry a $600,000 price tag, is a 130-unit, resort-style retirement community, and approximately 120,000 square feet of commercial development to be constructed from 2021-2023. The development also includes a 3.2 acre park.
