Sept. 9. By Dave Vieser. The Cornelius Planning Board is expected to issue a recommendation on a project known as Catawba Retail at their meeting at 6:30 pm today. The conditions recommended by town staff include strict limits on tree removal.
About the project
This is a request by FHNC of Charlotte to amend the zoning at 20151 W. Catawba Ave., so they can build a 6,700 square foot building on the 4.3 acre site. This is the site of a former financial institution and is located just east of Chick Fil A.
The new structure will likely have two restaurants, one on each end, and retail or medical offices between the two restaurants. The proposed development plan also includes a second building farther away from Catawba, also about 6,700 square feet.
About the trees
After review by town planners, a number of conditions have been added to the application, with which the builder must agree.
Of particular interest: “All significant trees within the property wooded area, as identified on the rezoning plan, MUST be retained. Any trees requiring removal due to utility installations or similar improvements are to be replaced at a 3:1 ratio. All tree removals must be approved by the town.”
In addition, the DOT will make final recommendations on whether a turning lane is needed, after reviewing the proposal and anticipated traffic impact.
At a previous community meeting, the proposal was met with generally positive reaction, though concerns were voiced about traffic.
The Planning Board meeting will begin at 6:30 pm Monday Sept. 9 at Town Hall on Catawba Avenue. It will also be live streamed on the town web site: www.cornelius.org, and the town Facebook page.
So, the planning board finally woke up to preserving our trees! Seems “too little, too late”. Shameful that so many beautiful trees have been destroyed due to development that is conjesting our roads more and more everyday and yet you keep approving more and more development! Disgusting!
Posted by Anonymous | September 9, 2024, 12:30 pmI don’t understand these comments. There are enough trees here. Trees don’t do anything for us, we need to make Cornelius a town with more things in it. Bring more restaurants, bring more retail. If you want more trees, go drive 5 miles away and you’ll see trees galore. You guys all must be old or so old fashioned. These comments are getting so ridiculous. Let’s build more, make this town into a city town, not some rural area with trees everywhere. We still have enough trees, geez. I just moved here from California and am happy that they are building more, let’s keep it going. Times are changing, get with the changing times! You are the type of people who would vote against Birkdale. I hope this project turns out!
Also, gonna get hate for this comment, but let’s all let each other have their opinions without having to go nuts over it and send a rage message back. You said your words, I said mine. Let’s all live together and enjoy our disagreements. I still know you will reply lol. That’s the culture nowadays. You’ll say something like “go back to california!”. Lol.
Posted by Donald Harris | September 9, 2024, 4:44 pm