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

Nov. 12. By Dave Vieser. Plans to build a pre-school facility at the intersection of West Catawba and Edinburgh Square Drive have been withdrawn and a commercial office building will be constructed at that site instead.

The pre school project would have required rezoning of the site from  Village Center Zoning to Conditional Zoning.

Quotable 

“The property owner has approved plans for commercial development on the property“ said Cornelius Planning Director Rox Burhans. “Our understanding is that he intends to develop the property consistent with those plans.”

Indeed, all trees and brush on the site have been leveled.

Rendering of Lightbridge Academy

Background

At a town board meeting held on July 15, residents voiced strenuous objections to plans from First Hartford Realty Co. to construct a 13,400-square-foot, one-story early childcare center and preschool. The proposal called for 42 parking spaces.

The major source of concern from the residents was the traffic. 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 residents who stated that their concerns were more focused on the many cars picking up or dropping off the children.

Efforts to reach officials from First Hartford Realty were unsuccessful.

The pre-school proposal was withdrawn in October. Town regulations do not require that any announcement be made.