March 17. Both sides in the Birkdale Village rezoning plan are gearing up for the final vote at tomorrow’s Town Board meeting in Huntersville.

Atlanta-based owner Jamestown is asking for the rezoning it needs to add a 125-room hotel, 150 multi-family units, 26,715 square feet of commercial space and 122,300 square feet of offices to the development.

The investment is valued at more than $200 million.

The Huntersville Planning Board voted 4-3 to recommend denial of the latest proposal from Jamestown. Birkdale Village is the town’s largest ratable.

Proponents and opponents are gearing up for a fight.

Chamber support

Lake Norman Chamber CEO Bill Russell said the Chamber “unanimously supports” the new development.

In a letter to the Town Board, Russell said the Birkdale expansion would create $212 million in new annual employment benefits and $15 million in new resident/worker spending.

Russell

“Among the amenities is desperately needed parking, a hotel and conference center, and class A office space so people can work where they live and be less dependent on their automobile,” he said.

Opposition

Many nearby residents are opposed.

Nick O’Shaughnessy, a Birkdale resident and owner of O’Shaughnessy Realty and Development, said there are still questions around the height of the proposed hotel as well as rezoning materials that may circumvent any obligation by subsequent owners of portions of Birkdale Village to comply with any conditions or terms of the current rezoning approval.

O’Shaughnessy

“Collectively these changes only reinforce my theory that this is a “Rezoning For Resale” and Jamestown/NAP/DDR has no intention of building anything shown on the rezoning plans. They will sell, or subdivide and sell within the vesting period for huge profit,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Jamestown officials did not respond for comment.

The Huntersville Board of Commissioners will vote on the rezoning at their meeting at 6 pm March 18 at Town Hall. To view the agenda, click here.