Huntersville staff briefed the Town Board on Sept. 16 about proposed alternatives to the town's adopted Verhoff Drive alignment and said the board will solicit property-owner and public feedback before any formal change is adopted.

Steven Trot, a town transportation staff member, told the board the alignment adopted in February 2002 runs from NC 115 to Prosperity Church Road and that a portion of that alignment (a bridge over the railroad and NC 115) has since been constructed. Trot said recent and proposed developments, along with utility corridors owned by Duke Energy and the Colonial Pipeline, prompted staff to study two possible alternative alignments for the segment between NC 115 and Asbury Chapel Road.

Trot showed a map of the existing adopted alignment (red line) and two candidate alternatives (orange and magenta lines). He said the alternatives attempt to avoid a narrow corridor where three Duke Energy transmission lines, transmission towers, and a Colonial Pipeline crossing converge, because relocation or crossing modifications would be expensive and operationally constrained. "Those are pretty expensive items to have to try to relocate," Trot said of transmission towers, and he noted Duke Energy has clearance criteria and angle/elevation requirements for crossings.

Trot described other local factors that influence alignment choice: a Southwire plant expansion planned near NC 115, a recently approved zoning on a parcel in the corridor, and county-owned land that the county intends for a nature preserve and future park. He said the town plans public meetings, outreach at an October "Biketober" event, and property-owner notices; staff will present information to the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) and seek a public-comment period if the board wants to pursue an alignment change.

Trot said the outcome could range from no change, to adoption of an existing alternative, to proposing a new alignment; any adopted change would need CRTPO review and then recommendation by the CRTPO technical coordinating committee and CRTPO board. He described the schedule as draft and contingent on further studies and feedback. Commissioner Burson asked whether Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation had conducted environmental studies on the county-owned park land purchased around 2019; Trot said he had a meeting scheduled with county parks later in the month and would report back.

ACTIONS, DISCUSSION AND NEXT STEPS: This was an informational briefing and project kickoff. Town staff will solicit public comments, meet with utility owners and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation, hold at least one town-hosted public meeting, present the item to CRTPO for an information briefing, then request an official CRTPO public-comment period should the board direct staff to pursue an alignment change.

ENDING: Staff emphasized the process could take months and that adopting a new alignment requires CRTPO and TCC approval before final adoption by CRTPO.