Developer seeks bigger industrial building at Tempus Campus Ridge; officials press for truck access details

An applicant for the Tempus Campus Ridge property updated the Matthews Board of Commissioners on May 12 and requested approval of an amended site plan and building elevations for an industrial/warehouse site that had been rezoned to I‑2 CD in 2022.

Attorney Suzanne Todd, representing Tempus Campus Ridge, said the company now has the 20‑acre property under contract and seeks a modest increase to the maximum building area from 150,000 square feet (the limit approved in 2022) to 185,000 square feet to accommodate the likely tenant mix and project economics.

Why it matters: The property sits along the CSX rail line and Campus Ridge Road; it was previously a constrained brownfield (past medical‑waste/incinerator use was cited). The 2022 rezoning limited permitted uses to indoor manufacturing/assembly, warehouse/distribution and related uses and required that any construction return to the board for site‑plan approval. Commissioners and residents pressed the applicant for details about truck trips, loading bays and the likely traffic routes to and from regional highways.

Key application details and questions from the board

- Scope: The applicant proposes the same uses as approved in 2022 (I‑2 CD) but with an increased maximum building square footage, new site plan circulation, and updated facade elevations. Todd said the new plan pulls the building farther from Campus Ridge Road and preserves tree canopy in a “tree‑safe” area of more than an acre.

- Building size: Asked for an increase from 150,000 square feet to 185,000 square feet; applicant said the additional space makes a more workable layout while holding to previous use limitations.

- Trucking and access: Commissioners repeatedly asked how trucks would reach the property and how many loading bays would be active. The applicant’s team said the tenant mix will determine truck types, but that on‑site circulation is designed to serve over‑the‑road tractor‑trailers, delivery vans, and straight trucks. Applicant representatives indicated most truck traffic is expected to come from I‑485 and approach via Old Monroe/John Street/Campus Ridge type connectors rather than John Street through downtown Matthews. During the hearing staff and applicants discussed the number of docks the plan shows for tenant loading and how on‑site queuing and overnight truck parking would be managed.

- CSX coordination: Planning staff asked the applicant to engage CSX regarding proximity to the line and potential future rail access; applicant said they have reached out and will continue discussions, noting CSX had expressed interest in some nearby properties.

Public comments and planning board note

- The applicant said the site will be multi‑tenant flexible industrial and that the building design would accommodate a range of users, from logistics to light manufacturing.

- Planning staff noted the prior rezoning used a Transportation Technical Memorandum (TTM) rather than a full traffic‑impact analysis; staff said the applicant’s current design remains within TTM assumptions. Commissioners asked whether additional study or limits on overnight truck staging might be required if a single large tenant with heavier truck traffic occupied the site.

Next steps

The application remains under review. The board did not take a final rezoning vote on May 12; staff and the applicant will continue the site‑plan review and CSX outreach. Commissioners requested clearer, quantified trip and queuing information, and flagged possible follow‑up conditions on outdoor storage and on whether a single large tenant would trigger additional traffic mitigation or limits.

Ending

The board accepted the revised site plan materials for review and asked staff and the applicant to provide refined traffic/circulation details, including likely truck routes and queuing/overnight parking plans; CSX outreach was encouraged to clarify any potential rail access or proximity restrictions.