Council approves rezoning for Hopkins Town Center, developer describes phased for‑sale neighborhood and small retail

The Mooresville Town Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday to accept the planning commission's recommendation and approve two rezoning ordinances for the Hopkins Town Center project, which the applicant described as a mixed‑use development with for‑sale housing and small commercial spaces.

The developer representative, who spoke as Ross, told the council the two ordinances cover separate parcels: 5.56 acres that formerly held a restaurant and 11.397 acres that were previously divided into six lots. "We're wanting to rezone that 5.56 acres from Business 3 to PUDE, which is a mixed use," Ross said. He said the larger parcel also would be rezoned to PUDE and the entire project will be called Hopkins Town Center.

The rezoning follows a unanimous positive recommendation from the planning commission, pending the traffic study. Ross told the council the development is planned to include patio homes and townhomes sold as ownership units, with commercial spaces intended for restaurants, professional offices and small retail. "There will be nothing except, the rental units will be all market rate. No section 8, or anything like that," Ross said. He also said the project will be managed in part by a homeowners association that will maintain exterior common areas while owners keep their building footprint.

Ross described a traffic study by Yarger Traffic Engineering and summarized its conclusions to the council: "The bottom line is there's no significant impact from this development on the traffic on Bridge Street." He added the report recommended that the state transportation department might want to review signal timing at the nearby intersection; Ross emphasized that any signal timing changes would be at the state agency's discretion and expense.

Council members asked about phasing and utilities. Ross said the project could be built in one phase or multiple phases and that water, sewer and gas are available near the sites, though stormwater and pond retention will require specific engineering. He noted the project team plans to route off‑site runoff around an undersized pond that was not originally designed for current flows.

The council made separate motions to accept the planning commission's recommendation for Ordinance 2 20 25 (the 5.56‑acre parcel) and Ordinance 3 20 25 (the 11.397‑acre parcel); both motions passed 5-0. No public speakers opposed the rezones at the council public hearing.

Planning commission materials and the traffic study were provided to council members and are part of the town's file on the project; council members said more detailed site plans will return to the planning commission for approval if the rezoning stands.

The developer said the next formal step will be a detailed site plan and presentations to the planning commission.