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Staff opposes Alex Yards TODR rezoning; developer proposes 320 apartments, 8 attainable units
Summary
Huntersville planning staff recommended denial of a conditional rezoning that would allow a 320‑unit apartment complex at Alexandriana and Mount Holly Huntersville Road, citing missing pedestrian connections to the Katz Park & Ride, insufficient specimen‑tree preservation and a land‑use conflict with the town's 2040 plan.
Huntersville planning staff opposed a conditional rezoning request for an 11.34‑acre site at Alexandriana and Mount Holly Huntersville Road after the applicant proposed a 320‑unit apartment development under the town's TODR (Transit‑Oriented Development Residential) rules.
"This plan is not consistent with the ordinance," the planning staff presenter told the board during the public hearing, citing the site's distance and lack of safe sidewalks to the Katz Park & Ride and the absence of a block‑and‑street pedestrian network that TODR envisions. Staff said the site is roughly a half‑mile walk from the park‑and‑ride and that portions of the route do not have sidewalks.
The applicant described the project as nine apartment buildings with 320 units, a central urban open space, and eight attainable housing units with 15‑year terms. The applicant said the plan proposes 443 parking spaces where 320 would be required, and said the residential buildings would be designed "solar ready" and that the clubhouse would include an active photovoltaic installation.
Staff and several commissioners pressed the applicant on tree preservation and pedestrian connectivity. The staff report said the TODR rules require a 30 percent specimen tree save and that the plan currently saves about 3 percent of the required specimen trees; the applicant said some trees that will survive disturbance do not meet the town's technical definition for specimen‑tree credit and that they are exploring replanting or off‑site planting alternatives.
Commissioners asked whether the developer would contribute to extending a multiuse path to the CATS park‑and‑ride; the applicant indicated a willingness to discuss funding and noted the industrial property to the north has committed to a 10‑foot multiuse path. The developer also argued that the county's 27‑acre land purchase and a cemetery near the site had changed the on‑the‑ground context since the town's 2040 map was adopted, making residential more appropriate than employment center zoning in that corner.
Multiple nearby residents and business owners spoke in favor of the proposal during public comment, citing proximity to the future park, regional connectivity and economic benefits; several speakers also urged quality design and community amenities.
No vote was taken; the hearing recorded staff's recommendation against approval and the board will consider next steps at a later date. Issues remaining for staff and applicant include tree‑save specifics, attainable‑unit placement, and pedestrian connectivity to transit and adjoining properties.
