Iredell County approves three zoning map amendments for sites along Cornelius, Lyke and Turnersburg roads

Iredell County commissioners on Tuesday approved three zoning map amendments for parcels along Cornelius Road, Lyke Road at Flowerhouse Loop, and Turnersburg Highway after public hearings and unanimous recommendations from the county planning board.

County planning staff presented each request and said the changes are consistent with the county's 2045 Horizon Plan and are near existing commercial or light-industrial uses. Planning staff noted each request would create a transition zone between commercial and residential areas and that applicants are aware of and will work to meet Municipal Growth Overlay requirements where applicable.

The first approval rezoned about 7.392 acres along Cornelius Road at the request of Chad Bacon of Bacon Development LLC. Matthew Todd (staff member) presented the site and told the board the property is adjacent to the Mooresville industrial park and is partly within the employment-center designation of the 2045 plan. Chad Bacon, who identified himself as the general contractor and developer on the project, spoke briefly and said, "If there are no questions, I would please ask for the rezoning to move forward." Commissioner Hough moved the motion; the board voted in favor by voice and the motion passed.

The board then approved a request to rezone about 7.9 acres at the corner of Lyke Road and Flowerhouse Loop from RA (rural agricultural) to Neighborhood Business. Planning staff said the property lies in the Horizon Plan's medium-density residential designation, which allows small-scale neighborhood uses. David Wall, executor for the Dewey M. Wall Family Trust, told the board he had placed the land for sale and that prospective buyers commonly sought business uses given the site's proximity to the interstate. Commissioner Brown made the motion; the voice vote carried.

The third approved map amendment rezoned roughly 2.5 acres along Turnersburg Highway from RA to Neighborhood Business. Planning staff said structures on the site could be reused under the proposed zoning and that the request fits the 2045 plan's transitional-commercial designation. Commissioner Stroud moved the motion; the board approved it by voice vote.

For all three items, planning staff reported the planning board recommended approval unanimously and that there was no opposition during the planning-board hearings. Public comment at the commissioners' meeting was limited to the three applicants/representatives; no resident opposition was recorded. The applicants indicated existing residential structures on the sites would be removed or reused as part of future development.

These rezonings were presented and handled as individual public-hearing items and were approved on motions recorded on the meeting record. Planning staff will continue coordination with municipal and overlay requirements, where applicable, as projects proceed to subdivision or plan-review stages.

Commissioners did not record a roll-call vote on the record; approvals were taken by voice vote with the motions moved and seconded as noted above.