Planning board recommends rezoning for 77-home ‘Brilliant Grove’ on McCrary Road with lake-access and traffic limits

The Mooresville Planning Board recommended the Town Board approve CZ-2025-20, a conditional traditional neighborhood rezoning and annexation for a 35.61-acre site on McCrary Road that would allow 77 single-family detached homes developed by Mattamy Homes.

The proposal, presented Sept. 23 by town planner Patrick Werner and by the applicant’s team — land-use attorney Colin Brown of Alexander Ricks, planner Sarah Beeson, Mattamy representative Jerry Whalen and engineers from ESP Associates and Design Resource Group — would annex the property into Mooresville and rezone it to a conditional traditional neighborhood (CTN) with a committed density of about 2.2 dwelling units per acre and three common open-space areas totaling about 3.06 acres.

The board’s recommendation includes the ordinance’s original 16 conditions plus two additional conditions negotiated at the hearing: (1) no direct lake access from the development for residents for recreational purposes, and (2) a limit of 25 certificates of occupancy that may be issued before the construction and operation of the right-turn-only improvement at the intersection of McCrary Road and NC 150. The board approved the recommendation by motion of Mr. Cole, seconded by Ms. Smith; one member voted in opposition and the motion carried.

Why it matters: The site sits within the Lake Norman WS-IV watershed overlay, which constrains impervious surface to a maximum of 50 percent under the high-density option and imposes stream-buffer protections. Neighbors pressed environmental and traffic concerns at the hearing; the applicant and engineers said the plan preserves stream buffers, includes two stormwater treatment basins, and calls for about 1,500 feet of McCrary Road widening and curb-and-gutter, sidewalk and a 6-foot planting strip along the property frontage as part of mitigation.

What the applicant told the board: Colin Brown described Mattamy’s approach to conditional zoning as a way to commit to architectural and stormwater standards while producing fewer units than some by-right scenarios. “We do not want that. We’re asking for 2.2,” Brown said, contrasting the proposal with an undeveloped by-right buildout the applicant estimated could yield about 50 homes without rezoning. Jerry Whalen said Mattamy expects for-sale single-family homes starting in the low $500,000s, dedicated construction and HOA management, and a long-term warranty program for the community.

Environmental and neighborhood concerns: Several nearby residents said they worry that timbering, grading and construction runoff would increase sediment and pollution entering coves of Lake Norman and could worsen existing erosion in a sharply incised area near Lake Norman High School. Dale Thomas, who lives adjacent to the site, asked the board to “table the motion until the developer can have an environmental study completed” and proposed detailed mitigation steps including strengthened erosion controls, HOA-funded remediation, and restrictions on certain chemicals and recreational access to sensitive areas. The applicant’s engineer, Matt Bridal of ESP Associates, said stream and wetland delineations were completed, that 100-foot buffers were shown around the identified streams, and that the two stormwater basins in the plan are designed to detain and treat runoff so “the water isn’t gonna run off all at one time into the lake.”

Traffic and public-safety tradeoffs: Multiple board members and residents described heavy congestion on NC 150 and at McCrary Road. Design Resource Group engineer Michael Wickline and NCDOT coordination described the NC 150 corridor project phasing; the applicant agreed to an off-site mitigation item — widening McCrary Road roughly 1,500 feet to 11-foot travel lanes with 2-foot shoulders — and the board added the 25-CO limit tied to the right-turn-only improvement at McCrary/NC 150 to reduce the number of occupied homes before the intersection modification is operational.

Schools and services: Staff and the applicant said the site is currently in Iredell County’s RA (residential agricultural) zoning and would be in Mooresville Ward 4 if annexed; it lies in a tier 4 growth area and is within a five-mile fire-response coverage area though outside the preferred four-minute response time. The applicant provided an estimated student-impact projection: about 31 students from a 50-lot by-right scenario and about 48 students from the 77-lot proposal (a difference of roughly 6 students per school-level across elementary, middle and high school).

Timing and implementation: The applicant and engineers said they have coordinated timelines with NCDOT and expect to begin land development once approvals are in hand; model and sales timing discussed at the hearing projected first homes for sale in 2027, limited move-in occupancy beginning in 2028, and community buildout occurring across multiple years (the applicant estimated roughly 30 home closings per year and a project completion around 2031). NCDOT’s most recent district estimate presented at the hearing placed full NC 150 corridor completion near about 2030.

Next steps: The Planning Board’s recommendation will go to the Mooresville Town Board for final action. The applicant agreed to the additional conditions on record and invited continued meetings with neighbors to address site-specific environmental and HOA measures.

Ending note: During the hearing the applicant also committed to provide one “attainable” unit within the 77 lots priced at or below 120% AMI and to partner with the nonprofit Building Homes for Heroes on a related veterans housing concept included in the concept plan.