Board approves Mattamy Homes rezoning and annexation for Shears Road site with traffic-mitigation conditions

The Town of Mooresville Board of Commissioners on April 7 approved a conditional rezoning and companion voluntary annexation for a residential development proposed by Mattamy Homes on property off Shears Road known in the file as CZ-2025-01 (Laterna) and AX-2024-07.

The board approved the conditional traditional neighborhood zoning for roughly 63.3 acres with a proposal for 187 single-family detached homes (about 2.87 dwelling units per acre under the developer’s commitments). The plan includes 16.3 acres of open space and a developer-built greenway that will create a roughly 0.55-mile, 10-foot-wide paved path in a 20-foot easement to connect the site to Ridge Avenue and nearby sidewalks.

Senior Planner Sandy Howell told the board the proposal follows a neighborhood meeting process, addresses prior concerns raised when an earlier version failed to pass in October 2024, and includes architectural commitments, perimeter buffering and an 8-foot privacy fence along adjacent property lines. Howell said the new conditions also add a traffic signal at the Timber Road–Shears Road intersection and turn-lane work identified in a mitigation measures agreement.

Traffic and public safety were central to the public hearing. Several residents expressed concern about congestion and emergency response. Public commenter Richard Beck said a recent emergency response to his home took “5 minutes and 8 seconds,” a time he called outside town guidelines, and urged stricter mitigation and earlier installation of improvements. Property owner Jeremy Dingler, whose family is one of the landowners, spoke in support and said the developer had been responsive to neighborhood concerns.

Developer commitments and NCDOT coordination: The developer, represented by Colin Brown of Alexander Ricks PLLC and team members, told the board the project will construct the greenway and other on-site amenities and that the North Carolina Department of Transportation approved the traffic signal at Timber and Shears in January. The developer and the traffic consultant described a signal phasing plan that they said would operate at an acceptable level of service; the developer also agreed on the record to “explore with NCDOT the option of a dedicated left-turn lane” from Shears and to install the signal before major vertical construction. During discussion the board clarified the timing language and added a condition requiring the signal to be in place “prior to either final platting or the first certificate of occupancy, whichever occurs first.”

Rezoning and annexation votes: Commissioner Qualls moved to approve the conditional rezoning CZ-2025-01 with the agreed conditions; Commissioner Avon seconded, and the board approved the rezoning by voice vote. The board separately approved the voluntary annexation and utility extension for the same properties (AX-2024-07); Commissioner DeWeese moved and Commissioner Avon seconded that motion and the annexation passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: The approvals allow the town to collect property taxes and provide water and sewer service for the site once annexation and utility extensions are complete. The traffic-signal commitment and the greenway are intended to address safety and multi-modal connectivity concerns; several residents urged additional road work and faster timelines for mitigation to prevent increased congestion and to protect emergency response times.

Next steps: The developer plans to begin platting and expects home starts in 2026–2027; the developer and town staff will coordinate with NCDOT on roadway improvements and with the school district on student impacts. Any change to conditions (for instance, additional turn lanes requiring NCDOT approval) will require further coordination and approvals.