Mooresville approves 157‑unit age‑restricted development with conditions, developer to dedicate East‑West Connector land
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Summary
The Board approved conditional rezoning CZ‑2507 for 157 age‑restricted homes (55+) at Millstone Ridge/Courtyards at Holthouser Farms, with the developer committing to 18 conditions including an 8.05‑acre dedication for the East‑West Connector and a signed mitigation measures agreement addressing traffic.
The Mooresville Board of Commissioners on Nov. 17 approved CZ‑2507, a conditional rezoning request to allow a 157‑unit, 55‑and‑older community (86 single‑family detached and 71 attached townhomes) at 1761 Mecklenburg Highway and 190 Eastport Lane, commonly called Courtyards at Holthouser Farms or Millstone Ridge.
Planning staff said the property is currently zoned Residential Low Intensity and that the developer, EPcon Communities, is offering 18 written conditions to limit density and provide community benefits. Whitney Hodges, presenting for EPcon, said the company designed the project with open‑space buffers and an HOA maintenance structure. The developer agreed to dedicate 8.05 acres to complete a portion of the town’s East‑West Connector.
“...we are a 55 and up community…our open space meets all the requirements and has been designed with nature in mind,” Hodges said during the presentation. Ken Cardenas, EPcon’s regional president, said the company is agreeable to the 18 conditions listed in the unified development ordinance (UDO) and signed the Mitigation Measures Agreement (MMA), though he asked staff to clarify whether one traffic condition (regarding Presbyterian Road) would fall to this developer if another project did not complete its improvements.
Residents who spoke during the public hearing raised traffic and safety concerns, asked that Eastport Lane remain closed to through traffic and urged protection of possible historic sites on the property. Richard Beck urged limiting building height and removing townhomes; Cheryl Descepolis and other Eastport Lane residents pressed to keep Eastport closed to through traffic.
Planning staff and the applicant told the board the proposed plan includes a condition explicitly preventing a connection to Eastport Lane and that any change would require returning to the planning process and public notice. Staff confirmed setbacks shown on the site plan (50 feet in the sample plan versus the RLI minimum of 30 feet).
Commissioner Qualls moved to approve CZ‑2507 with the agreed conditions, including the updated and signed MMA; the board approved the motion. The companion voluntary annexation (AX‑25‑03) to access town water and sewer for the same 73.22‑acre site was presented and approved in the same meeting.
The ordinance and annexation require the developer to meet all conditions recorded in the site‑specific ordinance and the MMA; staff noted that if conditions change, any amendment would require neighborhood meeting, planning board review and board approval.
