Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Rezone topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MudWorks owner asks to rezone High Street property; council tables request to study traffic and enforceable commitments
Summary
Applicant Hannah Anger Meyer asked to rezone 51 East High Street to permit a cafe and possible drive-through; planning commission returned the petition with no recommendation and the council voted to table while staff researches whether a B-1 plus variance or recorded commitments under B-3 would be appropriate.
Hannah Anger Meyer, owner of MudWorks, asked the Mooresville Town Council to rezone 51 East High Street from its residential classification toward a commercial designation so she can expand the pottery studio into art classes and a small breakfast-style cafe, and potentially operate a drive-through.
"We wanna move into the watercolor and also oil painting classes…downstairs, we're wanting to move into more of a breakfast style cafe," Meyer told the council, describing plans to add a commercial kitchen hood and grease trap if necessary. She said the business has operated on High Street for more than 20 years and draws students from neighboring towns.
The petition came from the planning commission with no recommendation. Council members and town counsel discussed two paths widely used for similar proposals: pursue a B-3 zoning with written, recorded commitments restricting certain uses, or seek B-1 commercial zoning and pursue a variance for a drive-through. Town counsel warned that to make restrictions enforceable against future owners, the applicant would need a recorded, typewritten commitment that is notarized and recorded. "Generally speaking, you don't make commitments to take away uses that fall within the zoning category," counsel said, adding that recorded commitments and conditions are the path to enforceability.
Council members raised traffic concerns for the one-way alley off State Road 42 adjacent to the site and asked the applicant to consider alternatives such as curbside pickup. Engineering and planning staff recommended tabling the item while they research whether the applicant’s goals could be achieved under a B-1 with a variance or, if B-3 is necessary, what recorded commitments would look like. The applicant and council agreed to work with staff; the council then voted to table the petition to the next meeting so staff can prepare options and drafts of a commitment if needed.
