Huntersville staff preview $375 million five‑year CIP; parking deck and police facility highlighted

Huntersville staff reviewed a draft five‑year Capital Improvement Program on a budget‑planning retreat, emphasizing projects slated for fiscal year 2027 and the continuing uncertainty of later‑year cost estimates. Anthony (staff member) told the board that many earlier items already have funding and that the FY27 column is where staff are asking the board to focus.

“Those first 31 projects, there's funding already associated with those projects,” Anthony said, adding that later‑year numbers will change as bids come in and estimates are refined. He used a proposed town‑hall parking deck to illustrate the point, saying the packet’s $8,000,000 figure is based on an older nearby deck and that the cost will likely increase if the design grows to 450 spaces.

A senior staff member pressed the board to prioritize. “I am infamous for referring to this spreadsheet as this is the buffet,” the staff member said, noting the packet lists roughly $375,000,000 in projects when prior‑year funded work is included and warning the board not to assume the town can do every project at once.

Staff outlined a mix of transportation projects (intersection upgrades, beacons near schools, roundabout improvements), parks and recreation work (playground and softball‑lighting replacements), and partnerships with schools, including an expansion of the Lake Norman Charter Elementary gym so town programs can use full‑size facilities rather than building duplicate complexes.

On financing, staff described several options for large projects. For the proposed parking deck (project #32), Anthony said the $8 million figure came from placing an older 300‑space deck’s cost onto the town lot in the packet and acknowledged that final costs will depend on design and bids. Staff suggested payback dollars—proceeds staff expect to have a full year of beginning July 2026—could fund part of a deck, but recommended considering issuing debt and using payback proceeds for debt service to stretch resources to other projects.

“My understanding is that payback can is allowed to be spent on transportation related projects or the debt associated with a transportation related project,” the staff member said, confirming the parking deck fits the payback definition while some projects (for example, greenways) would not.

Commissioner Qualls asked whether a proposed transit stop (the “red line” stop) would affect Veterans Park after rumors circulated in the community; Anthony replied the proposed stop would be on the opposite side of the tracks and is not intended to affect Veterans Park or the Allegiant site, though exact survey boundaries are not finalized.

Board members sought specifics about sidewalks and resurfacing. Anthony said the CIP includes capital for new sidewalks while the operating budget carries a line to repair existing sidewalks; staff plan to increase annual resurfacing from roughly 8–10 miles to about 12–15 miles. The agenda also included $500,000 noted for ADA sidewalk work, and staff estimated the operating repair budget for existing sidewalks at approximately $800,000 to $1,000,000.

Staff also flagged several large facilities on the five‑year list—three fire stations, an additional maintenance facility, a rec center expansion and a new police facility—that together could total near $80 million. The staff member advised that the town is unlikely and probably should not fund all such large projects from fund balance and suggested issuing debt where appropriate.

Staff closed by reminding the board the manager’s recommended budget will be presented at the next meeting (May 4); by statute the manager’s recommended budget must be delivered by June 1, a public hearing on the budget is set for May 19, and the board is scheduled to adopt the budget at its first June meeting (June 2) unless it directs otherwise. No formal budget adoption or votes occurred at this session.