BY STACIE LETT CAIN
The Mooresville Town Board voted unanimously on Monday to approve the Courtyard at Brumley Farms development.
The project, which is located on nearly 55 acres at 1304 Oakridge Farm Highway, would include 108 single-family, detached homes. The density is 1.95 units per acre, slightly under the 2.0 units per acre allowed under its current Iredell County Rural Agricultural zoning classification.
Residents expressed their concerns about the project, which previously failed to garner the board’s approval.
“I am both a resident and small business owner here in Mooresville,” Charles Minnick said during the public hearing at Monday night’s meeting. “This was brought to your board before and you disapproved this project. The main reason being that you recognized the obvious lack of infrastructure and road safety involving this project. But here we are again.”
Gerald Grant, a representative of Jordan, Grant & Associates, said the development would have less impact on town roads, nearby schools and public safety than some other developments.
“This is an age-restricted community of 55 and over residents so you are looking at less traffic, less affect on the school system and older residents shouldn’t be a strain on police services,” Grant explained. “We have worked from the beginning with the fire department and the NCDOT about access issues. We are striving to build a safe community in every way possible.”
The project includes the realignment of Highway 150 and Highway 152, which will allow for a signalized left turn at the intersection. That offering, although at great cost, was worth agreeing to if the town board would approve the project, according to Grant.
Town Board Member Lisa Qualls believes it is worth it.
“I know everyone wants this land to stay agriculture and peaceful, but with county zoning a developer could build the same number of homes with no road improvements,” she explained.
Another issue is the impact of the development on a local small business, Sovereign Trade, located near the project. The store, because of setback requirements, could be forced to close.
June Goodman, the property’s owner, said she did not want that to happen.
“I would love to see this business grandfathered in so they could keep their business open,” Goodman explained. “They have done a good job over there and have made it nice. But I want to see the development go in to.”
The suggestion was made that a variance could be applied for that would allow for the business to stay as it as, and Goodman was amenable to doing that. The developer also agreed that traffic mitigation would be under construction before the first Certificate of Occupancy could be issued.
For Qualls, the outcome was as good as the town could hope for.
“They could tear down the store and there would be nothing we could do,” she explained. “It’s a shame to lose that green farmland, but Mrs. Goodman wants to sell her land and someone wants to put houses on it. No one likes it, but this is the best thing we can do with this land in this location.”