HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. Local Charlotte News — After months of back and forth and mixed recommendations from Huntersville town leaders, the town board unanimously approved the controversial North Creek Village project Monday.
Their approval came after the developers, Magnolia Development, updated their project plans to address the planning board’s concerns. The planning board previously recommended denying the project due to its high density in a rural area.
In it’s latest and final stage, the project consists of 303 apartment units and 116 single family homes. The developers eliminated all plans for townhomes, and changed the lots to single family lots in order to decrease the density of the development. The average density now sits at 4.9 homes per acre, rather than 5.3.
“In listening to the planning board’s concerns, I believe that the petitioner has addressed the majority, if not all of them,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Melinda Bales.
Planning board members were also concerned about the development’s buffer zones that would separate the project from the surrounding rural area. Magnolia Development not only agreed to provide 100-foot buffers between North Creek Village and Black Farms Road, but to leave the first 80 feet of vegetation undisturbed. They agreed to replant and vegetation in they touch in the remaining 20 feet.
“I will tell you, as late as Friday, I was probably not a hard no, but a no on this particular project. Even with the additional changes that were made over the weekend, I will now be in support of it,” said Commissioner Nick Walsh.
The commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the project.
