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DRAFT #3 (April 6~ 2004) <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING <br /> <br />CONCERNING THE <br /> <br />NC 73 TRANSPORTATION/LAND USE CORRIDOR PLAN <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />In February 2003, the North Carolina Department of Transportation ("NC DOT") <br />engaged the Centralina Council of Governments ("COG") to administer a grant to study <br />the NC 73 Corridor from Interstate Highway 85 in Cabarms County to US Highway 321 <br />in Lincoln County. Funds for this Corridor Study came fi.om NC DOT, as well as from <br />the counties, municipalities and private sector sources along the Corridor. [The term <br />"Corridor" in the Memorandum means the area lying roughly within one-half (1/2) mile <br />of the centerline of the NC 73 right of way between the highway's intersections with <br />Interstate 85 in Cabarrus County, and with US 321 in Lincoln County.] <br /> <br />The impetus for the NC 73 Transportation/Land Use Corridor Plan (the "Plan") was the <br />recognition that increased development pressures along the Corridor, and the resulting <br />vehicular burdens, have stressed the roadway's capacity to serve as a reliable <br />transportation facility for its many users. Moreover, all of the funding parmers <br />recognized two key factors: 1) considerable physical improvement will be required to <br />"fix" the corridor; and 2) the current and foreseeable land uses along the Corridor need to <br />be evaluated before undertaking any capital investment in "fixing" the roadway itself. <br /> <br />Beginning with this broad consensus, COG and NC DOT selected a team of planners to <br />undertake the details of this study. The contract of these planning services was executed <br />in April 2003, and the planning team's analysis began shortly thereafter. <br /> <br />Public meetings have been held in Cabarrus, Lincoln and Mecklenburg Counties during <br />November 2003 and March 2004. The planning team's work has been guided by a <br />steering committee comprised of COG and representatives of all municipalities or <br />counties having land use planning jurisdiction over property along the Corridor, as well <br />as representatives of economic development or planning organizations affected by the <br />NC 73's capacity. In addition, the planning team has hosted a series of land use <br />planning charettes with the local planning staffs for each of the municipalities and <br />counties having land use jurisdiction along the Corridor. The planning team has also <br />held briefings for the elected officials in each of those communities. <br /> <br />The resulting Plan consists of maps, drawings and other graphics that are incorporated <br />within a Plan Report. In particular, maps corresponding to various Corridor segments <br />show the existing and proposed land uses for each such segment. These segment maps <br /> <br /> <br />