Laserfiche WebLink
<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />September 5, 2006 (Recessed Meeting) <br /> <br />Page 85 <br /> <br />will be needed because of general growth in the area well before 2017. He <br />presented a general concept of how the road widening would occur on Davidson <br />Road for Phase 1 and 2 as follows: the northwestern boundary and edge of <br />pavement for Davidson Road would be maintained and all widening would occur <br />on the side of the petitioner's property, including the right and left turn <br />lanes as a requirement for Phase I improvements. He reiterated that NC <br />Highway 3 and Odell School Road are designated as major thoroughfares on the <br />Thoroughfare Plan for Cabarrus and Rowan County. He said NC Highway 3 has a <br />designated future right-of-way of 100 feet with Odell having a future <br />designated right-of-way of 70 feet based on the current thoroughfare plan. <br /> <br />Next, Mr. Blakely responded to several questions on what time of day <br />the traffic study was completed. <br /> <br />Jerry Saunders with the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation (EDC) <br />spoke in favor of the rezoning request. He reported Wayne Brothers has been <br />a business "in good standing" for many years; Keith Wayne is an honest and <br />successful business owner who has contributed to the economic wellbeing of <br />this County and has been a community leader; Wayne Brothers is a major <br />employer in Cabarrus County and it is important to retain the contributing <br />business assets and the employees that go with it. He said the proposed site <br />si ts in a strategic position a maj or gateway between Kannapolis and the <br />N.C. Research Campus, the Concord Regional Airport, the growing part of <br />western Cabarrus County and is a connector to Mooresville and Davidson. He <br />said the proposed development presents the type of reasonable and appropriate <br />development the EDC seeks to ensure the County's economic sustainabili ty; <br />this development is the greatest and best use of the proposed site; it is an <br />example of good mixed use planning; Mr. Wayne has followed and complied with <br />every reasonable and procedural request; and Mr. Wayne has worked with County <br />staff to create a site that meets the high development standards and conforms <br />to the long-term Land Use Planning model. He said building a sustainable <br />communi ty in Cabarrus County is an important goal for our community, our <br />businesses and the greater economic development community. Based on these <br />facts, he said the EDC supports the rezoning proposal and encourages the <br />elected officials to vote in favor of the rezoning request. <br /> <br />Jeff Lipscomb of 15073 Northgreen Drive in Huntersville said he is <br />speaking on behalf of the Wallace family to convey what the family has gone <br />through in preparing their part of this project. Approximately four years <br />ago, he said the family began discussing estate planning arrangements and <br />there were several issues that concerned them, such as inheritance taxation. <br />He stated Mr. Wallace is an outstanding Christian man who serves as an elder <br />in his church and stewardship is very important to him for a number of <br />reasons. When the family was approached about this proj ect, he said they <br />considered the ultimate agenda not for economic gain or greed, but <br />preservation of what Mr. Wallace has been entrusted. He said the family <br />acknowledges they do not set the standards or make laws, but are entrusted to <br />abide by the laws to the best of their ability. He reported the zoning plan <br />was not in existence for this part of the County when the proj ect began. <br />However, halfway through the proj ect he said a zoning plan was implemented <br />and the family had to completely start over. He said when the zoning was <br />changed to I/O (Office/Institutional) the family and their neighbors were <br />told there was no chance of returning the zoning to residential. He said the <br />family had to change gears and do a great deal of homework to determine their <br />potential options. He said one thing that appeared to be best suited about <br />this project is that Mr. Wayne's corporate headquarters would be located on <br />this site. Based on common sense, he said Mr. Wayne would not have an <br />eyesore where his business resides. Because the Wallace's will live next <br />door to the property, he said they have no intention of creating an eyesore <br />next to property that has been in their family for generations. He reported <br />the Wallace family has been upstanding citizens in this community for four <br />generations and they will be as close to the project as anyone else. <br />Finally, he said this Board has a huge decision to make; his clients have <br />been taxpayers in this County for four generations and he does not want the <br />individual to be lost in corporate America. <br /> <br />Keith Wayne of 818 Southwest Drive in Davidson, N.C., and President of <br />Wayne Brothers Inc. stated he has lived and worked in Cabarrus County his <br />entire life. He said this rezoning petition was filed on behalf of his <br />company with the primary purpose of acquiring the proper zoning <br />classification for the relocation of the existing corporate office/operations <br />facili ty to a 9-acre parcel of land involved in this mixed use conditional <br />district petition. He thanked the previous speakers for complementing his <br />company and said Wayne Brothers was formed in 1985 and now has 260 employees. <br />He said the company was created in order to use the skills they had acquired <br />in the construction of commercial buildings and to focus those skills on the <br />