HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_0214In 1997, the Iredell County Board of Commissioners approved a countywide land use plan which was
intended to present a series of projected land uses for all unincorporated areas of the County as well as
provide a guide for use by the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners regarding growth and
development decisions in the County. As with any adopted plan, conditions and events occur that cannot
always be forecast and the need for continual monitoring and update of such a plan is understood. In
2001, Lowe's Companies, Inc., the world's second largest home improvement retailer, announced plans to
relocate its headquarters to the Mt. Mourne area of southern Iredell County. While this area is now
located in the municipal limits of the Town of Mooresville, the impact will befell on the entire south
Iredell area. The purpose of this South Iredell Small Area Plan is to examine recent factors to provide an
updated series of projections for land use, as well as policy recommendations.
The South Iredell Small Area Plan encompasses an area approximately 9.5 square miles in south central
Iredell County lying outside the corporate limits of the Town of Mooresville. The district is bounded
generally by I-77 to the west; the county line to the south; Shearers Road to the east; and generally Faith
Road to the north. The study area is bisected by Mecklenburg Highway (NC 115), which, in combination
with an existing rail line, serves as a physical east-west divider within the study area.
Public input was gathered through meetings with stakeholder agencies, public workshops with the
residents of the area. and the diligent work of the steering committee that was established to assist in this
process. This input formed the basis for the following Guiding Principles:
Infrastructure:
• Proactive planning for infrastructure (schools, utilities, and transportation network) should
address the adequacy of existing systems so as not to overburden their capacity with new
development.
• The majority of the development in the area will demand municipal utilities; however, the
exception is Heater Utilities, who may be able to serve development on the west side of 1-77.
Because of the demand for utilities, increased development pressure will be placed on the towns of
Davidson and Mooresville, as well as the County during the interim period.
• Multi-modal forms of transportation should be encouraged.
Land Use and Design Elements:
• Non-residential development, particularly office uses, is the preferred land use between I-77 and
the existing railroad.
• East of the railroad and along the NC 115 corridor the application of mixed-use development with
higher density• residential, office and/or neighborhood commercial is preferred, but not in a
"strip-style " commercial development pattern.
• Low-density residential development is the preferred land use east of NC 115.
• Along the west side of I-77 at the Langtree Road interchange, high-end office space with strict
design guidelines is also the preferred land use. However, high-end service type establishments,
also with design guidelines, would also be acceptable.
• Strip-style, auto-oriented retail development should be avoided completely within the study area.
• Commercial development should maintain a pedestrian/neighborhood scale.
• Multi-story development, with a compact design, should be encouraged.
Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources:
• In the low-density residential portions of a study area, the rural character should be maintained.
• Due to a large portion of the study area lying within the watershed, every effort should be made to
design developments using best management practices to preserve the natural landscape and
protect the environment.
Community Facilities and Parks:
• A joint effort should be made by the Iredell-Statesville School System and Iredell County Parks
and Recreation to proactively acquire land for future school and park projects while land prices
are reasonably low.
These principles serve as the foundation for the recommendations and implementation strategies of this
Plan. A detailed implementation schedule is included in Section Six of the Plan, but is summarized below
with some of the specific Implementation Strategies.
• Grant Extraterritorial Planning Jurisdiction (ETJ) to the Town of Mooresville in Areas 1,2,3 (and
potentially 4 as infrastructure improvements are made). Or, adopt compatible design standards
for Areas 1,2 and 3 where urban-type development is planned.
• Utilize the Conditional Use Rezoning process for rezonings in the study area to achieve the
desired design criteria, but particularly those in close proximity to the proposed interchange, on
Langtree Road and Hwy 115.