BY STACIE LETT CAIN
Twenty members of the Mooresville Fire-Rescue Swift Water Rescue Team were honored Monday evening at the Mooresville Town Board meeting for their heroic and selfless efforts in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“I am glad to see so many people here to honor these men and women,” Fire Chief Curt Deaton said to a packed house. “I want to take this opportunity to recognize some amazing men and women of the Mooresville Fire Department. And I want the citizens and the board to know that these men and women raised their hands. They weren’t told to go. We ought to be proud to live in a community that these people raised their hands to go, as well as raised their hands to fill the spots left by the people who left to help in Western North Carolina. Some of them were gone over two weeks.”
Captain Chris Goforth admitted that the experience was unlike any in his past, but he was grateful for the opportunity to serve in this way.
“We took up a crew of 11 and were gone 15 days,” he explained. “I had never been in charge on a deployment so this was a first. We were deployed September 26 and I know people have seen videos on social media of what was happening there, but being there and watching it play out was very different. It was strenuous work, a lot of ground pounding.”
Twenty members of the team were recognized at the meeting with 11 receiving plaques. Captain Goforth receiving a Medal of Merit and Senior Firefighter Eric Keller, Lieutenant Marcus Perkins and Lieutenant Scott Hauck all receiving Medals of Valor.
OTHER BUSINESS
Public raises concerns about over-development
The Town Board entertained public comments at the meeting. The overall concern of those speaking was the seemingly uncontrolled growth of the city.
“This community is in a perilous time,” Mooresville resident Richard Beck advised. “In the last month there have been many requests for annexation and rezoning for new construction of homes and apartments. A citizen spoke out about increased development has increased crime in her area, along Highway 150. It was an emotional and noteworthy request for help and it landed on deaf ears. It is the responsibility of this board to earn the trust of the citizens of Mooresville. Upcoming zoning and annexation requests and how they are handled will go a long way to show the citizens if this board really cares.”
Jack Benning, also a Mooresville resident, commended the town on 15 straight years of earning Tree City USA recognition. But he also issues a prediction.
“I believe with all of the construction you are allowing I don’t think you will make 16,” he warned. “More trees are coming down than are being planted. We have amended and amended our Unified Development Ordinance to allow for apartments and townhouses and we have asked for a moratorium on development, but Mooresville has said there is no way it can do that. It can do that.”
Rezoning, annexation approved for 41-home development
Amid the concern of overrunning development, the Board approved rezoning a 16.2-acre parcel located off Coddle Creek Highway and Shearer Road. The zoning was changed from Iredell County Residential Agricultural (RA) to Mooresville Condition Residential General (CRG) and then the board voted to approve voluntary annexation into the city for purposes of utility expansion.
The development will include 41 single-family homes with 7,000-square-foot lots, 40-foot lot widths with a proposed 2.5 units per acre of land. Five percent of the homes will be considered attainable housing and the development will include a playground, picnic area, and outdoor pedestrian trail.
By right, the developer could build 28 units without asking for board approval.
The development, named McKenzie Bluffs, is owned by John, Samantha and Nicholas Johnston. The board approved the rezoning and voluntary annexation unanimously.
Commissioners allocate $4.6 million for new police equipment
The board also approved a $4,613,847.46 contract between the Mooresville Police Department and Axon Corporation for new body cameras, in-car cameras and tasers. The contract, which includes modest growth for the department, will provide state-of-the-art camera systems that include automatic license plate recognition and GPS livestreaming technology, which will allow supervisors the ability to watch officers’ cameras in real time to determine if additional assistance is needed. The contract also includes virtual reality training and updating of equipment during the terms of the contract.