Council clears the way for two developments with potential for almost 500 homes
BY STACIE LETT CAIN
On a night when they denied a request for a rezoning for the 900-unit Holland Farms development, Statesville City Council members also took action that will result in the construction of nearly 500 homes in the city.
HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE
Before getting down to business in Monday’s marathon meeting, the mayor and council members reflected on the response of city workers and the community to Hurricane Helene.
Mayor Costi Kutteh began the meeting by asking for a moment of silence for the devastation in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.
“I want to take a moment tonight to continue to contemplate the plight of our neighbors to the west and the damage they have suffered, and will continue to suffer for the next months and years,” the mayor said. “I want them to know that we will continue to offer support for them in the short term and in the long haul. That we hope for them a successful recovery over a long period of time and to give thanks to the people from our community and other communities that have come to their aid. We will take a moment of silence to contemplate those things.”
Council member Joe Hudson expressed his appreciation for city employees.
“On the morning of the big storm I was looking out our window and I have a big maple tree that was out there dancing around,” he said. “I figured it would be walking into my kitchen before long. The rain was coming down in sheets and it was coming horizontally. Then, out of nowhere, I see a City of Statesville sanitation truck coming up the road. It was garbage day, and it was time to pick up the garbage. These guys were going about their business like they do every day.”
Statesville police officers and fire personnel also were out working in the storm as well, he said, because that is what they do.
“I got calls and messages from people letting me know how thankful they were for out public service workers out still doing their jobs in that horrible weather. and they wanted me to let them know that they were appreciated,” Hudson explained. “And that’s what I’m doing.”
Also giving accolades for a job well done was Statesville Regional Airport Director John Ferguson, who had a front row seat for the relief effort at the airport.
“This entire operation started with a half a dozen pilots wanting to take a few pickup loads full of supplies to Western North Carolina,” he said. “It hit social media and got shared and shared again and we ended up with over 500 volunteers, 2,640 take-offs and landings, and 680 total flights. These people were strangers who all came together and made this happen.”
TWO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS MOVE FORWARD
In other business, the council cleared the way for two residential developments:
The first, the Whites Mill development, is located along White Mill Road between Calvary Baptist Church and Larkin Front Nine development. The site, roughly 56 acres, was rezoned from City of Statesville Heavy Industrial to R-5 CZ High Density Single Family Residential Conditional Zoning District. The development will contain 170 to 190 single family homes. The council passed the second reading of the rezoning request and a request for annexation.
The council also approved an annexation request filed by West Hunter on behalf of Iredell Partners for a 50-plus acre development planned for the southern end of McLaughlin Street. The proposed development will have 294 units, including 124 single-family homes, 72 paired homes and 98 townhomes. The current tax value of the property is $565,000 with a proposed improved value of over $88 million. A rezoning request on the property was approved in December.