Contrary to the recommendation of the budget committee, Mooresville Town Commissioners have agreed to fund the CATS 83X line for at least one more year.

The 83X line runs several times a day between South Iredell/Mooresville and the CATS terminal in Charlotte. However, it relies on subsidies from the Town of Mooresville to meet operating costs. Mooresville's existing contract to help subsidize the line is set to expire, and initial reviews of the Town budget led the Commission's budget committee to recommend not renewing the subsidy agreement.

Despite the budget committee's initial reports implying low ridership, word about possible cancellation of the line spurred massive rider response, prompting shows of support at town meetings and a website for supporters of the line.

While CATS officials had asked for and expected another 3 year commitment, Commissioners were only willing to pledge one year at this time. The $85,265 subsidy will come from the Town's general fund and the transportation task force project.

A nearly 200 acre lake-front development is underway in Troutman in response to what the developers feel is a high demand for more reasonably priced waterfront lots.

River Rock is located near Walnut Tree Rd and Lookout Shoals Dam Rd. The 160-home development has lot sizes starting at one acre and has a layout plan that focuses on a rural feel. Waterfront lots start at $179,000. Roadwork has already begun and construction should start within six months.

This development follows on the heels of the establishment of the River Oaks development, a master planned residential community with both golf-focused and waterfront-focused areas, also on the northern end of the lake.

Of course, as people move into the west Iredell and eastern Catawba county areas, retail and office spaces are sure to follow, so expect commercial real estate growth in the area soon.

Doug Smith's column in the Charlotte Observer is a must read for any one looking out for what might be over the horizon in commercial real estate, and today he's looking at the latest incarnation of an ever-growing trend.

Many towns and cities in the Charlotte metro region have zoning regulations that prohibit or at least severely restrict the development of traditional self-storage facilities. However, demand for such spaces is steady, due to a variety of factors. Office space, especially in Uptown Charlotte, is scarce, and many businesses have storage needs that challenge their operating budgets if such needs are met at the going rate for office space. The current foreclosure crisis has many homeowners downsizing to smaller homes or even apartments, leaving them with a need for affordable storage for personal belongings they may not have room for in their new down-scaled homes.

Budget Self Storage has been exploring new approaches in the industry to meet the rising demand for self-storage space while remaining in compliance with zoning regulations and offering a completely different aesthetic than the traditional row-of-roll-up-metal-doors look that has long been the hallmark of self-storage. The company has already completed several successful conversions of abandoned “big box” retail establishments, most notable in this area being the old Rhodes Furniture building on E Independence.

But their latest project, to be located on W Morehead St, close to I-77, is going to be an even further departure from that old row-of-doors look. The company has proposed, and received approval for, a 6 story structure designed to look like an old mill building. The building will offer secure, climate controlled storage as well as office space. Demolition of 2 existing buildings on the site will occur in the next 2 months and construction is due to be complete in a little over a year.

Budget is not the only company in the self-storage business developing sites that represent the latest trends in self-storage. It seems that thinking outside of “the box” is the new method of business in self-storage, and there are plenty of opportunities left to be had in our area. </p

A group of concerned citizens has started a grass-roots campaign to draw attention to the CATS 83X express bus line which runs several times a day between Mooresville and Charlotte.

The Town of Mooresville recently raised questions during their annual budget review about the possibility of no longer subsidizing the route, given the nearly $96,000 price tag.

In response, some area citizens have banded together through a website to hopefully convince the Town Commissioners to continue their subsidy of what they say is a popular service.

A nearly 200 acre lake-front development is underway in Troutman in response to what the developers feel is a high demand for more reasonably priced waterfront lots.

River Rock is located near Walnut Tree Rd and Lookout Shoals Dam Rd. The 160-home development has lot sizes starting at one acre and has a layout plan that focuses on a rural feel. Waterfront lots start at $179,000. Roadwork has already begun and construction should start within six months.

This development follows on the heels of the establishment of the River Oaks development, a master planned residential community with both golf-focused and waterfront-focused areas, also on the northern end of the lake.

Of course, as people move into the west Iredell and eastern Catawba county areas, retail and office spaces are sure to follow, so expect commercial real estate growth in the area soon.

The massive Village at Lake Norman development planned for Cornelius received the necessary rezoning for the proposed location south of Westmoreland Rd between I-77 and US 21, but major hurdles still remain for the project.

In a 3-2 vote Wednesday night (April 23rd), Town of Cornelius commissioners approved the rezoning for the land, but many other approvals will be needed along the way to completion. Complex financing plans for the project will need to be accepted by Mecklenburg County, and the Town of Cornelius has reserved the right to rescind the rezoning if all the financing issues are not to the Town's liking. Major road construction is proposed and needed by the developers, especially the addition of an interchange with Westmoreland Rd on I-77 and the addition of at least one more lane on I-77 through the area. This means that various state and federal entities will also need to grant approvals of one form or another.

Developer Cornelius-Bromont has made a number of assurances to the Town, including the promise of high-end retail tenants, straightening and extension of Bailey Rd (to an extent, this point was already in the developer's master plan), a new public safety facility, a return of $1.3 million for the Town's service costs, and acceptance of various intermediate deadlines for various aspects of financial approval and construction phases.

For the second straight day, Cornelius commissioners delayed voting on the rezoning of land that would allow the go ahead for the proposed Village at Lake Norman development.

Commissioners originally extended the Monday meeting in order to discuss the situation further. Commissioner Jim Bensman was unable to attend Tuesday's meeting in person but did participate via phone. The decision was made to delay the final vote until today, Wednesday the 23rd, in order for Bensman to be there in person for the vote.

Commissioners are trying to decide if the massive 104 acre development will positively impact the town and its future. Developers Cornelius-Bromont have proposed numerous road improvements as part of the development, but have stated that the Commissioners accepting the establishment of an interchange with I-77 at Westmoreland Rd is a necessary aspect of their project. In addition to the rezoning issue, Cornelius commissioners and Mecklenburg County officials would have to approve the financing plans of the developers, which include various tax fundings and credits.

The vote to rezone the property is now scheduled for today at 5 PM at Cornelius Town Hall.

Developers for the mixed-use Village at Lake Norman project proposed for 102 acres in Cornelius are anxious for the Town to approve their rezoning, but the scope of the project has some feeling that more time to decide is warranted.

The need for expeditious approval for the rezoning is tied into the road improvements. Developers need the rezoning approval before placing the related road projects on the long-range plan of the Mecklenburg-Union Metropolitan Planning Organization. Some of the funding for the project hinges on being included in this plan. The plan for the Village at Lake Norman includes the widening of I-77, US 21, and an extension of nearby Bailey Rd.

Also at issue is the proposed interchange with I-77 at Westmoreland Rd. Developers will not (and feel they cannot) go ahead with the project without that interchange, and Cornelius Town Board members have to approve that project as well.

Some residents, as reported recently in the Charlotte Observer , feel that it isn't possible for the Board members to make a decent decision, given all the information they have received in the short time allotted to decide. While some Board members have stated that they feel they will be able to weigh all aspects of the project and its impact properly, it is clear that they are at least temporarily overwhelmed.

Public hearings remain for the rezoning request- April 18 at 5 PM and April 21 at 7 PM. Both hearings will be held at Cornelius Town Hall, located at 21445 Catawba Ave. A decision is expected at the April 21st meeting.

With election time drawing nearer, numerous civic and political groups are hosting forums where voters can meet candidates and ask questions before making their final voting decisions.

The Iredell Republican Men’s Club Board of Commissioners forum is at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April12 at Mulligans Restaurant at Fox Den Golf Club (175 Clubhouse Dr in Statesville). The next Republican forum will be at 7 p.m. April 21 in the Board of Commissioners’ room in the county office building at 200 S. Center St in Statesville.

The Iredell Democratic Party is hosting a candidates forum from 7-8 p.m. on April 21 at the War Memorial Building (220 N Maple St in Mooresville). Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives 10th District (Steve Ivester and Daniel Johnson) will be there to discuss national problems.

The Statesville Record & Landmark, Mooresville Tribune, WSIC 1400 AM, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce and the Education Association are sponsoring 2 forums at Mac Gray Auditorium at Statesville High School (474 N Center St in Statesville):

• April 22, 6:30 PM, featuring candidates for Iredell County Commission.
• April 23, 6:30 PM, featuring candidates for Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education, Iredell/Alexander counties District Attorney and Republican candidates for the N.C. House 95th District seat.

NC DOT officials and project contractor Skanska are each pointing at the other in regards to who is to blame for the lengthy delays in the completion of I-485.

Skanksa says that DOT failed to acquire significant portions of the land needed for the construction. While DOT admits that they were not exactly timely in regards to full site preparation, they counter that the issues faced should not have been nearly as severe as Skanska has claimed. A recent Charlotte Observer article reports that the contractor has claimed delays totaling 311 days because of DOT's failure in acquiring land and relocating major utilities. DOT admits to responsibility to less than half of that delay.

Virginia Beach-based Skanska has also taken issue with the timeliness of notification of changes which are needed to accommodate additional development in the area (notably, a Target store at Harris Blvd and a car dealership at Old Statesville Rd). The firm has requested more than $8.5 million in compensation for the delays which DOT has refused. It's worthy of note that the company's contract allows DOT to levy a $10,000 per day fine against the contractor for each day the project is late.

The current stretch of I-485 (from NC Hwy 16 to an interchange with Hwy 115 a nd I-77) is tentatively scheduled to open in November or December, but Skanska feels that, weather permitting, the opening could be as early as September. The final segment of the I-485 loop, east of I-77 to I-85, isn't scheduled to begin until 2015.