Front Porch

That paving project we talked about a few weeks ago has now moved over to Central Avenue/South Point Road from Main Street at Nichols to Nixon Road by South Point HS. Sorry we, didn’t post this sooner — like Saturday morning — there was havoc down there this AM.

People can use Julia St, Stowe Road (Hwy 273), and the various side streets to cut through and get around the traffic.

If you live in the neighborhoods, you know which streets to use.   

reprinted from the Observer  

by REBECCA SULOCK, Charlotte Observer

Here at Latest Developments, we were delighted to receive our first reader question last week.

Nick Carson wrote to ask what’s happening with the Belmont Town Center development planned across from South Point High School.

We thought that was a good question, especially considering all the discussion about the traffic impact of putting a grocery store and retail center across from a high school. We didn’t just think that because he flattered our previous columns, either.

Detailed plans for the center should come to Belmont’s planning department in November, said senior planner Adrian Miller.

Rumor has it the grocery store will be a Food Lion, despite neighborhood lobbying efforts for a Harris Teeter. That’s from a conversation we had with the mayor two months ago.

The mixed-use development will be on 34 acres at South Point Road and R.L. Stowe Road, and will likely include 109 homes, a 48,000-square-foot grocery store, a 20,000-square-foot retail space, a bank, a drugstore and three other stores.

Farther down South Point Road, Charlotte developer Lockard Reed has submitted early plans for a 223-home development at Henry Chapel Road, Miller said. Belmont’s planning department is looking at the project and will send suggestions back to the developer — the next step would be for Lockard Reed to bring more details to the planning board.

 Joe DePriest got one right. Good article neighbor.

His column last week talks about the recent clean up sweep of the riverbanks. The drought helped to reveal a lot more trash, and the ability to get at it.

He goes on to talk about the importance of preserving cover and buffers in the peninsula area that extends all the way up to Mountain Island Lake in Mt. Holly and into Lincoln county.

The peninsula is a fragile ecosystem by its nature. Development pressures put watershead issues into the mix of discussion, runoff, and water use in general. Developers would have you believe that their retention ponds and “greenway set asides” solve the problem. The natural barriers of the rivers create access choke points.

A good example of the negatives can be found along Brawley School road in northern Mecklenburg county near Mooresville. This area is a penisula into Lake Norman.  Traffic back ups are a way of life. Noise, emissions, and river(lake) buffer reductions have caused a myriad of problems.

It is an important issue, and we believe continued long-term discussion and involvement is good. We like the name being bandied about as well, “The River District”.  Thank’s Joe for keeping it on the topic list.