Megan Pillow | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | May 9, 2007

Concerns about the traffic impact of a proposed Food Lion shopping center have the Mooresville board of commissioners and a local developer deciding that the plans need a closer look.
On Monday night, the board voted unanimously to continue until its June meeting a public hearing for the conditional use rezoning of approximately 20 acres of land owned by Rocky River Promenade, LLC at the corner of Rocky River Road and Shearers Road.

Rocky River Promenade had requested that the board rezone the land from R20 (Suburban Residential) to CU-GB (Conditional Use-General Business).

The 70,000-square-foot shopping center, which will likely have Food Lion as an anchor tenant, will be completed in two phases and will achieve full buildout by 2009. Plans include four other buildings which could accommodate retailers or restaurants and two out parcels.

The continuation was at Rocky Riiver Promenade’s request, despite having sent the town a letter on April 12 requesting that the board suspend the rules and vote on the conditional use rezoning request at the May meeting. The developer said it needed time to consider some of the road improvements recommended by the town’s Engineering Department.

Engineering Director Tonia Wimberly presented the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for the development and staff recommendations.

In order to compensate for an increased traffic flow in the area of approximately 10,000 trips per day, Wimberly said the developer should construct turning lanes on Shearers Road and Rocky River Road near the development’s entrances, as well as turning lanes and improvements on surrounding roads that the department said will also be affected, such as Kistler Farm Road and N.C. 3.

Ken Walsh, Rocky river Promenade’s director of development, requested more time to consider town staff’s recommendations for roadway improvements because he said that, while they have been recommended by the department, they are not required by the TIA.

“We are prepared to do what is required by the TIA, but not the background traffic requirements,” he said.

Commissioner Mac Herring said that although it is not cited in the TIA, the developer also needs to consider the impact his development will have on bicycle traffic on Shearers Road, which is one of the most highly-traveled in the area by cyclists.

“One thing the TIA does not take into consideration is bicycle traffic,” he said.

Commissioner Mitch Abraham said that he didn’t understand why the developer did not know about the staff recommendations before the meeting.

“We’re wasting time here,” he said.

The public hearing on the project will resume at the board’s June meeting.

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