However, the Charlotte City Council Meeting for the Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning request originally set for tonight, Monday December 18th at 5:00 PM has been postponed until next month.
The hearing is now set for January 16th in Council Chambers at 5:00PM. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. (Note the meeting is on a Tuesday rather than the usual Monday due to the MLK holiday.)
Our concerns remain as the developer has failed to address the following issues in any meaningful way:
Continuity of our neighborhoods - Because the proposed project at 644 rental units is nearly 10 times the density of the surrounding area it does not provide for continuity of our neighborhoods, and simply doesn't fit. In short, the project is proposing urban zoning in a non-urban setting.
Preservation, Protection, or the Conservation of our Natural Resources - The proposed project does not address concerns about the loss of 53 acres of old growth forest (Tree Canopy) which would be destroyed and the likely damage to Four Mile Creek, the adjoining 13 acres of FEMA Floodplain, surrounding 35 acres of Wetlands, as well as the local Wildlife Habitat, which is home to a nesting pair of American Bald Eagles (named Piper and Glen) and countless other species of animals which will occur if the rezoning request is approved.
Traffic - The City of Charlotte and NC DOT for years have failed to plan or fund roads in the area with any logical method. The result is a patch work of 2, 3 and 4 lane segments, illogical thoroughfares, intersections, and an interstate with unfinished toll roads. Sidewalks and Bike lanes as well as Curb and Gutter systems that are not even in the planning stages. Unlit city streets and the lack of much-needed traffic lights. The solution in the past was to have developers provide band-aid fixes that lack forethought or planning. This project along with other proposed or already approved high density multifamily rental properties will add exponentially to the already existing traffic nightmare.
Infrastructure - The future costs of the proposed project to the City and County regarding roads, schools, public safety, solid waste, and other services, is unknown but far more than our current infrastructure and city budget can absorb. The development as proposed will cost CMS alone $5,674,000, and place additional staffing requirements on police, fire and medic as well as city and county services. Duke Energy is currently experiencing random power outages in the area due to unpreceded growth and demand. Outages that never occurred a decade ago.
We continue to ask that all Charlotte City Council Members VOTE NO and deny this rezoning request.
If you have not already signed our online petition we encourage you to do so by visiting http://change.org/savepiperglen
You can also read more about our efforts to bring smart growth to South Charlotte here: https://rearoadneighborhood.blogspot.com/
Thank you for your continued support.