Mooresville withdraws 550-unit housing plans near N.C. 150

Mooresville town commissioners turned their attention to long-range growth strategies after developers pulled three major residential proposals from the November 2 board agenda.

The withdrawn plans included Parc at Lake Norman and Davis Development #2, both located on the south side of N.C. 150 near Kendra Drive. Parc at Lake Norman was a 190-townhome development covering 30.7 acres, while Davis Development #2 consisted of 261 apartment units and two commercial outparcels across 29.8 acres. The projects were interdependent, as the townhome development relied on road access from the apartment complex, and the apartments needed utility connections from the townhomes. A third project, Millhouse Row, comprising 99 townhomes on 19 acres, had already been withdrawn. Together, the three proposals would have added 550 residential units to approximately 80 acres of land.

Commissioner Gary West clarified the status of the applications, stating, “It’s important to note this is not a table, it’s not a reschedule. So when it’s withdrawn, it’s done. They would have to start another application through the planning department for something else.” The Mooresville Planning Board had unanimously recommended denying these developments in October. Commissioners cited the ongoing widening of N.C. 150 by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, a project scheduled for completion in 2030. They expressed a preference for establishing enhanced road infrastructure before approving new development within a one-mile radius of the N.C. 150, Doolie Road, and Perth Road intersection, an area that currently contains more than 2,500 residential dwellings.

The discussion also highlighted the McCrary Road Connector, a proposed $41 million road between McCrary Road and Kendra Drive. Currently a placeholder on the town’s mobility plan, this east-west artery would cut through the parcels involved in the withdrawn proposals. While no financing or timetable exists, the Davis development plan included right-of-way for this potential road. Commissioners used the meeting to address broader topics including development corridors, infrastructure needs, and tax base impacts. They discussed creating methods to compile community input and acknowledged that growth generates revenue necessary to manage rising costs without increasing property taxes.

In a separate action, the board unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on accepting or considering data center development proposals. This pause allows the town to gather information and draft ordinance language for comprehensive requirements. Mooresville now joins 56 other North Carolina jurisdictions that have paused data center plan consideration, while 14 others have amended ordinances specifically to address the industry.