Residents put dots on a chart to show their interest in various planning topics before Thursday’s forum at St. Alban’s Church.

At forum, officials preview growth, discuss challenges and successes

“THIS is an exciting time for Davidson; this is a challenging time for Davidson.”

That’s how Kris Krider, planning director for the Town of Davidson, opened a forum Thursday evening on how Davidson is likely to develop over the next several years.

Mr. Krider spent almost an hour describing commercial developments coming to Davidson and also the approximately 2,500 residential homes that are in various stages of planning. As he clicked through a series of images and maps, Krider described town efforts to preserve open space, manage growth and tailor development to town needs.

“Every project must conform to what Davidson is all about,” he said.

Town Board Member John Woods listened to Krider’s presentation and then responded that all the growth plans are “a little overwhelming for all of us.”

“We’re going to create some more lovely neighborhoods for people to live in and some new commercial development to improve our tax base,” Mr. Woods said.

DIVERSIFYING THE TAX BASE

Town Manager Leamon Brice said the town is looking at ways to increase the commercial/industrial percentage for Davidson, because that adds to the town tax base. Davidson is currently 83 percent residential, and 17 percent commercial/industrial, but Leamon said the goal is to shift that balance to a 75/25 ratio.

“Most communities strive for 60/40,” he said.

Mr. Brice noted after the meeting that 2006 was a banner year for residential development, and saw about 200 new homes built in Davidson. He expects 2007 to continue at roughly the same pace.

“It’s a pace I’m not accustomed to,” Mr. Brice said, “We’re seeing pent-up demand.”

He explained that the town placed moratoriums on growth for more than two years starting in 1998, to allow time for updating ordinances and plans. The moratoriums were lifted in 2001, just as the national economy reeled from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Once the economy improved, Davidson began to see considerable growth.

“People are every interested in building in Davidson,” Mr. Krider agreed.

CONCERNS: GROWTH, TRAFFIC

About 60 people attended the meeting, which organizers said was lower than anticipated, though attendance was likely impacted by the sleet and rain. The session was sponsored by the New Neighborhood in Old Davidson, and held at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.

Before the meeting, participants placed stickers on posters outside the meeting room to indicate their top concerns among a variety of issues planners work with. “Commercial development” emerged as the group’s biggest concern, followed by “infill” and “traffic congestion.”

Mr. Krider (photo at right) began his presentation with the $230 million commercial and retail development planned for the area around interstate 77’s Exit 30. When finished, this part of town will be transformed to include corporate office buildings, brownstone townhomes, hotels, a private school (the relocation of Davidson Day), a Harris Teeter grocery store and more residential homes. The area is currently under construction, which has included traffic snarls and delays.

“I know it’s been tough for everyone,” Mr. Krider acknowledged. “We’ve had to do extensive utility upgrades.”

ROUNDABOUTS AND PARKS

He noted that the two traffic roundabouts going into the area should keep traffic moving, keep speeds down and allow for a smaller road “footprint” as compared to a standard, multiple turn-lanes stoplight intersection. Mr. Krider also said extensive landscaping is planned around the roundabouts, and the city was able to save all but 8 of 30 oak trees in the construction zone.

In addition, the New Town Preserve residential development planned for a location near the commercial zone will include a 14-acre tract with public hiking trails on Lake Davidson.

Behind this area, the city is conducting a corridor study about how to connect Potts Street with Sloan/Beaty Street to take congestion off of Main Street

In the northwest quadrant of town, the Davidson Bay residential development is planned for two phases that will eventually include a public pier and walk space along the lake, something Krider said the town lacks.

“There’s a beach at the end of Griffith Street, but you’d never know that because it’s not public,” he said. “That’s unfortunate.”

IN TOWN AND AT THE EDGES

Looking even further north, Mr. Krider expressed deep concerns with how the land bordering Davidson in Iredell County will respond to development pressures. “Right now, that’s beautiful farmland,” he said. “We’re trying to work hard with Mooresville on that area.”

Within the heart of town, Davidson is experiencing several small “infill” projects.

“It’s very evident that we’re at a point where the land is more valuable than the little ranch house that sits on it,” Mr. Krider said.

That means a growing concern about preservation, and Mr. Krider said he is interested in creating a National Register Historic District. He said that as a planner, he cannot prevent the demolition of a home.

Preservation efforts also include an upcoming tree canopy survey. “We can’t do enough to protect the trees,” Mr. Krider said.

Mr. Krider noted that on Feb. 13 the town board will consider creating a 100-acre conservation area, which would be the first of its kind, along Grey Road as part of the plans for Abersham, an upscale housing development.

Traffic pattern improvement priorities for the town include the South Street extension leading into Cornelius, and the intersection of Concord Road and Davidson-Concord Road near the McConnell neighborhood.

Of the South Street connection, Mr. Krider said “the town is meeting with Cornelius to hammer out a new time frame for a connection to 115.”

The town has less control over the Davidson-Concord road intersection, but is hoping the state will eventually turn that into a tighter “T,” with right-turn lanes and better visibility. Mr. Krider said the town is studying this area, extending along East Rocky River Road, and considering whether it should be zoned for commercial and light industrial businesses.

“We need to get in front of this,” Mr. Krider said.

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