Mooresville planner Tim Brown talks about plans for a 650-unit residential development on the Mooresville side of Lake Davidson. (David Boraks photo)

How should planners and town officials calculate potential environmental and public safety effects of future developments on Lake Davidson? Mooresville and Davidson officials on the Lake Davidson Commission were asking themselves that question Tuesday as they learned about a proposed residential development called Lake Davidson Village that someday could add up to 650 homes on the north side of the small lake.

The short answer appears to be that it’s hard to know what the impact might be. And it’s also unclear when the Lake Davidson Village project off Transco Road – or hundreds of other possible new homes on the Mooresville side of the lake – might be built, given the tight credit market and weak economy.

The discussion arose as Mooresville Planning Director Tim Brown addressed the commission during a monthly session Tuesday at Davidson Town Hall. The two-town commission is looking into how to protect water quality and recreational safety on the lake amid rapid development. Davidson is hoping to sign an interlocal agreement with Mooresville that will bring the two towns’ planning and ordinances into accord.

The most controversial measure under consideration is whether and how to regulate power boats. The towns have acknowledged that they do not have jurisdiction on the lake itself, though they can – and have – regulated the lake through zoning. In various ways since 1980, Davidson has enforced no-construction zones around the lake. In recent years, it has adopted limits on the size of motors on boats docked on the lake to less than 10 horsepower, though those rules have not be tightly enforced.

Map shows Lake Davidson and location of proposed K. Hovnanian development, labeled '10.' Click to enlarge. (Source: Mooresville Mount Mourne Master Plan)

Mooresville has no such rules on the northern end of the lake. Recreational boaters and water skiers have been fighting Davidson’s efforts to persuade Mooresville to adopt similar rules. They’d like to continue to use of the lake, and fear that tighter regulations in Mooresville and improved enforcement could keep them off the water.

BIG PROJECT TRIGGERS CONCERN

The proposal by homebuilder K. Hovnanian Homes for 650 homes on vacant land at the lake’s north end was among the reasons Davidson officials initially approached Mooresville two years ago about agreeing on joint regulations around the lake.

Mooresville’s town board has considered Davidson’s proposals, but so far has not agreed on terms. The Lake Davidson Commission is an effort to gather information and discuss issues in hopes of reaching an agreement.

Mr. Brown told the group that K. Hovnanian initially asked Mooresville to approve a development of single-family homes on the property. (The homebuilder has an option to buy the land from a Cornelius development firm that currently owns it.) Mooresville’s town board turned down the request, and the builder sued the town. In 2007, a judge approved a consent order ending the lawsuit, including a revised plan that calls for the 650 homes and townhomes, as well as boat launches, parks, offices and retail buildings.

At the moment, given the poor economy and the inability of builders to obtain financing, the project is on hold. In fact, Mr. Brown said, “We’ve not had any meaningful negotiations with K. Hovnanian, to my knowledge, in two years.” Meanwhile, the property also lacks needed water, sewer, roads or other utilities. Mooresville’s sewage treatment system is at capacity, so it could be 5 or 6 years before water and sewer are available, Mooresville Commissioner Frank Rader told the commission.

Nonetheless, if built now or 10 years from now, the project would more than double the number of residential units around the lake. Davidson Assistant Town Manager Dawn Blobaum said there are about 500 homes around the lake now.

HOW WILL PROJECT AFFECT THE LAKE?

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mr. Rader asked: “You’re talking about all sorts of infrastructure – traffic, water, sewer demand, etcetera. I think for the purposes of this committee, we need to focus on what do we think – I don’t know that there any numbers – is going to be the impact on Lake Davidson, (on) surface use of the water, from 650 units of housing?”

Added Davidson Commissioner and lake commission chair Margo Williams: “Therein lies the question.”

“Do we have any comparables, either in Davidson or Mooresville that we know about, of 100 homes or some similar unit, and how much boat traffic that generates?” Mr. Rader asked.

Ms. Blobaum has surveyed how many boats are on the lake (about 52 as of this summer, including 40 with motors larger than 10 horsepower). “I would take the numbers Dawn has already developed and check that math out,” Mr. Rader said.

Pam Dykstra, who lives on the lake in Davidson and is a member of a group called Friends of Lake Davidson, urged the committee to take into account how Davidson’s existing rules may have limited the number of large boats. “If we didn’t have horsepower limitations, there may be far more boats than what we currently have,” she said.

She and others would like to see powerboats restricted, to make the lake safe for more passive uses, such as canoeing, kayaking and swimming.

Becky Fox of Mooresville, a champion water skier who would like to see the lake remain open to her sport, challenged Ms. Dykstra’s suggestion that lax rules could bring more boats. She said boat traffic would be self-regulating.

“That’s just speculation that more people would come,” Ms. Fox said. “It’s a small area lake. If there’s 50 boats on the lake, skiers are not going to come up here to use the lake because there are 50 boats on the lake … to say that just because you have public access, does not mean that people are going to show up.”

Ms. Blobaum said it would be difficult to calculate how many boats might come from a new project. “If you’re looking for me to find a umber , I don’t think I’m going to be able to do it,” she said. There are just too many variables, she added.

Mr. Rader said past observation shows there would not be many boats. He said only 7 boats were reported on the lake on the last July 4 holiday. He suggested that with 650 more homes, it might only be 15.

Mr. Brown said, “The only think we can rest on with this project is that (K. Hovnanian has) agreed to abide by a future interlocal agreement.” So if the towns decide to enact limits, the new development would be bound by those limits.

Bobby Cashion of Davidson, a boat owner who opposes tighter regulations, said people should not be concerned about too many boats on the lake. He thinks it’s too small for most large boats. “To me this is an activity oriented lake, with small sailing, (water-)skiing, canoeing, and you could have swimming lanes for swimming. … This is not a cruising lake,” he said.

The commission is not scheduled to meet in December, but will meet again in January, Ms. Williams said Thursday.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE AND LINKS

Sept. 15, 2008, “Mooresville board to consider quitting lake committee.”

Sept. 4, 2008, “Speakers argue for and against Lake Davidson limits”

Sept. 3, 2008, “Foes, backers of Lake Davidson rules line up to speak.”

Lake Davidson Facts and Information, town website.