Officials from the N.C. Department of Transportation, Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) and the Red Line Task Force are seeking a meeting, possibly in mid-June, with Norfolk Southern Corp. to discuss the rail company’s misgivings about the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project north of Charlotte. Read the full story

The Red Line Task Force of the Metropolitan Transit Commission holds its monthly meeting Wednesday, April 25, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., at Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. 4th St., Room 266, Charlotte.

Wednesday’s agenda includes a wrap-up of the business plan review, an update on proposed new station criteria, and information about an upcoming meeting with Norfolk Southern Corp. Read the full story

Davidson’s Town Board adopted a new animal control ordinance Tuesday night that updates and consolidates existing rules and adds a new ban on “tethering” – the practice of chaining unattended dogs. The board also voted to renew the town’s contract with the City of Charlotte Animal Control for another year, approved master plan changes for the Exit 30-area Northeast Quadrant and River Run Phase 5 projects, and amended planning rules governing building facade design. Officials said the latter change was intended to help an unnamed developer considering a project in town. Read the full story

Main Street in downtown Davidson - one of the state's best? (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net - File photo)

Davidson’s Main Street has been named one of six finalists for a North Carolina Great Places award in a competition sponsored by the state’s planners. And it’s up to us to vote, beginning Wednesday, April 11.

Downtown Director Kim Fleming made the announcement at Tuesday’s Town Board meeting, and urged residents to vote when the “People’s Choice” balloting begins. Read the full story

Updated 7:45 p.m.
Davidson’s Town Board will hold a 30-minute closed session before its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night, April 10. The topic has not been disclosed. The closed session begins at 5:30 p.m., and the board “anticipates” returning to open session at 6 p.m., according to an announcement Thursday. (UPDATE: On Monday 4/9/12 the board announced it was canceling the closed session.)

Tuesday’s meeting also will include public hearings on four planning and zoning amendments or projects: Read the full story

Lauren Blackburn

Lauren Blackburn, a Davidson planner for six years and the planning manager since 2010, is leaving to become director of the new N.C. Department of Transportation Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation. Her last day will be April 20 and she starts her new job April 30.

Here’s an announcement from the Town of Davidson: Read the full story

The Mecklenburg County Commission on Tuesday approved the creation of new Fire Protection Service Districts and a new fire service tax on property in the county’s unincorporated areas. The new tax will take effect July 1 and is expected to range from about 4.5 to 7 cents per $100 of assessed value. Read the full story

Bill Thunberg

By BILL THUNBERG
Lake Norman Transportation Commission

Recent discussion of the Red Line Regional Rail Project has been intense – and so has the dissemination of misinformation about the project. This discussion is the result of the Red Line Task Force’s referral of a draft business and finance plan for review by the communities along the line.

Public discussion of the project has included a considerable amount of very thoughtful input and intense questioning, as was intended. Unfortunately, this regional conversation has been seen by those opposed to transit and the transit tax as a surrogate target for the failed effort to repeal the transit tax. Transit is a part of the transportation plan for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region, and rail is a part of the transit and transportation systems designed to serve this region. Read the full story