A unanimous thumbs-down
The Cornelius Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on Monday to deny Greenberg Gibbons Properties’ request to rezone 36 acres along Bailey Road for a $39 million business park. wsoctv.com
The land, the lineage, and the hole in the ledger
Wes Hunter and his father, Gene, trace their farming roots on the site to the 1700s. After years of operating at a loss—soybeans on 160 acres finished “in the hole,” Wes says—the family put the tract under contract. The deal promised 188,100 square feet of “Class A” flex space, 175-250 jobs and roughly $300,000 in annual tax revenue. bizjournals.com
Traffic: still the four-letter word in Cornelius 🚗
Opponents from the Bailey’s Glen community called the project a recipe for gridlock near Bailey Middle and Hough High. Town planners took the same view, arguing the proposal clashed with long-range land-use maps. Supporters countered that the developer offered the only concrete fix: a roundabout at the park entrance and a new turn lane at N.C. 115. charlotteobserver.com
Rules followed, retirement postponed
“We’ve jumped through every hoop,” Wes Hunter told reporters after the vote. His father—74 and eyeing retirement—must now hold the land or start the search for another buyer who fits the town’s narrower vision of a “business campus.”
What’s next
Greenberg Gibbons can wait two years to re-file or sue. The Hunters can stick with soybeans that don’t pay—or try again with a new plan. Neighbors, for now, keep their tree-lined view and a congested Bailey Road that still lacks a roundabout.
About the Author
Jack Beckett sips the darkest roast at Einstein Bros Bagels’ South End shop before every zoning meeting—because bad coffee is the real traffic hazard. Thanks to Einstein Bros for keeping local journalism caffeinated and to Glory Days Apparel (“Charlotte’s Premier Nostalgia Brand,” 2202 Hawkins St.) for dressing reporters who still wear real pants.
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This article, “Cornelius Says “No Sale” to a Ninth-Generation Farmer,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Cornelius Says “No Sale” to a Ninth-Generation Farmer”
by Jack Beckett, Strolling Ballantyne (CC BY-ND 4.0)
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