New park coming to west side of Cornelius
Southwest corner of Jetton extension and One Norman
April 16. By Dave Vieser. There will be a new town park on the woodsy southwest corner of Jetton Road extension and One Norman Boulevard. The Cornelius Town Board gave the go-ahead Monday night for the acquisition of 4.1 acres for a new passive park.
The property—two adjacent undeveloped lots—will cost the town about $657,000. A 3.3 acre parcel, currently owned by Horizon Investments LLC, will cost the town $325,000. This property currently has an appraised tax value of $705,000 according to county tax records. An .824 acre parcel currently owned by Steven and Janice Friedman will cost $332,000. This parcel has an assessed tax value of $412,000. There are differences in topography across the properties.
The agreement is expected to close in May or June. The 2015 Cornelius Comprehensive Parks and Greenways Master Plan identified a neighborhood park as a critical need in the “Village Center” area west of I-77.
The town’s 2015 master plan projected an expenditure of some $400,000 for land acquisition and $1.5 million to cover the construction of a Village Center Park at this location between now and the year 2025.
What is a passive park?
These low-intensity open-space allow for public use, including trails, along with the preservation of natural habitat. It usually involves a low level of development, such as rustic picnic areas, benches and trails.
Also at Monday’s meeting:
*Proclaimed the week of May 5-11 as Small Business Week in Cornelius, noting that there are over 28,500 small businesses with employees in Mecklenburg County and over 69,000 sole proprietors, which represents a majority of the total number of businesses in the county.
*Mayor Woody Washam and Police Chief Kevin Black have met with Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden to discuss ways to work together. This comes after a controversial speed trap set up on Jetton Road by the sheriff in February. “We had a good meeting and we will meet again. While we may not agree on all issues, the truth is that we need the Sheriff and the Sheriff needs us,” Washam said.
