Hundreds attended the Greenberg Gibbons hearing June 2. Photo: Dave Vieser
June 3. By Dave Yochum. There was an impressive cast of characters last night as the Cornelius Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 against rezoning needed for a $39 million business park on what was once farmland on Bailey Road.
Besides 36 acres once planted with soybeans, the cast of characters included:
±Hundreds of neighbors including Bailey’s Glen and Bailey Middle School and Hough High, not to mention a town park, all on Bailey Road, a “hot mess” of traffic, congestion and kids.
±Developer Drew Thigpen of Greenberg Gibbons Properties. He won the friendship of many, but not their support for his flex-office project targeting small business owners.
Drew Thigpen
±Ninth generation local farmer Wes Hunter who represented his father Gene Hunter, the 74-year-old owner of this particular parcel that is not part of the 500-plus acre Potts Plantation.
±Town planning staff: They recommended voting against the proposal, suggesting the adjacent 200-plus acres should be combined to allow for an even larger project
±Town Planning Board: They voted 7-1 recommending to the Town Board that they give final approval to the 188,000 square foot business/industrial park.
±The Cornelius Town Board: Over the objections of the CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Bill Russell and the volunteer Chair Brian Sisson, not to mention a former local minister, voted 5-0 against Cornelius Business Park.
Standing room only
There were more than 200 attendees at last night’s meeting
David Judge, the former minister, said there was a moral obligation to allow Gene Hunter to exercise his property rights, sell the land and retire.
David Judge
“Does the Town of Cornelius have the moral right to vote against the rezoning and prevent the Hunters from selling their property,” Judge asked.
For him, the answer was no.
For town commissioners and the mayor, the answer to the rhetorical question was yes.
Commissioner Robby Carney, having headed up successful economic development corporations in Iredell and Cabarrus counties, said he understood Greenberg Gibbons’ proposed product type from a real estate perspective and job-growth perspective.
Robert Carney
“This proposal is an industrial park and the way it will operate and the impacts of its operations are not the same as a corporate headquarters or a research facility. I’ve developed several industrial parks based on the flex-industrial model. And if there’s one guiding principle that’s universally understood in that space, it’s this:
“You do not mix residential development, school systems, and industrial development. They are oil and water. They simply do not mix. This combination brings legitimate concerns about safety, congestion, and diminished quality of life for residents in that corridor.”
For Greenberg Gibbons, despite more than two years of trying, they’re out.
“We are disappointed that the proposed development did not earn the Town’s support. We know local small businesses need and deserve the support of our project, and we plan to pursue our goals in another Lake Norman area community.”
Bailey runs across the bottom of the site plan
Thigpen had asked the Town in 2023 and last night to rezone the Hunter property from “Rural Preserve” to “Conditional Zoning” to allow the land to be developed for business campus use, as identified in the Town’s land use plan.
His project had millions of dollars of road improvements including a roundabout and a new left-turn lane from Bailey Road heading west to southbound Hwy. 115
Stupidest Town Board to ever serve the Town. Not an ounce of Common sense in any of them. Everyone of them should be voted out this year. The site meets the Towns long term vision plan. A developer brings them what the Town had planned for the property and they vote it down. This is why the State is changing the rules and taking away stupid rulings from incompetent Boards like this! The land has been for sale for years, the land owner is entitled to have it zoned!
Posted by Jacob Palillo | June 3, 2025, 2:18 pmfor those reading the comments, it might help to understand that Jacob Palillo is also a land developer. His name returns a few articles on CorneliusToday’s website as well as some other local news articles.
Posted by Cornelius Transparency | June 3, 2025, 3:10 pmhttps://www.qcnews.com/news/u-s/north-carolina/mecklenburg-county/lagoona-bay-developer-drops-libel-lawsuit-against-huntersville-woman/
LAGOONA BAY DEVELOPER
Posted by BAILEY ROAD FRIEND | June 4, 2025, 8:41 amAGREE 100%, If it was their property that vote wouldn’t have happened.
Posted by randy dalton | June 3, 2025, 4:24 pmAt athis point I think the CITY OF CORNELIUS should buy the Hunter’s land.
Cities buy land all the time, Charlotte has bought land, let Cornelius buy this land, then THEY can decide what is the “appropriate” use for it.
IF it were my land I would be looking for a very good attorney and filing a lawsuit against the city of Cornelius.
Posted by JWS | June 3, 2025, 3:27 pmI moved to Lake Norman 20 years ago from Myrtle Beach, SC. I saw the confusion and mis – guided decisions made back then by town/ county councils. Same happening now all-around Lake Norman. No way to stop it, eventually people will figure it out and move on to better destinations…. Especially when it comes to quality of life and property taxes!! Anyone ever heard of St Simon Ga. ? , St Mary’s Ga ?
Posted by Capt Andy LKN | June 3, 2025, 11:24 pmAnother example of towns and comm pushing away solid, long term developments. What eventually happens is a lower density proposal gets approved, leaving the original land owner disappointed. While people like “low density/”, the town actually gets stuck with a higher cost per acre to provide and maintain services because the tax revenue per acre is too low. Towns compensate for these land use plans by increasing property taxes.
Enjoy the higher taxes Cornelius!
Posted by Robert Thompson | June 4, 2025, 12:31 amJUST SAYING: IF THE SHOE FITS: When one person makes false accusations against or statements about another and “publishes” those statements (by transmitting them to a third party by written word or word of mouth), and those statements damage the reputation, character or integrity of that person, the target of the statements may recover damages from the person who uttered the false statements. Such statements are called defamation of character.
Posted by BAILEY ROAD FRIEND | June 4, 2025, 8:35 amThe town commissioners voted “the will of the people” that voted them into office.
Posted by Rob F. | June 4, 2025, 10:10 amBull! The People elected you to make decisions that improve the Town. 50 people at a Town Board meeting is NOT the will of the People. Its cowards looking at an election. You didn’t get elected to get re-elected.
Posted by Jacob Palillo | June 5, 2025, 11:51 amThankful the commissioners listened to “the will (and voices) of the people”. It’s about time!
Posted by B17 | June 4, 2025, 10:19 amHunter Family Statement
“ While we are disappointed and do not agree with the result, we appreciate that the decision was not ours to make. It was in other hands. The decision has been made and we are left to move forward as best we can, just as our family has done here for hundreds of years. We had hoped for something different, but that is not the case. We truly appreciate the support of our neighbors, friends and family. We also appreciate the professionalism and dogged determination of Drew Thigpen and Greenberg Gibbons during this process. As always, we remain committed citizens of Cornelius and stewards of our land and the North Mecklenburg area.”
Wes Hunter for the Hunter Family
Posted by Wes Hunter | June 4, 2025, 1:20 pmMr. Hunter,
The Town has caused you harm and you should file a lawsuit. The long term master plan called for Business on that land. This nonsense that everything is a Conditional re-zoning allows the Board to micro manage development. The State is passing laws to stop this. You should be mad as hell and entitled to be it.
Posted by Jacob Palillo | June 5, 2025, 11:54 amI appreciate the commissioners listening to the input and feedback from so many voices during this process. I especially appreciate Commissioner Carney explaining that this particular project was not the right one given his background in economic development. The best decisions are those made by considering what’s best for all interests in the long run. This industrial park was in the best interest of only a few people. Thank you to everyone who participated in the process to help make the right decision for the community, town and future.
Posted by Scott | June 5, 2025, 5:55 amScott , What is the right project?
Posted by Robert Lowrance | June 5, 2025, 9:32 am