Alexander Farm property at Westmoreland and Catawba

June 30. By Dave Vieser. The developer of a proposed $110 million mixed-use project on the Alexander Farm property in Cornelius has removed land for a third fire station from their new site plan. The decision was announced Monday evening during a planning board meeting held in a largely empty Town Hall under social distancing measures.

“We have determined that the fire station on Westmoreland Road was not feasible and it has been removed,” said attorney Susan Irvin, representing the developer. At one time, obtaining land for a fire station was considered a major priority by town officials.

At a public meeting in August 2019, Mayor Woody Washam told Irvin that “we take getting property for a fire station very seriously.” Reached Monday evening after Irvin’s presentation, Washam said “since a future fire station was recommended in that general site area by a recent Public Safety Study, I remain committed to find a way to better protect this growing part of town in the future.”

The Monday night meeting was billed as an information session requested by Irvin’s team to update the town on the most recent development site plan. Town officials had signaled early on that they would table any action on the plan since they did not have sufficient time to review it, nor the Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) for the project.

However, before the matter was tabled Harborside resident Dick Douglas, spoke out about traffic concerns.  “We strongly urge that any decision on this application be held up due to our traffic and infrastructure concerns.”

He was especially concerned about traffic on several connecting roads which would run through his neighborhood into the development.

Following Douglas’ comments, the planning board, as expected, tabled the application until their August meeting. The Revised proposal will also have to also be presented before the Town Board at a future Public Hearing which must approve the requested rezoning for the project to proceed.