Agriculture Building

July 9. By Dave Vieser. The long-awaited Cornelius History Museum took a major step forward Tuesday evening as the town planning board unanimously approved the rezoning of 1/3 of an acre on School Street which houses the Cornelius Ag school building, which was originally built in 1937 as part of FDR’s New Deal Initiative.

This property sits on the west side of School Street, adjacent to the intersection with Willow and a block south of Catawba Avenue.

“Though it was recently subdivided into a separate parcel, it is physically integrated with the Cornelius Elementary School property,” said Assistant Town Planning Director David Cole.”The property, and all adjacent properties, are currently zoned Neighborhood Residential (NR).”

Cole said that the Land Use Plan adopted by the Town Board in 2023, designates this property as Civic which would include such buildings as a library, school, community center, or a place of worship.

“Our planning staff considers the proposed museum use compatible with the Land Use and as an excellent example of a community-serving use that is integrated within a larger civic complex.”Cole said.

He recommended approval by the Planning Board, and they agreed unanimously.

With the Planning Board’s affirmative vote, the rezoning will now need to go before the Town Board for one more public hearing on the required rezoning. A concurrent approval procedure is taking place before the County Landmarks Preservation Commission, so it is possible that the Town Board Hearing on the rezoning may take place either later in August or possibly September.