During a recent government meeting, officials discussed two significant modification requests related to a proposed development project involving multiple parcels. The first request seeks to reduce the required 80-foot buffer against a tree save area and residential subdivision to a minimum environmental buffer of 35 feet for Parcel C, while maintaining the 80-foot buffer for Parcels A, B, and D.

The second modification request involves replacing a mandated 40-foot vegetated buffer along the street frontage with a 40-foot wide linear park. However, staff members expressed concerns, noting that they have not yet reviewed the design for the proposed park and questioned whether it would fulfill the intent of the existing ordinance, which aims to provide an opaque vegetated buffer.

Additionally, there were discussions regarding the tree save plan submitted by the applicants, with staff requesting further clarity before the upcoming planning board meeting. The applicants also proposed excluding certain uses from development on Parcels A, B, and D, particularly to avoid redundancy with the mini-storage facility planned for Parcel C. Staff raised concerns about the appropriateness of some proposed uses, such as outdoor theaters, given their proximity to a single-family neighborhood.

The meeting highlighted the need for more detailed information on the proposed modifications, including the layout of the linear park and the tree save plan, to ensure compliance with the Huntersville 2040 community plan. Staff indicated that they could recommend approval of the rezoning if these issues are adequately addressed in future submissions.