By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Town Hall was a three-ring circus Tuesday night, with several simultaneous meetings that shared a theme – development. They included separate neighborhood meetings on two proposed apartment projects off West Catawba Avenue that could come up for rezoning votes this fall. And at a meeting of the Town Board, commissioners said they’d be unwilling to allow more than one unit per five acres in the town’s rural planning area, a potential roadblock for an unnamed developer whom town officials said is getting ready to propose a denser project east of N.C. 115. Read the full story

Cornelius seems to be in the midst of a small boom in construction of condos and multi-family housing. Planners will host a pair of simultaneous community meetings at Town Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 4, to unveil plans for two proposed apartment complexes off West Catawba Avenue. The projects will fill vacant lots where developments have long been planned, and join other apartments already under construction around town. In REAL ESTATE & HOME.

Prior to its regular meeting Monday night, the Cornelius Board of Commissioners will hold a 2-hour workshop to discuss implementation of the town’s Comprehensive Master Plan. Also Monday, the board will hear an update from the citizen committee charged with developing a new street lighting policy for the town; will consider awarding a bid for street paving to Blythe Construction; and will consider a revised memorandum of understanding for involvement with the CONNECT Consortium, a regional partnership initiative led by the Centralina Council of Governments. Read the full story

NCDOT officials and members of the transportation consulting firm RK & K answered questions about the project. (Tanner Latham/WFAE photo)

By TANNER LATHAM
WFAE

The North Carolina Department of Transportation hosted a public workshop in Cornelius Wednesday to field questions about its proposed plan to reduce congestion on I-77 with toll lanes.

The lanes will be called High Occupancy Toll, or HOT lanes. And the NC DOT proposes they run on I-77 from Mooresville all the way to Charlotte.

Read the full story

The Lake Norman Chamber’s Focus Friday issues session this month will examine the $29.5 million bond referendum on the ballot in November for Huntersville voters. Town officials and Commissioner Charles Jeter will discuss the referendum Friday, July 27, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the chamber’s Randy Marion Conference Room, 19900 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius Read the full story

CORNELIUS - The N.C Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Aug. 1 will hold a citizen’s informational workshop on plans for widening I-77. The Cornelius meeting is one of two public meetings planned on the topic and is open to the public. Read the full story

Alex Griffin, 9, a member of the Lake Norman Lightning 9u Little League team, caught the first pitch on the new WAC baseball field, thrown by Mayor Jeff Tarte. (Christina Ritchie Rogers / CorneliusNews.net)

After years of planning and construction, the town of Cornelius on Saturday celebrated the grand opening of the Westmoreland Athletic Complex, at 8430 Westmoreland Road. The complex includes four athletics fields, a playground, restrooms, a concessions stand and picnic shelter. It will be used as a baseball and softball tournament facility on weekends, and will be open for rent and for use by local leagues during the week. See more photos from the opening below. Read the full story

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

Whether Norfolk Southern Corp. decides to let commuter trains run on is tracks north of Charlotte some day will depend on how much it thinks passenger service will hinder expansion of freight service on the line. Local officials met with the rail company three weeks ago, and hope to agree soon on the outline of a rail traffic study to answer that question. Read the full story