Updated April 24, 2012 at 9:40 a.m.

At the Lake Norman Chamber’s Focus Friday event this Friday morning, commercial property owners will discuss the results of their 2011 property revaluations and will hear an update on the appeals process from the Director of Land Use and Environmental Services Agency Cary Saul. Also at the meeting, John Hettwer and Barbara Scott will speak. Mr. Hettwer chairs a Chamber committee collecting revaluation data on commercial parcels, and Ms. Scott is one of a group of citizens challenging the 2011 revaluation process. Read the full story

Lake Norman Transportation Commission director Bill Thunberg speaks at the Chamber's Focus Friday event. Also pictured (from left): Bob McIntosh, Bill Russell, MattGallagher. (David Boraks / CorneliusNews.net)

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.net

While many property owners say they’re in favor of a commuter rail line north of Charlotte, it’s hard to find one in favor of the current proposed Red Line Regional Rail financing plan. Matt Gallagher, who works for developer Gandy Communities, said the special assessments on commercial property owners proposed under the draft financing plan is “a big burden to carry.” He spoke Friday at a Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Focus Friday event in Cornelius, joined by speakers Bill Thunburg, the Lake Norman Transportation Commission Director and a member of the Red Line Task Force, and Bob McIntosh, of McIntosh Law Firm in Davidson.

Developers have been meeting regularly to discuss the draft financing plan, which asks commercial property owners along the rail to pay an additional “special assessment” tax of as much as 75 cents per $100 of assessed value that will go towards funding construction of the rail line from Charlotte to Mooresville. Read the full story

Updated Feb. 25, 12:20 p.m.

Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte speaks to a full room at the Chamber's Focus Friday event Feb, 24. (Christina Ritchie Rogers / CorneliusNews.net)

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.net

Enlisting expert help may be the best hope for citizens appealing their 2011 property tax revaluations, Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte said Friday morning during the monthly “Focus Friday” issues session at Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. One such expert, Buck Moody, told the crowd of about 30 people that recent independent appraisals can help, and so can a close attention to possible errors in the county’s calculations. Read the full story

The Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners this week agreed to formally consider a new property revaluation policy at its March 6 meeting. But while plans are in the works to change the policy moving forward, residents are still dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 revaluations, and local groups plan meetings to address citizens’ questions and discuss next steps. Read the full story

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.net

From left: Mark Briggs, Jeff Hare and Callan Bryan (LKN Chamber photo)

Consultants and officials continue to gather community feedback about the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Project financing plan, and on Friday consultant Mark Briggs said the project task force already has identified one area for potential revisions: timing of the fees to be paid by commercial property owners in Special Assessment Districts along the line. Mr. Briggs’s comments came during a Focus Friday issues forum on the Red Line at the  Lake Norman Chamber in Cornelius. Read the full story

The head of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce said this week the chamber supports the idea of a rail line north of Charlotte, though current plans to pay for the line require “proper analysis.” Chamber members will get a closer look at the $452 million Red Line Regional Rail Project during the next Focus Friday issues session on Jan 27.

Read the full story

A recent study of the retail climate in north Mecklenburg found our region is losing money to surrounding markets in some retail categories as residents here spend outside Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius. On Friday, Nov. 4, the Lake Norman Chamber’s monthly Focus Friday issues forum will examine the issue.

FRIDAY FOCUS: RETAIL LEAKAGE

Jim Stella

A recent study of the retail climate in north Mecklenburg found our region is losing money to surrounding markets in some retail categories as residents here spend outside Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius. In other categories, there’s a surplus of retailers, according to the new research. The Lake Norman Chamber’s monthly Focus Friday issues forum this Friday, Nov. 4, will examine the situation with the study’s author, Jim Stella.

The program is Friday from 8-9:30 a.m. at the chamber, 19900 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius.

Mr. Stella is a retail development specialist with Electricities, a statewide membership organization of power companies. The group conducted the study of what’s called “retail leakage” at no charge to the north Meck towns, working with the Lake Norman Regional Economic Development Corp., the area’s business recruiting agency.

The study found, for example, that the region is well-served by gasoline stations, grocery stores, electronics and appliance stores, home furnishings retailers and “general merchandise” stores. But, our area loses out on consumer spending at auto dealers and auto parts stores, clothing stores, building materials and home and garden suppliers, and even restaurants.

On Friday, Mr. Stella will discuss the study and its implications for our market. He’ll talk about how the data was collected, and how it can be interpreted as recruiters work to attract retailers.

Last month, Lake Norman Regional EDC officials said the retail studies originated in part with requests from Cornelius “stakeholders” concerned about filling vacant retail spaces in town. “Although LNREDC’s primary focus is working with small to large new and existing companies versus retailers, our organization saw a good opportunity to share valuable information our stakeholders expressed a major interest in having,” Mike Griffin, chairman of the EDC, said in a Sept. 22 press release.

Charity Barbee, the EDC’s associate director, said Electricities offered to conduct studies free for all three area towns. “So it made sense to collaborate, to get the data and share it with the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce and three towns we serve so they can decide what to do with the information from here,” she said in the press release.

In addition to providing the studies for the three area towns, ElectriCities also shared a suggested list of retail categories the Town of Cornelius might consider along with sample retailers in each category.

The monthly Focus Friday sessions are free, and are sponsored by DavidsonNews.net and CorneliusNews.net. For more information, contact the Chamber at 704-892-1922.

RELATED LINKS

Sept. 22, 2011, Lake Norman Economic Development Corp. press release announcing the study results. (PDF)

Download copies of the studies for Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville on the website of the Lake Norman Economic Development Corp., LakeNormanRegion.com

Lake Norman Chamber website, lakenormanchamber.org

Torre Jessup, an executive with the host committee for next year’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, will be the guest speaker Friday morning, Oct. 28, at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Focus Friday issues session. The program runs 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the chamber office, 19900 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius. Read the full story