BY MELISSA ATHERTON
Rain did not stop residents of Potts, Catawba, Jetton and South Main from attending the Potts Walk on Friday. The neighborhood advocacy group was joined by Alta Vice President Wade Walker, Alta Planner Heather Seagle, Commissioner Autumn Michael, and Town of Davidson Planner Travis Johnson.
The neighborhood has been under significant development pressure over the past year. Residents say the long list of projects threaten their neighborhood’s rural vernacular: Crescent/Potts (246 apartments and nine townhouses with only one ingress/egress to Potts Street); NCDOT Project U-5873 (roundabout at the YMCA and redirection of Potts Street); Town of Davidson plans to use eminent domain to build a ten-foot path in the front yards of Potts Street residents; NCDOT Project U-5907 (connection of Potts and Sloan through a wetland and possible asbestos); Alexander’s Corner (mixed-use); Lake Cornelius Residential (demolition of one home to build sixteen homes at the lake end of Catawba); and the forthcoming redevelopment of Hoke Lumber (current zoning allows four-story commercial surrounded by a neighborhood of single-family homes and The Bungalows).
Residents presented their mobility ideas during the walk:
● The Mooresville to Charlotte Trail should come from the north along the Potts-Sloan-Beaty (PSB) to Catawba Avenue, where it should make a left turn to connect to the Greenway that runs behind Carrburrito’s to Antiquity.
● The Town of Davidson should require Crescent to build a five-foot sidewalk from the Potts-Summers House to the Lake Norman YMCA. Oak trees and crape myrtles should not be cut down and yards should not be encroached upon for a ten foot path in this historic district. This will save the Town money whereas Greenways cost $1.5 million per mile.
● Any multi-use trail to the YMCA should go through the Potts/Crescent property, not along Potts Street.
● A five-foot sidewalk should be constructed under the railroad bridge. There should be no use of eminent domain to take properties along South Main Street.
● Remove the redundant multi-use path on Twin Oaks Road.
● Town of Davidson Commissioners should speak out about “right-sizing” the roundabouts and insist on Town input on the process.
One resident at the Potts Walk suggested that the Town allow Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, like the Onward Golf Cart, on Davidson streets. He cited both social and environmental benefits.
Readers also sent in questions about the Mobility Plan process:
● Is the plan going to address vehicle growth and actually find a way to handle it besides asking people to walk, bike or ride the bus?
● Will they consider eminent domain in order to make connections?
● How will they prioritize pedestrian needs, biking needs, and roadway needs? How will they choose between ten-foot paths and vehicle needs to address significant traffic problems?
● How many more rooftops can be added to Davidson (based on current zoning) - including approved but not built plans until the town is "built out?" What is the high-low range? For example, rural area zoning allows for x, y and z types. If the lowest amount in each area was built and you added those together you would get the low range and then if the maximum amount was built and you added those together you would get the high end of the range. We need to know what the "built out" range could currently look like (even if it is 20-50 years away) and make sure our road infrastructure can accommodate the low end.
The Potts-Catawba advocacy group plans to have significant representation at the three-day charrette.
Here is the charrette schedule:
Tuesday, May 22
Drop-in session: Davidson Town Hall
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Summary session: Davidson United Methodist Church
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Wednesday, May 23
Drop-in session: Davidson Town Hall
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Summary session: Davidson Town Hall
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Thursday, May 24
Drop-in session: Davidson Town Hall
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Final presentation based on entire charrette: Davidson Town Hall
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
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