BELMONT, N.C. — The City of Belmont's Planning and Zoning Board held a meeting Thursday night on a controversial proposal to develop a massive new neighborhood.
The project, which is called the Henry Chapel Subdivision, aims to build over 600 single-family homes on a massive 275-acre area on Davis River Road, just off South Point Road. According to the proposal, the houses will have a density of 2.26 units per acre.
At Thursday's meeting, Belmont residents expressed major concerns about congestion since there is already gridlock on South Point Road, which is also the only route to I-85 and will be the only route to get in and out of the proposed development.
Residents in Belmont said there is bumper-to-bumper traffic creeping down South Point Road.
"It's incredible how bad it gets," Belmont resident Ian Oiler said. "Trying to get anywhere in this town now is ridiculous. It's all gridlock, it never was like this."
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The area around South Point Road in Belmont has seen growth in recent years and this two-lane road also serves as a major artery into Charlotte.
As developers prepare to mash the gas, residents are asking city leaders to pump the brakes expressing concerns about overcrowding.
"The roads can't handle the traffic already," Kayleigh Rapp said
Walter Pegues lives along Henry Chapel Road. It’s one of two entrance points that would be required for the new development. The other entrance point is Forrest Hill Road, which would no longer be a dead end if the development is approved.
"You’re looking at more than 600 homes with four or five people living at each home," Pegues said. "Today there are up to four cars sitting in the driveway. How are you going to account for getting out of where you live," Pegues said.
Along with overcrowding at Henry Chapel and South Point, there are also concerns about water and congestion in schools.
"There isn’t any one thing that’s not going to be impacted by this," Pegues said.
As residents continue to push back against plans, the board is recommending the city council deny the proposals due to concerns that it does not follow the law regarding traffic mitigation.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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