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West Mecklenburg residents oppose plans for nearby manufacturing plant

Charlotte City Council will vote soon on whether to allow a 146-acre industrial facility to be built in west Mecklenburg County.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Plans for a massive industrial facility in west Mecklenburg County are a step closer to becoming reality. 

The Charlotte Zoning Committee has recommended that city council approves the proposal, but neighbors are still rallying against it. 

"We don’t want a bunch of extra trucks and concrete coming into our neighborhood, we enjoy the nature we have here,” resident Ian Redman told WCNC Charlotte.  

Redman lives in The Rapids at Belmeade, which is surrounded by trees and located near the U.S. National Whitewater Center. 

Redman worries the 146-acre manufacturing and distribution facility would replace the sounds of nature with sounds of semi-trucks.

"It’s gonna be nonstop noise, nonstop smog and pollution we’re going to have to breathe,” added neighbor Tyler Benson.

Credit: Beacon Acquisitions and Crescent Communities

The proposed site backs up to Benson’s house. He wants the land off Rhyne Road to stay zoned for residential development.

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However, an environmental consultant for the developer warned the Zoning Committee that building homes on the property could be dangerous due to chemical contamination found on the land.  

The developers have created a plan to remove the toxic chemicals with help from North Carolina's Brownfields Program. 

If developers get approval, they said they’ll spend $250,000 on improvements to the intersection of Mount Holly and Rhyne Roads. 

While stop lights could help traffic in the area, 87 residents said in a neighborhood survey that they oppose the facility's plans.  

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"We might look to move somewhere else because it feels like they would be kind of wrecking a life that we’re trying to build,” shared Benson. 

City Council will vote on whether to allow the facility to be built on November 21st.

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