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'Take paradise and put up a parking lot' | Fear, excitement among mix of emotions for eastern Lincoln County growth

Census estimates show eastern Lincoln County, which includes Denver and Triangle, saw a 33% growth in its population in the last decade.

Brandon Goldner

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Published: 5:06 PM EDT October 18, 2021
Updated: 5:06 PM EDT October 18, 2021

As the housing market in the Charlotte region continues to boom, many homeowners are now looking across Lake Norman to eastern Lincoln County.

Eastern Lincoln County's population jumped more than 33% in the last decade, according to census estimates. In that same period, the city of Charlotte had a 20% growth in population.

This changing population has led to a surge in home and multi-family construction, as new neighborhoods, with names referencing the area's agricultural roots, are sprouting up on land once home to crops and livestock.

Shannon Avason, a realtor with The Rockel Group, said families are drawn to Lincoln County's low taxes and faster commutes into Charlotte.

Credit: WCNC-TV
A map from the 2020 Eastern Lincoln Mobility Study.

"Over the past three years, it's been substantially higher," Avason said, referring to the area's growth. "I know there's a lot of people that see the growth and get worried, but I think that the commissioners have done a really good job keeping it contained and keeping it under control."

The county hasn't approved a new subdivision since November 2018, but the growth eastern Lincoln County's already experienced is producing a wave of emotions, from elation and optimism to sadness and disappointment.

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