For the last couple decades, the town of Mount Pleasant has remained untouched by commercial, industrial and residential development while Cabarrus’ other jurisdictions saw remarkable growth in each of those areas.
The town has not had a major housing development - though one is in the works - or landed a project from the Cabarrus Economic Development Corp.
Town commissioners say the town isn’t purposefully keeping development out, but merely waiting on the right time and the right projects. Before growth can come, the town will need better highways, expanded infrastructure and freed-up land for developers.
“I don’t think you have to promote the residential growth,” said commissioner Del Eudy, who is one of three candidates seeking two seats on the board in the upcoming election. “It will happen on its own. Now, with all the growth in Concord and Kannapolis, developers are seeing us as an untapped resource.”
Commissioner Maura Eberhardt and resident Mike Metcalf are the other two candidates vying for the seats.
Newcomer to the commission Rick Burleyson is up for a two-year term on the board and running unopposed. Also unopposed and up for re-election is Mayor Troy Barnhart.
Eberhardt said the town is developing a detailed “overlay plan” that can be given to residential and commercial developers that explains the kind of growth the town wants.
“It just hasn’t materialized yet,” Eberhardt said. “(Commercial) development will come when N.C. 49 is widened. It’s getting ready. It’s on the launch pad.”
Barnhart echoed Eberhardt’s sentiments, but added he thinks commercial developers will hold off until they feel Mount Pleasant has the people to support their businesses.
“I think along N.C. 49, when it’s four lanes, we’ll see some business,” said Barnhart.
“But if we got rooftops, I believe it would be before then.”
Burleyson said he would like to see commercial and industrial growth come to the city before any residential growth.
“It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg,” Burleyson said. “We can’t get rooftops to support business growth. And we can’t justify residential without tax base to support it. I would like to see business and industrial before we get rooftops. There are (commercial) businesses that don’t rely on walk-in retail. I would like to see some of those kind of businesses come through the area.”
Metcalf said he thinks the town should focus on infrastructure before it moves forward with any residential growth - school space, water, sewer and roads.
“Really, there needs to be a good, hard look at schools,” he said.
Metcalf added that holding developers to standards, such as the thickness of asphalt, could ensure that roads remain adequate for years to come.
“I want to know what (residential) developments are going to be when they’re built out in seven years,” he said, adding that holding the line on developers up front will ensure quality later on for the town.
Right now, a 790-unit housing development is in the works for a site just outside of downtown Mount Pleasant. The project, however, has not been formerly submitted to the town.
Because of a lawsuit involving a development at the same site that ended this year, the town’s attorney has advised commissioners not to look at the new developer’s plan until it is officially presented.
“We haven’t had a meeting with (developers) yet, so we have no clue,” Eberhardt said.
Metcalf, as a resident, has been able to attend some of the developer’s public information sessions.
“I think the developer wants to do their due diligence and do right by the community, because their getting pressure to do it (from residents),” Metcalf said.
In the last year, Barnhart said, 2,000 acres of the immediate area surrounding Mount Pleasant have been sold - with only one tract going to developers.
To reel in industrial development, all the candidates said a certified site would be needed. And even then, the town doesn’t have any rail or a certified site.
“It would have to be light industrial,” Eberhardt said.
Eudy said the costs to create a certified site for industrial development would be enormous for the city.
“For industrial, you need a certified site,” Eudy said.
John Cox, president and CEO of the Cabarrus Economic Development Corp., said he believes the Town Commission is very pro-industrial growth and has met with them several times about establishing a certified site.
Cox said it could be done by the town or by a private developer.
“Without a site, we can’t take (new business) prospects out there,” he said.
Eric Deines
