Inside: Find out how much homes sold for in your neighborhood • Page 3A
Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 • Vol. 10 • No. 46
ABOUT US P.O. BOX 1104 Matthews, NC 28106 (704) 849-2261
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Neighbors worry about connectivity Stub streets at crux of Mint Hill rezoning by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
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MINT HILL – Residents in the Jefferson Colony neighborhood worry that a newer, more expensive subdivision proposed next door will turn their community into a cut-through. Cadence Mint Hill could bring 247 single-family lots on 125 acres next to Jefferson Colony. While the main entrance to the new subdivision will be at Bartlett Road, residents are more concerned about two connections to Jefferson Colony, via stub streets Statesman Drive and Liberty Hill Drive. Windi Hanigan has lived in Jefferson Colony
since 1974. She describes it as a diverse, self-sufficient neighborhood with no sidewalks or street lights. While Hanigan believes in people having the ability to sell their property, she doesn’t understand why Jefferson Colony has to be involved in the project’s development. “We are not part of a neighborhood,” she said during the public hearing Nov. 9 at Mint Hill Town Hall. “All we are is a cut-through neighborhood. That’s what you’ll make us.” More than a dozen people spoke during the hearing. Most were residents of Jefferson Colony. Danny Brown compared the rezoning to Jefferson Colony getting bullied by a bigger neighborhood. “I’m sure our neighborhood is going to come together, and we’re going to fight the cutthroughs,” Brown said. “They can spend money
and cut through somewhere else.” Homes in Cadence Mint Hill will be age-targeted with all-brick, ranch-style homes and full yard maintenance conducive to empty-nester lifestyle, according to Bob Wiggins, vice president of acquisition and land development at Mattamy Homes. Homes will be sold in the mid- to high $300,000s. Wiggins said the nature of the project, with smaller 55-foot-wide lots selling for a higher price per square foot, are not as attractive to younger families with children. The neighborhood will have 25 percent open space, as well as pocket parks, walking paths and sidewalks. “Charlotte is a very hot real estate market,” Wiggins said. “We have people moving here see SUBDIVISION, Page 4A
No kumbaya on superstreet project yet Indian Trail resolution denied by Matthews by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
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David and Shelly Shaeffer received support from neighbors to keep their two miniature goats. Eight signed a petition to the town leadership. MMHW file photo
$10M goal SHARE Charlotte aims to help community, 6A
Mint Hill leaders relax town's restriction on miniature goats by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
Byes help Butler football preps for deep playoff run, 1B
D-D-Defense County tries to woo USL soccer team, 1B
INDEX Crime................................................................................ 2A Classifieds..............................................................5B Calendar....................................................................4B History........................................................................... 4A Sports.............................................................................. 1B Puzzles.........................................................................3B Home Sales........................................................ 3A
MINT HILL – Town leaders have relaxed rules about owning miniature goats by designating them as household pets rather than livestock. Prior to the Nov. 9 change, residents couldn’t have goats unless they had at least two acres. The revision allows miniature goats on at least one acre. The town’s animal control ordinance caps the number of miniature goats at four per acre, which concerned Commissioner Richard “Fig” Newton. “First of all, I think four goats
an acre is ridiculous,” Newton said. “I’ve had goats for over 20 years. I know a lot about goats. I’m not against goats – that’s not what I’m going to tell you – but I am against cruelty to animals.” Newton explained how not having enough land could lead to parasites, such as Coccidiosis, that cause a goat to starve and die. He said a wet spring or damp early summer makes goats more susceptible to it. “I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars trying to save goats,” Newton said. “I’ve had three die in the last seven years.” Newton was the only commissioner to oppose the change. The
mayor and other three commissioners supported it. “I talked to couple of the commissioners and one of their biggest concerns is that we have a clear definition of what a miniature goat is,” Mayor Ted Biggers said. The revised ordinance specifically mentions pygmy, Nigerian dwarf and pygora goats as household pets. David and Shelly Shaeffer initiated the ordinance change after receiving a notice saying they violated the town’s livestock rules. The couple, who live on 1.3 acres off Richmond Road, bought two female pygmy goats for their milk. But Friendly and Fennikin have become part of the Shaeffer family.
MATTHEWS – Indian Trail’s attempt to establish consensus with neighboring towns over the abandonment of a superstreet design for the Old Monroe Road widening hit a pothole Nov. 13. The town adopted a resolution this month calling for the N.C. Department of Transportation to abandon the superstreet concept from the entire six-mile stretch and make Old Monroe Road a four-lane, signalized boulevard with medians. Indian Trail sent its resolution to Stallings and Matthews to approve in hopes of establishing a unified front, but Matthews commissioners thought the resolution was too specific and denied the request. All three towns have passed resolutions in hopes of eliminating the superstreet through their stretch of the project, but Matthews’ reasons have been more nuanced than merely not wanting to eliminate left turns. The highway goes through downtown Matthews, putting several older homes at risk. There’s all growing sentiment among residents not to widen the highway at all – at least until other state road projects in see SUPERSTREET, Page 3A
Huckabee supports Harris for 9th District seat by Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com
MONROE – Mark Harris is getting support for his upcoming congressional campaign from prominent national Republican Mike Huckabee. Harris, former pastor at First Baptist Charlotte, served as Huckabee’s North Carolina campaign chairman when the Harris former Arkansas gov-
ernor ran for President. Outside of politics, Huckabee hosts a weekly TV show on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network), serves as a contributor to FOX News Channel, owns radio stations in three states and stays active on the speaking circuit. With so much going on, Huckabee doesn’t anticipate having a lot of time to travel the country over the next year endorsing candidates, making his support for Harris that more meaningful.
Huckabee took a few minutes Nov. 14 to answer questions from Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly at the Rolling Hills Country Club. Some of his answers were edited for brevity. Go to www.matthewsminthill weekly.com to read the interview in its entirety. I saw a video on YouTube of you endorsing Mark in 2016. He came close to winning that primary. Were you surprised he decided to run again?
Not really. It’s one of the reasons I find it easy to support him. When people run for office and they don’t win and they are so disappointed that they quit, I kind of think they maybe never should have run, because politics is a process, not an event. If you look at it like, ‘I’m going to give it my shot, but if I don’t succeed, I’m out, I feel like you wasted the experience you learned from see HUCKABEE, Page 6A
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