Mecklenburg County's Eastfield Park rezoning supported by Huntersville staff; construction estimated to begin in about a year

Planning staff presented petition R25/18 from Mecklenburg County seeking to rezone about 114 acres for Eastfield Park to permit a private driveway that requires a buffer disturbance and associated mitigation. Staff told the board the county proposes controlled impervious-cover mitigation that would cap impervious surface at about 12% going forward and would retain a 30-foot undisturbed buffer along much of the site.

Staff said the project generally aligns with the Huntersville 2040 community plan for parks and open space but noted outstanding items: a specimen-tree table and a few minor comments that must be addressed before a final staff recommendation. County representatives said construction documents are about 80% complete; once rezoning and minor comments are addressed the county will proceed to bid and contract and expects construction to begin in approximately one year.

A nearby resident spoke in support during public comment, saying she lives nearby and is excited to see the park move forward. Planning staff and the county applicant answered board questions about tree preservation, culvert work (the applicant said the design would extend an existing culvert rather than add a new one), and potential future road connections; staff clarified that earlier plans had shown a Verhoeff Road extension but that alignment would require a separate study and is not part of the current application.

The transcript records staff support conditional on addressing specimen-tree details and minor comments; no final zoning decision or recorded vote on the rezoning appears in the meeting record.