Davidson sues over N.C. 73 land rezoning
CommunityOne Bank, owner of a 179-acre parcel along N.C. 73, filed suit Wednesday (Nov. 2) against the Town of Davidson over a rezoning of the property approved by the town board in September.
The suit, filed in Superior Court in Charlotte, alleges that the board's action:
Denied the bank's rights to use a master plan developed by the previous owner (whom CommunityOne foreclosed on) for up to two years.
Violated the town's planning ordinance.
Denied the bank's right to contest the rezoning.
Employed "arbitrary (and) capricious" justification for approving the rezoning.
The town moved to rezone the property after Asheboro-based CommunityOne foreclosed on the property in December 2009. Town leaders favored a plan dominated by a so-called employment campus, which would add jobs but not population.
Susan Irvin, a lawyer representing CommunityOne, argued that the roads, water, sewer and other basic costs for the entire development would be close to $11 million, and a sizable residential area would be necessary to raise the cash to pay for that infrastructure. A development tied to the rezoning approved by the board, she estimated, would leave a developer more than $3 million short of the revenue needed to fund the infrastructure, making development unfeasible.
— John Deem
Saturday event aids adoption efforts
A benefit this weekend is part of an ongoing community-wide effort to help a Huntersville family follow through on plans to adopt two teenagers from Ukraine.
The event will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Historic Ranson House, 412 Old Statesville Road, in Huntersville. Activities, including dinner, a silent auction and a raffle, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue until 10:30 p.m.
Tickets, registration forms, donation details and other basic information about the project can be obtained by visiting www.giftof2.org and following the links to the Nov. 5 event.
The adoption party/fundraiser is to assist Matt and Lisa Givens in their efforts to officially adopt Ukrainian teenagers Ivan and Anatoliy. The two boys, 15 and 13 respectively, visited the Givens family this summer through New Horizons for Children, an international cultural and humanitarian program. In just one month, the two teens from the Ukrainian orphanage made a big impression on the Givenses and their three sons.
According to an online diary the Givens family kept, plans to pursue adoption were initiated during the teary trip to the airport when the boys' summer visit came to a close. In investigating the details in following through with adoption, the Givens family learned that adding the two teens to their family would cost about $30,000.
Saturday's event, coordinated by a core group of family and friends and a growing legion of other supporters who have learned about the family's efforts, is designed to help generate a portion of the money needed to keep the adoption process moving forward.
Walk to benefit Ada Jenkins Center
Each day, programs and services provided through the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson make life a little better, and tough times just a little bit easier to endure, for people throughout the north Mecklenburg and south Iredell region.
This weekend, area residents have the chance to give back just a little, simply by walking.
The first Ada Jenkins Walkathon will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, in the Antiquity development in downtown Cornelius. Between 9 a.m and 3 p.m., participants are welcome to walk the paved, quarter-mile route along closed streets in order to raise money for the center.
To register, donate or download pledge forms, visit www.adajenkins.org/events/walkathon. All walkathon participants who raise $100 or more will be entered in a drawing for a new iPad.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Ada Jenkins Center, which has become a clearinghouse of community service and assistance programs. During the past year, the center, on Gamble Street in Davidson, helped more than 19,474 residents with more than half of those participating in more than one program.
Pack a shoe box for those in need
A collection of everyday necessities to make the holidays a little better for those in need will culminate with "Pack a Shoe Box" day right before Thanksgiving.
Servants of the Most High Ministries will sponsor the event on Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Charles Mack Citizen Center on Main Street in downtown Mooresville. Representatives of the organization will be at the center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. processing donations of small toys, school supplies, hygiene items and other small gifts and personal necessities.
Volunteers are needed to help pack the boxes and the donations from the community are required to make the project successful. Items may be dropped off at the registration desk on the day of the collection or those interested in making donations or serving as volunteers can obtain additional information at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling 704-948-7128.
The gift boxes will be donated to the Operation Christmas Child program coordinated by Samaritan's Purse. Donations are also needed to help with the shipping costs to get the boxes to the distribution center.
Top Gun softball tourneys come here
Top Visit Lake Norman and Huntersville's Park and Recreation Department are partnering to play host to the Top Gun Softball's Winter World Series this weekend, Nov. 4-6, at North Meck Park, and the Winter Nationals Nov. 12-13 at Bradford Park and North Meck Park.
Youth teams between the age groups of 8-18 are expected to travel from Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. At least 204 teams have registered for the Winter World Series and 84 teams for the Winter Nationals.
Top Gun Softball's Summer World Series in July, which was held in Huntersville, generated an estimated $888,420 in economic impact and was the first Top Gun Softball national event the Lake Norman region has hosted. The two Top Gun Sports events in November are estimated to generate at least $1.3 million in direct visitor spending to the area.
— Staff
