Entertainment site would disturb ‘peace’ say neighbors in historic Huntersville community
Many residents of a historic Mecklenburg County community are divided on a proposed entertainment site, with some saying it would disturb the peace, while others welcome the small business.
Property owners Jonathan Eury and Katie Carpenter seek approval to build Long Creek Family Entertainment, a family recreation center, on 2.5 acres at 9339 Beatties Ford Rd., but that requires a zoning change in Huntersville, according to documents from the town’s planning department.
The site would include a co-working space with offices for lease and meeting rooms, a club space for local organizations and beverage and food options sourced from local business, Carpenter said during a Feb. 5 public hearing. It would also feature a sand volleyball court and 10,000 square feet of gardening space.
Plans also include a 10-foot sidewalk along Beatties Ford Road and a five-foot sidewalk along Broadway Street, surrounding the property; 22 mulch parking spots and a six-foot privacy fence along the rear of the property, Huntersville Planner Nathan Farber said.
After residents expressed concerns about the facility’s proposed hours of operation, the hours were adjusted so it would close at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and by 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Carpenter, addressing a petition circulating online to stop the rezoning approval, clarified that they would not serve liquor or play any amplified live music and the establishment would not label itself as a “sports venue.”
“Outdoor recreation will be a small part of our business offerings,” Carpenter said. “The only sounds heard will be cheering on teammates.”
‘Leave us our land’
Huntersville resident Sandy Lusk, who has lived in Long Creek for nearly 70 years, said the entertainment facility would have a detrimental effect on her “quiet little neighborhood” that is “full of history.”
In the 1700s and 1800s, Long Creek was home to many water-powered mills, including the Long Creek Mill, the last operating grist mill in the northern part of Mecklenburg County, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission. The community is also home to Hopewell Presbyterian Church, established in the mid-18th century, the church’s website says.
“Can people not just live in peace anymore?” Lusk asked the board. “It’s like they’re taking everything away. Leave us our land. Leave us our peace.”
Residents also spoke about the potential for the facility to bring more traffic to the area.
“This is a bad idea,” resident Bill Mcelroy said. “It’s a bad location…there’s traffic there in the mornings and in the afternoons, and it’s backed up north and south.”
A traffic impact analysis was not required for the application, but Carpenter, citing data from the N.C. Department of Transportation, noted that 10,500 vehicles travel through the Beatties Ford Road/Broadway Street intersection daily. Improvements to the intersection, including the addition of a traffic signal and sidewalks, are slated to begin this summer, according to NCDOT.
Long Creek resident Mary Brett told the board that more than 90% of homeowners in the area signed a petition against the rezoning. Some residents who signed the petition were elderly and could not attend the meeting.
“The voices of their concerns for this petition should be heard loud and clear,” Brett said. “We are a tight knit community where we take care of each other and watch out for each other. Please keep your promises and respect their way of living and protect their properties. Please do the right thing and deny this petition.”
Supporting local businesses
Carpenter started a petition of her own, which garnered signatures from more than 300 people in support.
“This initiative isn’t just about creating another place to work; it’s about fostering connections within our community - something we need now more than ever given the isolation caused by recent events,” Carpenter wrote.
A few notable community members, including former Mecklenburg County Sheriff Irwin Carmichael and former town board member Lance Munger, urged board members to vote in favor of the rezoning request.
Carmichael, a Mecklenburg County native who runs a martial arts training facility near the proposed site, told the board he plans to lead safety classes at the complex if the request is approved.
“It will be a great fit for the community and bring back that community feel we’ve been missing,” said Carmichael. “I think Long Creek Family Entertainment is an exciting opportunity.”
Munger mentioned concerns identified by residents, such as hours of operation, noise levels and pedestrian safety, were all addressed by the applicant.
“We claim to want to support local businesses, and this is an example of what a local business can and should look like,” Munger said. “I know there are a lot of people who moved here for the small town feel, but the door doesn’t close behind.”
Planning board recommendations
The planning board previously recommended denying the request due to its inconsistencies with the town’s land use plans.
The rezoning request, originally submitted in June 2023, was denied by the board in September by a 3-2 vote, Huntersville planner Nathan Farber said. In December, the board called for an additional public hearing.
Farber pointed out that the Beatties Ford Road Corridor Small Area Plan does not support the rezoning request, since “the rezoning is located outside of the designated higher intensity areas and located within the low density residential district,” Farber said.
The plan is also inconsistent with the the town’s 2040 Community Plan, designed to create a vision for land use and development for the next couple of decades, since it is located within the rural conservation and critical watershed districts of the plan, which calls for low density residential development, Farber said.
The rezoning request will be heard by the Huntersville Planning Board on Feb. 27, and is expected to be on the agenda for the town board’s March 18 meeting.
