Local pressure is mounting and opposition groups have made some progress in an effort to block a low income housing project called Ballantyne Crossing, after the Charlotte Housing Authority reduced the project from 110 units, to 86.
Ballantyne Crossing is a low income section 8 housing and retail complex proposed by Texas Based Republic Development Corporation. Republic is seeking city approval to develop the multifamily residential units and 4,500 square feet of retail on 7 acres at the intersection of Providence Road West and 521.
Besides the low income apartments the project also includes a strip shopping center with amenities rumored to include a liquor store, Cash Advance America Bank and Circle K with video poker games.
According to the Charlotte Observer, the decision to shrink the number of homes came in part due to concerns from the community. Hundreds of residents gathered Monday night at a Ballantyne church to discuss the issue.
“During the rezoning process, we have listened to community feedback and stakeholder input, and have amended the petition accordingly,” said Stuart Proffitt with the Republic Development Group of Texas, which has led the rezoning effort for the housing authority.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Warren Cooksey, who represents the Ballantyne area on the council, would not return calls or respond to an e-mails seeking comment regarding the project.
Early this week Council member Cooksey reminded citizens that discrimination is an unlawful practice giving indication that he was besieged with some rather frank and nasty comments.
It is expected that Council and Cooksey will support the project. You can view the request here.
Cedar Post feels that the never ending zoning changes are burdensome on council, the taxpayers and local businesses who plan their investments based on established zoning requirements only to have them changed a few years later. Further the support of a Texas based development company by any member of city council is just all kinds of wrong.
Cedar Posts does not support the petition.
You can try to reach Cooksey at warren@warrencooksey.com or call him at 704-347-0420, but Cedar Posts encourages citizens to contact all members of city council via the links on the right hand sidebar.
8 comments:
Yep, our leaders truly believe in sharing the wealth "rather you earn or take it"...LOL
This does not make sense to me at all for several reasons:
1) tranportation issues
2) just being able to afford groceries, etc. in that area
3) ability to afford childcare in that area
Why NOT take some of those empty buildings downtown and make them into condo's and apartmnets. The folks would be right there at all tranportation depots! They would be closer to everything else and it is MUCH cheaper there as well.
I do not mind the mix so much, we have had it over in our are (Steele Creek), yes, the crime went up in our neighborhoods, but the real issue is the lack of tranportation! I see these folks standing in the cold and rain all the time waiting for one of the few buses that come our way! It is SAD because they have no other choice! I don't think it is fair to them AT ALL! On top of that they are further from their families, and support networks!
I am still waiting for Killian, Samuelson, and Tillis to explain why they voted with the Ds for this anti-discrimination law Cooksey says ties the city's hands on re-zoning... I probably die first....
There is no reason for this project except to help bail out the developer who bought the land in 2007 at a super inflated price. Why should the taxpayers bail out some out of town company that made a bad choice?
does any of city council live in ballantyne? if so what is their position?
does anyone know the details of the sen. soles indictment. last i heard, he shot a client while leaving his home. this situation explains so much about our government. nc anti gun activist shoots his client?
wait i said that wrong. let me try again. i thought 521 and prov. road west were outside of ballantyne. does any of council own property, have family or any connection to that area? bet not.
maybe we should check the projects that are close to council members homes to see what those are like
Please set aside all of the comments about race, diversity and $$ in Ballantyne. The Country Club does NOT define Ballantyne. The issue is the land they are trying to rezone from commercial to mixed use and make some BIG BUCKS. Stuart Proffitt (Republic Development) will make $800,000 in fees. If Republic Development donates their share to those families that will be living there, I'll be behind him 100%. (86 units / $9,300 per family). Stimulus money is involved here. They want to put 86 units on 5.75 acres. The most they should put is 12 u/acre. EVERYONE should be angry how our tax money is being spent. Everyone does deserve afforable housing in an area they can thrive. Public transporation, sidewalks, parks are a huge part of that. This property and the surrounding area have none of these. They are doing people who need help a disservice cramming them in a 'nice neighborhood' with NO services and patting themselves on their fat wallets.
I emailed everyone on the City Council as well as the mayor voicing my disapproval. I encourage everyone to call and email them daily.
Currently, the main Section 8 Apartments involve the voucher program. A voucher may be either "project-based" (where its use is limited to a specific apartment complex; public housing agencies (PHAs) may reserve up to 20% of its vouchers as such.[10]) or "tenant-based" (where the tenant is free to choose a unit in the private sector, is not limited to specific complexes, and may reside anywhere in the United States or Puerto Rico where a PHA operates a Section 8 program, PHAs are required to send tenants portable, unless proven budget restrictions prevent them).
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