Board of Commissioners

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS January 5, 2026 MINUTES PRE-MEETING - 4:30PM Mayor Bilodeau called the Pre-meeting to order at 4:36PM.  Agenda Review Manager Grant provided an overview of the 6PM agenda items.  FY27 Budget-Parks and Rec Recap of Park Bond Projects Parks Director Fitzsimmons introduced Parks Commissioners Trey Fouche and Carla Eustache before he presented the 2024 GO Park Bonds sales and project prioritizations. He highlighted the public input methods, the general recommendations received, potential bond projects, and projected bond sale dates/amounts. Director Fitzsimmons outlined the bond sale recommendations for Phases 1-3 (2026-2033). Manager Grant stated that if the Board was comfortable with what has been presented, he recommended a FY26 budget amendment of $430K for Phase 1 soft costs for consideration on Jan. 20th. The Board consensus was to agree with the recommendation. The Board discussed land acquisitions, the timelines being presented, and reimbursements back to the Town for upfront soft costs when bonds are sold. Commissioner Furcht made a motion to adjourn the Pre-meeting at 5:28PM. Commissioner Carney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. REGULAR MEETING - 6:00PM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Bilodeau called the meeting to order at 6:00PM. 2. DETERMINATION OF QUORUM All commissioners were present at the meeting except for Commissioner Johnson who was out of town. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Furcht made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Osborne seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 4-0. 4. MOMENT OF SILENCE AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Bilodeau led the pledge after a moment of silence was observed. 5. CITIZEN CONCERNS/COMMENTS Mayor Bilodeau invited the public to speak. Town Clerk Lori Harrell called on the following to speak: 01/05/26 Regular Meeting Page 1  Alexis Yates – 18663 Shawnee Ridge Road, expressed her support on behalf of the Falcons Rugby team for additional field space at JV Washam Elementary. 6. REPORTS Commissioner Carney reported on the following: • DDI light timing follow up – as part of the construction project, NCDOT has removed the sensors at Hwy. 21/Catawba Ave. and will reinstall them upon the project completion that is anticipated to be Fall 2026. NCDOT said they are monitoring the traffic volumes and adjusting manually in the interim. • DMP follow up – he has met with residents regarding the proposed plan, and the overall concerns are the transportation routes that are shown going through private properties. He has explained that the Board will be holding future communication opportunities before a final decision is made. Commissioner Furcht reported on the following: • He has been working with Planning and Parks to fill seats on the Planning Board and Parks Commission. Recommendations should be ready by the Jan. 20th meeting. Asst. Manager Beardsley reported on the following: • Leaf collection began in November and 3½ rounds have been completed to date. Collection will continue through the month of January. 7. TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION Commissioner Osborne explained that the Transportation Advisory Board has identified 5 high- priority/feasible improvements that could provide near-term congestion relief prior to and/or during active NCDOT construction projects. He presented the top 5 recommendations and details before asking the Board to support directing Town staff to pursue the recommendations (Attachment 1). The Board discussed the improvement recommendations before giving their support. Commissioner Osborne made a motion directing Town staff to explore options to immediately address the top 5 recommendations as presented. Commissioner Furcht seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 4-0. Asst. Manager Beardsley reported to the Board that upon investigating the signal concerns at West Catawba/Westmoreland intersection, they are functioning properly. The intersection at West Catawba/Nantz Road signal issues were due to the construction contractor hitting a signal loop that impacts the signaling but is being addressed by the developer of the adjacent parcel. Manager Grant stated that, when possible, the police department can help with traffic assistance; however, Deputy Chief Thompson explained how traffic policing impacts the entire department. Mayor Bilodeau asked if the cameras were of any help. Asst. Manager Beardsley explained that he looked at the cameras with the police department and had determined that the traffic backups were mostly due to traffic volume and not signal timing. 8. PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT A. REZ 07-25 Westmoreland Healthcare Facility Mayor Bilodeau called on Planning Director Burhans to present rezoning case REZ 07-25. 01/05/26 Regular Meeting Page 2  Mr. Burhans presented a rezoning request made by Novant Health to rezone 4.73 acres located at 18715 Westmoreland that was approved as Conditional Zoning for the Vanderbilt Children’s College in 2017 and is adjacent to Alexander Farms. This rezoning would allow for a 20,000sf. healthcare facility (15,000sf. ambulatory surgery center and 5,000sf. urgent care). The street landscape buffer will mirror the Alexander Farms approval. Access to the facility will be from Westmoreland Road and Eagleridge Way Lane (right-in/right-out). Construction is anticipated to begin within 9 months of approval. Mr. Burhans stated that the Northcross Drive extension project is anticipated to be complete in early 2027 and will connect NC73 to Westmoreland Road. The Pre-development Review Committee meeting held on Aug. 28, 2025, discussed the ingress/egress driveway configuration, the timing of the adjacent roundabout completion, and that the development should be consistent with the Alexander Farms setback/buffers. The community meeting held on Dec. 18, 2025, had approximately 12 attendees that expressed concerns about the close proximity to the new Atrium Healthcare hospital and added traffic the facility will generate. He then gave an overview of the staff review and site considerations. Mike Riley the president of Novant Healthcare Huntersville stated that this facility does not require a Certificate of Needs (CON) approval by the State. Commissioner Furcht asked how many staff there will be for the facility. Mr. Riley stated that there will be 4 people per operating room. Commissioner Sansbury asked if a TIA (traffic impact analysis) is needed. Mr. Riley stated it is not. Commissioner Osborne asked what the anticipated timeline is for the project. Mr. Riley stated that construction will take place within a year and the facility would be operational within 2 years. Commissioner Carney asked if the property will be taxable. Mr. Ethan Davis, with Meadow’s and Ohly stated that it is taxable (property taxes). Mayor Bilodeau invited the public to speak, and Town Clerk Lori Harrell called upon the following: Kelley McFarland – 16847 Doe Valley Court, spoke in opposition to the project as she believes it is not the highest and best use for the property and that is so close to the new Atrium hospital. There being no other speakers, Mayor Bilodeau thanked Ms. McFarland for her comments and the applicant for answering the Board’s questions. B. REZ 08-25 Holiday Lane Healthcare Facility Mayor Bilodeau called on Planning Director Burhans to present rezoning case REZ 07-25. Mr. Burhans presented a rezoning request made by Novant Health to rezone 3.04 acres located at 19935 Holiday Lane that was approved as Conditional Zoning for a 100-room/5- story Sheraton Hotel in 2009 and is immediately north of the State Employees Credit Union. This rezoning would allow for a 11,400sf. healthcare emergency department. Mr. Burhans stated that the Catawba Ave./Hwy. 21 intersection improvements project is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2026. The Pre-development Review Committee meeting held on Aug. 28, 2025, discussed emergency vehicle siren noise, parking allowances, and the lack of compatibility with future land use category Waterfront Mixed Use (WMX). The committee stated that the site was better suited for hotel use. The community meeting held on Dec. 16, 2025, had 3 attendees that expressed concerns with emergency vehicle noise and questioned 01/05/26 Regular Meeting Page 3  the difference between urgent care facilities and emergency departments. He then gave an overview of the staff review and site considerations. Hannah Miracle with V3 Companies provided insight as to why the emergency department facility is a better fit than the originally approved hotel due to their identified wetlands area. Commissioner Furcht questioned why this proposed site is so close to the Westmoreland proposed site. Mr. Mike Riley the president of Novant Healthcare Huntersville stated that this facility will help alleviate the overcrowding at the Huntersville emergency department. Commissioner Furcht asked if the two proposed projects are tied together. Mr. Riley stated that they are separate but complement each other. Commissioner Sansbury asked if this project requires a CON. Mr. Riley stated that it does require a Certificate of Need and they are in the approval process with the State. Commissioner Carney expressed concerns with the project being the highest and best use for the site. Ms. Miracle gave an overview of the site and highlighted the wetlands area that factors into buildable area (Novant responded earlier in the meeting that the Holiday Lane facility would also pay property taxes). Mayor Bilodeau invited the public to speak, and Town Clerk Lori Harrell called upon the following: Timothy McCullough – 22002 Molly Harper, expressed his concerns for the need to have 5 emergency departments within a 10-mile stretch of I-77 (exits 23, 25, 28, 33). He stated that it is unnecessary. There being no other speakers, Mayor Bilodeau thanked Mr. McCullough for his comments and the applicant for answering the Board’s questions. 9. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Closed Session Minutes - Dec. 15th (Approved 4-0) B. Approve Regular Meeting Minutes - Dec. 15th (Approved 4-0) Commissioner Sansbury made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Commissioner Carney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. 10. COMMISSIONER CONCERNS A. 2050 Downtown Master Plan (DMP) Next Steps Commissioner Sansbury expressed concerns with considering approval of the DMP on Jan. 20th as established at the Nov. 17th meeting. He explained that he continues to meet with residents to discuss the plan in more detail and understand their concerns, therefore, he doesn’t believe he’s ready to make any formal decision on the plan. Planning Director Burhans explained that during the public hearing held on Nov. 17th, the Board closed the public hearing, therefore, if they are not ready to consider the plan as presented a new date would need to be established. He also added that if there are significant changes made to the plan, a new public hearing will need to be established and properly noticed. Attorney Wolter explained that the Board can by formal motion assign another date to allow for additional consideration time or establish a new public hearing. The Board consensus was that they wanted to talk about the plan on Jan. 20th and hear public input but not consider it for approval on Jan. 20th. Attorney Wolter stated that because they closed the public hearing, the public cannot speak on the plan unless they want to place the discussion under Old Business with no Board action to take place. 01/05/26 Regular Meeting Page 4  Commissioner Carney made a motion to move the consideration of approval and/or new public hearing to Mar. 16th but discuss the plan under Old Business on the Jan. 20th meeting. Commissioner Sansbury seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 4-0. 11. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Commissioner Osborne made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:16PM. Commissioner Furcht seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously, 5-0. Approved this 20th day of January 2026. ATTEST: Denis Bilodeau, Mayor Lori A Harrell, Town Clerk 01/05/26 Regular Meeting Page 5  Attachment 1 Top 5 Near-Term Traffic Congestion Improvements Recommended for Town Staff Action Town Board Open Transportation Discussion | January 2026 Request for Board Support The Transportation Advisory Board has identified five high-priority, feasible improvements that can provide near-term congestion relief prior to or during active NCDOT construction. We cannot wait for NCDOT timelines on critical congestion relief. I am asking the Board to support directing Town staff to pursue these recommendations. If DOT related, request Town staff work with NCDOT Division 10 for approvals to move forward. Summary: Top 5 Recommendations # Improvement NCDOT Project Score Priority 1 DDI/Exit 28 Signage & Markings C-5621 (Fall 2026) 135 HIGH 2 Catawba Ave Signal Sequencing (EB & WB) C-5621 / U-5906 135 HIGH 3 Remove Protected Left at Catawba/US 21 C-5621 (Fall 2026) 135 HIGH 4 US 21/Westmoreland Left Turn Stacking BUILD Grant 135 HIGH pending 5 Bailey Rd / NC 115 Intersection + CMS Town-led 135 HIGH Routing All five recommendations score as HIGH PRIORITY (135 points). All align with active or planned NCDOT projects or Mayor's direction to pursue feasible congestion relief. Recommendation Details 1. DDI/Exit 28 Overhead Signage and Pavement Markings Problem: Current DDI wayfinding creates driver confusion on westbound Catawba approaching Exit 28. Solution: Install updated overhead signage and pavement markings concurrent with C-5621 roundabout completion (Fall 2026). TAB Items: Row 31, Row 113 2. Catawba Avenue Signal Sequencing (Eastbound & Westbound) Problem: Poor signal coordination causes stop-and-go traffic and excessive backups, especially during PM rush (3-6 PM). Once backups occur, we have frustrated drivers that accentuate the issue by blocking intersections or free travel. Solution: Manual signal sequencing adjustments during construction phases: • Eastbound: Jetton Road to US 21 • Eastbound/South Catawba Ave at Westmoreland  • Westbound: School Street to US 21 (3-6 PM priority) Scoring Note: Originally scored Medium Impact/Feasibility in June 2024 (Row 51). Rescored to High based on worsening traffic conditions and public input. TAB Items: Row 51 (Signal Optimization), Row 97, Row 105, Row 112 3. Remove Protected Left Turn Arrow at US 21 South from Eastbound Catawba Problem: Protected left turn phase causes unnecessary delay when opposing traffic is light. Solution: Remove left-turn-only lane and protected arrow. This aligns with C-5621 intent and planned roundabout operations. Related Discussion: Row 21 (Flashing yellow vs. protected green arrows) was originally intended for Catawba/NC 115 safety improvements. This conversation can be held concurrently since both address flashing yellow light improvements to intersections. TAB Items: Row 14 (scored High/High), Row 21 (Catawba/NC 115 flashing yellow) 4. Increase Left Turn Stacking at US 21 Northbound / Westmoreland Problem: Left turn queue overflows into through lanes, blocking US 21 traffic. Solution: Extend left turn storage lane on US 21 northbound approach. Context: Westmoreland Interchange fell out of CRTPO MTP. BUILD Grant application due January 30, 2026. This provides interim relief. Scoring Note: Originally scored Medium Feasibility/Time Sensitivity/Passion due to lack of current NCDOT project. Rescored to High across all criteria per Mayor's direction to push forward feasible projects that relieve congestion. Town prepared to advance work. 5. Bailey Road / NC 115 Intersection + CMS Bus Routing Problem: Dangerous intersection geometry. Additionally, buses are required to stop at the railroad crossing, creating a bottleneck for all egress from the school area. Solution: Implement speed street concept or dedicated left turn lane. Coordinate with CMS to reroute buses away from railroad crossing. Scoring Note: Originally scored Medium Feasibility due to railroad/CMS coordination complexity. Rescored to High reflecting Town's commitment to advance improvements and urgency of school safety concerns. TAB Items: Row 13 (scored High/High), Row 100, Row 106 TAB Scoring Methodology Weighted formula: (Impact×3) + (Feasibility×5) + (Time Sensitivity×2) + (Passion×1) + (Urgency×4) Rating values: High=9, Medium=3, Low=1 Priority thresholds: 100+ = High Priority | 70-99 = Medium Priority | <70 = Lower Priority Recommendation Impact Feasibility Time Passion Urgency Score 1. DDI Signage High High High High High 135 2. Signal Seq.* High* High* High High High 135  3. Left Turn High High High High High 135 4. US21/Westmrld** High High** High** High** High 135 5. Bailey/NC115*** High High*** High High High 135 * Rescored from Medium to High — worsening traffic since June 2024; public input. ** Rescored from Medium to High — per Mayor's direction to push forward feasible congestion relief; Town prepared to advance work. *** Rescored from Medium to High — Town commitment to advance improvements; Requested Board Action Motion: Direct Town staff to pursue these five traffic congestion improvements. For DOT- related items, request Town staff work with NCDOT Division 10 for approvals to move forward, with the understanding that the Town is prepared to advance work for potential reimbursement where appropriate.