Union County

[rancenc]

Waxhaw is preparing for future growth in the town.

https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/ucweekly/waxhaw-operating-capital-budgets-address-rapid-growth/article_6973d15e-cb8f-11eb-a900-ebb3d15f2086.html

 

[rancenc]

New subdivision coming to Monroe

https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/ucweekly/monroe-oks-subdivision-against-planning-board-recommendation/article_8eb14002-d9cf-11eb-aaaf-efd700de57dd.html

[KJHburg]

New Atrium Union West Hospital in Stallings looks great.  one of the first things you see when you enter Union County on 74 now. after Scott Clark Toyota of course. 

 

[InSouthPark]

I drove from South Charlotte to Wesley Chapel yesterday for the first time in a long time.  How can they keep building home after home without any infrastructure improvements?  Roads are tiny and terrible.  Not a turning lane to be found. The only thing have done to improve anything is added 400 traffic circles.  Has Union County not learned anything from their neighbors to the north?  Good luck in 10 years when the area is gridlocked and taxes skyrocket.  But at least you can get that 4000sf house y'all need. 

[KJHburg]

They are going to extend Rea Road from Providence as a 4 lane extension to Hwy 84 and Providence Rd will be expanded to 4 lanes south (when this happens do not know)  Since roads are basically a state responsbility it is up to the state.  

NCDOT: Rea Road Extension

Edited July 28, 2021 by KJHburg

[CLTranspo]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Since roads are basically a state responsbility it is up to the state.  

 

It’s true, NC is very unique in that almost all roads are state maintained, however it would have been proactive on these Union county towns’ part to require new developments to include upgrades like turn lanes etc. to the roads they access. 

[TGIBridays]

16 hours ago, InSouthPark said:

How can they keep building home after home without any infrastructure improvements?  Roads are tiny and terrible.  Not a turning lane to be found. The only thing have done to improve anything is added 400 traffic circles.  Has Union County not learned anything from their neighbors to the north?  Good luck in 10 years when the area is gridlocked and taxes skyrocket.  But at least you can get that 4000sf house y'all need. 

I technically live in Stallings, and yes one of the biggest issues is that most of the roads are state owned and NCDOT has been giving our town the runaround for a decade about some of our roads that are literally crumbling.  Potter road and the terrible intersection with Pleasant Plains was supposed to have been redone years ago and then the state finally said they could do it in 2020 if the town chipped in a couple million dollars only for the project to get dropped the minute COVID happened. Now they're saying they don't have money in the budget and the town would need to chip in 2-3x as much.  Since Stallings doesn't have the money and they don't feel like they should have to pay for the project, we're now waiting to see if NCDOT can wrap that intersection into the project to redo Old Monroe Road which is supposed to start construction in 2024. All of this really baffles me, since the state is sitting on a $6.5 billion surplus. Obviously NCDOT needs more funding if they can't maintain their roads.

[InSouthPark]

41 minutes ago, TGIBridays said:

I technically live in Stallings, and yes one of the biggest issues is that most of the roads are state owned and NCDOT has been giving our town the runaround for a decade about some of our roads that are literally crumbling.  Potter road and the terrible intersection with Pleasant Plains was supposed to have been redone years ago and then the state finally said they could do it in 2020 if the town chipped in a couple million dollars only for the project to get dropped the minute COVID happened. Now they're saying they don't have money in the budget and the town would need to chip in 2-3x as much.  Since Stallings doesn't have the money and they don't feel like they should have to pay for the project, we're now waiting to see if NCDOT can wrap that intersection into the project to redo Old Monroe Road which is supposed to start construction in 2024. All of this really baffles me, since the state is sitting on a $6.5 billion surplus. Obviously NCDOT needs more funding if they can't maintain their roads.

Part of that goes to my issue...the towns and counties out there have got to chip in before it gets out of control. But they don't want to because their lower property tax is their big draw.  But you can't have explosive growth, low taxes, and crappy roads and be sustainable long term.  

[TGIBridays]

17 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

Part of that goes to my issue...the towns and counties out there have got to chip in before it gets out of control. But they don't want to because their lower property tax is their big draw.  But you can't have explosive growth, low taxes, and crappy roads and be sustainable long term.  

I don't disagree.  Stallings ended up spending a bunch of money on a new townhall and police station thinking that they wouldn't need to spend as much on roads that NCDOT said they were going to fix.  And now... they don't have the money and NCDOT says they can't do what they said they'd do.  It's a mess. 

[videtur quam contuor]

What is the difference in Union County taxes plus town tax in Stallings, say, or Weddington, plus fire district compared to Meck County (ex Charlotte)?

[KJHburg]

8 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

What is the difference in Union County taxes plus town tax in Stallings, say, or Weddington, plus fire district compared to Meck County (ex Charlotte)?

I just looked this up because I own a home in Indian Trail.   City of Monroe taxes are about the same as in Charlotte.  Smaller towns much less   County wide tax rate is .4855 which you add the town rates or fire district if you live in the unincorporated parts of the county.  Overall less than Mecklenburg. 

Tax Rates and Fire Fees :: Union County, NC (unioncountync.gov)

Edited July 29, 2021 by KJHburg

[TGIBridays]

29 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

What is the difference in Union County taxes plus town tax in Stallings, say, or Weddington, plus fire district compared to Meck County (ex Charlotte)?

This may not be exactly what you were wondering, but an interesting data point nevertheless. The county line cuts through my backyard so the house four doors down is actually in Mecklenburg county but still in Stallings.  According to Zillow that house is about 250 sf smalller, but the taxes are $610 higher.  

[kermit]

45 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

I just looked this up because I own a home in Indian Trail.   City of Monroe taxes are about the same as in Charlotte.  Smaller towns much less   County wide tax rate is .4855 which you add the town rates or fire district if you live in the unincorporated parts of the county.  Overall less than Mecklenburg. 

Tax Rates and Fire Fees :: Union County, NC (unioncountync.gov)

Have always heard that homeowners insurance is a good bit more in areas without professional fire departments. Any truth to that?

[videtur quam contuor]

Also to consider is cost and amortization of septic system and field, and cost of rubbish collection. 

[KJHburg]

13 minutes ago, kermit said:

Have always heard that homeowners insurance is a good bit more in areas without professional fire departments. Any truth to that?

yes that is true out in rural areas with volunteer firefighters sometimes the rates are higher. 

[kermit]

6 hours ago, TGIBridays said:

All of this really baffles me, since the state is sitting on a $6.5 billion surplus. Obviously NCDOT needs more funding if they can't maintain their roads.

Yea, the state is sitting on a big surplus but NCDOT is nearly 100% funded from user fees (roughly 27% of the budget is reallocated federal user fees). So, technically, the state’s budget surplus (which ain't from gas tax revenue) must remain outside the NCDOT budget unless the NCGA and Roy Cooper agree on a reallocation.

While NC has increased its gas tax, it is still nowhere near the level necessary to maintain existing roads, let alone build new ones. The place where this budget hole will bite first is rapidly growing (from a small base) counties like Union. If it helps, this problem will impact the whole state eventually, but I suspect that is cold comfort.

Land use change and reducing auto dependence is the long-term way out of this hole. The only short-term solutions are a)  to significantly increase user fees (prob gas taxes) or b) ask for taxpayers (no matter how much they drive) to subsidize people who drive a lot. Only one of those options is sustainable.
 

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by kermit

[KJHburg]

Downtown Waxhaw and this is one of my favorite ring county small downtowns.  So vibrant and so old at the same time.  And the original rail trail in the Charlotte region.   New Waxhaw Tap House with stage by the water tower.  New apartments look very leased 2 blocks from downtown.  

I would encourage a visit and I see a future UP meetup site in the making.  WXW! 

[videtur quam contuor]

https://www.stewartsvillagegallery.com/about-us/

Bill and Holly Stewart have had their gallery in Waxhaw for many years. The website is dated as he has retired his pottery wheel and leased his workshop to the Tap House, photographed above. The gallery continues in business with some beautiful handmade items perfect for that special gift or occasion. If one encounters a Stewart bowl BUY IT, wherever you find it. Plus great people. A visit to Waxhaw without a stop there is only half a visit.

[SydneyCarton]

Downtown Waxhaw has so much character.  I love it.

I wish that there was an express train running from Waxhaw to CMC/Atrium and to Uptown.  Although it's only about twenty miles to Uptown, commuting from there via Providence or via 485/77 is virtually impossible.

Edited August 20, 2021 by SydneyCarton

[CLT2014]

3 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Downtown Waxhaw has so much character.  I love it.

I wish that there was an express train running from Waxhaw to CMC/Atrium and to Uptown.  Although it's only about twenty miles to Uptown, commuting from there via Providence or via 485/77 is virtually impossible.

I've definitely had people quit jobs Uptown that love living in Waxhaw so they found jobs in Ballantyne or Fort Mill. I see why it is an appealing town to live in and the schools are very highly regarded.  The energy on the weekends is lively and it is nice to see people out and about shopping, et.

Edited August 20, 2021 by CLT2014

[Third Strike]

4 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

Downtown Waxhaw has so much character.  I love it.

I wish that there was an express train running from Waxhaw to CMC/Atrium and to Uptown.  Although it's only about twenty miles to Uptown, commuting from there via Providence or via 485/77 is virtually impossible.

CATS should definitely extend the express bus down to Waxhaw, on NC 16. That area definitely needs transit connectivity. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

personal pipe dream is maglev trains with infrastructure built in existing roadway right of way so no land acquisition needed

elevated would be far simpler than tunnels and allow for continued car use in existing roadways

you can reach quite a bit within a 25 mile radius

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, Third Strike said:

CATS should definitely extend the express bus down to Waxhaw, on NC 16. That area definitely needs transit connectivity. 

FWIW, Union County would have to pay for half of the cost of the route. This arrangement currently exists for the 74x that runs to Monroe. (The regional express routes to Union, Gaston, and Cabarrus are still suspended)

[rancenc]

Even during the pandemic, Waxhaw continues on a positive trajectory!

https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/ucweekly/downtown-waxhaw-experiences-growth-during-pandemic/article_bed7cf2e-16ee-11ec-aa07-4fb8b059d24c.html

[rancenc]

New subdivision in the works for Indian Trail.

https://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/itncweekly/indian-trail-approves-sheffield-subdivision/article_21a875b8-09a2-11ec-a0f6-f3dac3c77551.html