Neighbors had opposed plan for Birkdale Village apartments, hotel. Now the developer has scrapped the plans: Thursday, Jan. 26

Birkdale Village, a mixed-use property in Huntersville, has modified its redevelopment and expansion plans to eliminate the construction of a new hotel and apartments. The plan preserves the proposal for new offices and a parking deck.

Brian Richards, the Huntersville assistant planning director, credits the developers for listening to opposition from some neighbors.

"This is not atypical for folks to speak for or against projects," Richards explained Wednesday. "And often times the developers do listen. Sometimes they get a bad rap for not listening, but in this case, they are listening to their neighbors."

As WCNC Charlotte reported last year, some in the community were against the plans. Those opposed feared the area could become even more overcrowded with increased traffic.

"We do know folks who have grown up here who's seen things change. Traffic is an inconvenience," Richards said.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/birkdale-village-scraps-development-plans-apartments-hotel/275-c58eb74c-b8a8-43bb-8b17-aa59c71e3772

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has approved dozens of legislative items the district will lobby the North Carolina General Assembly to change.

On the list are issues like the controversial school calendar law, reinstating higher pay for teachers with advanced degrees -- commonly known as master pay, and allowing retired teachers to return to the workforce full-time.

Lawmakers in Raleigh have one of the largest impacts on how schools in the state are run.

"90% of the rules and regulations that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and all the schools across the state have to follow are made in Raleigh, what time we have to start school, how many hours of school we have to have," Charles Jeter, CMS's Government Affairs, Policy, and Board Services Executive Director, said.

CMS Board members will have meetings, send emails, and even visit Raleigh to advocate for changes to laws impacting schools.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/cms-votes-lobby-changes-school-calendar-law-pay-legislative-session/275-5e284c10-45df-4a42-a8ef-86bd14264b9e

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