City Council Approves Rezoning for Proposed Distribution Center > City of Kannapolis | City of Kannapolis

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 The Kannapolis City Council has unanimously approved a rezoning request from the TPA Group from Atlanta. The three parcels, totaling 117 acres, is located on NC 73 at Macedonia Church Road. It was previously zoned Campus Development and Rural Estate/Agricultural which allowed office and light industrial use such as the Gateway Business Park where Stewart-Haas Racing is located. With the rezoning, the site is completely Campus Development – Conditional Zoning, thus allowing distribution center/warehouse use. The TPA Group anticipates recruiting a company to the site which would employ approximately 900 people.

The proposed project is called the Kannapolis Logistics Park. The TPA Group has developed similar projects throughout the U.S. and anticipates spending $50 million to develop the property. Similar companies already located in the area include: Stewart-Haas Racing, Black and Decker, Amazon, Gordon Food Service, FedX and Shoe Show.

NCDOT is reviewing the project and the developers have stated it will not happen if a traffic light and turn lanes are not approved by NCDOT for NC 73 where the primary entrance will be located. An access drive on the rear of the property on Macedonia Church Road will be for emergency vehicles only – tractor trailer access would be prohibited. A side access drive on Barr Road will be right turn out only.

While less than one percent of the property is in the Coddle Creek Watershed, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) will require that the developer grade the property to ensure runoff flows into a retention pond. As with all projects NCDEQ is completing a review to ensure all state regulations are complied with.

The project must have exterior “cutoff” lights that dim during evening/night hours. “Cutoff” lights mean the beams from lights such as those in a parking lot bounce down - not out and do not go beyond property lines. A berm will also be built along an adjacent property boundary to insulate light and noise.

“The City is committed to balancing the need for employment opportunities for citizens while preserving and developing our land resources respectfully. We still have people who are unemployed and underemployed. This is an opportunity we should not pass up,” said Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant. “City staff has comprehensive ordinances in place to ensure development of this land is done in a manner as to attract a good corporate partner while minimizing any negative impacts to the area.”