Neighbors say proposed Lagoona Bay project in Huntersville would increase traffic issues

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Plans for a beach resort-style project in Huntersville are not sitting well with some neighbors.

Bi-Part Development recently announced plans for the Lagoona Bay Beach Club on a large site off Sam Furr Road in Huntersville.

The membership fee for the Lagoona Bay Beach Club would be $10,000. There would be 1,500 memberships.

Homes and condos would be sold for $500,000 and up while the rent for apartments would be over $2,000 a month.

Neighbor Violet Clarke lives behind the proposed project and says traffic in the area is already a problem.

“It’s already a mess, we already can’t get out of our neighborhood,” Clarke said.

The project spans 270 acres across Sam Furr, Westmoreland, Black Farms and McCord Roads. The $800 million-dollar project would include a hotel, 250 single-family homes, plus dozens of apartments, townhomes and condos.

Clarke is worried she will lose her quiet way of life once construction begins. Developer Jake Palillo has previously said that the proposal will give people something to do.

But drivers already dealing with traffic problems told Channel 9′s Anthony Kustura the project would be better elsewhere.

“I’m OK with more activities. I’m not OK with bringing more people,” one resident said. “It’s already busy enough, I mean it takes me 45 minutes to drive a mile.”

Clarke is taking her mission door to door collecting signatures for her petition against the proposal. She’s also leaving flyers for her neighbors about the community meeting.

“I’m doing everything I can to save my little neighborhood,” Clarke said.

She hopes the project will be scrapped and something smaller will take its place.

Residents meet with developer

Developers and residents met for the first time Wednesday night at a community meeting in Huntersville.

“There’s a road that could possibly go through our subdivision,” said Lisa Tardo-Green, a resident.

She was one of the hundreds that filled the church for a presentation on the proposed Lagoona Bay Beach Club.

“I want to know what’s going to happen to our very small subdivision that we moved to for safety and where our kids can run,” she said.

Palillo took numerous questions and tried to clear up confusion over the proposed project

“I know a lot of you in here got all of your information off of Facebook,” he said. “99% of you don’t know anything about the project.”

Palillo’s son-in-law, Brock Hullinger, is helping to coordinate the project.

“I think there’s a little bit of backlash but that’s what we’re hoping, with some information, that we can help people understand what it is,” Hullinger said.

He said a lot of the misunderstanding is centered around the 10-acre crystal clear lagoon at the center of the site.

“I think people are looking at as just a water park,” he said. “They don’t actually understand the quality of life it’s going to bring to that area.”

However, some were not convinced and left the meeting in the middle of Palillo’s address.

“He had told us that we were all the baby boomer generation, but he’s here for a different generation,” said Lucy Wise, a resident. “Well, this is the generation that lives here now.”

Wise added, “I don’t think we’re the target market here in Huntersville.”

The community meeting began the process of the proposal. A rezoning request has already been filed and the hearing is in July. If approved, construction would begin by early next year.

Last month, the town voted down a 100-foot-tall office building and parking deck inside Birkdale Village. Neighbors also pushed back against that project.

(WATCH BELOW: Town board votes ‘no’ on Huntersville Birkdale Village project)

Town board votes ‘no’ on Huntersville Birkdale Village project

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