Growth Areas

NC HWY 73 Corridor Study
Kannapolis Gateway Business Park

Because Kannapolis is boxed in by Landis to the north, Concord to the south and the Lake Howell Watershed to the immediate west, northwestern Cabarrus County is the City's natural growth area. An annexation agreement with the City of Concord further defines the growth area between NC Hwy 73 and NC Hwy 3.

Growth into northwestern Cabarrus County will be by voluntary annexation only. On June 30, 2004, the NC General Assembly approved Kannapolis' annexation of 500 acres for Riverpointe, a 793-home subdivision, and approximately 19.8 acres for Renaissance Square, a multi-million dollar commercial and office development. These developments are part of $20 million in new residential and commercial growth that is proposed for western Cabarrus County. The new homes are projected to cost a minimum of $160,000. Additionally on July 26, 2004, City Council approved the voluntarily annexation of 65 acres west of Kannapolis on Stirewalt Road for Jacob's Ridge, a new high-end, estate sub-division with 27 lots. When Jacob's Ridge builds out, $135,000 in property taxes and $16,000 in water revenues are projected annually.

The plan approved for growth into northwestern Cabarrus County is designed to return the City's investment in infrastructure through connection fees, property taxes, and water and sewer fees. The property tax base could expand by as much as $2 million in the next decade through the voluntary annexations of the proposed residential and commercial developments alone.

"Our goal is to make these annexations, at a minimum, break even," said City Manager Mike Legg . "That's why we've done the analysis and will have agreements with developers. This is different from Coddle Creek where we annexed the area and had to pay up front for the utilities to make the area attractive. Growth is happening in northwestern Cabarrus County. We have the chance to plan for it so that it pays for itself and provides additional revenues."

The growth plan also takes into account land use patterns and the infrastructure needed to increase the long-term water supply options for the entire City.