Residents converse out in opposition to new drive-in theater and campground – Shelby Star

The house owners of the Hounds Drive-In movie show and campground in Kings Mountain have plans to open a second location within the county however have run into some street blocks.

A request to rezone property close to Grover was denied final week.

The present theater, which additionally included a campground, was bought to Albemarle Corp. for $22 million in February of this 12 months. Co-owners and enterprise companions, Mike and Preston Brown, beforehand introduced that they deliberate to proceed operating the companies for a number of years. They have a five-year lease with the lithium company.

Now, they hope to open a second location at 1256 Cleveland Ave. however requested that or not it’s rezoned from residential to normal enterprise. The 50-acre property is positioned on N.C 226 between Patterson Springs and Grover. 

The zoning request was first introduced to county commissioners in August, and a public listening to was held. Commissioners voted to proceed the listening to and a call till final week’s assembly the place it confronted vital opposition. 

The county’s land use plan designates the realm as secondary development and encourages the sustaining of a rural space.

When it was introduced to the planning board, the board voted three to at least one to disclaim it as a result of it was inconsistent with the land use plan.

A number of individuals spoke in the course of the public feedback to talk in opposition to the theater and a campground specifically. 

Roy James, who lives on close by Silverado Drive, was involved in regards to the potential for crime. He cited a number of points on the present Hounds campground, together with medication, larceny, and legal and civil issues.

Preston Brown mentioned they’ve three screens at Hounds Drive-in and plan to do the identical factor on the new location.

“It’s a professionally-run enterprise,” he mentioned. “We’re the primary theater. Not simply in drive-ins, however all theaters. We wish to put it again into the neighborhood.”

Brown mentioned he had checked out different cities however in the end determined he wished to remain in Cleveland County. He mentioned they realized management site visitors so it is not an issue and emphasised there isn’t a noise as a result of individuals hearken to the film by their automobile stereos. Additionally they do not have shiny lights to make sure individuals can see the screens. 

“We usher in individuals from all around the states,” Brown mentioned.

He admitted that the campground beforehand had issues however since he has taken over, there have not been any. 

“We might want 25 camp websites sooner or later,” Brown mentioned. “However proper now, we would like the theater on the property.”

Natalie Conner, a resident of Grover, was additionally strongly against the rezoning and a campground specifically. She voiced considerations about noise and crime.

“I moved to the county for a quieter way of life,” Conner mentioned. “It’ll disrupt all of this. We don’t need this in our neighborhood.”

Others nervous that with the elevated site visitors, there could be extra wrecks. 

Angela McKee mentioned a lot of the residents within the space reside on household farms, and her household owns and operates a small farm with cattle and chickens.

“Grover is for farms and households,” she mentioned. 

Mike Brown identified that the theater brings a reimbursement into the county and pays hundreds in gross sales taxes. He mentioned they’ve been featured in Our State journal twice. 

Brown mentioned they will nonetheless construct a drive-in theater even when the zoning request is denied, they might simply need to go about it a distinct method.

Chris Martin, county planning director, mentioned as a result of 226 is a state freeway, zoning already covers 500 ft from the street onto the property, they usually may make the most of that house.

Commissioner and vice-chair, Deb Hardin, made a movement to disclaim the request, and all however Johnny Hutchins voted in opposition to the zoning change.  

Rebecca Sitzes will be reached at [email protected].