Hannah Ingram Meyer, owner of 51 East High Street, asked the Mooresville Town Planning Commission on Oct. 9 to rezone her property from R‑1 (residential) to B‑3 (general business) to allow expanded art instruction and a limited cafe with a seasonal drive‑through.

Meyer told the commission that she and partners bought the property in January and are continuing a pottery business there. “We want to take the top, like, the upstairs and do oil painting and watercolor classes,” she said, and described plans for a lobby area on the ground floor that could operate as a small café where parents could wait during multi‑hour classes.

The rezoning request drew questions from commissioners and neighbors about parking, traffic flow through a narrow alley behind the property, and the long‑term ramifications of granting B‑3 zoning.

Why it matters: rezoning is permanent. Commissioners noted that B‑3 is the municipality’s broadest business designation and could allow uses future owners might pursue that the current owner does not intend.

Details of the request and debate

Meyer said she intends to run ceramics classes now and add two‑dimensional art classes and “a more cafe space in the front” later. She described the drive‑through as a limited, seasonal offering — “back alley burritos,” open some Friday mornings or special events rather than daily — and said the café/drive option would likely be a later phase, estimating roughly two to three years before full food service would be pursued.

On physical layout, Meyer said the building has a bricked‑in porch area with an existing opening near an air‑conditioning unit that she would adapt for a pickup window facing the alley. She also said she has “already looked into the paving” of an existing gravel parking area and expects to address surfacing and striping if business zoning is approved.

Neighbor concerns and inspections

Michael Forpeck, who identified himself as living at 55 East High Street, said he welcomed Meyer to the neighborhood but shared concerns about zoning being permanent. “I would like to know what zoning would need what Hannah is asking for,” Forpeck said, while expressing support for an art gallery and limited cafe.

Another resident, identified as Chet, raised similar long‑term worries. A speaker identified as JD said he had inspected the property and noted that it already functions as a business.

Commission questions and legal review

Commissioners repeatedly raised the issue that rezoning “is forever.” One commissioner noted the proximity of a funeral home and that its services sometimes fill the alley with cars exiting, which could complicate a drive‑through. Commissioners discussed whether the commission could recommend B‑3 while also excluding specific uses (for example, certain late‑night uses or “night club” classifications that appear under B‑3) through stipulations attached to an ordinance.

The planning staff reported that the town’s legal counsel was being asked whether use‑omissions can be attached in a way that would persist if the property is later sold. Because that legal guidance was not yet available, the commission voted to table the rezoning.

Formal action

At the meeting the commission voted 5‑0 to table agenda item 25‑15159 (zone map change at East High Street) for one month and pick it up at the November meeting after the town’s legal opinion and with the understanding that staff would work with the applicant and nearby property owners to draft any possible list of omitted uses for council consideration.

Next steps

Staff will seek legal guidance on whether the council can adopt an ordinance that rezones to B‑3 while excluding specific business uses and will work with the applicant and neighbors to compile a draft list of potential exclusions. The commission is expected to revisit the item at its Nov. 13 meeting.

Quote attribution rules: quotations in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript and are attributed only to speakers recorded during the discussion.