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| Historic downtown Waxhaw. Photo: Nancy Pierce |
WAXHAW – The question came from the back row of the small audience, during a presentation from planning consultants about the future for N.C. 16 as it bisects the fast-growing Union County town.
“If we do all this, will we still be considered a small town?”
Consultant Monica Holmes of Lawrence Group paused briefly before answering: “A very important part of this discussion is, ‘What does Waxhaw want to be?’ ”
Good question. Waxhaw – a railroad hamlet chartered in 1889 and named for the Indians who before the Europeans arrived gave their name to the region called “the Waxhaws” – is growing like kudzu. In 2000 it was the 42nd largest municipality in the Charlotte region, and by 2010 it was No. 25. Growth since then has already likely notched it up to No. 17 or 18. And now it is studying how it could shape the growth along its main highway, growth that is all but promised to arrive in the next 20 years.
Read my article on Waxhaw looks to future for N.C. 16.