News About Town: The Board of Commissioners meeting agenda for Monday, November 8, is available online. The meeting is remote via Zoom (link here) or listen by calling toll free 888-788-0099 and entering the meeting ID 821 2799 4175. A livestream of the meeting will also be available via the Town of Matthews YouTube Channel. For more information, including the process for public comment, visit the town website.

Some items of note include:

•  Zoning Application 2021-737/Mt. Harmony Cottages requests changing the zoning from R-15 to R-9(CD), allows a smaller lot size per home and for conditions set by the Board to be met prior to construction at 2700 Mt. Harmony Church Road.

• Motion 2021-3/text is an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that updates language, further defines improvement standards, clarifies expectations of data presented in the Transportation Impact Analysis, and sets accessibility standards, among other aspects of the physical development of the Town.

• The Eastern Gateway Small Area Plan, an area approximately 120 acres bounded by I-485, Idlewild Road and the Windrow neighborhood, will be voted on. The Plan examines existing conditions and infrastructure to provide recommendations for future land use decisions.

• E-Scooters in Matthews.

• The Public Improvement Variance and Site Plan at 9508 Northeast Parkway & 1939 Rice Road are two separate items that cover redevelopment of a large parcel near the corner of Independence and Sam Newell.

• Consider an additional Town Contribution to the Four Mile Creek Greenway/S. Trade Street Tunnel.

News About Town: The Town of Matthews, Matthews HELP Center, Matthews Police Department, Matthews United Methodist Church, and Kiwanis Club of Matthews are partnering for the 2021 Matthews Gives Back for the Holidays. Bring new, unwrapped toys (appropriate for newborn to age 12) or gift cards (appropriate for ages 13 to 18) to the Police Department (1201 Crews Road) or the HELP Center (119 N. Ames Street). Need help picking out a gift? The HELP Center has an Target and Amazon Wish Lists. If you’re avoiding mega retailers, there’s a general list here. Applications are open now through December 3 for gift support. Call 704-847-8383 x224 for more information. Recipients must live within the HELP Center service area.

Don’t Forget: Going into the holiday season it may be even more difficult to get a COVID-19 test appointment. To make testing more accessible, the county is now offering free rapid test kits at four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library sites: South Boulevard, West Boulevard, Hickory Creek and North Tryon. Both PCR and rapid tests are available through the StarMed drive-through clinic in Matthews, located in the Cinemark 10 Movie Theater parking lot, 9508 Northeast Court.