By Megan Braun

For the Salisbury Post

KANNAPOLIS — City Council chambers were full on Monday night as council members discussed several important projects and plans, including the Farm Hill Small Area Plan and the Downtown Demonstration Project.

The Farm Hill Small Area Plan, a plan for 102 acres of land across from Afton Ridge Shopping Center to be transitioned into retail, commercial, hotel, and multi-family residencies, attracted more than 35 Kannapolis citizens to the meeting. According to the council, there is already interest in the land. The area is “expected to grow rapidly” due to its location in proximity to Concord Mills. The council approved the plan unanimously.

The Downtown Demonstration Project, a retail-residential project for 50 acres in downtown Kannapolis, was revised and discussed in depth. The final plan will be presented to the council in April.

At the beginning of the meeting, Kannapolis Police officers Trey Hinton and Nicholas Corn were presented with the Kannapolis Police Department Life Saving Award. On Jan. 22, the pair performed CPR on a lifeless victim at a vehicle accident until he began to breathe and could be transported to the hospital.

In other business, the council:

• Approved use of HOME funds to go towards senior citizen apartments;

• Annexed 1.035 acres of land on Kingsway Road;

• Approved a water purchase agreement with city of Charlotte to serve the Northwest Cabarrus service area;

• Proclaimed April 24-May 1 as Soil and Water Conservation Week;

• Proclaimed April 10-16 as National Public Safety Telecommunication Week;

• Proclaimed the month of April as Fair Housing Month

• Proclaimed March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day;

• Proclaimed April 10-16 as National Volunteer Week

The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at the City Council chambers.

Megan Braun is a freelance writer and a student at Catawba College