Stallings residents rally against proposed motel near daycare

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Residents in Stallings are actively opposing a proposed motel development off Whetstone Drive.

The primary concern among families is the motel’s proximity to a day care center, raising safety worries for children.

The proposed motel plans include two three-story buildings. Town officials state the land is zoned Mixed Use-2, which permits motel use by right without requiring council approval or a public hearing for the project itself.

Kelly Rusk, a local resident, has been instrumental in organizing community efforts against the development.

Rusk states that residents are “raising awareness in a respectful manner. We’re just trying to educate the developer about the risks…”

Rusk, who lives near the proposed site, highlighted concerns about the motel’s potential impact near a day care.

He shared national statistics on his website, StopWhetstoneMotel.com, linking motels to issues like human trafficking.

“A lot of people are asking the same question: why a motel here? Why near our children?” Rusk said.

The town’s planning director confirmed the site development plan is currently under review.

He noted that the developer previously withdrew a proposal for multi-family housing on the same site last year due to density concerns from staff and community members.

While the developer recently built a commercial space near the day care, which Rusk believes is a suitable fit for the community, he argues a motel is not.

Rusk expressed the community’s desire for a different outcome, stating, “We would love for them to withdraw their proposal.”

One aspect of the project that could necessitate the town council’s involvement is the developer’s request to abandon the right-of-way for Whetstone Drive.

If this request is formally made, the town confirms that a public hearing will be held before the town council.

Channel 9 reached out to the developer for a response, but the request has not yet been acknowledged.

The town says a formal request for right-of-way abandonment on Whetstone Drive has not yet been made by the developer.

Should this request be submitted, a public hearing would then be scheduled before the town council.

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