CMS eyeing new south Charlotte middle school after City Council approves contentious plan
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The rezoning petition was met with some opposition, but Charlotte City Council members approved the Cato Trails project by a vote of 10 to 1.
Dennis LaCaria, executive director of facilities and real estate planning with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools told Queen City News the district plans to close on a portion of the 124 acres in the next 30 to 90 days. The decision was the last piece of the puzzle needed to build a new middle school in the southern part of the district.
CMS wouldn’t say if the middle school will be the first building on the newly rezoned 124 acres just off Tom Short Road, but QCN was told there are design plans in the works for the building only referred to as ‘Middle School 1’ in the 2023 CMS Bond referendum package voters approved last November.
MORE: Charlotte City Council approves contentious rezoning plan for 900+ new houses, apartments
CMS officials said they know this change in scenery is tough on some existing residents, but people living in the area will have the opportunity to collaborate with the district, and developers on certain aspects of the school.
“At the end of the day the single biggest benefit for the residents there is having a brand new middle school that will be walkable to the neighborhoods in that immediate area and will provide some badly needed relief for some schools that are very over capacity in that part of the county,” added LaCaria.
LaCaria said the district hopes to have the new middle school open by August of 2026.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
