It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Hugh Torance House and Store in Huntersville, NC gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Huntersville, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I cannot say enough good things about this company and the caregivers they provided after my mom's recent accident and stay in a rehab facility. The staff were constantly in communication with us keeping us abreast of any little or big updates. Their attitudes were always helpful and they seemed to genuinely care. The caregivers they sent to sit with and take care of mom were EXCELLENT. I'm not sure how many different caregivers she had over the few weeks of her stay but there wasn't a single one that wasn't kind and extremely helpful. It took a tremendous load off of everyone in our family knowing that she was being well cared for when we couldn't be there. Thank you to Brandi, Joanne, Gina, and anyone I'm missing for everything you all did for us from the beginning of the process all the way to my mom's release today. Hopefully, we won't need your services again, but if we do, I know who I will be calling!”
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“During an unexpected hospital stay, Joanne provided much needed assistance. She provided excellent care and supportive advocacy. It made dealing with the discomfort more bearable and gave me a safeguard to decipher the complicated choices to resolve health issues. I highly recommend this service.”
“If you are looking for attentive, quality home care look no further than Joanne and her team. A passion for excellence is driven for from this team. Family oriented and willing to work with all families.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Rosedale Nature Park in Huntersville, NC with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local 131 MAIN Restaurant or visit Rural Hill Nature Preserve, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Huntersville, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Huntersville, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Huntersville, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Huntersville attorney has been suspended from practicing law for two years after being accused of sending lewd photos to the opposing party in a case he was representing.According to documents from the North Carolina State Bar, Charles Adkins was retained in 2023 by a client, referred to as A.M., in a child custody case. The next year, while on vacation in Hawaii, he was allegedly drinking alcohol “in excess” and contacted his client’s opposition, R.D., ...
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Huntersville attorney has been suspended from practicing law for two years after being accused of sending lewd photos to the opposing party in a case he was representing.
According to documents from the North Carolina State Bar, Charles Adkins was retained in 2023 by a client, referred to as A.M., in a child custody case. The next year, while on vacation in Hawaii, he was allegedly drinking alcohol “in excess” and contacted his client’s opposition, R.D., on Facebook.
Adkins is the head of Adkins Law, which specializes in family law, estate planning, and traffic matters.
The consent order of discipline states he not only made comments on her physical attractiveness, but eventually sent at least one photograph of his genitals.
The messages provided to the bar showed that Adkins and R.D. acknowledged they were on opposite sides of the custody case.
“[Y]ou will be representing A.M. against me in court for custody in 9 days,” R.D. said.
Adkins responded, “[w]e shouldn’t be friends on here.”
Despite this statement, he continued communicating with R.D. and liked R. D’s publicly available pictures and asked R.D. whether she wanted more children, stated that he wanted more children, and asked whether she was single.
The documents say Adkins did not obtain consent from R.D.’s attorney to communicate directly with her.
After Adkins returned from Hawaii, on April 15, 2024, he informed his client he could no longer represent him, filing a motion to withdraw from the matter. He allegedly did so without explaining the reason for withdrawing.
The State Bar says Adkins violated the following statutes:
The bar says Adkins fully cooperated in the disciplinary proceeding.
His two-year suspension began in August, but has been stayed allowing him to continue to practice law. However, he must ensure that a third party is present whenever he meets with a female client, outside of courtroom interactions, and must undergo an evaluation by a psychologist or psychiatrist who has expertise in sexual boundary violations within the profession.
The bar says parties in domestic cases are often distressed, anxious, and incapable of making dispassionate and well-informed decisions. And that R.D. was particularly vulnerable due to her personal circumstances and the nature of her domestic case, which involved child custody.
Adkins has also committed to sobriety and has voluntarily participated in substance abuse and mental health treatment programs.
For clarity, I am not serving an active suspension. The State Bar imposed a two-year suspension that was stayed subject to conditions. I remain licensed, continue to practice law, and continue representing my clients.
As for Hawaii, I exercised poor judgment and participated in inappropriate communications that crossed professional boundaries. I accept responsibility for my conduct. There are explanations and circumstances surrounding what happened, but ultimately none of them change the part that matters to me: I was responsible for exercising better judgment, and I did not.
I cannot change that. What I can control is what I do with it.
Sometimes the hardest experiences in your life force you to take a pretty unforgiving inventory of yourself. This one did. I had weaknesses that needed to be addressed, changes that needed to be made, and lessons that I probably would not have learned otherwise. So I made the changes. I have worked on myself, accepted accountability and safeguards, and tried to become better personally and professionally because of the experience.
I do not expect clients, colleagues, or anyone else to rebuild their trust in me because I give a polished statement to a reporter. That is not how trust works. You earn it in what you do next, then the day after that, and the day after that.
As for the Mooresville cases, absolutely, I remain counsel and continue actively representing those clients. What happened in my disciplinary matter does not change the evidence in those cases, the law that applies to them, or my responsibility to advocate for my clients. If anything, difficult experiences have reinforced something I already believed: when circumstances do not go the way you wanted, you do not sit around complaining about them. You take responsibility for what is yours, learn what you can, adjust, and get back to work.
That is the philosophy I am trying to live, not just something I want to say.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - A group of homeowners in Huntersville are fighting a rezoning proposal that would make way for a carwash, convenience store, and gas pumps behind their homes.A Lake Norman developer is proposing the development, which would also include a lube and detail shop, on a nearly five-acre property on Statesville Road, about a mile from Sam Furr Road.The property backs up to John and Kelsey Huffman’s home.“It was shocking and alarming,” John Huffman said. “First and foremost, w...
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - A group of homeowners in Huntersville are fighting a rezoning proposal that would make way for a carwash, convenience store, and gas pumps behind their homes.
A Lake Norman developer is proposing the development, which would also include a lube and detail shop, on a nearly five-acre property on Statesville Road, about a mile from Sam Furr Road.
The property backs up to John and Kelsey Huffman’s home.
“It was shocking and alarming,” John Huffman said. “First and foremost, we’re not opposed to development. There’s a right way of planning and developing.”
The Huffman’s say they moved to the neighborhood in 2020, knowing zoning laws restricted businesses on the property behind their home. Kelsey Huffman has since started a website to rally support against the project, citing concerns about traffic, noise, lights and drainage, among other.
“We can have these safeguards so to speak, but are they actually going to work. There’s no proof in the pudding there just yet,” Kelsey Huffman said. “We are one community, one voice, we’re not going to be wedged between one another.”
The developer, Jake Palillo, told WBTV there is wide community benefit to an all-in-one carwash, detail, and convenience store. He said he’d be willing to work with the neighbors whose properties are adjacent to the proposed business.
“It’s really sad to see this when only four homes are adjoining the property,” Palillo wrote in a statement, in part. “Huntersville is a growing Town, its one of the fastest growing in the S]state and North Carolina is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. This section of land should be and will be commercial.”
“This carwash is unique and there isn’t anything like it in Huntersville or within 25 miles of it. This is a full service state of the art carwash and detail center,” Palillo went on to write.
The Huffman’s and their neighbors argue the project would be better suited in an area already zoned commercial. They fear the project would leave few trees behind their home. At least a 12-foot wall would be built in the place where trees are now, John Huffman said.
“I think it’s taught me to be civically active and not just at the bigger elections but where the rubber meets the road,” Kelsey Huffman said.
A public hearing is set for the rezoning proposal on Nov. 2.
The Town’s Planning Board will vote on the proposal Nov. 18.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The owner of a downtown Huntersville home is holding out for more money as the town is trying to build a parking deck on the property.On Tuesday night, town commissioners approved a resolution to acquire of a 0.7-acre lot on North Maxwell Avenue. But 81-year-old Ernie Lee hasn’t seen a price he likes yet, knowing he’s in the middle of a quickly transforming area.The resolution allows the town to use imminent domain to acquire the property.Town officials are looking...
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The owner of a downtown Huntersville home is holding out for more money as the town is trying to build a parking deck on the property.
On Tuesday night, town commissioners approved a resolution to acquire of a 0.7-acre lot on North Maxwell Avenue. But 81-year-old Ernie Lee hasn’t seen a price he likes yet, knowing he’s in the middle of a quickly transforming area.
The resolution allows the town to use imminent domain to acquire the property.
Town officials are looking to build a parking deck across the street from Veterans Park, and near Huntersville Town Hall, the planned Red Line station.
Town Manager Anthony Roberts says the 1,500-square-foot home was appraised at $450,000 — $100,000 above its tax value. The town initially offered to buy it at $650,000.
“I don’t think y’all have looked at it hard enough,” said Lee at the town board meeting.
Lee said when Roberts first approached him to appraise it, he wasn’t planning on selling, but now is willing to do business. He and his wife purchased the home in 1994, and is now a secondary residence.
“We’ve had it a long time, I never wanted to sell it. I kept telling everybody it’s not for sale,” Lee said, adding that he’s felt “bullied” by town officials.
Roberts said since the town’s offer was declined, the discussion has only been between Lee, his real estate agent and attorney.
Roberts said the real estate agent later suggested a $795,000 price tag.
“We want to enjoy our retirement,” Lee said. “Now, we’re there. Burt, you’ve got to get your heart right. It’s a heck of nice piece of lot, and I want my fair share of it.”
The unanimous vote to acquire the land came via the consent agenda. The motion authorizes Roberts, acting on advice of counsel, “to take any actions necessary” to carry out the resolution, including imminent domain.
The deck would be the second one in downtown, joining the one associated with the Town Center complex that includes Discovery Place Kids. The new Town Hall .
Huntersville Commissioner Edwin Quarles was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.
Over the weekend, a member of his household, 21-year-old Evin Quarles, in the shooting of Cameron Brice in the University City area.
John and Kelsey Huffman love what they call their quiet, family-friendly neighborhood.The Hamptons is located along Statesville Road (U.S. 21), south of Interstate 77 exit 25 and east of Lake Norman. The neighborhood has 335 homes from $675,000 to over $1 million, two clubhouses, two swimming pools, a swim team and lots of potluck and other get-togethers.Beyond the Huffmans’ backyard play structure for their two children lie woods and the chirping of birds. The family welcomes a gaggle of neighborhood kids who love to pla...
John and Kelsey Huffman love what they call their quiet, family-friendly neighborhood.
The Hamptons is located along Statesville Road (U.S. 21), south of Interstate 77 exit 25 and east of Lake Norman. The neighborhood has 335 homes from $675,000 to over $1 million, two clubhouses, two swimming pools, a swim team and lots of potluck and other get-togethers.
Beyond the Huffmans’ backyard play structure for their two children lie woods and the chirping of birds. The family welcomes a gaggle of neighborhood kids who love to play in their backyard, too. As John said, it’s “open gate” for the kids.
It’s hard to believe I-77 is so close, Kelsey Huffman told The Charlotte Observer at the couple’s home Friday.
The serenity they’ve enjoyed in the six years they’ve lived there is now threatened by a developer’s plan for a 4.7-acre parcel directly beyond their backyard fence, they said.
Lake Norman developer Jake Palillo wants to build a car wash with 18 vacuum bays, a 5,700-square-foot car wash tunnel, a 16,600-square-foot lube and detail shop and a 6,400-square-foot convenience store with four gas pumps, according to his rezoning application.
Palillo proposes a 20-foot vegetative buffer between his project and homes, and a 12-foot sound barrier wall, according to his plans on file with the Huntersville Planning Board.
Palillo is requesting a rezoning for the parcel at 16014 Statesville Road from neighborhood residential to highway commercial.
“My children play right there,” Kelsey Huffman said. “Would you want your children to live behind a gas station? I didn’t choose to live behind that. There has to be some consideration about this on a human level.”
At their home Friday, the Huffmans and neighbors Kim Zanzot and Karen Mazurowski expressed concerns about noise, traffic, groundwater pollution, runoff laced with chemicals, and hundreds if not a thousand strangers a day peering into their properties if the car wash project is approved.
Kelsey Huffman also cited the project’s lack of a traffic impact analysis. And “there’s been no noise study to understand what a (car wash) tunnel would be like 20 feet from my house,” she said.
“I’m worried about pollution from the runoff,” her husband said. “I have a garden in this backyard, and there’s going to be petrochemicals in that water running off from that oil lube and gas station. And I’m very worried about the noise from the car wash and its vacuum cleaners.”
Mazurowski’s home is in the same cul-de-sac as the Huffmans’ but doesn’t border the 4.7-acre parcel.
“Just the idea of what’s happening to our neighbors and what could happen in their yards and to the privacy of their lives, I truly cannot sleep,” Mazurowski said.
John Huffman said the couple has “no problem sharing yards with neighbors. We love it. And we would have no problem with having more neighbors behind us.”
“By right,” John Huffman said, the property behind them could be developed without a rezoning “into multifamily housing, townhomes, single-family homes. There are lots of things that could be developed on that lot that are consistent with the community.”
He cited the medical office park, day care and senior living facility across the street as the right types of commercial uses near subdivisions.
And he pointed to a policy recommendation in Huntersville’s 2040 Plan for managing growth that urges the town to “protect and enhance the unique character of Huntersville’s neighborhoods by using planning tools to safeguard from potentially negative impacts of development and redevelopment.”
Neighbors plan to express their opposition at a required community meeting Tuesday where Palillo will detail his plans. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Torrence Lytle Community Center, 508 Dellwood Drive in Huntersville.
In a phone interview Friday, Palillo said neighbors are acting “as if the sky is falling down.”
“This will be the first gas station in the United States,” he said sarcastically. “It will be worse than AI.”
It’s not like the old days, he said. Car washes and gas stations can’t get government approval today unless they’re “environmentally friendly,” which his will be, he said.
The gas station, for instance, will have fiberglass tanks, “not the old metal tanks” susceptible to leaking, he said.
He cited special services people will receive at the car wash and the lube and detail shop, and how the convenience store will be more of “an Italian deli market.”
Of his critics, he said, “you wonder, how do these people make it through life?”
Palillo has generated controversy with some of his other projects, most recently his $20 million “English countryside” inn at Sam Furr and Mayes roads in a fast-growing area east of Interstate 77 in Cornelius.
The developer faced an angry crowd during the required community meeting for the project in April. In a split vote, town commissioners approved a rezoning for the project in August.
His car wash project is similar to his former “BoatYard” proposal in Cornelius, which he withdrew two years ago after public opposition, John Huffman said. Palillo had planned a $10 million automotive services complex, Cornelius Today reported.
Palillo also made headlines in 2023 with his ill-fated, $800 million Lagoona Bay development off exit 25.
The project, east of the interstate on Sam Furr Road, called for a 40-acre “modern lifestyle beach resort” with a 10-acre freshwater lagoon, within a 270-acre residential development. Palillo pulled the plans after intense public opposition.
John Huffman owns a firm that designs and builds the communications and control systems of large renewable facilities. Kelsey Huffman does product management with the web teams at Charlotte-based LendingTree. The couple works from home.
“We’re not NIMBYs,” John Huffman said. “Development can be good. But that is not,” referring to the car wash project. “That is fundamentally hostile to our neighborhood, and we need our planners to do their jobs.”
The town has scheduled a public hearing on Palillo’s rezoning request for 6 p.m. Nov. 2 at Town Hall, 14704 N. Old Statesville Road.
The Huntersville Planning Board will consider making a recommendation on the plan at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18, while the town Board of Commissioners, which has final say on rezonings, is scheduled to vote at its 6 p.m. meeting Dec. 15. Both meetings will be at town hall.
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Some Huntersville residents are pushing back against plans for an 18-bay car wash, lube shop and convenience store with four gas pumps along Statesville Road, next to The Hamptons neighborhood.The developer, Jake Palillo, says the project would bring valuable services to the area, while neighbors say they are worried about noise, traffic, pollution and privacy.People already live on the land proposed for development, raising questions about what would happen to their homes.Channel 9’s Lau...
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Some Huntersville residents are pushing back against plans for an 18-bay car wash, lube shop and convenience store with four gas pumps along Statesville Road, next to The Hamptons neighborhood.
The developer, Jake Palillo, says the project would bring valuable services to the area, while neighbors say they are worried about noise, traffic, pollution and privacy.
People already live on the land proposed for development, raising questions about what would happen to their homes.
Channel 9’s Lauren Crawford spoke with several neighbors on the street that backs up to the property. Each person said they oppose turning it into a commercial site.
John and Kelsey Huffman expected the land behind their home to change, but not like this.
“I’ve spoken to 66 families in our neighborhood and even knocked and spoken to families that have been next to this lot for generations there’s unanimous rejection for this plan at this site,” said John Huffman.
“This is not at all consistent with what we expected when we bought this home,” said Kelsey Huffman.
The project would require changing the property’s zoning from residential to highway commercial.
“We just want to keep it residential,” said Kelsey Huffman. “It’s zoned for residential and we would really like the town of Huntersville to do the planning.”
Palillo declined an on-camera interview. In an email, he described plans for a small chain with Huntersville as its headquarters.
“This car wash project is a unique new concept that we will grow into a small chain with Huntersville being our home/ headquarters ... I’m bringing things that add value and services the area doesn’t have.”
He also said he will work with adjoining property owners to protect their daily lives, but John Huffman said there is a bigger question.
“Which part of the 2040 plan is consistent with this development?” he said. “Isn’t a large retaining wall and sound barrier a confession that this is the wrong site for this development?”
A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night for questions and feedback, but there will not be a vote. Neighbors plan to ask about operating hours and noise protection.
A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 2, with a final board decision expected on Dec. 15.
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