The county is struggling to finance enough classrooms to house the surging number of students. Increased traffic congestion threatens our quality of life.

Yet the county commissioners continue to enable denser and more rapid residential development. At its January 4 meeting the board unanimously voted to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville for 52 acres at Hwy. 150 and Perth Church Rd.

The developers plan to build about 200 townhouses on the site, twice as many housing units as would have been allowed under county standards. The development will likely add another 80 students to the already overcrowded schools.

On January 18 the commissioners unanimously voted to give Mooresville zoning and subdivision jurisdiction for 115 acres on Mackwood Rd. The developer plans to build yet another residential subdivision on the site.

Some commissioners protest that the municipalities could gain control by annexing the property without the county’s permission. But that process is more time consuming. If nothing else, the county’s actions enable high-density residential developments to be built sooner.