A pair of bald eagles is at the center of a rezoning fight that goes before the Charlotte City Council on Monday that will determine whether a developer can build hundreds of new apartments in Piper Glen.
The two eagles nicknamed Piper and Glen live in a tall tree on the TPC Piper Glen golf course and are currently taking care of two newly hatched eaglets.
Nearby residents Chris and Ellie McIntire say the eagles have lived on the golf course for more than a decade, and get their fish from a pond across Rea Road in a patch of undeveloped forest.
That’s where a developer wants to build 640 homes — up to 500 of them apartments.
In a March 2023 interview with WFAE, the McIntires said the development could push the eagles out, hurt other wildlife and worsen traffic. Their online petition highlighting the eagles and traffic concerns has roughly 20,000 signatures.
Developer RK Investments has already slashed the number of units by 40%, and promised to preserve the pond and green space.
A representative also told WFAE that RK is trying to help Charlotte’s housing crisis by building more units.
City staff recommend denying the plan, saying it should have fewer apartments and more single-family homes.
