On the Internet, discussions of the project's scope have quickly become virtual incorporation rallies.

"I knew we were going to be growing, but I had no idea we were going to be growing in this area that much," said John Hall, who lives close enough to see the lights of development at 40/42, known as the Cleveland community.

He counts himself among the supporters of a potential new town. "We're a small community, it's going to happen," he said. "It seems like a logical conclusion to me."

Locals are talking about incorporation for a number of reasons. Hall thinks it could bring new services to the town, such as expanded fire and police protection. Others fear a development nightmare could arise if new projects go up without proper government oversight, and some people think Clayton or Garner could be tempted to annex the land for themselves.

Carl Johnson has taken on some of the planning himself; he posts at 4042.com and recently set up a Web site -- clevelandschool.webs.com -- to organize talks of incorporation.

"Clayton and Garner are not going to stand still waiting to see what we do," he said. "And therefore, again, we [would] become a large, taxpaying small voice to another municipality."

A new town could provide police protection, emergency services, street maintenance, trash collection, water and sewer, recreation and more. It would also have the ability to pass ordinances and apply for federal and state loans and grants. On the flip side, of course, are the property taxes needed to fund those services.

Sonny Johnson, of Son-Lan Development, helped lead an earlier incorporation charge several years ago. He helped finance a survey of the area and drew up a charter, but the idea died before it made it to the state legislature.

"It broke my heart; it really broke my heart," said Johnson, who has a stake in the 283-acre property where the proposed development would be built.

Traffic

The tentatively named River Oaks development could almost triple the traffic count on the nearby stretch of N.C. 42, according to traffic studies. The development, which would have 650,000 square feet of retail space, would add 25,000 round trips per day to the road, according to a traffic study commissioned by its planners, Crosland LLC.

The project would connect to N.C. 42 across from the new Wal-Mart and again down the road at Son-Lan Parkway

So far, Department of Transportation officials have said they would require the developer to add two left-turn lanes and two right-turn lanes on N.C. 42 at Son-Lan Parkway.

The DOT also plans to add dual left-turn lanes at the intersection of N.C. 42 and Cleveland Road. Tim Little, the district engineer for Johnston and Wayne counties, said an access to I-40 for the new development was not in the plans.

He said the current requirements would cover the traffic impact of the new shopping center.

"You're going to have growth anyway from more people moving to the area as it is," he said. "The improvements what we're requiring them to do will handle the development; that's the goal."