[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6364444,"mediaKeyId","2164734-084887f1a083195c7cbecda687b68039","parentId",2164734,"title","NCACC gives Gaston County economic, demographic snapshot as commissioners begin budget planning","audioSeconds",1461,"startMs",1182000,"endMs",2643000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2164734-084887f1a083195c7cbecda687b68039&start=1182&end=2643","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2164734-084887f1a083195c7cbecda687b68039/thumbnail_1182000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6364444/Gaston-County/North-Carolina/NCACC-gives-Gaston-County-economic-demographic-snapshot-as-commissioners-begin-budget-planning","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364444-37f44964cff6ef1a40e26064ae560402/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201166&Signature=IRYCWg0iGBZKtyFLTfwMagdquEGJGjyc5kIc5ZMQMKUxy7sA5xzRj8Bhs4V0Lni4grRjL7RWntprB-UV4E8vg6Bo-gFv3qVctrY88H1C9XJrgfUXozf5hOl7bPZkiyAEq8jhBtw5h1ZeSAOxOGAn~B-1NFTCl4hbvwsuuZHBZADPealuIH50vmJYSJF~Xpm7woJ~qxl~U0AzSQS7J8ceRVViU3vUc2Rb0Ad8OPtGUno5EyHRAkBnCv5SlLDCIbColu6FZhDfBYYUrc0O~tGxQzg2kw2Y3F2bFDn-x2bO~V0ht2os9o~LSPhB-GLUJx9K2iXj0IIwaKXWZxk1ERvMqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Gaston County, NC","date","2025-01-29T12:22:32Z","article","Denise Canada, director of research and policy for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, presented a demographic and economic briefing to the Gaston County Board of Commissioners at its Jan. 28, 2025 meeting, drawing on the NCACC County Map Book and other Census data.

The presentation covered population change, age structure, education and workforce measures, county gross domestic product and sales-tax collections and distribution. \"We are your association. We work for you,\" Canada said at the start of the briefing, which the board and staff followed with questions about local implications for the budget process.

Canada told the board that Gaston County’s population has risen over the long term, adding roughly about 92,000 residents between 1970 and 2023, with most of that growth occurring inside municipal boundaries rather than in unincorporated areas. She said the county’s population pyramid shows a \"solid base of young families\" but a larger concentration in the early-50s age range and a substantial retirement-age population; the county’s median age was presented as about 45.

On education and the workforce, Canada said roughly 12% of county residents over 25 lack a high school diploma and about 29% report a high school diploma or GED as their highest attainment, leaving about 40% with a high-school-or-less education — a figure she said is useful to consider for economic development strategies. She also showed long-term unemployment trends that mirror national cycles and noted unemployment has dropped substantially since the pandemic.

Canada described structural shifts in local employment: private-sector jobs declined by roughly 6% over the period she examined while service-sector employment increased and manufacturing declined as a share of the local economy. She said about 31% of residents work inside Gaston County and a large share commute to neighboring Mecklenburg County.

On incomes and output, Canada reported Gaston County’s per-capita income has risen in inflation-adjusted terms but remains below the statewide average; the county’s five-year change in county gross domestic product was up about 9%, putting Gaston ahead of the median county growth in that period.

A substantial portion of the presentation described sales-tax volatility and distribution. Canada pointed to April 2021 as an unusually high month (31% higher than April 2020) and warned that the pattern seen during the pandemic is not typical. She explained North Carolina law requires all local sales tax to be collected by retailers and remitted to the state, which then applies statutory formulas to allocate funds back to counties. Using October 2024 collections as an example, she showed Gaston County collected about $7,240,000 in that month for sales occurring in-county and, after state distribution formulas (before municipal splits), the county received about $7,900,000 — illustrating that some counties receive more back than they collected and others receive less under the statutory distribution.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about annexations, municipal growth, and budget forecasting; Canada said forecasting sales-tax revenue is \"extremely difficult\" and encouraged boards to use multiple indicators when planning. She closed by offering follow-up support from the association.

The presentation provided county officials with multiple data points the board indicated they would use in the coming budget strategy sessions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Gaston County Board of Commissioners January 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Denise Canada, director of research and policy for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, presented a demographic and economic briefing to the Gaston County Board of Commissioners at its Jan. 28, 2025 meeting.","taxTitle","Gaston County, North Carolina","taxId",4853,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6364439,"Gaston County commissioners approve two rezonings after public hearings; board discloses two employee settlement approvals in closed session",1864,3236000,5100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2164734-084887f1a083195c7cbecda687b68039&start=3236&end=5100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2164734-084887f1a083195c7cbecda687b68039/thumbnail_3236000.jpg","/articles/6364439/Gaston-County/North-Carolina/Gaston-County-commissioners-approve-two-rezonings-after-public-hearings-board-discloses-two-employee-settlement-approvals-in-closed-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364439-2e7da353e92596784e90f5dbea130637/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201166&Signature=VksDiB~qaCJLUphMhLlfNZxdPsEWtezNq9eV3nLMUfJ0OMwRZXVOARgUGrpTZT6UD2sefqMlhqRmHwRdOrkqyBxk1sdPlPtZB5JT9ye2eP1-MtTogxX~Brs3Fsmv4Ry8ud41K5vrTEc0ha8VWZwy9FjD2QIUek44MPXcK22o7UnZH-L8KgL3ec9~LRJh8oBbAQBrLtPZaxO2pdJMwO3js1witUdKQ2kE~ZJnGSr89ioHkt4uytpehnb2~HM1p7Kwio0ECQdfaR76J2NhzPxQD9elQW6C7MSmaNjI3cPnEQ6EVFms3U6~~AUU5Y0pECB~KDyzOH2Rwqkssf5vNW3eUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Jan. 28, 2025 meeting, the Gaston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved two separate zoning map changes after public hearings and later disclosed that, in closed session, it voted to approve two pre-litigation employee settlement agreements.

REZ-196: Abbott family rezoning for two 1-acre lots

The board approved REZ-196, a general rezoning of two newly mapped parcels (parcel IDs shown in staff materials) on Shalom Drive in the Dallas/Stanley area from R-1 (Single-Family Limited) to R-3 (Single-Family General). County planning staff said the parcels were subdivided through a family-exemption process last fall and the applicants, Steven and Ruth Abbott, requested R-3 zoning for the two 1-acre lots intended for their children. Staff noted the lots use private well and septic systems and are accessed via a 20-foot easement off Shalom Drive, a private drive that connects to Keizer Dairy Road (an NCDOT road). The Gaston County Technical Review Committee reviewed the request; the Planning Board recommended approval by a unanimous 7–0 vote. Commissioner Bob Hovis moved to approve REZ-196; Commissioner Alan Fraley seconded. The clerk announced the vote as unanimous.

REZ-199: Crowder’s Mountain Trading Post rezoning

The board also approved REZ-199, a request to rezone a 0.30-acre parcel at 111 Camp Rotary Road (tax parcel 212-823) from R-1 (Single-Family Limited) with the US Urban Standards overlay to C-1 (Light Commercial) with the same overlay. Planning staff said county tax records identify the site as a building that has served a commercial purpose since 1964 and that the change of use will trigger environmental-health review for septic approvals. Applicant William Layton described plans to repurpose the property as the Crowder’s Mountain Trading Post, a community-oriented commercial use. The Planning Board recommended approval 7–0. Commissioner Hovis moved to approve REZ-199; Commissioner Jim Bailey seconded. The clerk recorded a unanimous vote.

Closed session disclosure

After a closed session taken under North Carolina law, the county attorney reported in open session that the board voted to approve two pre-litigation employment settlement agreements. The attorney did not provide details of the agreements in open session; the board did not record the individual roll-call votes for those agreements in the public record beyond the attorney’s disclosure that they were approved.

Votes at a glance

- REZ-196 (Steven & Ruth Abbott): Approved (motion Hovis; second Fraley); Planning Board 7–0; outcome unanimous.
- REZ-199 (William Layton / 111 Camp Rotary Rd): Approved (motion Hovis; second Bailey); Planning Board 7–0; outcome unanimous.
- Closed session: Two pre-litigation employee settlement agreements — approved (details not disclosed in open session).

Procedural notes

Notices for both rezoning public hearings were mailed and posted in accordance with general statutes; Planning staff cited the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for allowed uses in the proposed zoning districts. Environmental Health noted REZ-199 will require a change-of-use review for the septic system. No public objections were recorded in the minutes for REZ-196; one neighbor had inquired and staff reported seeing trailers and a manufactured-home unit on the lot under preparation but the neighbor indicated no objection. For REZ-199, staff reported one informational call and no objections.

The board handled the zoning votes alongside routine meeting business; the clerk recorded the approvals as unanimous.","The board unanimously approved rezoning requests REZ-196 (Abbott) and REZ-199 (Layton) after Planning Board recommendations. The board also reported that during closed session it approved two pre-litigation employee settlement agreements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

NCACC gives Gaston County economic, demographic snapshot as commissioners begin budget planning

Gaston County commissioners approve two rezonings after public hearings; board discloses two employee settlement approvals in closed session