[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-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",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6478585,"mediaKeyId","5708220-31d0ce20f45a2ecd44407ba2b157a5f1","parentId",5708220,"title","Edgecombe County commissioners approve property sale, financing and multiple project funding items; vote roundup","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3973000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5708220-31d0ce20f45a2ecd44407ba2b157a5f1&start=3973&end=3973","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5708220-31d0ce20f45a2ecd44407ba2b157a5f1/thumbnail_3973000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6478585/Edgecombe-County/North-Carolina/Edgecombe-County-commissioners-approve-property-sale-financing-and-multiple-project-funding-items-vote-roundup","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478585-43e72fd262c735b24e0c0d043713d91a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097853&Signature=MAFGvsxaDD-e2EtRhpWJVzrov8cn6cma7Z0S9bVoWDM8CxvyKucgdjJu54FP1dMNsCf45WfcRlHcI0GcBND8QC-WKE88KjGPMy-TqPxX-s518OYETQo4cBDa7EnplDm90OUGJcAdtmDCs9Ap1a8l28CweOMokg7u0uPEIP4I2RAy--FtuSTe6TFT5GR6XgnBNBbdcAUliRHXz0MOAQrYgLbsxXGHW-rbHySfXjZdGjAqr87Rx0gyecPq2fEeEkpY5WK8kUUDC3e2Ga1qhOAkaPtxPkG~E5OzO9ySqwltkDKyOWOF1IUGGcNYCjbTna5e-0P14crCFlKFDWWENW3Zng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Edgecombe County","date","2025-09-03T13:02:02Z","article","The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners voted on multiple formal actions during its Sept. 2 meeting, approving a conditional rezoning for a Jenkins Farm Road subdivision, authorizing installment financing for county capital projects, accepting an offer to purchase county property at Kingsborough Business Park tied to a proposed data center, and approving several grant and contract funding packages.

Key outcomes

- Conditional rezoning (Case 25-CRZO3): Approved. The board voted to conditionally rezone a 29.32-acre parcel off Jenkins Farm Road from AR-30 (rural residential) to R-30C (single-family residential conditional district) with housing limited to single-family detached homes; the planning board had recommended approval. The applicant, Bernard McLeod (Lands Development LLC), said the proposal is for a 25-lot subdivision and described plans to keep homes affordable. The board adopted written findings of consistency and reasonableness as required by Section 160D-605 of the North Carolina General Statutes and related zoning provisions.

- Installment financing / limited-obligation bond authorization (up to $5,000,000): Approved unanimously. The board authorized Edgecombe County Public Facilities Corporation to issue up to $5,000,000 in limited-obligation bonds to fund county facility improvements (HVAC, roof, electrical), rolling stock for public safety and solid waste equipment; JPMorgan Chase Bank is the purchaser pending Local Government Commission approval. The financing is subject to LGC approval (scheduled Sept. 9) and a planned close on Sept. 16 if approved.

- Offer to purchase county property at Kingsborough Business Park (parcel 21.55 acres) and option on adjacent 100 acres: Approved 5–1. The county accepted an offer from Go Forth Solar LLC to purchase 21.55 acres for $350,000 and an option to buy an adjoining 100 acres for $1,650,000. County staff clarified the proposed development is a data center that would generate on-site power from natural gas and include carbon-capture equipment; it is not a solar project. The board noted the zoning ordinance currently does not list data centers as a permitted use; staff said a text amendment is being drafted and will go to the planning board Sept. 15. Approval of the sale authorizes the county manager and clerk to publish the required notice for upset bids; final sale depends on upset bid period and subsequent approvals.

- Lone Pine Mobile Home Park wastewater project funding: Approved unanimously. The county accepted a funding offer from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure totaling $2,724,100 for construction: $862,050 loan, $500,000 principal forgiveness, and $1,362,050 grant. The project will address failing septic systems for about 100 residences in Lone Pine Mobile Home Park and along Ridgewood Road. The board approved the grant project ordinance and an engineering contract with Wooten Company to be paid from project funds.

- Edgecombe Memorial Library HVAC funding: Approved unanimously. The board appropriated $53,250 (county share) toward a $75,000 replacement for part of the library's heating and air system, consistent with the county–town funding formula; Tarboro had appropriated its share. The library director noted possible grant funds that could reduce local contributions.

- Golden Leaf Foundation project endorsements: Approved unanimously. After a review committee scored 13 submissions, the board endorsed four projects (county workforce hub \"Edgecombe Works Better,\" Bridial Opportunity Institute health-care pipeline, Town of Tarboro farmers market/pavilion, and Edgecombe County Schools welding program partnership with Edgecombe Community College) for consideration under Golden Leaf's Community-Based Grant Initiative.

- Other routine approvals: The board approved budget amendments (items 1,2,4–8; item 3 was held), health department fee schedule updates, various contracts and change orders (including sole-source approval for Expansion Solutions LLC for temporary assistance with food nutrition program recertifications) and adopted the updated regional hazard mitigation plan covering Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson counties (ensuring continued eligibility for FEMA mitigation funding).

Vote tallies and motions: Several agenda items were approved by voice vote with commissioners saying \"aye\" and no recorded opposition in the transcript; where a recorded tally was announced, the Kingsborough sale passed 5–1. For certain approvals the board explicitly adopted written statements of consistency and reasonableness (rezoning case) as required by statute.

Next steps: Several approvals are contingent on subsequent procedural steps: the $5 million financing is subject to Local Government Commission approval, the Kingsborough sale requires the upset-bid period and any required zoning text amendment for data centers must follow public hearings, and the Lone Pine project will proceed under the terms of the state funding offer and the project's grant ordinance.

The board held a closed session on an economic development matter later in the meeting and then adjourned.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Edgecombe Commissioners Meeting 09/02/25","oneSentenceSummary","At its Sept. 2 meeting the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners approved the conditional rezoning of Jenkins Farm Road property, authorized installment financing, accepted a purchase offer for county land at Kingsborough Business Park, and approved state and federal grant packages and other routine items. The sale motion passed 5–1.","taxTitle","Edgecombe County, North Carolina","taxId",73547,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6478589,"Center for Energy Education urges early community-benefit talks with solar developers",1192,461000,1653000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5708220-31d0ce20f45a2ecd44407ba2b157a5f1&start=461&end=1653","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5708220-31d0ce20f45a2ecd44407ba2b157a5f1/thumbnail_461000.jpg","/articles/6478589/Edgecombe-County/North-Carolina/Center-for-Energy-Education-urges-early-community-benefit-talks-with-solar-developers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478589-4eaa6d47bd30a7bb18bdea31fadb3a63/orig.mp4?Expires=1771097853&Signature=mucVZNl3bd3Q4DqhEX-qYmmUm5LPmzXjLEa6wW7fhod9zFGEJ3lnocDjgWns2ymKM8jfMmPZ2J4qR2FSQ88CaRm5-JHCYyjdvkGjAck2cTBYlD84EihSMI-TjdQK0MQaFaFK6XDSh5FvO6zTgwNk2~CMhVFftj2I12bhaR81kQY67ebvDBdnoCN1uRGeXCA0vqzZiQ65WlUhD3ELTaZWinS~3e~X-O4nzZGjsbvKeYzFcdTO9mz5ANI6qEmnHibSgHp39vbXWRUaqh4bITi5HCBxpDvaaoP-Xfkf8~bXPT9rBTmNLd6pzdeYkfm3Jo-j3-uQaEpkWrUXmSA2yXQUIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Moseen Lowe, executive director of the Center for Energy Education, told the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2 that rural counties should seek community benefits from solar developers early in the permitting process. \"If you don't ask, then you won't get anything,\" Lowe said, describing both legally binding agreements and informal commitments developers can make to benefit counties.

Lowe said her Halifax County education center was created under a binding agreement in which a solar developer constructed a regional facility in exchange for a community education center. \"Behind the building, there is a solar farm,\" she said. \"The commissioners asked for something in return for leasing their land, to solar. So, the agreement was made with the county commissioners and with the solar developers to have an education center for the region.\"

Lowe recommended that commissioners consider solar projects as economic-development opportunities and negotiate specifics tied to county priorities — workforce training, school programs, repairs to community facilities, event sponsorship and direct investment paid over time. She described a workforce training program run with Edgecombe Community College in which 92 residents were trained for a local project; about \"70 some\" took jobs, she said. \"We trained 92 people, to work on the project. Not all of them were interviewed. Not all of them stepped into the job. I think it ended up being, like, 70 some, but 70 some individuals.\"

Lowe said most of the Center's funding comes from foundations and that developers often provide training and program dollars, but that counties should be explicit about priorities and include written remedies if commitments are not met. \"Decide who best represents the county in these conversations, decide how often you would like to meet with them, and just to have in writing what would happen if the commitments are not met,\" she said.

Durbin Spel, the county planning director, told commissioners that some recommendations from Lowe and her staff had already been incorporated into a draft revised solar ordinance but cautioned that \"we can't put all of it in an ordinance.\" County staff said nonregulatory agreements can be included in project contracts or negotiated with developers as part of the conditional-permit or voluntary community-benefit process.

The presentation prompted several commissioners to say staff should compile a list of county priorities and pursue early stakeholder outreach when developers approach the county. Lowe offered the Center as a regional resource for workforce training and school programs.

The commissioners did not take formal action on the presentation itself; staff said they would continue to incorporate relevant suggestions into the draft solar ordinance under review.","The Center for Energy Education told the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners that rural counties can secure workforce, education and direct-investment benefits if local officials negotiate community benefit agreements with solar developers early in project planning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Edgecombe County commissioners approve property sale, financing and multiple project funding items; vote roundup

Center for Energy Education urges early community-benefit talks with solar developers