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Burke County planning board split on two rezoning requests; commissioners keep both on agenda
Summary
Planners recommended approval for a small commercial rezoning on NC 18 South and recommended denial for a rezoning near Evans Construction on Ashton Drive after neighbor concerns; both items remained on the county agenda for public hearing and final action.
Two separate zoning-map-amendment requests drew planning-board reviews and public concern at the Burke County Board of Commissioners pre-agenda meeting on April 7.
Alan Glines, Burke County planning director, presented ZMA-2025-01 for 2907 NC 18 South, a 0.27-acre parcel the owner wants rezoned from Residential-2 to General Business so a small building that has historically operated commercially can be used for retail. Glines said the planning board reviewed the request Feb. 27, heard from only the applicant and voted 7-0 to recommend approval. "If it is approved, we'll adjust the future land use map accordingly to be general business," Glines told commissioners.
On ZMA-2025-02, Mickey and Debbie Evans sought to rezone a 1.15-acre parcel on Ashton Drive from Residential-2 to General Business to support Evans Construction. Glines said the property has historically been used for the business and the owner proposes a 10-foot evergreen buffer along three sides to mitigate residential impacts. A neighbor spoke at the planning-board hearing and the board voted 6-1 to recommend denial. "I feel like they weren't sure that there would be enough buffering for that neighbor," Glines said when commissioners asked why the planning board denied the request.
Commissioners asked questions about past complaints of material storage and dust at the Evans site; Glines said he had investigated and "haven't seen the mounds" described in some complaints but acknowledged the neighbor's concerns. Neither rezoning was decided at the pre-agenda meeting; both remain on the public-hearing/decision agenda for the regular meeting.
Why it matters: Rezoning changes the allowable uses on specific parcels and can affect neighboring residential areas, traffic and long-term land-use planning. Planners differed on the two applications, and the board will hear public comment before acting.
What's next: Both items are scheduled for future public hearings and final action by the Board of Commissioners.
