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Burke County staff propose UDO updates, zoning and subdivision changes to speed housing and development
Summary
Planning director Alan Glines urged updates to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance, subdivision rules and minimum‑lot standards; commissioners asked staff to draft text amendments to allow higher density where public sewer is available and to streamline conditional/rezoning pathways.
Burke County’s planning director reviewed the county’s land‑use code and recommended a mix of short‑, mid‑ and long‑term updates to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and subdivision regulations intended to reduce uncertainty for developers and speed housing production.
Director Alan Glines told commissioners the UDO consolidates zoning, subdivision and site standards and that many developers research local rules online before contacting staff. He said overly restrictive lot‑size and subdivision standards and a complex permitting pathway create a cost and time barrier to builders. Glines recommended targeted short‑term changes (density standards, subdivision thresholds and special‑use permit triggers), mid‑term work on overlays and standards for new uses, and a longer‑term rewrite if community input warrants.
Why it matters: Commissioners hearing this presentation emphasized that where sewer and water are available, higher build density would produce housing faster and at lower unit cost; staff said those changes could be delivered as text amendments and sent to the planning board for its recommendation.
Key details presented: Glines explained that Burke County’s current residential minimum lot sizes are tied to whether public water and/or sewer are available; where neither utility is available a typical minimum is approximately three‑quarters of an acre, and roughly a half‑acre when both utilities are present. He detailed the county’s two subdivision tracks: a minor subdivision (one to six lots) with minimal road standards and a major subdivision (more than six lots) that must meet NCDOT road standards and is more costly to build. Staff said the county frequently sees 1–6 lot proposals that avoid major subdivision requirements and result in lower overall housing yield across large tracts.
Glines and staff noted that conditional zoning exists as a tool but that many builders prefer by‑right standards; making smaller lot sizes by‑right in sewered areas would remove legislative steps and shorten timelines for production. He suggested a text amendment process to create clearer by‑right options tied to the presence of public sewer and water and offered to return with draft language; commissioners gave direction to begin that work.
Other points: The planning director reviewed special‑use categories that currently require Board of Adjustment review (examples: campgrounds, kennels, large accessory structures) and suggested some thresholds (for example accessory buildings above 1,500 square feet) be reconsidered to avoid needless special‑use hearings. He also said the county’s comprehensive plan (Blueprint Burke) and future land‑use map are in place and should be more prominent on public websites so prospective developers and site selectors can find community goals.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to draft a text amendment to reduce the minimum lot size where public sewer (and water) is available and to bring the amendment to the planning board; staff estimated a draft could be prepared within a few months. The board gave tentative consensus to prioritize short‑term zoning and subdivision adjustments as part of the FY26 budget and planning work.
