City economic development staff told the Environmental Action Committee on July 21 that a 13.1‑acre city‑owned parcel in the Fayetteville Commerce District is proposed for rezoning from I‑2 (general industrial) to the newly adopted Conservation, Culture and Recreation (CCR) district and asked the committee for a letter of support.

Deputy Director Chung Tan (Economic Development) said the CCR district — adopted by City Council as Ordinance 6,884 and effective July 19 — is designed to “conserve, preserve, protect and enhance our community's natural resources” and align land‑use decisions with the City Plan. Tan said the Commerce District parcel contains a roughly 40‑year‑old forest, a riparian buffer and wildlife habitat and carries a Climate Resilience Score of 7.

“Natural buckles will help manage runoff, reduce flooding and improve the water quality,” Tan said, describing environmental and quality‑of‑life benefits for the adjacent industrial employment district’s roughly 4,000 workers. Tan asked the committee for a letter of support for the rezoning application and said staff are preparing the legal instrument required by the CCR zoning regulations to ensure permanent protection.

Longridge Planning staff confirmed the city aims to file the rezoning application at the July 30 intake; if filed at that intake date the item would likely be scheduled for a planning commission public hearing Sept. 8 and then forwarded to city council in late September or early October. “We’re looking to hit that date, and it would mean it would reliably go to the planning commission at their September 8 meeting,” Longridge staff said.

Committee members asked about future uses and management of the parcel if rezoned. Tan and department colleagues said the parcel is landlocked and utilities are distant; early ideas include trails, benches, limited restroom or amenity structures allowed under CCR, volunteer restoration and coordination with Parks & Recreation and the district’s tenants. Staff said outreach to Commerce District tenants has begun.

The committee indicated support for providing a letter to the planning commission package; staff requested the committee’s letter to be submitted in time for the July 30 application intake to be included in the packet for the Sept. 8 planning commission hearing.

Why it matters: This would be one of the first uses of the CCR district and could set a precedent for conserving urban forest, riparian buffers and habitat within an employment zone. The rezoning also creates a framework for restoration work and public access planning in future.