Planning staff recommends rezoning on US 401 North near Rawls Church; commissioners add item for publication

Harnett County development services staff recommended rezoning a 1.96-acre property on U.S. 401 North from RA-40 to a commercial zoning district at a Monday work session, and commissioners agreed to publish the rezoning for formal consideration next week.

"This is a requested rezoning from the RA 40 zoning district to the commercial zoning district," Sarah Arbor, development services staff, said, identifying the applicant as Hunter Winstead of Morningstar Law Group and the parcel as about 1.96 acres in Hector's Creek township. Arbor said public water is available but public sewer is not, and that the site is bounded on the west by a railroad right-of-way.

Staff noted daily traffic counts near the site of roughly 10,000 trips on the section of U.S. 401 North and 11,000 on Piney Grove Rawls Road and said the land-use compatibility map designates the parcel within a commercial-mixed-use area. "Staff did find that the area is characterized by a mix of residential and commercial land uses," Arbor said. The planning board voted 5-0 to recommend approval.

Two residents who spoke at the planning board session raised concerns about traffic congestion, public safety and impacts depending on future driveway placement near the adjacent railroad crossing. Commissioners asked staff to check the timeline and funding arrangements for a planned signal at Piney Grove Rawls and U.S. 401, which staff said will be investigated and reported back.

Why it matters: Rezoning would change allowable future uses on a corridor road with evolving commercial development and potential traffic-signal changes; neighbors flagged proximity to an active railroad as a safety concern.

Action taken: The board instructed staff to place the rezoning on the public agenda for next week's meeting; no final rezoning decision was made at the work session.