Pitt County planning board hears presentation on proposed mega site on Weyerhaeuser land

The Pitt County Planning Board received an informational briefing on a proposed “mega site” that would study 3,300 acres of Weyerhaeuser‑owned land to determine whether a contiguous 1,000‑acre industrial pad could be developed, board members were told.

Josh Lewis, president and CEO of the Eastern North Carolina Alliance, said the state selected a small number of North Carolina sites for a mega‑site readiness program that provides major state funding for site acquisition, due diligence and infrastructure. “Pitt County, based on a developable opportunity, is probably the best opportunity that the state has to invest dollars and get a site up and viable in a short amount of time,” Lewis said.

The briefing explained why the property is under consideration and what would be required for the site to advance. County planning staff told the board that the property owner, Weyerhaeuser, submitted a rezoning application; staff received that application “yesterday” and the item will be advertised and go through a public‑hearing process at the board’s June meeting. Jonas Hill, planning staff, said the county’s zoning ordinance requires notice to property owners within 500 feet but staff will send notices to about 1,000 feet for this request; he reported preliminary outreach will go to roughly 317 property owners, signs will be posted on the site and the request will be publicized in the Daily…