Harnett County commissioners table one zoning case, approve budget measures and add Dunn funding to next-year budget

Harnett County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 17, 2025, voted on routine budget and administrative matters, heard requests from county departments and outside jurisdictions, and postponed one contested zoning change until its next meeting.

The board approved budget amendments, tax rebates, refunds and releases and approved a motion to write off certain accounts for Harnett Regional Water as of September 2024. The board also approved one zoning change presented at a public hearing and tabled another zoning hearing because two commissioners were absent. County staff and external agencies asked the board to consider other items, including a parks contract, transit plan and library grant applications.

The actions and requests affect county planning for parks and library services and will influence budget priorities in the coming fiscal year. The tabled zoning case drew mixed public comment and will return to the board when a full membership can consider it.

The board began the meeting by approving minutes for Feb. 3 and Feb. 11, 2025. Parks and Recreation staff presented a request for approval of a contract with Withers Ravenel to develop a site master plan for Northwest Harnett Park; the transcript records the request but does not state whether the board granted final approval at the Feb. 17 meeting. The county’s General Services representative asked the board to consider and approve a revised Title VI program plan for the Harnett Area Rural Transit System (HARTS), a compliance requirement tied to federal and state transportation funding; the transcript records the request but does not record a final vote on the plan.

The Harnett County Public Library presented two grant requests under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) for the 2025–2026 cycle: one application for $100,000 to fund a mobile outreach bookmobile and one application for $100,000 to expand radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology across six library branches. The transcript records the library asking permission to apply but does not state whether the board voted to authorize those applications.

During two public hearings on zoning changes, the board heard seven speakers: four in support and three opposed to proposed zoning change case PLAN-2412-0001. Because two commissioners were absent, the board tabled PLAN-2412-0001 to the next meeting. A separate zoning change, case PLAN-2501-0001, drew one supporter and was approved.

The board discussed a funding request from the City of Dunn related to hosting the 2025 Diamond Youth Baseball AA World Series and decided to add the Dunn request as a line item for next year’s fiscal-year budget, effectively referring the request for consideration during the budget process rather than approving one-time funding at the Feb. 17 meeting.

The board made several appointments to county boards and committees; the transcript notes the appointments were made but does not list the appointees. After the county manager’s report, the board recessed with no new business or closed session recorded. The meeting recap notes the next board work session is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. and the next regular meeting for March 3 at 9 a.m.

Votes at a glance - Approve meeting minutes (Feb. 3 and Feb. 11, 2025): approved. Motion/movers not specified in transcript. - Zoning case PLAN-2412-0001: tabled until next meeting (tabled). Transcript notes 4 supporters and 3 opponents; reason for tabling: two board members absent. - Zoning case PLAN-2501-0001: approved. Motion/movers not specified in transcript. - Budget amendments, tax rebates, refunds and releases: approved. Details and vote tallies not specified. - Approve write-offs for Harnett Regional Water as of Sept. 2024: approved. Amounts not specified in transcript. - Appointments to boards and committees: appointments were made; names/details not specified. - City of Dunn funding request for 2025 Diamond Youth Baseball AA World Series: referred/added as a line item for next fiscal-year budget (direction).

What was requested but not resolved on Feb. 17 - Contract with Withers Ravenel to develop a site master plan for Northwest Harnett Park: request presented; final approval not specified in transcript. - Revised Title VI program plan for HARTS (Harnett Area Rural Transit System), required by the Federal Transit Administration and the N.C. Department of Transportation Integrated Mobility Division: request presented; final approval not specified in transcript. - Two LSTA grant applications from Harnett County Public Library for 2025–2026 ($100,000 each for a bookmobile and RFID expansion): requests to apply recorded; board action on authorization not specified.

Meeting logistics and public input Six members of the public spoke during the public-comment period. The transcript records seven speakers for the two zoning hearings (four in favor, three opposed for PLAN-2412-0001; one in favor for PLAN-2501-0001). The transcript does not include vote tallies or the names of individual commissioners or most presenters for several agenda items.

For the full meeting video and documents, the county provided a link: www.harnett.org/boc.