Randolph County commissioners approve economic incentives, zoning updates, two construction contracts and other routine business

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 3 approved a package of local incentives for a potential precast concrete manufacturer, adopted multiple land-use ordinance updates the county said were required by the state, awarded two construction-related contracts and completed routine procedural business including adopting a budget schedule.

Project Blue Crab, a prospective manufacturer the county's Economic Development Commission (EDC) is courting, would invest an estimated $9.1 million, create about 60 jobs over five years with average wages above $63,000, and qualify for state grants. The board approved a local incentive offer of $92,000 paid over five years as a cash grant-back contingent on the company meeting job and investment commitments; the county will be the applicant for two state grants that require a local match. The board approved the resolution authorizing the county to enter the economic development incentive agreement.

The board adopted text amendments to the Randolph County Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that break the former '1highway commercial'2 zoning category into three new commercial districts with differing permitted uses, add definitions and new use standards, and create a streamlined staff-level approval to allow two dwelling units on a single parcel when one unit is owner-occupied. Commissioners also adopted updates to the county's Watershed Protection Ordinance and related flood-damage prevention elements; staff said the changes implement the state model…