Gaston County commissioners approve two rezonings after public hearings; board discloses two employee settlement approvals in closed session

At its Jan. 28, 2025 meeting, the Gaston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved two separate zoning map changes after public hearings and later disclosed that, in closed session, it voted to approve two pre-litigation employee settlement agreements.

REZ-196: Abbott family rezoning for two 1-acre lots

The board approved REZ-196, a general rezoning of two newly mapped parcels (parcel IDs shown in staff materials) on Shalom Drive in the Dallas/Stanley area from R-1 (Single-Family Limited) to R-3 (Single-Family General). County planning staff said the parcels were subdivided through a family-exemption process last fall and the applicants, Steven and Ruth Abbott, requested R-3 zoning for the two 1-acre lots intended for their children. Staff noted the lots use private well and septic systems and are accessed via a 20-foot easement off Shalom Drive, a private drive that connects to Keizer Dairy Road (an NCDOT road). The Gaston County Technical Review Committee reviewed the request; the Planning Board recommended approval by a unanimous 7–0 vote. Commissioner Bob Hovis moved to approve REZ-196; Commissioner Alan Fraley seconded. The clerk announced the vote as unanimous.

REZ-199: Crowder’s Mountain Trading Post rezoning

The board also approved REZ-199, a request to rezone a 0.30-acre parcel at 111 Camp Rotary Road (tax parcel 212-823) from R-1 (Single-Family Limited) with the US Urban Standards overlay to C-1 (Light Commercial) with the same overlay. Planning staff said county tax records identify the site as a building that has served a commercial purpose since 1964 and that the change of use will trigger environmental-health review for septic approvals. Applicant William Layton described plans to repurpose the property as the Crowder’s Mountain Trading Post, a community-oriented commercial use. The Planning Board recommended approval 7–0. Commissioner Hovis moved to approve REZ-199; Commissioner Jim Bailey seconded. The clerk recorded a unanimous vote.

Closed session disclosure

After a closed session taken under North Carolina law, the county attorney reported in open session that the board voted to approve two pre-litigation employment settlement agreements. The attorney did not provide details of the agreements in open session; the board did not record the individual roll-call votes for those agreements in the public record beyond the attorney’s disclosure that they were approved.

Votes at a glance

- REZ-196 (Steven & Ruth Abbott): Approved (motion Hovis; second Fraley); Planning Board 7–0; outcome unanimous. - REZ-199 (William Layton / 111 Camp Rotary Rd): Approved (motion Hovis; second Bailey); Planning Board 7–0; outcome unanimous. - Closed session: Two pre-litigation employee settlement agreements — approved (details not disclosed in open session).

Procedural notes

Notices for both rezoning public hearings were mailed and posted in accordance with general statutes; Planning staff cited the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) for allowed uses in the proposed zoning districts. Environmental Health noted REZ-199 will require a change-of-use review for the septic system. No public objections were recorded in the minutes for REZ-196; one neighbor had inquired and staff reported seeing trailers and a manufactured-home unit on the lot under preparation but the neighbor indicated no objection. For REZ-199, staff reported one informational call and no objections.

The board handled the zoning votes alongside routine meeting business; the clerk recorded the approvals as unanimous.