Onslow County approves amendment to Burton Park incentive agreement, reduces MOB size and jobs estimate

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 6 held a public hearing and approved an amendment to an existing incentive development agreement with Trask Burton Park MOB, LLC that reduces the planned medical office building at Burton Park from 50,000 square feet to 36,000 square feet and lowers the estimated combined employment for the medical office and associated restaurants from 100 to 75.

County Attorney Brett DeSelmes described the amendment as a timing and scope change rather than a request for additional county funds. “There’s no additional funding. They will pay their taxes; the agreement separates the medical office building and the restaurants because they are on different timetables,” DeSelmes said. He told the board the medical office building is expected to be completed before August 2027 and the restaurants have until October 2028.

The change also separates the grant/benefit schedules for the two project components so each can proceed on its own timeline. DeSelmes said site clearing has already begun at Burton Park.

During the public hearing there were no public comments. The board then closed the hearing and approved the proposed amendment by voice vote.

Vice Chairman (name not specified in the record) asked for one clarification during discussion, confirming with DeSelmes that the amendment did not create additional county expenditures. DeSelmes answered that the only revenue to the county would be tax receipts and that no new county appropriation was required.

The board’s approval updates the 2022 incentive development agreement’s scope and schedule but does not change the total county financial commitment beyond tax treatment outlined in the original agreement.

The record shows no amendment to the dollar amount of incentives and no explicit vote tally was recorded in the minutes beyond a voice vote approving the amendment.