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Gaston County commissioners approve two residential rezoning requests after public hearings
Summary
The board approved two zoning map changes — one rezoning a 4.06-acre parcel in the Ramlo/Dallas area and another to apply RS-20 zoning to a Belmont-area parcel — after staff presentations, public comments and planning-board recommendations.
The Gaston County Board of Commissioners voted to approve two separate zoning map change requests following public hearings at its September meeting.
For REZ25-03-25-00223, applicant Mackenzie Myers sought to rezone a 4.06-acre parcel at 220 F L Myers Road from R-1 (single-family limited) with a US overlay to R-2 (single-family moderate) with the US overlay. Planner Jamie Lizzie said staff noted two manufactured homes on the lot and that the applicant has contracted for removal of the original home; staff recommended approval and told the board that the planning and zoning board had unanimously recommended approval 7–0. Commissioner Tom Keiger moved to accept the planning board’s recommendation; Commissioner Bob Hovis seconded. The board recorded a vote of 5–2 to approve the rezoning.
Several residents spoke during the later rezoning, REZ25-04-01-00225, which involved a parcel at 130 Georgia Bell Avenue in the Belmont area. Planning staff Payton Wiggins said the property had been released from Belmont’s extraterritorial jurisdiction in 2024–25 and that staff supported rezoning from the county default R-1 district to RS-20 (single-family 20,000 sq. ft.) to better match surrounding lot sizes. The planning and zoning board recommended approval 8–0.
Marco Swalborn, an adjacent property owner, told the board he was concerned about traffic and lot sizes; he said Peach Orchard Road has frequent accidents and that smaller lots could reduce nearby property values. William Somerville, a resident across the street, asked whether “single-family” could permit attached townhomes; staff clarified that the RS-20 district would not allow townhomes by right and that duplexes would require larger minimum lot sizes under county rules.
Laura Hamilton, owner of Land Use Consulting LLC and representing the applicants, told the board the property owners intend to subdivide the parcel into two lots initially and wanted RS-20 to preserve future options. Wiggins and Hamilton said, depending on health-department approvals for wells and septic systems, RS-20 could yield up to three or four lots at most.
Commissioner Scott Sheehan asked whether applicants had firm plans for the number of future lots; staff said the applicants presently intend to subdivide into two lots and wish to retain flexibility for later subdivision. The board voted 6–1 to approve the RS-20 rezoning.
Both approvals carry the conditions and standards of the county’s Unified Development Ordinance; staff said no permits would be issued for new construction on the REZ223 parcel until confirmation that the older manufactured home had been removed.
The board also received staff reports that there are no funded nearby NCDOT transportation projects affecting either site, that both parcels will be served by wells and septic systems, and that the rezoning decisions are consistent with applicable small-area and comprehensive-plan designations.
The planning department record and the planning board recommendations were entered into the meeting record during the hearings.
