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Cumberland County commissioners approve rezoning in Grays Creek despite staff, planning-board opposition
Summary
The Board of Commissioners approved rezoning case ZON25-0032 to allow rural residential development on a 0.92-acre lot in Grays Creek, reversing staff and the planning board's recommendation of denial. The board also approved two other rezoning requests consistent with staff recommendations.
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 15 approved a contentious rezoning request in the Grays Creek area that county planning staff and the county planning board had urged the board to deny.
Case ZON25-0032 seeks to reclassify a 0.92-acre parcel from A1 (agricultural) to RR (rural residential) to allow a group development of two dwelling units. Planning staff recommended denial on the grounds that the parcel is designated as —farmland— in the South Central area land-use plan (adopted 2015) and that the character of the nearby neighborhood largely consists of single-family homes on single lots. The planning board voted 8-0 to support staff's recommendation to deny the request; the Board of Commissioners voted to approve the rezoning 6-0.
The applicant, property owner Edward Clement, addressed the board during the public hearing and said the project would result in a —stick-built— house and that the parcel's soils and lot size can accommodate required septic systems. —We are just trying to build a stick home— and to make the property livable, Clement said; he added that he had cleared significant overgrowth on the lot and intended a home that would fit neighborhood standards.
Why it matters
The decision changes the future land-use potential for the parcel and sets a precedent for how the board may weigh neighborhood character and adopted land-use plans when members consider rezoning petitions. The vote also highlights the role of discretionary legislative authority: planning staff and the planning board provide recommendations, but the elected board may adopt a different outcome.
Other zoning actions
- Case ZON25-0030 (Camden and Rockfish intersection): Approved. The board rezoned two parcels from R6A residential to C2P planned service and retail, a moderate commercial designation staff found consistent with the Southwest Cumberland land-use plan; planning board recommended approval 8-0. Commissioner K.C. Patel moved to approve; the motion passed with five yes votes and one recusal (Commissioner Tyson recused because of a conflict of interest). Recorded yes votes: Vice Chair Sherwin Jones, Chair Kirk J. DeVlier, Commissioner Patel, Commissioner Faircloth and Commissioner Ricky Adams; Tyson recused.
- Case ZON25-0031 (northeast county near Godwin): Approved. The board rezoned from A1cZ conditional agriculture to A1 agriculture to allow a single-family residence; staff and the planning board recommended approval (8-0). The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Patel and passed unanimously.
What staff and commissioners said
Planning Director Ross Howard told commissioners ZON25-0032 —falls within the South Central land use plan— and staff found the proposed use —not compliant with the land use plan—; Howard noted the site's small lot size and the neighborhood's existing pattern of single dwellings on single lots.
Commissioner Faircloth, who moved to approve ZON25-0032, said the board's decision reflected a determination that the rezoning was —reasonable and in the public interest— and that the proposed district allows residential uses commonly found nearby.
Vote and procedural notes
- ZON25-0032: Motion to approve moved by Commissioner Faircloth; seconded; vote: 6-0 in favor; staff and planning board recommended denial (planning board 8-0 to deny). - ZON25-0030: Motion to approve moved by Commissioner Patel; vote: 5 yes / 0 no / 1 recusal (Tyson recused); planning board recommended approval 8-0. - ZON25-0031: Motion to approve moved by Commissioner Patel; vote: unanimous (6-0); planning board recommended approval 8-0.
Implementation and next steps
Zoning map amendments take effect according to county procedures once the board's decision is filed with the county planning office. Applicants seeking development must comply with permitting, utility connection and any recombination or site-preparation conditions identified by staff.
Provenance
This article summarizes the public hearings and board votes for zoning cases held Sept. 15, 2025. Primary source: meeting transcript; key presentation and applicant remarks were recorded in the public hearing sections for cases ZON25-0030, ZON25-0031 and ZON25-0032.
