Indian Trail planning board recommends rezoning of Haywood Road parcels and Secrest Shortcut corner

The Indian Trail Planning and Zoning Board on an undisclosed date voted unanimously to recommend two separate rezoning requests: a nine‑parcel rezoning at the end of Haywood Road to SF-2 (low‑medium density single‑family) and a single‑parcel rezoning at the corner of Secrest Shortcut Road and Unionville‑Indian Trail Road to General Business to allow conversion of an existing house into a small professional office.

The two requests came before the board as conventional rezoning applications. Planning staff told board members the Haywood Road parcels consist of about 5.3 acres made up of nine tax parcels currently split between Regional Business District (RBD) and SF‑1 (single‑family low density) zoning, and that the Pennington Seacrest parcel is approximately 0.9 acres currently zoned SF‑1.

Planning staff said the Haywood Road request (case ZM2025‑0036, “Metters Haywood”) aims to correct a remnant commercial designation that dates to a 2009 zoning reclassification. Staff recommended SF‑2 for the Haywood Road parcels, noting SF‑2 has a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet (about one‑third of an acre) and a density of roughly 2.9 units per acre, and that the town’s future land‑use map recommends medium‑density residential for the area.

Board members asked whether Haywood Road is maintained by the state or the town and whether utilities exist at the site. Town staff member Brandy said Haywood Road is an NCDOT roadway and therefore state‑maintained. Planning staff said the subject Haywood properties do not currently have town water or sewer; the nearest water and sewer lines are approximately 2,000 feet away near Laurel Creek and Oakstone subdivisions, and any future development would need to resolve water and sewer connectivity or rely on private systems.

On the Pennington Seacrest case (ZM2025‑00557), planning staff said the 0.9‑acre property at 6209 Secrest Shortcut Road sits within a Mixed Use Activity Center and that nearby parcels already include commercial zoning and proposed mixed‑use projects. Staff recommended General Business zoning to permit a small, low‑impact professional office consistent with the activity center designation and the comprehensive plan’s future‑land‑use guidance.

Applicant Danielle Pennington told the board she intends to relocate her State Farm insurance agency from a Highway 74 location to the Secrest Shortcut site and said she plans to preserve the structure’s character and maintain low impacts on neighbors.

Motions to recommend approval passed unanimously for both rezonings. Board members and staff said that rezoning approvals do not authorize immediate development; any future development proposals would return to the town for permitting and would be required to meet road‑improvement, utility, and other development standards at that time.

Votes at a glance

• ZM2025‑0036 (Metters Haywood): Recommend rezoning nine parcels (~5.3 acres) to SF‑2. Motion to recommend approval passed unanimously. (Tally: unanimous.)

• ZM2025‑00557 (Pennington Seacrest): Recommend rezoning one parcel (~0.9 acres, 6209 Secrest Shortcut Road) to General Business to allow conversion to a small professional office. Motion to recommend approval passed unanimously. (Tally: unanimous.)

Board business at the meeting also included administration of oaths of office and the appointment of Meg Fielding as board chair and Cynthia Wiley as vice chair. The board approved minutes from the prior meeting before addressing the rezonings.

Looking ahead, planning staff said rezoning approvals only change the zoning classification; any site development would require separate applications and will be subject to NCDOT requirements for road access and to town standards for utilities and site improvements.