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Harnett County commissioners approve rezoning of 5.22-acre Cool Springs parcel to commercial over resident objections
Summary
After a public hearing with multiple residents citing traffic, safety and quality-of-life concerns, the Harnett County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to rezone a 5.22-acre tract on U.S. 421 from RA-30 to a commercial zoning district (plan 25‑04‑00001).
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners on the evening of the meeting approved a rezoning request to change a 5.22-acre tract on U.S. 421 at Cool Springs Road from RA‑30 to a commercial zoning district (case plan 25‑04‑00001), following a public hearing with multiple residents who said the change would worsen traffic, noise, light and litter.
Staffer Sarah Arbor of Harnett County Development Services told commissioners the parcel is an “unimproved wooded corner lot” within the county’s rural center development node and that public water is available. Arbor said staff found the request consistent with the county’s land‑use plan and recommended approval; the planning board had voted 5–0 to recommend approval.
The applicant’s representative, Tillman Pope of Central Carolina Equity Partners, said the site fronts U.S. 421 and is surrounded by a mix of commercial frontage and residential lots. Pope told the board the proposed commercial uses would be appropriate for the area and consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, and he described the tract as “approximately 5 acre[s]” with topography that likely limits developable area.
Several residents opposed the rezoning during the public hearing. Brian Turner, who said he lives on Frontier Court, recalled a prior special‑use permit hearing last summer in which a request for a gas station/convenience store on the parcel was denied as not “in harmony with the surrounding area.” Turner said the parcel backs directly to residences and warned that a commercial site would bring noise, light, trash and “unwanted visitors” near homes.
Other residents cited safety concerns on the busy U.S. 421 corridor. One speaker noted that three fatalities had occurred between Lillington and Sanford in 2025 and argued the intersection is “not maintained” and that additional turning and queuing for a commercial entrance would increase crash risk. Kelly Beebe said she works from home and that lights and noise from a commercial site would affect her daily life.
After public comment, a commissioner moved and a second followed to approve plan 25‑04‑00001. The board voted in favor; the motion “carried unanimously,” and the clerk recorded the approval.
The rezoning approval does not specify the exact commercial tenant or site plan; several residents asked the board to consider protective stipulations if the property is developed. Staff did note the property’s future land‑use designation supports small‑scale retail and similar commercial uses, and Pope said many residents in the area currently travel to Lillington or Sanford for services.
The board did not attach specific mitigation conditions on the record at the time of approval. Commissioners and staff said DOT involvement and site access will be addressed as part of future development and permitting processes.
The decision completes the county’s rezoning process for this parcel; any subsequent development will require site‑level permitting and any necessary state DOT approvals.
