Onslow commissioners approve rezoning of Lakes at Henson Farms from commercial to single-family residential

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously May 19 to rezone 57.42 acres in the Lakes at Henson Farms subdivision from Highway Business (HB) to Residential‑15 (R‑15).

The rezoning, filed as PREZ‑2025‑5 by the county planning and development department on behalf of the property owners, corrects a mismatch between existing single‑family development and a leftover commercial zoning designation.

Planning staff said the area is an established, nearly fully built residential neighborhood and that R‑15 is consistent with the county’s suburban growth future land‑use designation. Staff said the lots meet the R‑15 minimum lot size (15,000 square feet), the parcels are served by Onwasa 2‑inch water mains and individual septic systems, and there are no anticipated impacts to nearby schools, which staff characterized as having capacity.

“Staff concluded that highway business here would not be along a major arterial,” planner Carter Metcalfe told commissioners during the staff presentation, recommending approval. The Onslow County Planning Board had recommended unanimous approval at its May 1 meeting.

The board approved a motion to adopt a statement of consistency with the comprehensive plan and authorized the chairman to sign the necessary documents.

Ending: With the rezoning approved, the parcels will be regulated under the Residential‑15 district going forward; one lot that lacked owner authorization remained outside the request because staff could not obtain a notarized authorization after multiple attempts.