Forsyth County commissioners approve UDO edits, four bond orders and a slate of contracts and resolutions

Forsyth County Board of Commissioners on April 2025 unanimously approved multiple routine and major items, including two text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance, four separate general-obligation bond orders representing school, community college, parks and public facilities needs, and a number of contracts, budget amendments and proclamations.

The approvals included: a text amendment clarifying single-family lot-size rules in multifamily residential (RM) districts in the county Unified Development Ordinance (UDO CC 28); a UDO amendment to conform Historic Resources Commission language with changes in North Carolina General Statutes (UDO CC 29); four general obligation bond orders — $27,335,000 for school capital projects, $2,300,000 for community college projects, $2,000,000 for parks and recreation, and $2,000,000 for public facilities — and a sale resolution authorizing combined issuance of up to $33,635,000 in general obligation bonds. The board also approved multiple budget ordinance amendments, a vehicle subfund appropriation, renewal contracts for risk claims administration and document-management software, and proclamations recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Why it matters: the bond approvals and ordinance changes affect capital spending and land-use rules in Forsyth County. The bond votes commit the county to proceed with sale-resolutions and bond-authorizing steps required under state law. The UDO changes are intended by staff to clarify development standards and correct inconsistencies that staff and the planning board identified.

Key decisions and details

- UDO text amendment (UDO CC 28): Planning and Development Services staff presented a text amendment to Chapter 4 to add a footnote directing users to the RM-5 table for single-family dimensional standards and to standardize the minimum single-family lot size at 5,000 square feet across RM districts. The planning board recommended approval at its October 2024 public hearing after no speakers opposed. Motion to approve: Commissioner Bessie; second: Commissioner Wilson. Vote: unanimous (Chair Martin; Commissioners Bessie, Wilson, McDaniel, Woodbury — yes).

- UDO text amendment (UDO CC 29): Amendment to Chapters 3, 4, 10 and 11 to align Historic Resources Commission (HRC) provisions with recent revisions to Article 9 of N.C. General Statutes (chapter 160D and 2022 updates). Staff said the changes correct typographical errors, regularize terms and do not change current HRC operations. Planning board recommended approval (no opposition). Motion to approve: Commissioner Bessie; second: Commissioner Wilson. Vote: unanimous.

- Bond orders and sale resolution: The board held separate public hearings and approved four bond orders: $27,335,000 (school general-obligation two-thirds bonds) with $8.5M for biannual capital maintenance and $18.8M for Ashley Elementary; $2,300,000 (community college); $2,000,000 (parks and recreation); and $2,000,000 (public facilities). Staff said the school bond order could include up to $2.1M in premium proceeds if the board chooses to accept bond premium proceeds; the board was told staff will bring that decision back before the bond issuance date (May 5 was cited as a decision deadline). Final action consolidated the four orders under a sale resolution authorizing issuance up to $33,635,000 (Series 02/25/2025). Motions: movers/seconders varied (see action list). All votes: unanimous.

- Budget and capital items: The board approved multiple items affecting Forsyth Technical Community College (capital-project reallocation and salary increase appropriation totaling $387,457), a vehicle-subfund appropriation of $1,791,978.34 to allow additional capacity for vehicle purchases and repairs (including ambulances and Sheriff’s Office vehicle replacements), and other routine FY25 amendments. Staff noted a deeper vehicle-replacement plan remains in progress.

- Contracts and subscriptions: The board authorized a contract increase not to exceed $441,455 for Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. for third-party claims administration (workers’ compensation, auto, general and property liability) for FY25–27, and awarded a one-year Laserfiche document-management renewal to MCCI not to exceed $145,255 for the term ending 03/27/2026. Motion to approve Brentwood: Commissioner Bessie (mover); Commissioner Woodbury (second). Motion to approve Laserfiche renewal: Commissioner Bessie (mover); Commissioner Wilson (second).

- City-County Utility Commission infrastructure expenditure (Front Street Capital): The board approved a resolution authorizing a $1,000,000 0% loan and a $735,000 grant from City-County Utility Commission funds for municipal infrastructure to support a 300,000-square-foot speculative industrial building at Union Cross Industrial Center (item covered in its own discussion in this meeting). Motion to approve: Commissioner Bessie; second: Commissioner Wilson (see separate article for details). Vote: unanimous.

- Ordinance and proclamations: The board adopted a revised Air Quality Control chapter to update rules on asbestos hazard management, air-quality permits, gasoline dispensing facilities, sulfur dioxide emissions and incinerators; and adopted proclamations recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and April 13–19, 2025 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Forsyth County. Motion authors and seconders varied; votes were unanimous.

Votes at a glance (selected actions) - UDO CC 28 (text amendment — single-family in RM districts): approved unanimously. Motion: Commissioner Bessie; second Commissioner Wilson. - UDO CC 29 (text amendment — HRC statutory alignment): approved unanimously. Motion: Commissioner Bessie; second Commissioner Wilson. - Bond orders: School $27,335,000; Community College $2,300,000; Parks $2,000,000; Public Facilities $2,000,000 — each approved at separate public hearings; consolidated sale resolution up to $33,635,000 approved. All unanimous. - City-County Utility Commission loan/grant for Union Cross (Front Street Capital): $1,000,000 loan (0%); $735,000 grant; approved unanimously. - Brentwood third-party administrator contract increase (FY25–27): not to exceed $441,455; approved unanimously. - Laserfiche subscription renewal (MCCI): not to exceed $145,255 for one year; approved unanimously. - Air Quality Code revisions (County Code Chapter 3): adopted unanimously. - Tax collector advertisement resolution (unpaid 2024 taxes): ordered for advertisement May 12–June 27, 2025; approved unanimously.

What’s next: Planning staff briefings and several rezoning requests will return for public hearings in two weeks. The county will proceed with publication and the additional administrative steps required to complete the bond sales and the city/county utilities agreements. County staff said a final decision about applying bond premium proceeds (approximately $2.1 million in potential premium on the school bond sale) will be brought back for board action before issuance.

Meeting context: The items above were briefed in advance to the board and were noncontroversial in formal vote counts; the most extensive public discussion at the meeting focused on the City-County Utility Commission funding for the Union Cross infrastructure item, where several citizens voiced objections about using public utility-derived funds to support private development (that item and public concerns are summarized in a separate article).