Commissioners approve CHW Farm rezoning to general commercial

Pitt County commissioners voted to approve a rezoning request from CHW Farm LLC to change 21.505 acres along U.S. 13 from rural residential to general commercial. Planning staff said the site is consistent with the Southwest Bypass land-use plan and cited nearby nonresidential activity and existing commercial frontage.

At the public hearing, Kent Malpass spoke for CHW Farm and said the project conforms with the land-use plan and would be appropriate for the commercial corridor. Planning staff told the board the planning board reviewed the request on March 19 and recommended approval by a 9-0 vote.

The commission adopted the planning staff’s consistency statement and then approved the rezoning on a motion and second. There was no extended public opposition recorded at the meeting and the hearing was closed before the vote. The action places the parcel under general commercial zoning rules; any future development will require standard site-plan review and permits.

Planning staff advised that rezoned land would allow retail, office and limited wholesale uses and moderate-density multifamily uses where utilities and thoroughfares are available. The approval does not include specific site plans, conditions or county funding for development; future projects on the parcel will be subject to the county zoning ordinance and applicable state permits.