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Board approves conditional zoning for Hilltop equipment and boat/RV storage with gate and conditions
Summary
The planning board recommended approval of a conditional zoning for three parcels near U.S. 17 to allow heavy-equipment sales, rental/service and boat/RV storage; the board added a condition that dry-stack boat storage would require a later amendment to the conditional zoning.
The Pender County Planning Board recommended approval of a conditional zoning (CZ-2025-85) for three parcels totaling about 6.4 acres near U.S. Highway 17 to permit heavy equipment sales/rental/service and outdoor boat and RV storage.
Staff said the site has historical commercial and light industrial uses and showed a site plan that would reuse existing buildings and gravel areas for storage. The applicant’s package included proposed buffers, a recombination of the three parcels before site plan approval, estimates of peak vehicle trips below thresholds requiring a traffic impact analysis, and proposed dense buffering adjacent to residential lots. Staff recommended approval, citing policies supporting appropriately located commercial development that minimizes residential impacts.
Applicant representatives (Stroud Engineering and the landowner) said hours of operation would not be 24/7, access would be from Top Road (not Highway 17), the site would be gated with keypad access, and security cameras and lighting were planned. The board and neighbors discussed lighting intensity and shielding; staff and the applicant said lighting must comply with the UDO requirement that parking-lot lighting be shielded so it does not cast direct light beyond the property line. Neighbors spoke in support and opposition; a speaker who opposed the previous property use (an incinerator/operation called Bearwood) said the proposed uses would be an improvement.
The board approved the conditional rezoning with four standard conditions recommended in the staff report, and with an additional condition: dry-stack boat storage (a use that falls under the conditional-use table) is not prohibited, but any application to add dry-stack storage must be processed as a revision to the conditional zoning (a public process to allow additional public review). The approved plan will move to the county commissioners for final action at the May 19 meeting.
