Onslow County commissioners approve Hallpoint rezoning despite planning board opposition

The Onslow County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a rezoning request for a 51.31-acre tract on Hallpoint Road in the Stump Sound township, changing the propertyfrom Residential 8 Manufactured (R-8M) to Residential 10 (R-10).

The rezoning, filed as PREZ 2024-30 by John L. Pierce & Associates on behalf of owner Beavercreek Investors, was approved after a public hearing and staff presentation explaining the request and related infrastructure and environmental considerations.

Planning staff advised the board that about 40% of the parcel is developable, with the remainder in wetlands and regulated flood zones. Mr. Hunter Metcalfe, Onslow County planning staff, described the technical details: the site is served by an Onwasa 4-inch water main along Hallpoint Road, individual septic currently serve the area, and fire protection would be provided by Turkey Creek (ISO rating 4). Metcalfe also said that county staff could not locate traffic counts for Hallpoint Road and used adjacent Futures Landing Road as a proxy; that road had a 2023 trip count of 1,200 with an estimated capacity near 10,000.

Metcalfe summarized the countycomprehensive plan Horizon 2040 designation of the site as Waterside Community and explained differences between R-8M and R-10 zoning. He said both zones allow up to 10 dwelling units per acre for multifamily uses, but R-8M (Residential 8 Manufactured) explicitly allows manufactured housing and sets a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet, while R-10 sets a 10,000-square-foot minimum. Metcalfe clarified permitting differences: multifamily in R-8M requires a special-use permit and public hearing before the board of adjustment, whereas multifamily in R-10 is by-right and can receive administrative approval after technical review by staff.

Applicant John Pierce told the board he had a wetlands delineation prepared and planned a centralized sewer system. "We plan on constructing this property with DOT right connected to Pechear Road," Pierce said, and noted the wetlands mapping was done by Hayward Pittman.

Citizens who spoke at the public hearing raised concerns about flood risk, drainage, school overcrowding and road capacity. Don Duell and another resident asked for clarity on the Waterside Community designation in Horizon 2040 and on whether R-10 would allow multifamily development without a public hearing. Metcalfe responded that a special-use permit would not be available as a public hearing path to increase density in R-10 and that staff enforces density and open-space requirements on site plans.

The Onslow County Planning Board had recommended denial of the rezoning by a 4-1 vote, citing inconsistency with the comprehensive plan and local community plan input, concerns about drainage and road access, and the areaexisting R-8M zoning.

Commissioners discussed school capacity and road access in the area. One commissioner noted that the county is coordinating with the Board of Education on school additions and that state-owned roads limit the countyability to force pre-development upgrades. Another commissioner said the rezoning could create an additional evacuation route in emergencies.

After discussion, a motion to approve the rezoning passed on a voice vote. No named roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript; the chair called for all in favor and the motion carried.

The approval authorizes staff to sign the required statement of consistency and the associated documents to effect the map amendment.

The rezoning record includes a wetlands map and notes that any future development would be subject to flood-damage prevention regulations and state and federal wetlands review.

Going forward, any site plans proposing multifamily development will be subject to Onslow County technical review and to the countystandards on density and open space; if the project proposes manufactured homes it would be subject to the R-8M rules, which the newly approved R-10 zoning does not allow by-right.