Harnett County schedules public hearing on rezoning request for 1.96-acre site on US 401 North

Harnett County Development Services on Tuesday asked the Board of Commissioners to place a requested rezoning for a 1.96-acre property on US 401 North in Fuquay on next week's public hearing docket.

Sarah Arbor, a development services planner, described case plan 25050001: the applicant, Hunter Winstead of the Morningstar Law Group, requested rezoning from RA-40 to commercial for property in Hector's Creek Township. "The requested rezoning is compatible with the underlying land use," Arbor told commissioners, and staff recommended sending the matter to a public hearing.

Staff noted that public water is available at the site but public sewer is not, and that the parcel has a railroad along its western boundary. The county's land-use compatibility map places the site in a commercial-mixed-use area, and Arbor said nearby parcels include single-family homes, a storage facility, a religious structure and a memory-care facility. The planning board voted 5-0 to recommend approval.

Two residents who attended the planning-board meeting spoke in opposition, citing concerns about traffic congestion and public safety if the site is developed and about potential impacts depending on where a future driveway connection would be placed. One resident also said the railroad adjacent to the site is a concern for safety and access.

Commissioners had questions about the timing of a proposed traffic signal at Piney Grove-Rawls Road and US 401 North; staff said they would follow up with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on the timeline and any developer contributions. The board voted to place the rezoning request on next week's public hearing agenda.

If approved after public hearing, the rezoning would permit commercial uses consistent with Harnett County's commercial-mixed-use land classification. Development would remain subject to available utility connections and site-specific permits.