Kernersville aldermen approve multiple rezonings, set annexation hearing and clear surplus property; parking and speed rules altered

The Kernersville Board of Aldermen voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a series of rezonings and municipal actions, including conditional rezoning for an outparcel at the Food Lion site on North Main Street that removes the requirement for an automobile connection between two small outparcels in favor of an ADA-compliant pedestrian sidewalk.

The actions, taken at the board’s Dec. 3 regular meeting at Kernersville Town Hall, also included approval of a parking expansion and drive-through modification for the Dario restaurant at NC 66 South, several downtown rezonings, a cleanup of split zoning on Hopkins Road to allow future redevelopment, authorization to apply for a public-safety facilities grant to renovate Colfax Station 16, setting a public hearing on a voluntary contiguous annexation for a 15.03-acre parcel near Brookford Road for Feb. 4, 2025, adoption of a school-hours no-parking restriction on Salem Crossing Road, a request to NCDOT to consider lowering speeds on Teague Lane, and a resolution declaring the former Tig/Teague Lane fire station surplus.

Why it matters: The rezonings and related approvals clear regulatory obstacles for small commercial redevelopment projects along major corridors and in the greater downtown area, while the parking and speed changes respond to neighborhood safety concerns around schools. The grant application and surplus declaration address town asset management and potential reuse of municipal property.

Most significant rezoning decisions

- North Main Street outparcel (Zoning docket K784A1): The board approved a conditional rezoning that changes a roughly one-acre outparcel at the Food Lion site from Limited Business Special (LB-S) to Highway Business Conditional (HB-C) to allow, among other uses, a restaurant with drive-through service. Planning staff and the planning board recommended approval with conditions. The applicant requested—and the board accepted—an alternative to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) requirement for automobile interconnectivity between the two narrow outparcels on the Food Lion site, citing tight lot geometry and turning radii; the approved condition requires construction of an ADA-compliant internal sidewalk between the parcels with final alignment to be set at civil construction plan review. The motion to approve was made by Alderman Apple and seconded by Alderman Gorham; the vote was unanimous.

- Dario restaurant parking and drive-through modification (K547A8): The board approved a single-phase conditional rezoning and site plan to expand Dario’s parking by about 18 spaces and to modify the drive-through to increase stacking capacity and improve ADA access. Staff noted the change is consistent with the original HBS zoning and will reduce incidences of parking on Abbotts Trace Drive. The motion was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Thompson, seconded by Alderman Gorham, and carried unanimously.

- East Bodenhamer and downtown rezonings (K722A1, K822, K340A1): The board approved three additional rezonings: a general-business to pedestrian-business rezoning at 313–315 East Bodenhamer (to remove a nonconforming residential status and allow future redevelopment), a general-industrial to general-business rezoning at 503 East Bodenhamer, and a cleanup rezoning on Hopkins Road (removing split RS-12/HB zoning to leave Highway Business alone) to facilitate future redevelopment near the Hopkins Road thoroughfare improvement. All three were recommended by planning staff and the planning board and were approved unanimously.

Other municipal actions

- Annexation hearing set: The board adopted a resolution setting a public hearing for Feb. 4, 2025, on a voluntary contiguous annexation for a 15.03-acre parcel identified as “0 Brookford Road” (actually accessed from Colonels Medical Parkway). Staff said the parcel was part of prior sewer-extension conditions; the annexation will be advertised before the planning board and the hearing date will align with any rezoning.

- School-hour parking restriction on Salem Crossing Road: The board adopted an ordinance adding a no-stopping/no-parking restriction on both sides of Salem Crossing Road from Tig Lane to Squires Lane Monday–Friday on school days from 7:30–9:00 a.m. and 2:30–4:00 p.m. The motion was made by Alderman Penix and seconded by Alderman Apple and passed unanimously. The mayor asked staff to continue monitoring for other time periods if needed.

- Teague Lane speed ordinance forwarded to NCDOT: The board approved an ordinance requesting that the N.C. Department of Transportation review lowering the speed limit on Teague (Tig) Lane from 45 to 35 mph on the corridor portion and lowering the school zone to 25 mph with flashing beacons. The ordinance will be sent to DOT for concurrence; the board voted unanimously to forward the request (motion by Alderman Apple, second by Alderman Gorham).

- Grant application for Colfax (Station 16) renovations: The board authorized the town manager to submit a grant application for funding to renovate Colfax Station 16, which staff described as about 40 years old. The motion to apply was made by Mayor Pro Tem Thompson and seconded by Alderman Barrow; the board approved the application step unanimously. Staff said acceptance of any award would return to the board for approval.

- Surplus property declaration (1528 Teague Lane): The board adopted a resolution declaring the former Tig/Teague Lane fire station and metal building at 1528 Teague Lane surplus so staff may proceed toward auction; the board asked staff to contact the school system first to check for interest before auctioning. The motion was moved by Alderman J.R. Gorham and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Thompson and passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance (motions and outcomes)

- Approve rezoning (K784A1) from LB-S to HB-C for North Main Street outparcel, subject to staff conditions and waiver of automobile interconnectivity in favor of ADA sidewalk; mover: Alderman Apple; second: Alderman Gorham; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Approve rezoning and site plan (K547A8) for Dario parking expansion and drive-through modifications (1.797 acres, HBS→HB-C); mover: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; second: Alderman Gorham; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Approve general rezoning (K722A1) GB→PB at 313–315 E. Bodenhamer to resolve nonconforming residential status; mover: Alderman Apple; second: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Approve general rezoning (K822) GI→GB at 503 E. Bodenhamer (1.11 acres) to align uses with downtown; mover: Alderman Hennings; second: Alderman Gorham; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Approve rezoning (K340A1) to remove split RS-12/HB zoning at 656 Hopkins Road and leave Highway Business to enable redevelopment; mover: Alderman Apple; second: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Set public hearing for voluntary contiguous annexation (0 Brookford Road / Colonels Medical Parkway, ~15.03 acres) for Feb. 4, 2025; mover: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; second: Alderman Gorham; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Adopt ordinance adding no-stopping/no-parking on Salem Crossing Road (school hours Mon–Fri) from Tig Lane to Squires Lane; mover: Alderman Penix; second: Alderman Apple; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Adopt ordinance requesting NCDOT consider lowering speeds on Teague (Tig) Lane and school-zone beacons; mover: Alderman Apple; second: Alderman Gorham; outcome: approved to forward to DOT (unanimous).

- Authorize town to apply for public-safety facilities grant for Colfax Station 16 renovations; mover: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; second: Alderman Barrow; outcome: authorized to apply (unanimous). Acceptance of any award requires subsequent board action.

- Adopt resolution declaring 1528 Teague Lane (former fire station) surplus to permit disposition/auction (staff to contact Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools first); mover: J.R. Gorham; second: Mayor Pro Tem Thompson; outcome: approved (unanimous).

What the board did not do

- The board did not deny any of the rezoning requests. No final redevelopment plans or construction timelines beyond applicant estimates were approved at this meeting; staff and developers noted that final design, civil construction plans, site plan approvals, and any required UDO modifications will be reviewed in subsequent administrative or planning-board processes.

Meeting context and next steps

Most items were unanimously approved after staff presentations and limited public comment. Several rezoning approvals explicitly carry conditions that bind future site-plan and civil-review steps (for example, the ADA sidewalk alignment between the North Main outparcels will be finalized at civil plans). Planning and engineering review will verify compliance with Highway Corridor Overlay District standards, stormwater and impervious-surface limits, and required yard buffers at the time of change-of-use or final development plan. Annexation and any grant awards will return to the board for final action as required.

Ending

Board members closed the meeting after brief staff reports and holiday remarks. The next regularly scheduled Board of Aldermen meeting will include any required follow-ups, the planning-board hearing for the annexation, and staff updates on the grant and surplus-property disposition.