Pender County Planning Board recommends conditional rezoning for Hooked Up Towing property on U.S. 17

The Pender County Planning Board voted Jan. 7 to recommend approval of a conditional zoning map amendment for a 0.96-acre parcel along U.S. 17 used by Hooked Up Towing, allowing retail uses in the building at the roadway and moving towing operations to the rear of the lot.

Planning staff said the application (rezoning case 202479) was filed by RSC Engineering on behalf of Hooked Up Properties LLC and asked to rezone the parcel from RP (Residential Performance) to a conditional district allowing a limited set of retail uses on the front building while maintaining towing operations on site. Planning staff recommended approval with conditions intended to screen stored vehicles, limit outdoor storage, and require compliance with the Pender County Unified Development Ordinance.

The board’s recommendation includes conditions agreed during the hearing: the owner must install an opaque fence (applicant agreed to an eight-foot wood privacy fence), storage and loading must be behind the front building, towed vehicles shall not be visible from the public right of way, the site shall not be used as a junkyard or “pick-and-pull” operation, the applicant will remove donation (blue) bins if they are on his property, facade colors must be low-reflectance earth tones with limited accent trim, and the owner must coordinate with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on a sidewalk or dedicate a five-foot sidewalk easement if DOT will not permit immediate construction. Staff also noted stormwater and other state/local requirements remain applicable.

Cliff Rohn of RSC Engineering represented the applicant at the hearing and described plans to construct a new 1,500-square-foot towing building at the rear of the lot and convert the existing front building to retail (examples discussed included a dive shop or thrift-style retail). Rohn and the owner said typical day-to-day stored vehicles number about five to eight and that peak holiday weekends could temporarily produce higher counts. The applicant said tow-truck operations would use a separate truck entrance and the public/customer driveway would access the front building.

Neighbors and a nearby property owner asked about driveway placement, preservation of existing access used by adjacent homeowners, lighting, and the appearance of the site from the street. A neighbor who shares a rear property line asked that any new fencing not block an informal driveway the neighbor uses; staff and the applicant agreed further coordination will occur during the technical review (TRC) stage. The applicant agreed to relocate a military vehicle currently on the front of the lot and to place vehicle storage behind the privacy fence so parked vehicles are not visible from the roadway.

After discussing additional clarifying conditions, a board member moved to recommend approval with the read-back conditions; another member seconded. The motion carried with one abstention. Board staff noted the planning board’s approval is advisory; the rezoning will be scheduled for a hearing before the Pender County Board of Commissioners. Staff announced the county commissioners’ hearing on the recommendation will be on Feb. 18, 2025, and that property owners within 500 feet will be mailed notice.

The board also noted that final engineering, stormwater controls, and any DOT permitting remain required at TRC and permitting stages; the recommendation does not waive those requirements.