The Planning Board voted to recommend a text amendment to section 8.116.b of the Unified Development Ordinance to exempt wireless communication facilities sited on State of North Carolina‑owned land from conditional rezoning requirements and to allow administrative review instead.

Staff explained the amendment is tied to a specific, planned installation: TowerCo, a wireless infrastructure company, was awarded an RFP to install a 190‑foot monopole to serve the Samarkand Training Academy (operated by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety). The facility would provide FirstNet emergency‑network services via a public‑private partnership (FirstNet Authority and AT&T) to prioritize mission‑critical communications for first responders.

The parcel named in the presentation is 3600 Semercan Road, zoned RA and owned by the State of North Carolina. Staff cited North Carolina General Statutes 160D‑913(d) as the statutory background for exempting state‑owned land from overlay or conditional‑zoning placement without the council of state’s approval. Staff said, consistent with UDO section 6.1, the amendment would allow wireless facilities on state‑owned parcels to undergo administrative review (per UDO sections 10.7 and 8.116) rather than conditional rezonings.

Staff also reported comments from the Regional Unified Land Use Review Committee (RULAC). RULAC’s review identified intersections of state lands and military aviation operations over Moore County and requested that permit applications for tall structures on state land be routed to RULAC and Fort Bragg (and the FAA as required), with approval conditioned on a determination that the structure would not present a hazard to military aviation operations. Staff emphasized RULAC’s recommendations are nonbinding on Moore County, but that incorporating them would improve regional compatibility.

Board members questioned whether the amendment was mandatory under state law or simply a conforming change; staff said the amendment best brings the UDO into alignment with N.C. Gen. Stat. 160D‑913 and that administrative review and interagency comments would still provide opportunities for external agencies (RULAC, Fort Bragg, DOT and others) to review permit applications.

A public hearing produced no speakers. The board adopted the Planning Board consistency statement and voted to recommend approval of the text amendment; motions carried on voice votes.

Next steps: the Planning Board forwarded its recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for final consideration; staff said administrative review procedures and external agency coordination would be used during permit processing.